SPFGA is a responsive, relevant, and accessible leader in the community that, directly and through strong partnerships, promotes responsible outdoor recreation for current and future generations to enjoy, and is a catalyst for growth in a wide range of outdoor pursuits, including hunting, fishing, trapping, shooting, archery, camping, snowshoeing, hiking, bushcraft, and more. 

To promote through education, lobbying, and programs the conservation and utilization of fish and wildlife resources, the protection and enhancement of habitat, and the safe and responsible practice of the shooting sports.

The Objectives of the Association are:

• To promote through education and programs the conservation and wise use of fish and wildlife.
• To protect and enhance fish and wildlife habitat.
• To commit to the wise use and management of all natural resources.
• To lobby different levels of government to protect hunting, fishing, trapping, shooting, and other outdoor recreational activities.
• To own and operate a recreation and conservation area, as well as a shooting range facility, for the members, youth groups, and outdoor educational opportunities.
• To be affiliated with other organizations as the Association decides that increase the Association’s efficiency or effectiveness.

Reproduced from Conservation Pride and Passion, The Alberta Fish and Game Association 1908-2008, with permission from the Alberta Fish and Game Association.

The Sherwood Park Fish and Game Association was founded in the fall of 1962 with a complement of 30 members. Some of the founding members were Dr. John Woytuck, Reg Gray, Jim Robinson, Don Atha, Dave Voss, Roy Stannard, Willy Kadetz and Paul Morck. In November 1962 the club amalgamated with the Sherwood Park Pistol and Rifle Club, including the range facilities four miles south of Sherwood Park. This property was provided by the County of Strathcona and was enjoyed until encroaching development forced it to be closed in 1972. In 2006 the club’s membership was over 1,200.

Education

The conservation and hunter education program has been a large part of the club’s activities through the years. Instructors who have taken the executive chair and run the courses are Keith Burrows, Don Chapman, John Hendricksen, Clarence (Bill) Middleton, John Dickinson, Jim Lukion, Ken Lengert, Ed Tremblay and Zeta Sawchuk.

Projects – Gun Range

As a result of the closure of the gun range in 1972, there was a strong desire to find a permanent, secure recreation area where a new range could be built. In 1974 George Page found a quarter-section of land for sale south of Hastings Lake in Beaver County. George and Steve Witiuk inspected the area and mounted a campaign to convince members to acquire it. To purchase the land for $23,000, the club took out a mortgage of $18,400.

In 1986 Frank Lee, then president, started a personal venture to purchase for the club as much of the surrounding land as possible and create an area around the gun range as a cushion or buffer from encroaching acreage development and to conserve wildlife habitat. It took a few years and considerable effort in negotiating the land deal and the money to make the purchases. Most of the land was secured by 1990, but the final parcel didn’t fall into place until 2005, when prices had increased significantly.

Frank worked with Brad Fenson, the AFGA habitat development coordinator, to strike a deal with the landowner and raise the $208,000 for the final 160 acres. The Alberta Conservation Authority, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Zone 5 of the AFGA and individual members of the Sherwood Park club all contributed funds to complete the purchase. As a result, there is a solid block of 720 acres of prime conservation land at the Ketchamoot Creek Recreation Property.

Back in 1974, George Page spearheaded a group, including Clarence (Bill) Middleton, Steve Witiuk and others, to apply and receive grants to build a road, clear trees and construct a rifle range on the original quarter-section. A fish pond was dug, followed by the construction of a clubhouse and pistol range. In 1986 Frank Lee applied for a grant and supervised construction in 1987 to bring the rifle range up to the recommended standards as set out by the federal Attorney General.

In 1988 Frank Lee applied for and received a grant from Alberta’s Buck for Wildlife program to develop nature trails, that could be used for biathlon, on the club’s conservation land. Garnet Anthony and Ken Steinhauer headed up a group that laid out and cleared a black powder trail in 1989. Ron Kalaitis secured a substantial community enhancement grand ($58,000) in 1990 to upgrade the facilities as well as construct a new camp site.

Upon completion of the handgun range in 1980, Alex Scharzer hosted the Canadian Metal Silhouette Handgun Championships. In 1987 the club hosted the .22-rifle metallic silhouettes shoot as well as the big-bore handgun demonstration at the Strathcona 1987 Summer Games.

Garnet Anthony hosted the first-ever Western Canada Black Powder Championships at the club’s property in 1989. For his endeavour, Garnet was presented the 1990 member of the year award by the Alberta Black Powder Association. Rick Crossen headed up a group in 1991 that hosted the Alberta Cup biathlon race and in 1992 the Western Canadian Biathlon Championships at the club’s range.

Other Projects

The club helped sponsor surplus elk transplants from Banff to Spirit River in 1965. Member Keith Burrows was instrumental in starting the first Junior Forest Wardens chapter in Sherwood Park in 1968.

Pat Fredrik spearheaded the creation of the club’s pheasant raise-and-release program in 1975. He applied for funding from the AFGA to build pens and organized a group of club members – George Page, Steve Witiuk, Bill Middleton, and Chris van der Meer – to construct the pens on the properties of Martin Smigelski, Walter Saruk and Adalbert Missel. The Alberta government’s Fish and Wildlife Division supplied the birds and shipped them free of charge to the clubs. The club raised and released pheasants in the region for the next 10 years. 

The club hosted AFGA conventions in 1977 and 1982. Steve Witiuk organized the 1977 convention and George Bull organized the 1982 convention. Steve Witiuk also hosted the 1996, 1999 and 2008 conventions on behalf of zone 5.

In 1986 Pat Frederick spearheaded the raising of funds ($21,700) to pay for transporting excess elk and moose out of Elk Island National Park to the wild. The club ran this program under Pat and later Frank Lee until the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation took it over in the mid-1990s.

From 1989-91, Frank Lee planned and implemented a ruffed grouse habitat enhancement project with the help of students from the Biological Science Tech program of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. They clear-cut small two-and-a-half-acre plots and planted 6,300 trees acquired through the Fish and Wildlife Division’s Buck for Wildlife program.

From 1989-93 the club, in co-operation with the County of Strathcona and the Alberta Fish and Wildlife Division, took part in the “ConservACTION” program to improve local wildlife habitat. The program was funded by the Government of Canada’s Environmental Partners Fund and involved 617 projects and over 4,000 volunteer hours for a cost of $417,000.

The club became the lead partner in the purple loosestrife eradication and awareness project from 1994-1998, in co-operation with Alberta Agriculture and Ducks Unlimited Canada. Seven locations were eradicated of purple loosestrife, with over 5,400 volunteer hours involved.

Over the years the club has built a multitude of birdhouses. Bill Middleton built birdhouses almost continuously in his basement until he moved out of his home in Sherwood Park. In 2003 Frank Lee received a grant from the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) for $1,500 and oversaw the building of 164 birdhouses and three large colony bat houses. In 2006 Frank again received an ACA grant for $1,020 and headed up a work party that built four 12-compartment purple martin houses, including metal poles.