Tahltan Guide Outfitters Association Update 2017
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Tahltan Guide and Outfitters Association hires their first employee
Shana Dennis, Tahltan Guide and Outfitters Assoc, Executive Director Shana Dennis is a member of the Tahltan Nation, from the Quock family and is from the crow clan. She lives in Dease Lake with her husband and three children. She comes from a family where outfitting has been passed down for generations and is considered a family tradition. Shana loves the outdoors, hunting, and fishing and loves to cook. Some of her background and experience includes administration, management, board member and elected Tahltan Band Councillor. Congratulations Shana Dennis! |
Shana Dennis
Tahltan Guide and Outfitters Assoc, Executive Director
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Signing of the IBA
Tahltan Guide and Outfitters Association sign Impacts Benefit Agreement (IBA) with Tahltan Central Government 
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Sheep Collaring Program Update
The Washington State Wild Sheep Foundation has generously contributed to our Sheep collaring program $60,000.00 over 3 years. Thank you Washington State Wild Sheep Foundation! 
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1st Fletcher Day Award
The very first “Fletcher Day” award was awarded at the 2017 Annual Tahltan Outfitters Ball, the award winner was Jarett Quock. Jarett Quock is the first Tahltan wildlife guardian and Fletcher Day’s grandson. Jarett has showed incredible dedication to wildlife conservation and management throughout the year. |
2017 Leland Award
The prestigious 2017 Leland award winners was Esther and Kurt McGhie For their dedication and active participation in the outfitting industry. |
Horse Packing Competition Fastest Time 2017 Winners
Jarett Quock and Francis Quock Fastest Time 1.6mins |
2017 Annual Outfitters Auction and Dance Fundraiser
Thank you to the following for your annual donations and support. All proceeds go to wildlife conservation and management projects in the Tahltan Territory. Special Thank You to all the Volunteers!
Thank you to the following for your annual donations and support. All proceeds go to wildlife conservation and management projects in the Tahltan Territory. Special Thank You to all the Volunteers!
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Safaris Club International
Wildsheep Foundation Coast Mountain GM Hoskins Ford Collin Ball Outdoor Essentials Penny Louie Shesley River Outfitters Myles and Echo Smithers Sausage Factory |
Evergreen industry’s
McBike and Sports Frontier Chrysler Dodge Smithers Feed Store Timmy Dewhurst Tahltan Band Council Iskut Band Council Prestige Hotel and Resorts Huey Carlick Cheona Arts (Fred Etzerza) |
RJ and Kirsten Seymour
Natalia Dennis Dickson Design Nanuht’ee Creations Christine Creyke Kinaskan Outfitters Blue Stone Guiding BC Yukon Air Bev Freeman |
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Thinhorn Conservation article by Ashley Oliverio
Summer 2017 issue of Wild Sheep Magazine
Thinhorn conservation in action: WSF's fresh, new partnership with the Tahltan Nation and Tahltan Guide & Outfitters Association yields first study of its kind for Stone's sheep.
... to read more click and download the pdf below
Summer 2017 issue of Wild Sheep Magazine
Thinhorn conservation in action: WSF's fresh, new partnership with the Tahltan Nation and Tahltan Guide & Outfitters Association yields first study of its kind for Stone's sheep.
... to read more click and download the pdf below
| Thinhorn Conservation article by Ashley Oliverio Summer 2017 issue of Wild Sheep Magazine.pdf |
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Tahltan Central Government Response to the Grizzly Bear Trophy Hunting Closure
November 2017 The Tahltan Nation is highly involved with the guide outfitting industry and shutting down trophy hunting in our territory would have adverse impacts on our community financially, socially, and culturally. We have strong connections with the guide outfitters in our community and do not want to see this industry negatively impacted without adequate reasoning. ... to read more click and download the pdf below |
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| Tahltan Central Government Response to the Grizzly Bear Trophy Hunting Closure.pdf |
TGOA
Our membership is proud to be a part of the outfitting tradition in the North.
The Tahltan Guide & Outfitters Association (TGOA) was started by several Tahltan Outfitters and pioneers several years ago and we are grateful for their leadership and foresight. Many of our members, including the two of us as the President and Vice President of the Tahltan Guide & Outfitters Association, are multi-generation outfitters. In a modern age of large corporate and government organizations, this is a unique situation in Tahltan Territory. Many TGOA members call the north home and are deeply committed to the wildlife and northern communities. Our group has grown to include almost all Outfitters operating within the Tahltan Territory. The business of outfitting is much more than the harvesting of wildlife. We are the front lines when it comes to the environment and the changes that are taking place in the north. Outfitters spend many months of the year on the land and have a historical perspective within our guide outfitting territories that allow us to witness important changes year in and year out. This area is the birth place of outfitting in British Columbia and our members recognize the deep ties we have with the Tahltan Nation and its communities.
