The Similkameen News Leader
Sports Page
OVF&GC PRESENTS AWARDS
Otter Valley Fish & Game Club hosted their 8th annual awards night, the Big Buck Dinner and Dance, last Saturday at Princeton Legion.
In addition to numerous raffles, a silent and live auction, local sportsmen were presented awards for their catches over the past season.
WINNERS LIST:
Fish
Kids Rainbow Trout - Dillon Jenson (1 lb. 15 oz.)
Womens Rainbow Trout - Kim Herzig (3 lbs. 13 oz.)
Lake Trout - Neil Jenson (8 lbs.) from Otter Lake
Hidden Weight Prize - Danny & Grace Rice
Moose
Cliff Robinson (two-point)
Elk
No Entries
Mule Deer Kids
1st - Colby Williams (148 4/8ths)
2nd - Colton Williams (124 2/8ths)
White Tail Deer
1st - Riley Nikic (109 1/8th)
2nd - Cliff Robinson (108 1/8th)
Womens Mule Deer
1st - Myra Brewer (122)
2nd - Kim Herzig (99)
3rd - Anne Jones (two-point)
Widest
1st - Cody Robinson (27 3/8ths)
2nd - Cliff Robinson (26 6/8ths)
Non-Typical
1st - Cliff Robinson (180 1/8th)
2nd - Cody Robinson (174 7/8ths)
Typical
1st - Cliff Robinson (169 3/8ths)
2nd - Cody Robinson (166)
Big Buck
1st - Cliff Robinson (169 3/8ths)
2nd - Cody Robinson (166)
3rd - Myra Brewer (122)
GROUP GOES BATTY OVER BATS
Bats, Bats, and more Bats - Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists hosted Mike Sarell: His topic on Diversity and & Biology of Bats in the Similkameen blew this field naturalist away.
I can't say I am partial to bats but his presentation really impressed me and I know I have a new appreciation for these mammals. Oh Yes! Did you know bats were mammals? Actually they are Micro Chiroptera. They are primates and are related to Shrews and Lemurs.
It is one of those myths that they are flying mice. The other myth is that they will not get tangled in your hair. They have tremendous ability to echo locate and can navigate extremely well. They are after the midges that swarm around the heat that have been released by your body. They do like to swoop and trap mosquitos, moths, and midges.
British Columbia has 16 different species out of the 1,200 species in the world. Fifteen of those species are located in the Lower Similkameen and Southern Okanagan. Most of the species are singular and only one species, the Spotted Owl, lives in colonies. They usually have one to two babies a year. They do not build nests, and need to teach their young to fly. Bats also live to over 40 years. They usually have approximately seven locations they like to maintain as their habitat. Bats are highly intelligent, and can be trained.
Bats are believed to have evolved from the shrew to take advantage of night insects. Some species flying high emitting their call can locate what is in their area, how fast it is moving, what direction it is going and even the texture of the insect. This information is gathered at millisecond rate and discriminates by their echoes. Other larger species fly low over the area.
They use their ability to echo locate to find larger insects. Species that are located in the Lower Similkameen are Hoary Bats, the high cliffs are their natural habitat; Silver Haired Bat, prefer trees, like Pine and Cottonwood; Western Red Bat, hang around the tops of trees; Townsend's Big-eared Bat and the Spotted Bat, also a high flyer and likes to follow the river.
This area is their preferred Habitat. Bats are an important part of the ecological chain and maintain the insect population. I came away from this presentation with a new respect for this mammal and for the protection of their habitat. The public is invited to any of our evening programs, which are held on the second Monday of the month and our next speaker is on May 8th. Eva Durance and R. Black on the Birds of Ecuador and Galapagos.
