When fall arrives and the heavy moist air and cooler temperatures bring out the colour on the trees, I can't help but reflect on the second Saturday in October. That date traditionally has been the opening day of the hunting season in Delta.
While walking Louis on the dike near 64th Street, I had a moment's conversation with a young Delta hunter on his way to the foreshore for night flight. As was agreed, it was not a "good night" for ducks as the wind was mild with a high sky, but as stated, he wanted to go out and enjoy the elements and maybe get lucky.
This brief exchange reminded me of youthful times more than a half century ago, when life in rural Delta was so dramatically different. Nowadays in some quarters, outdoor hobbies such as wildfowl and big game hunting are much frowned upon.
In earlier times, hunting in Delta was a way of life. As children, before TV and all sorts of technology, we spent much of our time outdoors and on farms. We were brought up watching fathers and family members readying for the opening day of duck and pheasant season.
Hard to imagine now, but back then this opening day was more exciting than Christmas and birthdays combined! Hunting guns were readily available and kids easily graduated from Red Ryder B.B. guns to shotguns and rifles.
In those days, every pick-up truck had a gun rack in the cab and a hunting dog in the rear box. Weeks in advance during our teenage years, we would "ready" for the hunt. There were two reasons for wanting to be 16: a licence to drive on public roads and to be able to hunt unsupervised.
A smaller segment of our population still enjoys the hunting season. Wild stock pheasant hunting in Delta is now non-existent as change in farm practices, urban grown and coyotes all took their toll on this magnificent game bird.
At the close of opening day, the inventory would be hung on the back porch for all to see and photos taken to confirm your success.
During this time of youthful freedom, there was always a "specter" in our lives called the game warden. There were then, and still are, bag limits and regulations around wildfowl hunting.
Warren Hubert "Slim" Cameron and family arrived in Delta in 1923. A wounded survivor of the First World War, he spent the next 14 years with the B.C. Police Force. He was then transferred to the B.C. Game Commission.
"Slim" was Delta's game warden for over 20 years, retiring in 1959. "Slim" was a keen conservationist and actively involved in wildlife management. He enthusiastically carried out his responsibilities, claiming to have "pinched" just about every local hunter, and friends were not excepted. He was an ardent fisherman, hunter and noted gunsmith For some years before and after his retirement, he was a member of the Ladner Delta Rod and Gun Club. Slim Cameron paid close attention to our younger generation to ensure adherence to bag limits and shooting hours. He was always aware of the ever-changing hunting hot spots depending on weather and tidal conditions.
Slim passed away in 1988 at a robust 94 years of age. He will be remembered warmly by all those in the older hunting fraternity.
And a good night to you, Gordie.
