THE NEXT GENERAL MEETING, REMEMBER THE DATE: THURSDAY May 1st, 7:30 PM, AT THE CLUB HOUSE, LINCOLN PARK ROAD, IN DERBY TOWNSHIP. 

Robert Pye from the OFAH  Get Outdoors Program has promised to attend the May 1st meeting and explain a bit about the new provincial youth program which already involves 38 clubs and over 1,000 outdoors people between the ages of 8 and 18 years. According to Pye, this program was inspired by the SSA Youth Activities group developed by late SSA member and outdoors enthusiast, Gord Maher.

Pye has recently visited Saskatchewan where they have asked him to help develop a similar program  for that province.

Amazing sometimes, how few people recognize local excellence until it's noticed by outsiders. Surely somewhere, Gord Maher is smiling today over the success of his dream.

New Members!! 

The SSA welcomes the following new members:

• David Skelton Senior
• George Hume Family
• Bill Brydges Senior.
• Larry York Adult
• Conor Doran Junior
• Ray Russwurm Adult

DATES AND OTHER THINGS TO REMEMBER!
 

The snow and cold have gone, and the summer heat comes...but this doesn't herald lazy times for the SSA. Our club is blessed with many dedicated volunteers, who will be giving their time and effort to operate our programs and raise the necessary cash to fund our programs in the following ways:

Out hardworking boat draw organizers are at work putting together a small army of ticket sellers, who raise major amounts of cash for vital club programs and projects.
 Our bluebird specialists are occupied, preparing nesting houses and inventorying the use of same...and likewise, the facilitators of the bat and wood duck programs are busy in shop and field.

•  The Maher Centre is alive with the sounds of hammer and saw. Many items for many projects are being constructed.
•  The fish hatchery is a hive of activity, with the various ongoing programs from collecting eggs to stocking the fish.
•  Plantings of wildlife-friendly trees and shrubs are just getting under way on many diversified sites.
•  The wildlife and fisheries committees are busy planning and organizing their various projects and events.
•  Our shooting range captains, along with their committees, are up to their ears in planning their programs, as well as servicing and maintaining their respective patches of turf.
•   The Derby Committee is heavily engaged in its never-ending quest to mastermind a bigger and better and more profitable event. Of course, this is a major fundraiser for our conservation projects.
•  Our social planners are going full out to provide special events, such as this year's big beef barbeque.
•  The club property chairman is switching his thinking and thrust from snow to grass. He is one busy fellow, looking after our buildings and grounds.
•  Our programs chairman is putting forth a great deal of time and effort, arranging a terrific lineup of guest speakers for our meetings, as well as going the extra mile to ensure quality items for draw prizes.
•  Our wizard of accounting is continuing to provide quality financial control and advice, to ensure that we stay in the "black" side of the ledger.
•  Our membership co-ordinator is forever tuning his computer to ensure that only properly paid-up members may avail themselves of the rights and privileges of our club.
•  Our junior members, along with their convenors, are meeting monthly and inoculating the minds of impressionable youth with conservation issues and ethics, to guide them through later life. Of course, they have a lot of fun activities, from air gun shooting to kid fishing days, to make the whole thing extremely pleasant.
•  Many of us are meeting with other organizations. Not only are we attempting to look after the rights of anglers and hunters, but as well, we are trying to foster better conservation of our resources through our combined efforts.
•  Our club secretary is doing a superlative job compiling minutes of general and executive meetings, and our correspondence secretary is kept busy shepherding the two-way flow of information between ourselves and outside organizations.

Blake Smith.
President

 Periodically, we get requests to acquire "winter-hardy" pheasants,  to release in our area. The requests we received more or less indicated that these birds were almost a new species of pheasant that could survive in deep snow. It didn't seem likely, but nevertheless, it was worth investigating, just in case the information was really true.

 Winter-hardy pheasants were discussed at a recent OFAH directors' meeting. Gerry Haarmeyer was a participant in the program to acquire such birds from Saskatchewan, and he described their capture and release. Yes, they are winter-hardy birds. They are truly wild, and can withstand terribly cold temperatures.

 No, they cannot tolerate deep snow. They need carbohydrates (seeds) and cannot make it through a winter on cellulose (tree buds) .If the snowfall exceeds 50 or 60 inches, it is game over for pheasants...and that rules out Grey/Bruce. If we wish to have pheasants here, we must be prepared to provide artificial feeding programs.

 Turkey season is coming up, and we will have to see how our birds came through the winter. We know that they had a very tough time, but whether or not there was a high winter kill is yet to be determined.

