HISTORY OF THE LAKE WINDERMER DISTRICT ROD & GUN CLUB

Early Years

The Club was founded at a meeting on May 17, 1919 held in the Rotunda of the Hotel Invermere. John A. Hope a well known guide and writer was the driving force behind the formation of the club and he became its first President. Basil George Hamilton a local journalist was the first Secretary with the first Executive Committee consisting of the following local personnel: Hon. R. Randolf Bruce, W. Howard Cleland, Mathew H. Craik, Alexander Duncan MacKinnon, James Carlton Pitts, William W. Taynton, Alexander Ritchie, Alexander G. Cuthbert, Arthur Murray Chisholm, Allan S. Cochrane, Charles D. Ellis, Captain Albert H. MacCarthy, Edward Tunnacliffe, Walter J. Nixon, Stanley B. Harrison, H. G. Lowe, James W. Crawford and Joseph Lake.

It was founded to pressure the Game Department of the Provincial Government to better manage wilderness, fish and wildlife for the benefit of all people in the Province. Speaking at the annual meeting in 1920, John Hope stated that the aim of the club is to affiliate with other associations of like nature throughout the province for the purpose of better and more efficient protection of the Creator’s attractive, fascinating and most useful wildlife, forests and environment, this being a resource of incalculable value to British Columbia as a whole. He went on to state that the watch words of the future will be: “You shall not destroy what you have not the power to replace”. He showed remarkable vision in these statements some 90 years ago and the guiding principles are as valid today as they were back in 1919. Perhaps if everyone, including all levels of Government, industry and developers paid some attention to this, the world would be a better place.

In 1922, a 5 person committee of the Club was successful in pressuring the Game Department to stock local lakes with Cut Throat and Kamloops Trout over the next 2 year period. The fish stocking initiative was quite successful and catches of Kamloops trout to 15-20 pounds and Cut Throat Trout to 5 pounds were reported in subsequent years.

In 1924 Arthur Murray Chisholm became President of the Club, a position he held for 21 years. As can be seen from the photo, Arthur was an avid sportsman and he enjoyed many a day bird hunting accompanied by his faithful dog.

Early reports show that this part of the East Kootenays was already known as one of the best big game areas on the North American continent.

The Club was instrumental in introducing Ring-Necked Pheasants to the area in the early 1930’s and although they showed some initial success, the Ring Necked Pheasant was not able to successfully establish itself in this area.

As early as 1944, the Club was instrumental in recommending big game seasons, bag limits and allocations between resident hunters and guide-outfitters. It is also noteworthy that in 1945 there were insufficient registered guides to fill the needs of hunters visiting the East Kootenay area. In 1949 there were 60 registered guides in the area with a total of 209 non-resident hunters visiting our area. Newspaper reports do not show if the large number of guides were adequate to meet hunter demands or not.

In the late 1940’s, the Federal Government initiated a program to cross breed domestic and wild sheep. The Club was most vocal in denouncing this initiative. Not only had it led to the mortality of many of the wild sheep captured for this purpose but the Club also recognized that little good could come this experiment. At the same time, the Club was also very vocal in pressuring the Federal and Provincial governments to not only protect wetlands for the preservation of water fowl but also to reduce the bag limits and hunting hours to reduce the harvest. As stated in a letter to the above referenced authorities:- “the duck will follow the buffalo and the passenger pigeon if drastic steps are not taken to protect it and its habitat.”

The Fifties

In 1951 the Club recommended that the Stanford range area be closed for the purpose of hunting sheep in order to let populations increase. In 1952, the Club was instrumental in harvesting some 500,000 fish eggs from Lake Magog in Mount Assiniboine area to be planted in lakes within the East Kootenays. In 1952 the Club also initiated the transplant of a pair of beavers from Banff National Park to one of the local lakes to aid in the maintenance of water levels and thereby help preserve fishing. Beavers had apparently been virtually eliminated in our area during the fur trade activities of David Thompson’s men in the early 1800’s. In 1952, 3 Kamloops Trout rearing ponds were established on Ben Abel Creek and some 40,000 Kamloops fry were introduced to these ponds.

In 1953 the Club imported 30 Chukar partridges in an effort to diversify the game bird populations. As in the case of the ring-necked pheasants, there were some early indications of success, however the Chukar was never able to establish itself in this area. Another 14 beavers were also transplanted to this area.

In 1959 the Club took on a new challenge in the damming of Salter Creek and the subsequent creation of Rogun Lake some 13km south of Invermere. The dam was 150 feet long, 24 feet high and created a lake of about 21 acres with water depths up to 19 feet. Initial stocking with Rainbow Trout was carried out in late 1959. Rogun Lake was officially opened in June of 1961 and the Club proposed turning over the facility to the Provincial Government. By 1962, beavers had established themselves in Rogun Lake, damming the outlet and thus raising lake levels to a dangerous level. Government engineers determined that this was an unsafe condition and recommended extensive and costly changes to the dam structure. As the Club did not have the funds to conduct this work, the water level was lowered and the dam structure was removed with the area returned to its original state.

The annual Wild Game Dinner was initiated in the East Kootenays in 1957 with the first dinner held in Cranbrook, followed by Kimberley and Fernie and then Invermere in 1960. Since 1960, a wild game dinner has been held in Invermere every year. The difficulty in cleaning up after the wild game dinner without an adequate supply of hot running water at the Community Center resulted in the Club donating a sum to money to assist in the installation of an adequate hot water system.

The Sixties

In 1960, the Club initiated demands for the Provincial Government to establish a fish hatchery in the East Kootenays. Demands were put on hold during the 1961 recession as it was noted that public money was more urgently needed for various social services. The hatchery at Bull River finally became a reality in June of 1966.

