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Saskatchewan Big Game Draw
The Big Game Draw is a fair and equitable method
of allocating a limited number of hunting licences to Saskatchewan
residents. The Big Game Draw started in 1958 after concerns were
raised that the province's elk population was under too much pressure
from hunters. Today's draw includes licences for elk, moose, either-sex
mule deer, antelope and antlerless mule deer.
The Big Game Draw uses a system of priority pools to ensure that
all applicants are treated equally with a higher priority being
given to applicants who are new to the system or have not been drawn
for a number of years. The lowest priority for getting a licence
is what's called the “C Pool”. That's made up of the people who
were lucky enough to be drawn last year. The next priority is the
“B Pool”. That's people who got a big game licence two years ago.
The second highest priority is the “A Pool”. That's made up of big
game licence applicants who last got a licence three years ago and
all first-time applicants. The top priority to be drawn for a big
game licence is applications that go into what's called the “Super
A Pool”. That's made up of people who were in the “A” or “Super
A” pools last year but didn't get drawn for a licence.
Using a priority pool system
helps to deal with the high demand for licences. For example in
2002, 10,994 hunters applied for 810 moose licences. In 2005, 1,710
licences were offered and 12,475 people applied.
The Big Game Draw is open to
any Saskatchewan resident who is 12 years of age and older. R.C.M.P.
officers or permanent members of the Canadian Armed Forces stationed
in and residing in the province may also apply for the Draw. People
whose hunting rights are suspended for either a Wildlife Act conviction
or firearms related incident as of May 31 of a particular year are
not eligible to apply for a licence.
Application forms are available
at all Saskatchewan Environment, RCMP and Rural Municipality offices
and most big game licence vendors. You can also apply on-line at
http://www.se.gov.sk.ca/. Scroll down and find fishing and hunting
information and then select “Big Game Draw”. You must use a Visa
or MasterCard to pay the applicable fees when applying on-line.
Up to four people can apply
on one application. If you are applying as a member of a group,
it is best to make sure all of the people listed on the application
have the same pool status. That's because the application will be
entered into the pool that reflects the status of the person with
the lowest priority. For example, if three people apply on the same
application and two of them have “A” pool status and the third has
“C” pool status, the application would be classified as having “C”
pool status.
In 2004 a non-refundable Big Game Draw Allocation Fee was administered
on all applications in additional to the licence fee. The allocation
fee for an envelope application is $7.00 and $4.00 for an on-line
application. Any envelope application that does not contain the
allocation fee will not be accepted into the draw.
Application forms become available
in April. The closing date for receipt of applications is May 31.
Envelopes containing the Big Game Draw application forms that are
mailed in must be Canada Post date-stamped no later than May 31.
They may also be hand delivered to Room 436, 3211 Albert Street,
Regina no later than 5 p.m. C.S.T, May 31. The on-line application
closes at midnight on May 31. All cheques and money orders should
be payable to Saskatchewan Environment.
After the May 31 deadline, department staff opens the application
envelopes and the allocation fee cheques are cashed. Each application
is checked for completeness, sorted by species and assigned a number.
Then information on the application is entered into the Big Game
Draw computer program and verified. Applications that fail the verification
process are returned to the applicant. In 2005, Saskatchewan Environment
received 24,700 applications; 65 per cent through the Internet and
35 per cent by mail.
After the checks and balances
are completed the computer assigns a pool status to each applicant.
Licence quotas, determined by aerial surveys and information from
field staff and harvest statistics, are entered into the computer
for each zone by species. After that is complete the computer randomly
selects applicants, beginning with the Super “A” pool and continues
until all licences have been allocated. The licences are then printed
and mailed to the successful applicants. Credit cards and cheques
from successful applications are processed for payment. In mid-July
results of the Big Game Draw are posted to the Internet and can
be found at www.se.gov.sk.ca/
.
For further information about
the Saskatchewan Big Game Draw, contact Brenda Kelly, Big Game Draw
Administrator, Resource Stewardship Branch, 3211 Albert Street,
Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 5W6, or call (306) 787-9246.
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Conservation Officers Running
with the Flame of Hope
The Law Enforcement
Torch Run began in 1981 when Wichita, Kansas (USA) Police Chief
Richard LaMunyon saw an urgent need to raise funds for and increase
awareness of the Special Olympics.
Since that time the Torch Run
has spreadover 32 other countries worldwide,
including Canada. Saskatchewan law enforcement officers, including
many of the province's conservation officers, picked up the torch
for the first time in 1987 and have never looked back. Over 500
officers from across the province participated in the initial Torch
Run and through their combined efforts, almost $15,000 in donations
were raised. The Torch run is now an annual event and involves officers
from all of the various law enforcement agencies across Saskatchewan.
As a matter of fact, the Torch run is the largest fund-raising event
supporting Special Olympics in our province and contributes 25%
of the overall funds required to operate the various levels of the
program.
Conservation Officer Stephen
Hug is the current chairman of the Prince Albert chapter and has
been involved with the Torch Run since 1989. The Prince Albert chapter
represents a wide cross-section of law enforcement personnel, working
throughout the community.
The group holds a variety of
fundraisers such as a wildlife supper, golf tournament, puck shoot,
bingo, coffee days and hot dog sales. In the last five years, the
Prince Albert committee has raised approximately $40,000 on average
each year. Officer Hug says some of his most enjoyable times are
spent working with the Special Olympic athletes. He also worked
on the 2002 Canada Games committee as the Torch Run representative.
