ST.
HUBERTUS GAME AND FISH
ASSOCIATION
PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE
2003/2004
EXECUTIVE
THE LEGEND OF ST. HUBERTUS
CLUB HISTORY
ACTIVITY CALENDER
On behalf of the executive and all our members I would like to extend a welcome to our web site. The St. Hubertus Game and Fish Association is on of the oldest hunting and fishing associations in Manitoba. We are proud of the fact that in January, 2002 we celebrated our 50th anniversary. The club was founded on January 18, 1952.
Joe
Blei
President
PRESIDENT:
JOE BLEI
PAST PRESIDENT: HEINZ DANNHAUER
VICE PRESIDENT: GEROLD DITTBERNER
SECRETARY: ELGA BOEHNER
TREASURER: DON KISH
ENTERTAINMENT CHAIR: OPEN
DIRECTOR: JOE BOEHNER
LIBAU PROJECT SUPERVISOR: ALFRED TOBER
RANGE OFFICER: ED KRAUS
BIG GAME CHAIRMAN: JULIUS WAEDT
FISH CHAIRPERSON: HERBERT GRABOWSKI
JUNIOR RIFLE CHAIRPERSON: HELMUT GIERSCH
TROPHY CHAIRPERSON: DON CHADNEY
SPORTING CLAY CHAIRPERSON: STAN ORR
According to the Christian Mythology (Miracula) St. Hubertus was honoured as the Patron of Hunters in the Province of Ardaine (Belgium) in the 9th and 10th Centuries.
The legend of St. Hubertus is described in the Christian Iconography. St. Hubertus first Bishop of Luetich became (after the assassination of Bishop Lambert) Bishop of the old diocese Togern. He is believed to be the son of Bertrandus Duke of Aquitaine (Belgium). At the beginning he lead an aimless thrill seeking life. His great obsession was hunting. Dogs were used to drive game into traps, and then the hunters would make the kill.
One
Good Friday while Christians worshiped, Hubertus was pursuing a herd of
Elk, then according to the legend, a magnificent Elk came out of the forest
with a shining cross between his antlers. To his astonishment he heard
a voice calling:
"unless you truly reform and devote your life
to the lord you will soon end up in hell"
Frightened, Hubertus dismounted from his horse, kneeled down, and prayed for forgiveness and promised to reform and devote his life to the Lord. After this he sought spiritual guidance from Bishop Lambert. Later, at the site of his magnificent vision he built the Monastery St. Hubertus. Pope Sergius 1 summoned him to Rome where he received the Consecration as the first Bishop of Luetich.
Hubertus died in 728 and was laid to rest at the Peters Church in Luetich. His remains were exhumed and put to the final rest at the Monastery Andain, in the Province of Ardaine (Belgium). In 1568 the hugenotts burned the Monastery to the ground and with it all the records.
Seventeen years after the death of St. Hubertus one of his contemporary Monks wrote the VITA HUBERTI without any reference to the vision, he only referred to some miraculous achievements, which inspired the Pope to elevate Hubertus to sainthood on November 3rd in 744.
The
purpose of the legend was twofold:
Firstly, the desire of the hunters who cherished the hunt with
great passion and love to have religious protection of a Saint.
Secondly, the St. Hubertus Legend shows how deeply Christ and religion
had influenced the soul of men awakening in man the desire
for reform.
The St. Hubertus Game and Fish Association members still celebrate St. Hubertus elevation to Sainthood, on November 3rd every year, according to the tradition: also some of us after a successful hunt spend several moments in meditation in reverence for our quarry as a sign of respect for the Creator and his Creation.
The
St. Hubertus Fish and Game Association of Winnipeg was founded on January
the 18, 1952 with the stated purpose of, "Education of its members
to be good sportsmen in angling and hunting without commercial interests".
The Association distinguishes itself in two ways:- Its German Heritage
and its emphasis on conservation.
Postwar Winnipeg saw the arrival of many German immigrants. They were overwhelmed by Manitoba's natural beauty and abundance of Wildlife as compared to their native Germany where Hunting and Fishing is a closely regulated activity and available only to a select few. In Germany it is a "privilege" to participate in hunting.
Language and above all, a common conservation ethic, lead to the formation of the association aptly named "ST. HUBERTUS" after the patron saint of hunters. The Association's letter head contains the line "Our Motto, Conservation"emphasizing its primary mission. The founding five members consisted of German-Canadian hunters and anglers who enjoyed the comradeship, ability to participate in their native language and shared respect for nature and wildlife. In 1960 St. Hubertus Game and Fish Association of Winnipeg became affiliated with the German Society of Winnipeg. Although St. Hubertus remains as a separate entity, members are encouraged to belong to the German Society of Winnipeg. The two organizations are closely intertwined sharing common facilities and frequent social events.
Over its fifty years of existence, the Association's membership has grown to a high of 200 members in 1971 and currently stands at approximately 100 members. Monthly meetings and a full range of activities such as Trap and Clay Shooting, Target Shooting, Fishing Events, Hunting Events, Spring and Fall Banquettes, Summer Picnics, Christmas Parties, highlight our social agenda.
In the summer, St. Hubertus joins the German Society of Winnipeg in hosting the German Pavilion, in the annual week long Folklorama ethnic celebrations.
In 1994 the St. Hubertus Club purchased 160 acres of forested land four miles east of Libau, Manitoba. The members developed it into a conservation center. The facility has a stocked Fish Pond, a Clubhouse, Shotgun Ranges, a Rifle Range, and a Sporting Clays Layout. As well as being the base for numerous organized activities, it is used informally on a weekly basis, individually or by groups of members, to upgrade and maintain their outdoor skills throughout the year.
As much as the membership enjoys the frequent social, fishing and hunting activities, firearm safety and wildlife resource preservation and development remain the cornerstone of St. Hubertus. The Association has operated a Junior Program since 1962 with the help of Heinz Dannhauer, St. Hubertus long standing President and other certified national firearm instructors. Together, they have helped hundredths of hunters to obtain their hunting safety certificates.
Over the years the German heritage has evolved into a German-Canadian heritage with English being spoken as often as German. Today, many of our members do not necessarily have a German background, but the Association remains steadfast in its respect for wildlife and the love for the outdoors.
FEBRUARY:
ICE FISHING
MARCH: INTERNAL
BIRTHDAY PARTY AND SCORING NIGHT
APRIL: ANNUAL SPRING BANQUET AND TROPHY AWARD NIGHT
APRIL TO SEPTEMBER: WEEKLY TRAP SHOOTING
AUGUST: ANNUAL PICNIC
SEPTEMBER:FALL SHOOT
OCTOBER: ST. HUBRTUS HUNT
OCTOBER TILL MAY: SPORTING CLAY SHOOT
NOVEMBER: ANNUAL FALL BANQUET
DECEMBER: CHRISTMAS PARTY