The TGOA was pleased to see the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) establish the Tahltan Wildlife Guardian Program last year and we have worked collaboratively with TCG’s full-time Wildlife Guardian, Jarett Quock, from the beginning. He has travelled extensively and worked closely with the TGOA on several initiatives and we applaud him for all his hard work and progress. We have also joined Chief Rick Mclean of the Tahltan Band and President Chad Norman Day of the TCG on multiple occasions to advocate together for better wildlife management. Extensive relationship-building has solidified a shared financial commitment from members of the TGOA with annual hunt donations to world wildlife conservation organizations, including Safari Club International and Wild Sheep Foundation Convention auctions. Proceeds from these auctions will flow directly back to the TGOA for local wildlife projects. This will ensure the viability of future projects such as predator control, identifying critical habitat for burns and enhancement, trapping courses, and the meat locker to help with the distribution of culturally important and healthy food for the Tahltan Elders, schools, and others in need. The TGOA continues to advocate for local issues by participating with the Province and First Nations to bring forth local knowledge and science. By bringing people together and recognizing we each have something to contribute to the future of healthy wildlife populations and habitats, we believe better decisions will be made for the benefit of the wildlife.
The TGOA members are committed to ensuring we restore and maintain healthy wildlife populations, while recognizing that industry also has a role to play in Tahltan Territory. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Tahltan Nation and other stakeholders so that the Tahltan people and Guide Outfitters can thrive together and work collaboratively to protect wildlife for future generations.
The Tahltan Central Government (TCG) and the Tahltan Guide Outfitters Association (TGOA) have developed a close working relationship in recent years in order to collaboratively work together to protect, enhance and celebrate the wildlife throughout Tahltan Territory. Both entities remain determined to serve the best interests of the wildlife and to work closely with the local communities.
Our membership is proud to be a part of the outfitting tradition in the North.
The Tahltan Guide & Outfitters Association (TGOA) was started by several Tahltan Outfitters and pioneers several years ago and we are grateful for their leadership and foresight. Many of our members, including the two of us as the President and Vice President of the Tahltan Guide & Outfitters Association, are multi-generation outfitters. In a modern age of large corporate and government organizations, this is a unique situation in Tahltan Territory. Many TGOA members call the north home and are deeply committed to the wildlife and northern communities. Our group has grown to include almost all Outfitters operating within the Tahltan Territory. The business of outfitting is much more than the harvesting of wildlife. We are the front lines when it comes to the environment and the changes that are taking place in the north. Outfitters spend many months of the year on the land and have a historical perspective within our guide outfitting territories that allow us to witness important changes year in and year out. This area is the birth place of outfitting in British Columbia and our members recognize the deep ties we have with the Tahltan Nation and its communities.
The TGOA was pleased to see the Tahltan Central Government (TCG) establish the Tahltan Wildlife Guardian Program last year and we have worked collaboratively with TCG’s full-time Wildlife Guardian, Jarett Quock, from the beginning. He has travelled extensively and worked closely with the TGOA on several initiatives and we applaud him for all his hard work and progress. We have also joined Chief Rick Mclean of the Tahltan Band and President Chad Norman Day of the TCG on multiple occasions to advocate together for better wildlife management. Extensive relationship-building has solidified a shared financial commitment from members of the TGOA with annual hunt donations to world wildlife conservation organizations, including Safari Club International and Wild Sheep Foundation Convention auctions. Proceeds from these auctions will flow directly back to the TGOA for local wildlife projects. This will ensure the viability of future projects such as predator control, identifying critical habitat for burns and enhancement, trapping courses, and the meat locker to help with the distribution of culturally important and healthy food for the Tahltan Elders, schools, and others in need. The TGOA continues to advocate for local issues by participating with the Province and First Nations to bring forth local knowledge and science. By bringing people together and recognizing we each have something to contribute to the future of healthy wildlife populations and habitats, we believe better decisions will be made for the benefit of the wildlife.
