Despite pandemic related hurdles, the Battlefords Wildlife Federation are looking to maintain most of their projects this year, as well modify the annual Smoker Meal. (submitted photo/Battlefords Wildlife Federation)

By Josh Ryan

Projects ahead

Wildlife Federation set for Smoker Meal, summer projects

Mar 5, 2021 | 9:52 AM

The Battlefords Wildlife Federation is hoping to get a good start on 2021 projects this spring.

The group’s biggest annual event, Smoker to Go, is scheduled for April 10 at the federation’s clubhouse. Normally drawing around 800 people in a social context, the modified version will have a limit of 250 tickets.

Dan Ornawka, Committee Chair for the event, said it was important for them to still have a large fundraiser, regardless of changes due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“Won’t raise the money the regular version would have raised, but at least it will get us going in the right direction,” he said.

Because of the restrictions, the event will have a drive-thru format this year, with all tickets being sold in advance.

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“We’re going to box it up and take it out to the car for them,” Ornawka said. “No one will get out of their vehicles for this event.”

Several projects remain in the works for the Battlefords Wildlife Federation, including putting funding towards wildlife lands, scholarships and renting the building for firearm courses. Due to less funding, the land purchases will be scaled back.

Ornawka said another goal for the federation this year is to change the perception some still have about the organization from decades ago, of the organization being “a bunch of drunks with guns.”

“We’re anything but that,” he said. “We’re family oriented and trying to things for the community.”

To help move that goal along, the federation is finalizing a brochure in the coming weeks, which will showcase current projects and the values of the organization.

“That really outlines everything as a wildlife federation that we are committed to,” Ornawka said.

Care for local wildlife creatures has been one of their commitments. President Daniel Delainey said they were hoping to keep focusing on a pheasant raise and release program, which would involve having students hatch the eggs and care for them. However, they were unable to do so for the second straight year.

“We did that the first year, but we haven’t been able to do that this year, because we can’t guarantee students are going to be in class when they need to be,” Delainey said.

However, work on the Battlefords Goose Project, a human-made wetland built with cooperation of multiple parties that supports, will continue. Delainey said there’s no reason not to continue that annual work.

“That’s just a couple of guys outside, so we can do that.”

More information on the Smoker to Go can be found here.

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports