John Schneider

Sounds great...I would like to take you up on that offer. Just can't get away from the farm on the weekends at this time of year. Let us know how you make out?

I have decided on Paul Butler projects for his plans. He has the simplest form of boat building that I have seen...no forms, no internal framing etc. I did a model out of cardboard and it does not seem terribly hard at all. As Paul said, his local high school builds several of them each year. I am looking forward to building several and evolving the interior to suit my needs. I am sending away for the plans today and will start purchasing materials from Boatcraft next week sometime. http://www.butlerprojects.com/new/ He has some interesting plans! Next project will be a wood burning hot tub!!! John

Sounds good...FYI...I ordered plans from the states for my new drift boat. I will start working on it in the next couple months. I definitely want to fish out of it this summer. You interested?

Tim....with the ambiguity of the agreement, it is unrestricted access to "Harvest Lands". I have read the agreement in its entirety several times it allows many more rights that are not clear on the when, why and how. Paragrapsh 5..."a member may hunt, trap or engage in (net fishing) at all seasons of the year...on lands known as "Harvesting Lands"". There are already closures and restrictions on all wildlife resources with regards to conservation and safety! That is why we have seasons so the first sentence of that paragraph is irrelevant!!!!! You should also know that Harvest Lands mean all crown and government lands. For example...as far as my interpretation goes, there is no reason why someone couldn't set up gill nets on Muir...I am assuming it is provincial or crown land?? Unless I am way off base....not sure. I have also attached another response letter from an acquaintance for your interest. Don_L_Reddekopp_response__2_.doc

Thanks dude.

Is there still a vehicle delivery service in Calgary. I am wanting to do a few solo drifts this year and need to contact someone who can deliver my truck/trailer downstream. Anyone have a contact name and number?

Thanks Robin...I notice that the preface is written by Suzuki. He had a pretty interesting documentary a while back on this issue. I responded to Yves that while I appreciate his enthusiasm for his job, I have absolutely no faith in individual practioners and the government to protect our food chain from antibiotics, hormones and genetic engineering. I also suggested he read the aforementioned publication and included its link. I suggested that perhaps all this money was better spent on enhancing natural habitat and wild stocks. I am entirely confident that all my suggestions fell on deaf ears. No harm in voicing an opinion however. I hope others will do the same. John

Please, by all means, contact the e-mail address listed and give them your thoughts. This is the second response I received on the same issue. At a minimum, they are responsive, and definately, the more attention this receives, the better. The thing that scares me along with the problems with our environment is the quality of the food we ingest. They make it seem like there is no problem...when a disease erupts amongst the unnatural population of "farm fish" (or any other type of agriculture. Game farms for example) we just have to add more chemicals and hormones and biotics to "control the problem". The real problem is that all this stuff ends up in us!!!! And lets not forget that other issue of genetic engineering. When all the other chemicals don't work, we'll just add some tomato genes to the fish to make them look more red!!! What is happening to our food supply is really really scary you guys...the more I read, the more concerned I am for my kids kids. Did you know that CWD and Mad Cow Disease are directly a result of what the animals have eaten?(each other in those cases) It was science and technology and government that came up with the idea to add animal protien to the diets of ungulates and then tell everyone it was ok...that turned out alright didn't it. They didn't even learn their lesson from Great Britain years earlier!?!? The studies that are reffered to in the letter is a bunch of crap. For every study conducted that says "everything is fine", there is another one that says it isn't. I don't know about you, but I am not willing to trust the health of my family to some beaurocrat or recent grad of some technical institute that the government hired to conduct "a study". Sorry for ranting...I am starting to sound like my Grandfather who used to insist that the NHL Hockey games were rigged.LOL

I thought I would post this response to some of my concerns over aquaculture practices. If any of you caught the David Suzuki special several months ago, you know why I am concerned. It is a good response, but it is funny to see how the attitude is that "we should just trust the government". I don't know about you, but I trusted them with the Gun Registry, Justice and Adscam. Kind of all "trusted out". Sounds as though, they are taking the concerns seriously, but there is still the thought that they will just keep pumping money into the industry instead of improving habitat of natural resources. You be the judge. TempDraft_Reply___2005_001_01082.doc