The TGOA members are committed to ensuring we restore and maintain healthy wildlife populations, while recognizing that industry also has a role to play in Tahltan Territory. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Tahltan Nation and other stakeholders so that the Tahltan people and Guide Outfitters can thrive together and work collaboratively to protect wildlife for future generations.
The Tahltan Central Government (TCG) and the Tahltan Guide Outfitters Association (TGOA) have developed a close working relationship in recent years in order to collaboratively work together to protect, enhance and celebrate the wildlife throughout Tahltan Territory. Both entities remain determined to serve the best interests of the wildlife and to work closely with the local communities.
Wildlife Sampling Program
2017
The TGOA and TCG partnered up to start a community initiated sampling program that aims to utilize hunters to collect samples of harvested animals using the proper kits. By collecting various parts of the harvested animal and sharing it with wildlife scientists, important data is gathered to help us maintain healthy wildlife populations. Throughout the past six months local hunters collected tissue, blood and hair to test for disease and establish baseline data for the local wildlife. Recent funding has ensured a continued program for 2017. The veterinarians have expressed thanks that this is the best participation (kit return) they have ever had on projects of this nature throughout the province. There will also be more training coming to the communities over the next few months.
Grad Student to Work on Tahltan Wildlife
As a result of having these samples we will be having a grad student working with Tahltan communities and outfitters to work on caribou health and populations using traditional, and local knowledge as a management tool. This student will help establish scientific methodology based on local knowledge to assist with studying the health of northern wildlife management.
2017
The TGOA and TCG partnered up to start a community initiated sampling program that aims to utilize hunters to collect samples of harvested animals using the proper kits. By collecting various parts of the harvested animal and sharing it with wildlife scientists, important data is gathered to help us maintain healthy wildlife populations. Throughout the past six months local hunters collected tissue, blood and hair to test for disease and establish baseline data for the local wildlife. Recent funding has ensured a continued program for 2017. The veterinarians have expressed thanks that this is the best participation (kit return) they have ever had on projects of this nature throughout the province. There will also be more training coming to the communities over the next few months.
Grad Student to Work on Tahltan Wildlife
As a result of having these samples we will be having a grad student working with Tahltan communities and outfitters to work on caribou health and populations using traditional, and local knowledge as a management tool. This student will help establish scientific methodology based on local knowledge to assist with studying the health of northern wildlife management.
Wild Sheep Foundation Donates $100,000
The TGOA is excited to announce the first joint wildlife project with TCG and TGOA. Funding for this has been provided by members of TGOA and Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF). In November the WSF presented a $100,000 cheque to TGOA and TCG leaders to fund a comprehensive 3-year Stone sheep seasonal movement, mortality and habitat in relation to road development and industry. This project will focus on identifying how Stone sheep use the landscape in an area with ongoing mineral exploration and mining. Such studies will contribute to the implementation of mitigative management strategies necessary to maintain a healthy Stone sheep population. Furthering the education initiative within the area, there will be two Dease Lake School students that will participate in this project. This is a locally designed project that will also include a grad student that will bring the newest scientific methods to animal disease and health testing.
The TGOA is excited to announce the first joint wildlife project with TCG and TGOA. Funding for this has been provided by members of TGOA and Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF). In November the WSF presented a $100,000 cheque to TGOA and TCG leaders to fund a comprehensive 3-year Stone sheep seasonal movement, mortality and habitat in relation to road development and industry. This project will focus on identifying how Stone sheep use the landscape in an area with ongoing mineral exploration and mining. Such studies will contribute to the implementation of mitigative management strategies necessary to maintain a healthy Stone sheep population. Furthering the education initiative within the area, there will be two Dease Lake School students that will participate in this project. This is a locally designed project that will also include a grad student that will bring the newest scientific methods to animal disease and health testing.
Tahltan Elder Wins Prestigious Award
November 2016
Since the year 2000, the prestigious Leland Award has been awarded to a deserving hunting guide in British Columbia. The winner of this award receives a bronze sculpture by wildlife artist, Rick Taylor. Chris Creyke was presented with the award at the TGOA Fundraiser and Dance on November 12th, 2016 in Dease Lake. Congratulations Chris!
November 2016
Since the year 2000, the prestigious Leland Award has been awarded to a deserving hunting guide in British Columbia. The winner of this award receives a bronze sculpture by wildlife artist, Rick Taylor. Chris Creyke was presented with the award at the TGOA Fundraiser and Dance on November 12th, 2016 in Dease Lake. Congratulations Chris!
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