 We haven't heard any more from the loggerhead shrike people, so it would appear that this program is dead, at least for this year. Apparently it was fear of the hatchlings catching the West Nile Disease that axed the project.

 Our wildlife planting programs are just getting under way, so prepare to come out with shovel and bucket to help make our area a better place for wildlife.

Blake Smith. Co chairperson
Forest and Wildlife Advisory Committee

Forms are in for the summer leadership camp in Haliburton.  Call if you would like more info.  We would like to see lots of participation for the summer campout and kids fishing day which will take place July 4, 5 and 6.  Bring your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews or any other children who would benefit from such a great event.   We have a wonderful amount of prizes and giveaways for the kids from Lucky Strike and Shimano.  Also be sure to come to the May meeting to hear Robert Pye speak about the Get Outdoors Program.

 Anyone wishing information about the Youth Activities call Sarah Stephenson at 363-9845 or Mary Stephenson at 363-2893 or email at mary.stephenson@sympatico.ca.

Sarah Stephenson Chairperson 
Youth Activities Program

It sure is nice to finally see spring and I hope you all are looking forward to getting back onto the outdoor ranges on a regular basis.

 I am planning another fun shoot (with the help of some of the other pistol shooters) for August 10.  The format will be the same as last year with rim fire and centre fire events being planned. This will be a great time to enjoy the fellowship of kindred spirits in a relaxed setting.  I can be reached at 519-986-2731 for more details.  I hope no 
one will have to paint the house or clean the rain gutters that day.

 Sept. 20 We are hosting another "Five Gun Shoot".  There will be 25 birds on the trap field, a centre fire pistol, 22 pistol, high power rifle, 22 rifle and a black powder rifle, all shot on the 100 yard range.  If you don't have a gun for all the required events that's not a problem! You can use mine.

 Anyone wanting to obtain an A.T.T. should contact me or Ray Hoffer immediately as we plan to do only one more class this year.  Anyone who took the recent class room segment should be on the range by the time you read this.  If you have not been talking to me, call me.

 As a point of interest, 25 of our current A.T.T. holders did not shoot the required 2 times last year according to the range record book.  This a club requirement.  The A.T.T.s have to be renewed next spring.  I would like to be able to recommend everyone for a renewal, so please come out and shoot and make that part of my job easy.  If you do not 
wish to record scores in the book it doesn't matter; just sign in.

 I am not sure if everyone is using the same target to score for the annual awards so, "for the record", only I.S.U. "standard pistol" targets will be acceptable. If you require targets they should be in the pistol range box by the time you read this or you can call me.

 Finally, if there is enough interest, I will schedule a bullet casting day at the club.

David Tebbutt, Chairperson
Handgun Committee

After our initial stocking on March 19th of about 10,000 rainbow trout into the Sydenham River at Harrison Park, plans were made to enlist the help of our junior members to release the remaining fish on the following Saturday. Unfortunately excessive sand and gravel washed down from the road ditch above the hatchery and blocked the water flow into our holding tanks which caused the loss of about 12,000 of the remaining trout. The 3.000 fish that did survive made it into the Sydenham River .

 Fortunately the salmon and brown trout being smaller and not needing as much oxygen survived the ordeal and were spread out into the extra holding tanks. We expect the salmon to be clipped around the first week of May.

 Collection of our target of 125.000 rainbow eggs started just before the Easter weekend with a catch of around 17,000 eggs. Hopefully by the time you are reading this newsletter we will have met our target one way or another.

 In the opposite direction of fish I would like to let you know that we will be doing some tree planting at the former Owen Sound dump site just north of the club on SATURDAY MAY 17TH.

 WE would appreciate as much help as possible so you can show up any time after 8 AM and if you have a pail and shovel please bring them along. Thanks!