Hug says, “I have made many new friends while working with the athletes
over the last 16 years and have had a lot of fun in the process.”
Conservation Officer Darryl
Bowen has been involved with the association since 1989 and is currently
the chapter secretary. Bowen has been involved in organizing the
wildlife supper and participating in Special Olympics floor hockey
and slow pitch. Bowen says, “ These kinds of events show that you
can have fun competing with other local athletes and see the benefits
of fund-raising activities go to a worthy cause.”
Officers Hug and Bowen have
also been fortunate to attend the international conferences for
the Law Enforcement Torch Run. These conferences provide opportunities
to learn, network and explore new fund-raising ideas.
Hug and Bowen are two of the
province's 120 conservation officers responsible for managing, protecting
and enhancing Saskatchewan's environment and natural resources.
Enforcement duties include issues such as the illegal commercialization
of fish, wildlife and forest products, environmental offences, the
illegal use of Crown land, forest fire arson, keeping the peace
in provincial parks, and hunting and fishing activities.
Without public participation
and co-operation, enforcing resource and environmental legislation
would be an insurmountable task.
 That's
why anyone who sees or suspects abuses of the province's environment
or resources is encouraged to use the Turn-In-Poachers (TIP) 24
hour, toll-free number
(1-800-667-7561).
However, enforcement is just
one aspect of achieving compliance. Public education and prevention
are also an important part of the province's compliance model. By
taking a lead role in the Torch Run, Steve and Darryl have had the
chance to interact directly with many people from various backgrounds,
promoting the department's goals and objectives. Opportunities like
the Torch Run have given Steve, Darryl and other conservation officers
the chance to answer simple, yet important, questions regarding
environmental legislation and hunting or fishing regulations. As
well, they talk to young people about what they need to do to prepare
themselves to pursue a career in the resource law enforcement field.
The goals of the Law Enforcement Torch Run are threefold. Most importantly,
funds are raised to support athletes involved with the Special Olympics
in Saskatchewan. Secondly, the funds raised are used specifically
to support local athlete training programs, competitions and to
provide training for volunteer coaches and administrators. And finally,
the Torch Run strives to increase public awareness of the challenges
facing athletes at the Special Olympics, of their outstanding accomplishments
and the positive contributions they make to the quality of life
in their home communities.
Today, the Law Enforcement
Torch Run for Special Olympics is a worldwide event involving more
than 100,000 officers. Collectively, this unique group of caring
individuals raised over $40 million dollars in the 2004 calendar
year for this very worthwhile cause. Closer to home, Saskatchewan's
enforcement officers have provided the Special Olympics with close
to $1.5 million over the last 16 years of fundraising.
Anyone wishing to make a
contribution to the 200X Law Enforcement Torch Run can contact Conservation
Officer Stephen Hug at 306-953-2320.
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Conservation Officer
Activity Report for 2004 |
| FISHERIES
PROSECUTIONS IN 2004 |
| SHIELD
|
38
|
| Most
Common Wildlife Charge |
| Loaded
firearm in vehicle |
64
|
| Unlawful
hunting |
35
|
| Leaving
game in the field |
12
|
| Hunt
with the use of lights |
9
|
| Hunt
on posted land |
12
|
| Unlawful
Possession |
| WEST
BOREAL |
85
|
| PARKLAND |
118
|
| EAST
BOREAL |
35
|
GRASSLAND
|
65
|
| ENFORCEMENT |
3
|
| TOTAL
|
344
|
| Most
Common Fisheries Charge |
| Angle
w/o license |
136
|
| Illegal
use of barbed hooks |
19
|
| Fail
to carry angling license |
17
|
| Exceed
possession limit |
6
|
| Fish
with more than 2 lines |
14
|
| Exceed
Daily limit |
34
|
| Fail
to leave skin attached |
11
|
|
WILDLIFE
PROSECUTIONS
|
| SHIELD
|
11
|
| WEST
BOREAL |
31
|
| PARKLAND
|
97
|
| EAST
BOREAL |
79
|
| GRASSLAND
|
69
|
| Enforcement |
25
|
| TOTAL
|
312
|
| Discharge
firearm from vehicle |
17
|
Other
Miscellaneous Investigations
of Unlawful Activity |
| Unlawful
fish sales |
26
|
| Trafficking
Wildlife |
7
|
| Birds
of Prey |
4
|
| Trophy
antler sales |
2
|
| Arson
|
66
|
| Forestry
|
17
|
| Species
at Risk |
1
|
| Unlawful
Hunting |
227
|
| Outfitting
|
34
|
| Environmental |
159
|
| Game
Farming |
6
|
| Other
|
198
|
| TOTAL
|
747
|
Provincial
Enforcement
Center Dispatch Activity |
| TIP
Calls |
2175
|
| Spill
Line |
936
|
| Fire
Watch |
104
|
| Park
Watch |
1666
|
| General
Inquiries |
15702
|
COMPLETE
SUMMARY OF
CONSERVATION OFFICER
PROSECUTIONS |
| Alcohol
|
584
|
| Criminal
Code |
24
|
| Environmental
Protection |
4
|
| Fisheries
|
344
|
| Forestry
|
0
|
| Outfitters
|
5
|
| Prairie
Forest Fire |
2
|
| Litter
|
8
|
| Migratory
Birds |
9
|
| Parks
|
144
|
| Summary
Offence |
104
|
| Wildlife
|
312
|
| Highway
Traffic |
86
|
| TOTAL WARNINGS
GIVEN |
1149
|
| TOTAL
PROSECUTIONS |
1626
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