THE NEXT GENERAL MEETING, REMEMBER THE DATE: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 6TH, 7:30 PM ,AT THE CLUB HOUSE, LINCOLN PARK ROAD, IN DERBY TOWNSHIP.

Archerywill be the theme for our September general meeting. If possible, a representative of the archery industry will be in attendance. Plan to attend and get caught up on summer happenings.

DATES TO REMEMBER!
***Salmon Spectacular August 25th to September 3rd
***Fish Frys Saturday August 26th and September 2nd
***Everyday has a different theme, see magazine or posters for various days.
***Annual Turkey Shoot, SSA property Sunday September 17th, 1:00 pm

NEW MEMBERS!
S.S.A. welcomes the following new members:

*Scott Brinkman Adult
*Mark Barger Adult
*Ken Williton Senior
*Steven Bognar Adult
*David Reusch Adult
*Ed Yates Adult
*Ches Pietryszn Adult
*Derk Knight junior
*Jeff Beach Student
*Arnold Kell Family

 The Sydenham Sportsmen s Juniors enjoyed their Annual Campout, July 15th and 16th, at the Club property. 31 Juniors and 13 Adults took part in a day of shooting on the 22 range, fishing in the river and an obstacle course, put together by the older kids, running through the archery range trails. 43 people enjoyed a roast chicken and venison roast dinner, then a soccer game on the trap range field and a camp fire. Sunday brought the rain and so the planned archery shoot was canceled and everybody watched a movie instead. Everybody home by noon. ANOTHER FUN CAMPOUT!

So far it looks like 90 for the Junior Fishing Day, in conjunction with the Meaford Military Training Facility Club, at Mountain Lake, in the Tank Range. WE NEED BOATS AND OPERATORS OR THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! IT IS ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH. IF YOU HAVE A BOAT AND CAN BE THERE, CALL TIM AND CHERYL HENRICH AT 376 5865. ANYONE INTERESTED PLEASE CALL!!
 Juniors are needed for Fish Fry parking, both nights, at the Salmon Spectacular, 3 to 8?. Also Kids needed for Kids Day, Sunday August 26th. Bird House Building and assorted other chores to be staffed. Please call Tim and Cheryl Henrich at 376 5865 and let them know if you can be there.

Tim and Cheryl Henrich, Co-ordinators
Youth Activities Program

Drew Watson, Chairperson
Archery Committee

WILDLIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Indian Affairs
After years of bitter antagonism, the beginning of the beginning of the end of the acrimonious Indian/non-Indian Bruce Peninsula fishing dispute may be in sight.
 The Governments of Ontario and Canada have signed a four-year commercial fishing agreement with the Saugeen and Cape Croker Indian Bands. The agreement has been deemed to constitute a commercial fishing license. Now, the question is, what does this agreement say?
 Strange as it may seem, the people of Ontario will not be permitted to see the actual agreement that defines the commercial netting of Ontario fish. In lieu of this, the Province has provided us with the following:
 The area covered by the agreement runs up the west side of the Bruce Peninsula from just north of Point Clark, then down the Georgian Bay side to approximately the Meaford Tank Range. ( see map)
 Colpoys Bay and Owen Sound are excluded by agreement, although the Indians maintain that they have the right to fish there if they so choose.
 A system of catch reporting has been incorporated into the agreement.
 The agreement sets out quotas of fish by species, totaling approximately 2 million pounds.
 Game fish are not on the quotas.

It should be noted that the agreement applies to commercial fishing only. Fishing for food or ceremony is outside of this agreement, and is beyond Provincial control.

 Enforcement of fishing laws is being addressed. In the first instance, it is not clear as to just what law will apply. Federal law, Provincial law and Indian by-laws are all part of the picture. It is also unclear as to where Provincial Conservation Officers will fit in regarding enforcement of the Indian commercial fishery. It was stated that a very convoluted system of Provincial and Band approvals will be necessary before any Provincial action can be taken regarding infractions of the law. A  Compliance Committee  is to be set up to develop an enforcement protocol. It is our understanding that some form of joint enforcement is to be part of the picture.
 Some time ago, the Grey/Bruce Conservation Coalition wrote to the Ministry of Natural Resources that effective, efficient enforcement was a necessary prerequisite of any agreement. On the face of it, the enforcement setup can hardly be considered as efficient. How effective it will be, only time will tell.
 The Lake Huron/Lake Superior Enforcement Supervisor expresses some optimism that meaningful control might be possible. We hope he is right.

Summary
A mutually acceptable agreement could be more likely to work than one imposed by law.
 An agreement that is not entirely agreeable to either group maybe a good agreement.
 The agreement appears to honour the principle of resource conservation. It also appears to offer some specific protection for the sports fishery.
 Fisheries law enforcement may be compromised by severely restricted and cumbersome policy. A yet to be appointed Compliance Committee is to deal with this. This is a serious issue.
 Food and ceremonial fishing cause problems.
 We have been asking for years that something be done about the situation. Now, something has been done. Is it any good?
 We congratulate MNR and the Indians for securing the agreement. We thank them for making the effort. We reserve our final judgment pending results.
 We will watch proceedings with guarded enthusiasm.