Mike Prevost F .A.C. Chairman

 A West Luther man who shot two beagles on his farm four years ago, killing one of them, was ordered Thursday to pay the dogs' owner $4,500 in damages.
 Deputy Judge Steven Pettipiere of Guelph's small claims court said 62-year-old Bert Green had no legal excuse to shoot the dogs belonging to Lawson McArthur of Palmerston.
 Green admitted shooting the animals, but the defence claimed he was justified in doing so under a section of the Livestock and Poultry Protection Act.
 McArthur, 51, testified he trains beagles and hounds for trials competitions. He said he had taken four beagles to a forested area known as the Boyd Tract adjacent to Green's farm about 7:30 p.m. on April 13, 1999, and set them loose with electronic collars. McArthur said the dogs were never more than a five-minute walk from him and he was able to monitor them with the collars. He told the court 20 to 25 minutes after he released the dogs he heard a shotgun blast, then about 10 minutes later heard another.
 McArthur said three of the beagles came out of the bush and he could see one, Angel, was "covered In blood" and only using three legs. He went into a field next to the bush area where he found the fourth dog, Sparkle, lying dead.
 McArthur called the OPP, but two officers who investigated decided not to lay charges. The man told court when he asked an officer why, she replied simply, "Because he raises livestock."
 McArthur filed a lawsuit against the OPP -which was later abandoned --and against Green. McArthurs counsel Jason Fraser asked for an award of between $4,.500 and $7,000 to cover his client's financial losses.
 Green told the court he was outside repairing machinery at his farm when he saw three dogs chasing two deer through his wheat field, about 200 metres away across the road.
 Green said he got his shotgun and went toward the area. He fired a warning shot, but when that didn't work he shot at the dogs from about 60 metres away and heard a squeal.
 Green said he checked that the dog was dead and then went back to his house across the road.
 He and wife Miriam both testified about ongoing problems with people training dogs at the Boyd Tract, Including dogs getting loose, running through their crops and chasing the couple's cattle. On one occasion a cow got its leg tangled in a fence and had to be put down, court heard.
 The couple conceded they were unable to link any of these incidents to McArthur or his dogs.
 Green said under cross-examination he made no effort to find the dogs' owner before shooting them.
 "You just decided to go with Plan A and shoot them?" Fraser asked.
 "Yes," Green answered.
 Green's counsel Charles Forster said his client was relying on a section of the Livestock and Poultry Protection Act, which allows landowners to kill dogs on their property between sunset and sunrise if they are wandering from where they are normally kept.
 Both counsel agreed sunset that day was at 8:02 p.m. based on information from the federal government. Forster asked Pettipiere to consider McArthur's evidence that he turned the dogs loose about 7:30, then heard the first shot 20 to 25 minutes later and a second 10 minutes after that.
 Forster said that would mean the fatal shot was fired at 8:05 p.m. --after sunset.
 However, Fraser noted his client described the lighting conditions at the time as "daylight" and said that was bolstered by Green's own evidence he could see the three dogs chasing two deer from 200 metres away, and shot at them from 60 metres away.
 Given all the evidence, Pettipiere said he was satisfied the fatal shooting took place before sunset and therefore was not justified under the Livestock Protection Act.
 

JUDGE DOESN'T BUY DOG KILLER'S DEFENCE
By FRANCES BARR!CK RECORD STAFF
KITCHENER The Record March 25, 2003

 Reuben Pfeffer didn't act in self-defence when he fatally shot a neighbour's dog, but took advantage of an opportunity to get rid of an animal that had damaged his flower beds, a Kitchener judge ruled yesterday.
 In convicting the 60 year-old man of killing the 16-month-old white German shepherd, Justice Margaret Woolcott 
dismissed Pfeffer's defence that he shot the dog because it was attacking him.
 Because of past annoyances with the animal, Pfeffer "took advantage of the fact that he had a gun and shot the dog:' the judge ruled.
 Pfeffer is to be sentenced April 2. The maximum penalty is six months in jail.
 The unleashed 100 pound dog was shot Aug. 24, 2001, shortly after it took off and ran on to Pfeffer's adjoining 
property on Sawmill Road near the village of Bloomingdale. just east of Waterloo.
 Pfeffer, who was described in court as being fastidious about his property and an avid hunter, had taken his 12-gauge shotgun with him during a walk on his grounds that day.
 Woolcott said she didn't believe Pfeffer's testimony that the dog was running at full speed toward him when he fired four shotgun blasts at the animal. One of the shots blew off the dog's testicles.
 Woolcott accused Pfeffer of manufacturing stories about the dog's previous aggressive behaviour towards him and his common .law wife, "in an effort to justify the shooting of the dog."
 The judge said Pfeffer was just following through with his threats to hurt the dog if it came on his property again.
 Susan Schmitt, one of the owners of the dog, said after court that she was "very pleased" with the ruling.
 But the nightmares and aftermath of the incident continue for her two grandsons who witnessed the shooting of their beloved pet, Schmitt said.
 Shortly after new neighhours moved onto Pfeffer's property, Schmitt said her four year-old grandson asked if they have a gun.

After court, assistant Crown attorney David Russell said mediation wouldn't have worked in this dispute because Pfeffer "dealt with pests on his farm by shooting them."
 Shortly after the incident, police seized seven firearms belonging to Pfeffer, and he now wants them back. Russell told
Woolcott that he will be opposing the return of the four shotguns and three rifles.
 Judgement: $1000.00 Fine, $1500.00 Restitution to Family, 3 years barred from owning firearms, 3 years barred from owning an animal.