Ya, Terry's stuff is really cool...very beautiful. He sent me his presentation and it is easy to tell that he is a true carpenter with all of his jigs and equipment...very impressive. I am set up for all sorts of woodworking also...just more primitive woodworking! As I mentioned, I build selfbows (bows made of one piece of wood) and laminated wood bows, mainly bamboo backed osage. I also build traditional willow shaft arrows and various types of broadheads. I have been hunting with my own archery equipment for more than 10 years now. I have also started with playing around with log furniture. Depending on the type of wood used, you can normally get away without a steam box. In fact, bamboo will not bend with steam...only dry heat. I do alot of bending with steam don't get me wrong, but usually a heat gun and steady pressure gets the job done as well as steam. With my arrows, if I have dry shafts, I 'roast' the shafts on beds of coals, straightening them one at a time. Right now, I am dreaming up a way to build a "selfnet"...that is a net out of one piece of wood. I have some ideas and I will certainly let you know what kind of contraption I come up with. There is no doubt whatsoever, that it will not be as beautiful as Terry's, but it will be a conversation piece! My biggest problem was where to get the netting, but I am also trying to come up with a "natural" form of netting...perhaps hemp or some other type of woven grass. Any ideas anyone?

Thanks so much Dave and Florin...I have been too busy searching the continent that I didn't dream there would be someone local to deal with...Great! Now I can't wait to get down there for a visit.

I am seriously thinking of tackling a drift boat project this coming winter. I have seen several kits and plans. Anyone around here have a boat that I could have a look at for dimensions etc. I just cannot get over how incredibly expensive it is for a kit or, heaven forbid, a used drift boat! I need something to keep me busy in the winter anyways...ice fishing sucks.

Thanks Terry. I have sent you a pm and will look forward to seeing your presentation. Not sure who you are talking to Disgrace, but I am sure that you wouldn't want one from me. You would be ill-advised to obtain from me my first attempt at anything! I plan on building a "primitive" style net...the uglier, the better. Thinking of splitting willow with some laminations of another wood. We'll see. I will post some pics if I ever get around to finishing one.

I am simply not going to pay what they are asking for a new net and have decided to make my own. Being handy with wood and making primitive bows and arrows over the past decade should translate into an easy "net-making" project. My question is...does anyone know where to get the various netting materials?

There was an interesting article in a recent edition of Flyfishing and Fly Tying Journal out of the UK. There, they face a great deal of pressure from anti-fishing/hunting groups. The article talked about fishing for "sport" and how it might be construed as cruel and a harrassment of wildlife. Keeping a fish for consumption every now and then is fine by me...it is the original intention of why we fish! As long as our efforts and dollars go towards habitat creation and conservation...and a fishery can sustain a harvest level...and it is legal to do so...I see nothing wrong with keeping one for the barbie now and then, stocked or otherwise. I did a little research somewhere along the line and found out why pond fish sometimes taste "off". It is a bacteria of some sort that proliferates in warmer water and imparts its flavour in the flesh of trout. When the water is colder, the bacteria can no longer survive and the flesh tastes better. (Condensed version). The fish in our pond, taste fine in mid/late fall and again in early spring. July though is another story! Glad yours tasted good!

No, I won't be at the club this wednesday either. I have a meeting scheduled for that night already. I noticed that about the bow! I couldn't believe that when I left the parking lot to hit a particular run, I returned hours later to see the same guy standing in about the same spot! I would be bored to tears. It's like fishing in Europe where you have your markers to stay between! You read my mind about the highwood. I will probably hit a couple holes downstream from fish creek park and then go for a little drive further out of town. Haven't you ever heard of "calling in sick"?!?!LOL Or maybe you could call it a Professional Development day like the teachers! later, John

How were the crowds on the weekend? I am afraid to go down on a Saturday...it is busy enough on a weekday, I can only imagine. I will pm you my cell number and you can call me in the afternoon and I'll give you my report!

