By Thomas Smith

The Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association (HHOA) is nearly ready for their 31st annual Wild Game Dinner and Auction. An event that began in 1993, the event was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1992, the HHOA has stocked over 800,000 fish in Haliburton County.

“Everything is right on schedule,” said Dan Smith, president of the HHOA.

This year’s menu will include a variety of wild and domestic meats. The wild meats will include moose, bear, bison, elk, boar, and venison. Domestic meats such as ham, beef, meatballs, and boar will be available. Smith says that there will also be mashed potatoes, beans, and a duck with wild rice soup served. For dessert, a pound cake with caramel sauce will be served.

“Our dinner does really well,” said Smith. “People come and have a good time.”

This year, the Wild Game Auction and Dinner will not be having a 50/50 draw. Instead of a 50/50, the HHOA will be having a raffle for a Henry Long Ranger .308. The rifle was donated by the Muir family, owners of Silver Eagle Cottages on Eagle Lake. Tickets for the raffle for the rifle are available at Outdoors Plus or at the dinner itself. Tickets are $20 per ticket, or three for $50. Smith reports that over 125 of the 200 tickets available have been sold.

Starting April 1, the HHOA will have eight-inch rainbow trout hatchlings for sale. The fish are priced at $2.50 each and will be sold to individuals who have private water to stock the fish such as backyard ponds and private lakes. These rainbow trout can be purchased either in-person or by paying over the phone by credit card, or through e-transfer.

With operations of the hatchery costing around $80,000 per year, the HHOA uses the Wild Game Dinner and Auction, the raffle, and the sale of trout to raise funds for their operations. While the HHOA is run entirely by volunteers, things such as the lights, food for the fish, and administrative costs add up, says Smith.

The HHOA receives no funding from the government and relies entirely on private donations from businesses and the public and through fundraising events. The HHOA’s goal is to maintain the fishery in Haliburton County, while also improving it for future generations and visitors.

“We’re all there for the same purpose,” said Smith. “Of conservation and learning the best spots to fish.”

While fishing in Haliburton County, the HHOA has requested that if you catch a large trout with a clipped fin, take a photo of it, and measure its length and circumference. They also ask that the large trout is put back for future generations of trout. Any information collected from a stocked fish should be sent to the HHOA or the Ministry of Natural Resources. This data will be collected and used to determine stocking numbers and fish populations in the future.

Tickets for the Wild Game Dinner and orders for rainbow trout can be placed by contacting Linda at the HHOA at (705) 457-9664 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.