| Casey Berlin, Leroy McDonald, and George Powell organized the Taber Fish and Game Association in the mid 1940s. The present club's oldest living member, Elton Sorgard, joined the club in 1948, is still an active member, and helped compile this history. The club thanks Elton for his efforts in this regard.
Projects and Events
The buying and release of pheasants was one of the earliest projects. In the 1940s, club members Harding, Mar Bodie, Pete Fisher, Ross Pitre, Doug Miller (mayor at that time), Tom Strain, Lynn Bullock and Cliff West (club president), with the help of Member of Parliament, Roy Lee bought and d released pheasants in the local area for the purpose of game bird hunting.
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Peasant release, Don Mustard (right) 1988 |
At that time, Earl Harding took out many American sport hunters to hunt pheasants in the Taber area, including the famous entertainer Bob Hope! Later on in the early 1950s, Don Harding took out American hunters Bing Crosby (singer/actor), Bill Sweet (New York Yankee's pitcher), Stan Leonard and Leroy Goldsworthy (professional golfers) to successfully hunt a healthy population of pheasants in the area.
Sometime in the 1960s, the club rallied when Albert Spengler and family suffered the loss of their livelihood after a terrible garage fire. It organized a benefit and raised $5000 to help out this local family in their time of need. Club member Elton Sorgard volunteered to help tag walleye at Chin Lake Reservoir. The club held fish derbies through the mid 1960s at Fincastle Lake. At about the same time, it starting keeping bird, fish and big game records, with awards given out prior to 1966 up until the present. In 1968 club member, N.E. Harper, shot a white-tailed deer in Alberta that scored 176.7, Boone and |
| Crockett typical, at the club's a annual Measuring Day.
In 1970 the club built a rifle range northwest of town in conjunction with the municipal district. It supplied a grader, fencing and labor. As well, the club helped the town construct the Trout Pond (a local, stocked fishing hole); and later was given stewardship of the property.
The following club members scored big trophy fish and game in the 1970s:
- Roy Baroldi caught a walleye in 1971 that weighed 13 lbs 2.5 oz.
- 1973 Elton Sorgard shot a 177 inch Boone and Crockett bighorn sheep that broke the Alberta record!
- 1974 a non-typical deer in northern Alberta that scored 260 inches, Boone and Crockett, owned by Charlie McPhee, shot by a relative.
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Pheasant pen work day, Don Mustard's farm, early 80's |
 A recent measuring day, 100 plus entries per year
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The club in 1977 donated one "trap thrower" to the town to be used for the summer games. The device was in turn donated some time later to the Zone 1 McGillvary Creek Youth Camp near Coleman.
In the 1980s, the club built a cabin at the McGillvary Creek Youth Camp. In the early 1980s the club took on a new kind of fundraiser and sold cookbooks and advertising. It was a successful venture. The first recipient of the Sorgard Memorial trophy is presented in 1980.
Throughout the 1980s the club held numerous fish derbies at Chin Lake Reservoir. Club volunteers built pheasant pens at Don Mustard’s farm. The club purchased an egg incubator and raised and released pheasants from the early 1980s up until 1995. From 80 to 100 birds were raised each year and released in the Taber area to raise sport hunting populations.
In 1985 the club supplied one picnic shelter to the Trout Pond property; and in the spring of 1986, it held a Trout Pond tree planting day and planted 1200 trees. Also in 1986, the 2nd Taber Cubs and Scouts helped out at the Trout Pond with a massive clean-up project.
At the club's 1988 annual Measuring Day Competition, Monte Sorgard brought in a mountain caribou he shot. It scored 438.4 inches Boone and Crockett, at the time, No. 7 in the world!
In the late 1980s, the club held a quad raffle, with the money earned to be spent up-grading and maintaining the Chin Lake Taber Fish and Game Association Park Campground. However, after years of maintaining and up-grading the campground, the club turned it over to the Kinsmen Organization because of lack of volunteer power within the fish and game club.
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In the 1990s, the Town of Taber took back ownership of the Trout Pond property and cut down all the trees planted by the club's volunteers. The club donated the camp kitchen from that property to the local Legion organization and moved it to the Legion Park just outside of town.
In 2007 the club made a sizable donation to STARS Air Ambulance.
Measuring day 2004, some antlered entries
Club member, Brian Holthe, shot a bighorn sheep in 1990 that scored 180.4 inches at the club's annual Measuring Day and qualified for the Boone and Crockett record book. At times during the 1990s the club planted trees for a shelter-belt at Hink Urano's Farm. The local land owner regularly grants access to many a local hunter and has had a great relationship with the Taber Fish and Game Association. As well, the club planted trees, during the 1990s, at the Grassy Lake River Forks (confluence of the Bow and Oldman rivers) to enhance the habitat in the area.
