Posts by: Vernon Fish & Game Club

*Time sensitive* Friday is the last day to submit public input! 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is considering changes to the Salmon Allocation Policy that would send licensed anglers to the back of the line when it comes to salmon fishing.  If our right to fish is lost, it will be lost forever.

Concerned Canadians can email their objections and suggestions to DFO at [email protected]
*At the bottom of this email, you will find an example letter that can be copied and modified as needed.  Please take the time to send a response!

The deadline to respond is January 23, 2026.
Learn more here: fishingrights.ca 
For more information, go to: https://bcwf.bc.ca/salmon/

Example email for response to DFO:

To: [email protected]
Subject: Objection to DFO Proposal Eliminating Salmon as a Public Resource
January 22, 2026
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to express my strong objection to proposals—supported by some First Nations—that Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) eliminate the foundational principle that salmon are a public resource, managed for the benefit of all Canadians, in its revised Salmon Allocation Policy (SAP).

For centuries, the Common Property Resource principle has served as the foundation for fair and sustainable resource management in Canada. Tracing back to the Magna Carta of 1215, it acknowledges that salmon are not owned by any one group but are held in trust by the federal government for the benefit of all Canadians, both now and in the future. The current SAP supports this principle by promoting conservation, ensuring broad public access, and maintaining transparency in the allocation of resources among recreational, commercial, and Indigenous fishers.

Eliminating the common property principle would disrupt this balance by shifting stewardship from a federally mandated, conservation-oriented approach to one where access is controlled by a single interest group. This change risks transforming fishing into an exclusive privilege instead of a shared right, potentially leaving non-Indigenous Canadians last in line for a resource traditionally held in common trust. Such a shift could erode public confidence, challenge centuries of legal tradition, and create significant divisions among different user groups.

I urge DFO to uphold its responsibility to all Canadians by retaining the Common Property Resource principle in the new SAP. Salmon must remain a publicly managed resource to ensure sustainable fisheries, national unity, and equitable access for all Canadians. Abandoning this principle would be a grave mistake with lasting consequences.

Sincerely,

(insert sender’s name)

**************************************************

Club members are invited to bring their 2025-2026 hunting season harvests to the antler scoring next weekend.  This will be a great time for members to meet and swap stories from last hunting season. 

Coffee and snacks will be available.

Date: Saturday, January 24, 2026
Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Meier’s Building Products, 8711 Kalamalka Rd, Coldstream, BC V1B 3C1

The next General Meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 17th.
Date: February 17, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm, with social from 6:30 to 7:00
Location: Coldstream Community Hall, 9909 Kalamalka Rd, Coldstream, BC

***please note: the start time for the Turkey Shoots has changed!***
Sighting in starts at 8:30am.  Shooters are requested to be ready to sight in at 8:30am, as the events will start as soon as everyone is done sighting in.  

Turkey Shoot Dates for the remaining 2025-2026 season:

• February 01
• February 15
• March 01
• March 15

Note: The Rifle Range is closed for the day on these dates!

More more details, to go our discipline page: https://vernonfishandgame.ca/about-us/disciplines/big-bore-turkey-shoot/

For the first time, Armstrong and District Fish & Game Association (ADFGA) are having a rifle raffle that is available to the public, and it is going very well so far. There were 500 tickets printed, and we have only about 200 tickets left! 100% of ALL proceeds go to the ADFGA.

Available only at Monashee Outdoors, Tuesday to Saturday 10-5, $40 CASH per ticket.

GRAND PRIZE: Custom rifle built by DC Precision Firearms 

• all specs are in the third Pic
• Pic of proof test group… .34 MOA @ 1,000 YARDS!!!

Hi Members! For those that were patiently waiting for next year’s memberships to be available, they are now live online. 2026 Memberships purchased prior to December 31st will be valid starting January 01, 2026. The gate code will be changed on January first.

Anyone requiring a 2025 membership prior to January 01, 2026 can contact [email protected].

Just a friendly reminder that 2026 memberships are not available until we switch over on November 15th. If you are looking to renew your membership, please wait until the memberships are switched over. We will send out an announcement once the 2026 memberships are available so that folks can get their renewals in before the rush. Stay tuned for updates this weekend!

The Okanagan Region of the BC Wildlife Federation (OKBCWF) is pleased to announce that we’re once again offering an incentive program with cool prizes for hunters to submit cervid heads for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing. With the threat of CWD on our doorstep, and the latest positive case of CWD being north of Spokane Washington, we need at least 300 samples per year from Region 8 to have confidence that our region is CWD-free.

Thanks to the generous support of our OKBCWF member clubs and Westside Stores, we’re offering a free entry into a random draw for every 2025 Region 8 hunter-harvested cervid (white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose) head that is submitted to an Okanagan drop off location for CWD testing.

The Okanagan’s Regional CWD Coordinator will supply us with all the ear tag serial numbers from CWD samples submitted, from which four lucky winners will be randomly drawn. This will ensure your anonymity, as only contact information will be supplied to OKBCWF for the winners of our draw to be held in early 2026.

Eligible head samples will be collected from Okanagan drop off locations, which can be found at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/wildlife/wildlife-conservation/wildlife-health/chronic-wasting-disease/cwd-surveillance-and-testing#dropoff or scan the QR code on the poster.

PRIZES:
First prize – Zeiss Terra ED 10×42 binoculars, retail value $800
Second prize – $250 gift certificate to Westside Stores
Third prize – $175 gift certificate to Westside Stores
Fourth prize – $100 gift certificate to westside Stores

Please visit www.westsidestores.ca for store location and to support our generous partner!

Fine print: Winners must answer a skill testing question (don’t worry, it’ll be easy!) and accept the prizes as awarded. There is no fee to enter the draw. Your head sample must be harvested from Region 8 during a lawful 2025 hunting season.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected]

Check out the Kelowna Fish & Game Club’s gun show coming up on August 24. See the poster below for details

The Okanagan Region of the BC Wildlife Federation are hosting a Chronic Wasting Disease Info Session in July, at the Oceola Clubhouse.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. You do not need to be a member of a club, this information session is open to members of the public as well as club members.

Due to the serious nature of this disease, and the implications on our wildlife, is it extremely important to share information and details on what steps we can all do to help prevent the spread.

There will be presentations, demonstrations, and questions and answer period, followed by a complimentary lunch.

Please share this with your social networks! Come out to the Oceola Clubhouse on July 26th, located at:

11888 McGowan Rd.
Lake Country, BC

For more information, please contact:
Nick Kozub: [email protected]
Jodi McKay: [email protected]