FJ Hurtak
On Saturday, April 13, the Kootenay Wildlife Heritage Fund, in association with some clubs, businesses, and concerned individuals, is sponsoring a Big Game Management symposium which will take place at Cranbrook’s Key City Theatre beginning at 9:30 a.m. Venue opens at 9.
As most people are aware, big game populations both in the Kootenays and some other parts of the province have been declining at an alarming rate.
In this one day symposium, you will hear what factors are driving the trend and what possibly can be done to reverse it, as current management practices which have been utilized over the past ten years or so, have not been effective to say the very least. The broad range of speakers that will address the issues at hand, Include:
Dr. Valerius Geist, a former Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science at the University of Calgary and publisher of 17 books on wildlife biology and wildlife conservation policy.
Dr. Vince Crichton (known as Doc Moose) who retired after 40 years with Manitoba’s Wildlife and Ecosystem Protection Branch. Crichton has been published in many scientific journals, popular magazines, and authored two chapters in a book Entitled, “The Ecology and Management of the North American Moose.”
Dr. Charles Kay holds a PH.D in Wildlife Ecology from Utah State University, in addition to an M.S. in Environmental Studies and a B.Sc. in Wildlife Biology both from the University of Montana. Dr. Kay has conducted extensive ecological research in the intermountain West over the last 40 years, including Yellowstone National Park and southern Canadian Rockies.
Mr. Ken Sumanik holds a BSc. in Biology from University of Calgary and an MSc, in Zoology from the University of Edmonton. He was a former head wildlife biologist for Northern B.C. from the Yukon to the West Coast.
Mr. Jim Beers retired professional biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service where he was a wildlife refuge manager.
Mr. Ray Demarchi well known former Regional Wildlife Biologist for the Kootenay District. Demarchi was known and respected as a straight shooter in his time in the Kootenays. He was never one to tell anyone what he just thought they wanted to hear when it came to wildlife matters. He told it like he thought it was. That sometimes got him into hot water with his superiors in Victoria, but he stood up for what he believed was right and never did mince any words when doing it. I think it’s safe to say that we can expect more of the same at the symposium.
Mr. Carmen Purdy Founder and Chair of the Kootenay Wildlife Heritage Fund, a non-profit organization which was formed in1980.
Tickets for this event are on sale now, and reportedly selling very well. You can purchase your tickets at the Key City Theatre box office, or you can call 250-426-7006, or get your tickets online at keycitytheatre.com. This is a reserved seating event and tickets are priced at $20.00 all inclusive.
If you like wildlife in any capacity, you are not going to want to miss this important Big Game Management symposium on Saturday April 13th at the Key City Theatre in Cranbrook. This event will be filmed in its entirety for future distribution throughout the province. Hope to see you there.
F.J. Hurtak is the author of the books “Elk Hunting in the Kootenays”, and “Hunting the Antlered Big Game of the Kootenays”