1940's Taber Fish and Game members, Ken Parker, Mr. Payne, G
Early in the 1990s the Town of Taber, due to safety concerns, took back ownership of the Taber Fish and Game Association's rifle range. In 1991 long time club member, Elton Sorgard volunteered to help tag walleye at Sherburne Lake.
| Club members continued to harvest large trophies. In 1997 Kirk Garner, shot a huge black bear that scored 21 3/16 inches, big enough to be recorded in the Boone and Crockett record book. Youth member John Damberger traveled to northern Alberta and shot a moose that scored 207.6 inches, large enough to be recorded in the Boone and Crocket record book.
In 2004, eight-year-old club member, Taylor Irwin, caught a huge 28 lb. pike in Sherburne Lake. This fish was large enough to win honors at the AFGA Annual Banquet as the largest pike caught in Alberta for the year.
In the last few years, the club's Measuring Days have been very successful with over 100 big game trophies entered and measured each year. The move to a larger venue a few years ago has helped the event to grow and become more successful.
Membership and executive numbers have varied greatly over the years but there have always managed to be enough dedicated individuals involved, with the vision to keep the organization alive, that we plan on staying active for generations to come. |
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Once again, the club pulled together to help a family after a tragedy. Members rallied to support Richard Jensen and family after a terrible house fire. A benefit was held to help cover their financial losses.
The club is presently working on the reclamation of the "Trout Pond" and surrounding property after years of abuse. The pond is being restored so that it can sustain a healthy fish population, and the park area is being fenced and signed to discourage vandalism, and cleaned-up to its original state.
Recently, the club has become involved with hosting predator hunts. Plans are being made for future gopher hunts, fish derbies, pheasant hunts and hide collection program.
Education
The club started the Hunter Education and Conservation Training Course in the early 2000s with volunteer help. Twenty to 25 students have graduated each year. Alan Herbst (long time member of the Alberta Hunter Education and Instructor's Association), in conjunction with the Taber Fish and Game Association, gained access to Town of Taber owned lands for the purpose of mentoring first time hunters taking the course.
In 2005 the club sponsored one youth to attend the McGillvary Youth Camp. Eric Sekura successfully completed the Hunter Education Course while attending.
Annual Events
Many awards banquets have been held over the years for the enjoyment of club members and the recognition of the past season's successes. Many Pope and Young (bow hunting) entries have been found throughout our club's records, with numerous mule deer, antelope, and black bears having been measured at our annual Measuring Day which surpass the books minimum scores and having been shot by Taber Fish and Game Association members. It seems club members are always making history!
Special People
Martin Chmielewski was very involved volunteering with the club, especially with the selling of memberships, from the early 1960s up until the year 2000! A huge thank you to all those Alberta official measures who have helped out over the years at our annual trophy Measuring Day, unfortunately, too many to mention.
The following people have given exemplary service to the club over the years as executive members, volunteers and club supporters: (in no particular order):
Wayne Baker (Past President), Terry Beddome, Charles Charelton (Past President), Bob Chenery, Mark Chmielewski, Ron Colleaux (Past President), Jim Damberger, Ken D'Cuna, Joe Deme, Paul Deme, Leroy Ecklund, Nori Higa, Robert Howells, Martin Hoogerdyke, Norman Howg, Amanda Jensen, Sam Kadoyama, Clint Karen, Peter King, Ring Kinniburgh, Ernie Knibbs, Steve Lemisko, Dave McCullough (Past President), Levi McDonald, Clarence Meisner, Barry Michelson, Alex Murray, Don Mustard, Rob O'Connor, Brenda O'Donnell, Horse Parker, Tito Perini, Gary Peters, Harley Phillips (Past President), Tod Pickerell, Ross Pitre (Past President), George Powell, Ron Remfert (Past President), George Reti, Bill Rollingson (Past President), Mike Ross, Ian Sangster, Bud Schmidt, Louise Souther, Frank Stolk, Jake Stolk, Dale Summerville (Past President), Malcolm Wiebe (Past President), Tim Woof (Past President).
The present executive of the Taber Fish and Game Association: Kevin O'Brien(President), Ron Souther (Vice President), Dave Chontosh (Secretary/Treasurer), Patrick Horvath (Programs Chairman) |