Wildlife
Item #1
 Here is controversy over cutting in the Johnson s Harbour deeryard on the Bruce Peninsula. We have attended most of the meetings held by the community of North Bruce Peninsula.
 The whole issue is a convoluted foulup. The 1400 acres in question are surrounded by National Park. MNR had promised to buy the land and manage it for deer, if it came up for sale. Needless to say, MNR didn t buy it and the timber company did buy it and now wants to begin cutting. Besides the deer yard, there is an ANSI and a wetland.
 Access to the property is the cutter s problem. The only available access is by means of an unopened township road allowance. Indians, National Park and assorted environmentalists oppose the road opening until an environmental assessment is carried out.
 Of course, MNR lost all credibility in the matter when they reneged on their promise to purchase the subject lands.
 We sportsmen have a direct stake and have repeatedly made our position known. The following letter to the Sun Times illustrates what we have been saying.

Editor
 The Sun Times has provided its readers with several articles concerning the proposals of cutting white cedars on the Bruce Peninsula. Your reporters have focused on the cutting dispute and although they did mention the deer yard, they have consistently neglected to mention the effects of timber cutting on the deer yard. This is of great concern to sportsmen.
 I have attended several Upper Bruce Peninsula council meetings as a representative of the Sydenham Sportsmen and the Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Zone h. On several occasions I have stated clearly that we do not oppose cedar cutting in the deer yard, in fact we welcome it. Our concern is with the type of cutting that might be done and how this would affect white-tail deer.
 First and foremost, we know that deer are in our area because of cutting. White-tail deer were originally creatures of the Carolinian Forest. As such, they seldom appeared further north of the North Shores of Lakes Erie and Ontario. Clear cutting and burning of the primeval forest by settlers and timber barons created the environmental diversity that deer could not resist. They followed the cutting as it went north and that process continued for some time. However, in some locations, clear cut areas have regenerated and begun to mature. The tree crowns started to close in and sunlight was gradually excluded from the forest floor, forcing sun-loving species to disappear. As a result, deer herds declined.
 To return to our original statement, we welcome the cutting, but we are concerned with the kind of cutting and the effects of such cutting on white-tail deer.  we would hope that any cutting would provide the cover and food essential to the white-tail deer. To this effect, we se discuss briefly the likely effects of three different scenarios.
 Clear Cutting: This would give the maximum one-time profit to the loggers, but would be devastating to forest regeneration in general and to the deer herd specifically. The forest and the deer would likely return over time, but it would be a very long period.
 No Cutting: This would eliminate any financial return to the loggers and would ensure a serious decline of the deer herd through forest closure.
 Phase Cutting: This could include patch cutting, strip cutting or selective cutting. These cuts could be done in such a way that would maximize long-term financial returns to the loggers. Most importantly to sportsmen, if the cutting was done with some consideration for wildlife, it could be of great value to over-wintering deer.
 For example, winter cutting would provide a one-time white cedar bonanza for the deer. The uncut woodlands would remain as cover and the openings would provide long-term food producing areas. Certainly, sportsmen would welcome this option.
 The people involved with this matter should recognize that Johnson s Harbour Deer Yard overwinters a Provincially significant herd of deer. Most of these deer fan out over much of the upper Bruce Peninsula during spring, summer and fall. They provide hunting and viewing opportunities for local residents as well as the many visitors. So, as sportsmen, we certainly hope that the outcome will be the right one.
Blake Smith

Item # 2
 We have recently been made aware that the County of Grey has hired a consultant to prepare a management strategy for Grey County forests. These forests were managed by MNR prior to the great bloodletting when all local MNR timber staff were either transferred out or were outright fired. Now, the county does the managing and may or may not be doing a proper job.
 Several interest groups have expressed a concern that there has been no opportunity for these groups to be in on the planning ground floor.
 Feelers have been put out to Grey County about these concerns. It was pointed out that the Grey/Sauble Conservation Authority had come up with a first-rate forest management strategy, through consultation with representatives of various interest groups. Grey County Council will have the final say as to whether or not they will seek input from interested user groups. If the answer is affirmative, we would expect the SSA to be invited to participate.

Blake Smith, Chairperson
Wildlife Advisory Committee

John Galbraith, Chairperson
Hand Gun Committee

Fred Geberdt, Chairperson
Fish Advisory Committee

For Sale:
20 Gauge Ruger Red Label
Over and Under Shotgun
Call Bill Thompson 376 4555

SYDENHAM SPORTSMEN'S  ASSOCIATION
 

TURKEY SHOOT

 SUNDAY SEPT 17TH
 

Time:  1:00PM TO ???

Location:  AT THE SSA PROPERTY ACROSS FROM LINCOLN PARK, South of the #6 & !0 bypass between Springmount and Rockford. 

CLASSES:
SHOTGUN
MUZZLELOADERS: OPEN SIGHTS AND SCOPES

.22 RIMFIRE: IRON SIGHTS AND SCOPES

NOVELTY AND "PIE" SHOOTS

LUNCH AVAILABLE

EVERYONE WELCOME