I know that I have not met any of you yet, but I am heading to Calgary bright and early this Friday for the day...back Friday night sometime after dark. I would welcome the company and conversation not to mention some extra fish to the net for video/pics. Give me a shout. jschneider@goldwingconstruction.com John

It wouldn't be that bad if the proposal was confined to the Metis that are living in the metis communities in "wilderness" areas of the province...as was the intention of the Ontario ruling. Instead, our Provincial MLA's (one in particular) have carried it even further to include all metis in all situations and walks of life, including those (the majority) that are as far removed from traditional ways of life as you can possibly be. All of us have had to excercise restraint and practice catch-and-release in waters like Pigeon Lake over the past several years, not to mention paying the taxes to pay for the studies and enforcement of the new rules...only to watch metis gill nets floating under the ice! I also wonder how many 30" bull trout will end up in the freezer this year...or worse, the taxidermy shops? Sorry to rant...but this is yet another example of the stupidity of few impacting the lives of many. I am getting tired of it.

One other thing that bothers me is what a "race issue" this has become. A further disruption of the trend towards acceptance of all people in our society. I am of Scottish heritage and my family has been in Canada for hundreds of years. My "race" gave birth to the metis and my family's heritage has depended on subsistance hunting, fishing and trapping. Therefore, maybe I should get a group of Scottish people together to sue the government for the right to subsist on hunting and fishing and trapping! What a joke.

an example of what others are writing. I have only kept this one copy as my other letters were e-mails that I have since discarded. Metis_letter_.doc

I am heavily involved in the Traditional and Primitive Bowhunting scene and I know that AFGA, Ab. Bowhunters Assoc. and several other groups are well into a letter writing campaign as we speak. The MLA who is spearheading this issue has referred publicly (twice now) to AFGA members as "a bunch of a$$holes". I have already written several letters to Klein, Williams etc. It would be beneficial if more people took the time to simply write a letter and send it to your MLA and cc it to Ralph. There is a growing group of people who are ragged at this proposal and the letters are flowing. What is interesting is the new commercial nets that have now appeared on Pigeon lake and already there have been confirmed harvests of several Trophy rams and at least one woodland caribou. Yes, I know...a record book Big Horn Ram is necessary to subsist and feed your family!!!LOL What kills me is that most Metis that I know are absolutely no different than you or I. Living here in Edmonton etc. with good paying jobs and no need whatsoever to "subsist off the land" beyond what you or I do. In fact, the two metis that I am familiar with are trophy bowhunters! The trout are safe I suppose, but there is nothing stopping someone from legally netting Muir as far as I am aware. Think about that one for a minute!

No, you are right, it is not just fly shops I am talking about. It is all service companies and especially restaurants! It is funny to see how in Canada, the waiter is doing you a favour by waiting on you and in the U.S. they have 18 other people lined up waiting to take the waiters job away from him/her. I imagine you learn to be friendly real quick!

I am just wondering if any of you have voiced your concerns over the metis agreement to your MLA or the Premier? AFGA is going hard and needs the support of as many outdoorsmen as possible. Please take the few minutes necessary to send an e-mail, make a phone call, or better yet, write a letter.

Ian...what you have to remember is that it is a bit of Canadian heritage to treat people with poor customer service and contempt!LOL Don't worry about it...it is supposed to be that way! Only half kidding...but in my travels I have found Cdn. customer service to be among the worst. Try walking into a fishing shop almost anywhere in the U.S. or Mexico and you will feel inundated with attention. It is sometimes hard to get used to. I think it mostly has to do with the increased competition down south and in other, more populated countries. It is starting to come-around, but has been slow. I am glad that there are more and more shops out there that have good service...can't help but think that only a few years ago there wasn't the "instant communication" that happens now to report good and bad service to a peer group.