Site Menu
 |
A Bit About Us.
CLUB HISTORY
In the early 1960’s, a group of dedicated community sportsmen got
together for the purpose of releasing pheasants into Gosfield North
Township. Since that date, this group has changed its name several
times, disbanded to later re-establish with new vigor to continue a
pheasant release program.
In 1985, the Gosfield North Sportsmen Association was established. The
mandate of the club is to maintain and enhance a pheasant population
on a local basis for the equal opportunity and overall benefit of the
community we live in.
On July 13, 2000, The Gosfield North Sportsmen Association became an
affiliated club of the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters.
In 2007, Gosfield North Sportsmen Association was incorporated in the
Province of Ontario as a not-for-profit corporation.
PHEASANT RELEASE PROGRAM
From 1960 to 1988, the clubs purchased 200 to 500 birds each year for
release.
In 1989, the GNSA applied for and was granted permission from the
Department of Natural Resources to raise and release pheasants. The
club purchased breeding stock to provide eggs for the 1990 program.
Every year thereafter, the club maintained their own breeding stock
for the next year. Every 3 years, roosters are purchased for breeding
purposes to ensure a good bloodline. A local hatchery was utilized to
hatch the eggs. The day-old chicks were then raised to mature birds.
The club maintains a semi-trailer equipped with 2 brooder boxes for
newly hatched chicks and 3 holding pens for younger birds. The club
currently has 12 outside roaming pens for the mature birds.
In 1999, the GNSA purchased an incubator to hatch eggs from its own
breeding stock. This incubator has been customized to hatch a maximum
of 5,000 eggs in one-half of the incubator in one setting and to
provide the newborns a temperature-controlled drying process in the
other half.
In 2001, the club began a program to construct brooder houses directly
attached to its outside pens. To date, one brooder house has been
built and utilized since 2002.
Since 1993, the club has released at least 1000-1200 pheasants
annually into Gosfield North Township.
In 1999, Gosfield North and South Townships were amalgamated with
Kingsville and the club expanded its release program to 1200-1500
pheasants to include the former Gosfield South Township.
All work has been and continues to be done by members of the club on a
volunteer-basis. With the growth of the release numbers and membership
in the past years, the responsibilities of our members have also
increased. The membership currently is divided into four (4) work
crews, headed by a crew leader, to perform the work details of the
pheasant release program. A Pheasant Program Coordinator provides the
crew leaders with the work requirements for their assigned workweek.
OPERATIONS
Membership dues, fundraisers and private donations provide the
operating funds of the club.
The former Township of Gosfield North and the newly amalgamated Town
of Kingsville has been significant contributors to our pheasant
release program by providing the hunting license fees collected each
year.
Pheasant sales of day-old chicks and mature birds to farming
cooperatives and other sports groups also provide much needed funds
for the club, as well assisting us in maintaining and enhancing
pheasant populations in other areas of the province.
|
|
Announcement
Board
 Announcements
 Calendar
of Events
 Online
Newsletters
(Members Only)
|
