There are only a couple of more days left to be entered into our early registration draw! Purchase your 2024 membership by Sunday, December 31st for your chance to win a set of Vortex Viper 10x42 binoculars!
All 2024 memberships purchased before January 1st will be entered into the draw. The winner of the draw will be announced at the antler scoring event on Saturday, January 27th.
Predators of all sizes rely on Ungulate Winter Range (UWR) as much as their prey. The concentration of prey in limited quality habitat through the winter makes survival through the winter a little easier on the predators. Grooming trails and building roads generally make it easier for predators to move through UWR to hunt and tips the scales on the already vulnerable ungulates.
These photos show the variety of animals that use high quality UWR, including free ranging domestic dogs. UWR is not only important for ungulates, predators of all sizes rely on it for survival as well.
Recreation in UWR not only creates human disturbance, it supports and elevates the level of predation.
The coles notes:
- Human and domestic dog disturbance in winter range causes ungulates to flee leading to the expenditure of valuable and limited fat stores
- Human recreation infrastructure promotes predation
- Increased activity + increased predation = declining wildlife populations
Land use decisions are an important part of managing for all parts of nature. All of our actions have an impact.
We will be logging in our Upper Donald Woodlot this winter to manage this past year's fir beetle starting this week. Please be cautious and adhere to signage if accessing this area during active harvest.
The GDRGC manages Woodlot 452 with goals of enhancing and maintaining ungulate winter range habitats and funding our conservation work. Regionally we are experiencing Douglas fir beetle infestation that are attacking and killing mature trees.
We are managing these infestations through selective logging that removes the impacted trees and other unhealthy trees along the way. The aim of this type of harvesting is to retain habitat quality and mitigate the spread of fir beetles while meeting our obligations to harvest trees.
This portion of the woodlot is important ungulate winter range habitat. If you are accessing this area in the winter and care to limit your impact in this critical time of the year, please either leave your dog at home or ensure that it is well under control and not chasing deer.
On December 9th, delegates from the GDRGC attended a meeting of the Member clubs of the East Kootenay Wildlife Association which included a discussion with the President and Executive Director of the BC Wildlife Federation.
The EKWA and the BCWF take our voice to regional and provincial tables to advocate for wildlife, habitats and hunters.
Being a member of the Golden District Rod and Gun Club means that you are also a member of the EKWA and the BCWF.
The Golden District Rod and Gun Club is home to one of the longest ranges in British Columbia. Our 40 hectare recreation shooting range facility hosts turkey shoots, black powder shoots, sporting clays shoots and family fishing days. We encourage hunting, fishing, and shooting among the residents of the Golden district with a view towards better knowledge of the safe use of firearms and conservation ethics.
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