It’s an exciting time for pheasant hunting enthusiasts as the Conestogo Pheasant Club (CPC) happily announces the return of pheasant hunting at the Conestogo Lake Conservation Area. This revival is the result of diligent efforts by a passionate group of hunters, solid endorsement from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), and productive negotiations with the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA).
Beginning in the Fall of 2023, pheasant hunting in Area 3 of the GRCA property will be under the governance of the CPC, an OFAH affiliate managed by volunteers. This comes as a result of a license agreement with GRCA. At present, the club’s executives are deeply engaged in arranging the finer details of the hunt, which includes sourcing pheasants, establishing a social media footprint, and devising efficient systems for membership applications and payments.
As an OFAH affiliate, the CPC requires all its members to also be OFAH members. For its inaugural year, the club has set a goal of attaining 80 members, with plans to extend this number to 100 members for the following two years of the pilot project. In this first year, 1,000 pheasants are planned to be released, and the hunting season is scheduled to run from September 25, 2023, through to November 27, 2023. Initially, hunting will be authorized only via a season permit, but the CPC intends to explore the possibility of offering daily passes in the remaining two years of the pilot program.
Applications for club memberships will be open from June 1st and can be accessed on the club’s JOIN page. Memberships are offered on a first-come-first-served basis. To apply, one would need to provide their MNRF Outdoor Card No. and Expiry Date, OFAH Member No. and Expiry Date, and Vehicle License #.
The vision of the CPC is to create an inclusive, high-quality, and accessible pheasant hunting experience for enthusiasts in southern Ontario. With their dedication and drive, it is certain that this vision will become a reality.