In 1962 the Club made significant upgrades to the camping, recreational facilities, access roads and boat launching facilities at both Lake Lillian and Cartwright Lake and also requested that both antlerless and male deer seasons be curtailed to reduce the harvest. In 1963 similar upgrades to the camping facilities, roads and boat launching facilities at Lake Enid, Cleland Lake and Halfway Lake were also carried out. Additional work was done at Cleland and Jade Lakes in 1967. Thereafter, maintenance and upgrades have been done on a regular basis.

In the 60’s, the Club also initiated the annual Ling Derby in the valley which continued for many years until the early 1990’s. By 1960, the beavers which had been introduced had become so plentiful that tags were issued for the trapping of 200 beavers.

Concern was raised by the club over the sale of public land to developers and others in the Lake Windermere area. The Club recommended that growth could be accomplished in established communities and it wasn’t necessary to have “acne-like” development spreading across the face of the valley.

In 1961 the Club had already passed a resolution requesting that the Province establish a Pollution Control Board with full legislative powers to address air, land and water pollution problems. Another resolution in 1961 requested that first time firearms owners be required to first complete a firearms safety training course. The course was held locally in the early 60’s and by 1965 the BC Teacher’s Federation and Department Education had approved this as an optional course for grade 7 students throughout the province.

In 1964 the Provincial Government estimated there were some 500,000 deer and 300,000 moose in the province with an elk population in excess of 25,000 in the East Kootenays and that additional animals could safely be harvested without detrimental impact. Less than 2 years later it was reported that the Government was considering closure of all female deer, elk and moose hunting due to dwindling numbers until further data on populations was obtained. By 1970, an MLA stated that seasons must be cut back due to the decline in big game populations while at the same time stating there is no evidence of malnutrition or heavy die-off of game in the East Kootenay region and that land use policies were not the reason for reduced numbers of big game.

The Club was the winner of the O’Keefe Conservation Award for the work done on the Stoddard Creek project in 1967. This project involved a detailed and intensive study of range rejuvenation options, primarily for Bighorn sheep whose populations suffered due to harsh conditions during the previous two winters along with a subsequent die off totalling some 60-70% of the herd. (Interestingly enough, the mortality due to poor range conditions had been predicted in a biologists paper several years earlier.) The project involved fencing a large plot of land to study different types of range grasses and fertilizers to determine what would have the most favourable impact on range conditions. The cost of materials plus labor to erect the fencing was born by the club. The Club also participated in the treating of area Big Horn sheep herds with antibiotics for lungworm disease in 1984.

The Seventies

In an effort to increase the dwindling population of geese, the Club undertook the construction and erection of 100 goose nesting platforms with the assistance of a $1000 grant from Ducks Unlimited in 1972. Since that time, the Club has maintained these sites on a regular basis as part of its conservation activities.

In the 70’s, the Club raised concerns over pollution in Toby Creek apparently resulting from sewage from the Panorama ski resort. Also during the winter of 1975-76, the Club assisted in providing hay to feed elk which were starving due to high snowfall levels.

The Club was instrumental in organizing opposition to the Tamarack Estates Development in Lots 17 and 380 on Horsethief Creek. Fortunately the development of this wild land was rejected. Similarly in 1979, the Club worked with the Kootenay-Columbia Coalition and many other organizations which were most vocal in their opposition to the diversion of the Kootenay River into the Columbia drainage.

Recent Years

Our history would not be complete without recognizing the work done by Ian Jack, 1936-1996. Ian served many years as Chief Naturalist at Kootenay National Park and had long been active in environmental related activities, including the original Columbia River Coalition, Ducks Unlimited, the Commission on Resources and Environmental Processes and also served on the executive of our Club in a number of capacities. It was through Ian’s initiative and perseverance that the Kootenay Diversion Project was stopped and that the Columbia Wetlands achieved a designation as Wildlife protection area. These wetlands have also received international recognition as a partner of the Living Lakes Network of the Global Nature Fund. Ian recognized that we have one of the premier wetland treasures right here in the heart of our valley – a still healthy vast wetland with great biological diversity and he worked tirelessly to ensure it was preserved.

After some years of bureaucratic delays, work was finally able to commence on the Rauch Homestead Range 5km west of Radium Hot Springs in the summer of 1986. The entire range was built through volunteer labor along with donations of equipment and materials from individuals and local businesses. The range was officially opened in the fall of 1987 and upgrades are made to it as time and funds permit.

The Club has been instrumental in getting an archery program established in the area. In 2003, many businesses, contractors and individuals generously donated to this new archery program by sponsoring the purchase of 3-D archery targets. In recognition of their generosity, all sponsors names have been prominently displayed at all of our shoots for the past 5 years.

The Club launched a unique annual event in 2003. Called the Shooter’s Triathalon, it encompasses the skills of archery, rifle shooting and trap shooting. Normally held in early July, this event attracts local sportsmen as well as others from the East Kootenay and Calgary areas. While everyone including novices can enjoy the competition and the social events, all disciplines require considerable skill to excel. Various classes of events are held to ensure all have a chance at prizes. The archery event is particularly interesting as it includes 3-D foam targets placed in natural settings making for a fun and challenging walk through course.

Finally in 2007, the Club acquired 3 portable, automatic trap machines which allows us to provide a number of different and challenging clay target presentations. These were put in service in early 2007 and while the variety of targets proved to be a considerable challenge at the outset, Club members soon learned the necessary skills to achieve good scores. For the first time in Club history, some members participated in Sporting Clays and FITASC competitions in Alberta and we can look forward to more participation by Club members in competitive events in the future.

The Future

The Club will remain an avid protector of wildlife and the environment and will continue in its conservation and community programs. Further improvements will be made to the range as time and funds are available.

Finally, our motto stands today as it did 90 years ago:

“We shall not destroy what we have not the power to replace.”