Recently, the seasonal calendar rolled over from summer to autumn. The days are shorter, there’s a noticeable chill in the air, and the colours are rapidly changing. The fall season also marks the start of hunting season in this province. In decade’s past, grocery stores and butcher shops were not as readily available as they are today, so people had not choice but to hunt for sustenance and nourishment. Today, the reasons why people continue to hunt are as varied as the folks participating in the sport, however fostering a connection with nature, cultural or familial traditions, and harvesting their own meat seem to top the list. There’s something special about knowing exactly where your meat came from. Plus, many would argue that the end result tastes better knowing how much work was required to harvest and process that meat before it ever reached your table. I hope you enjoy this collection of historical photos, and to those of you hunting this season, best of luck!
Photograph of the Hermary’s and their catch of 126 rabbits, 1912. Object #A6694Unidentified men surround a man with a rifle and an elk, n.d. Object #A6891Two hunters pose with their catch, n.d. Object #A4933Chambers Family After a Hunting Trip around Grande Prairie, Alberta, 1920-1937. Object #A6299Women hunting in the Rockies. Three women and two dogs in a vehicle in the Rockies, n.d. Object #A3939Hunting, Smoky Lake, Alberta, 1925-1933. Object #G36Group photograph of the Stratchona Hunting Club at Big Hay Lake, n.d. Object #A3877View of members of the Bérubé family at a hunting camp near Beaumont, Alberta, 1914. Object #A6685Group photo of members of the Ft. Chipewyan Royal Canadian Mounted Police in front of a duck hunting shack (the shack has an RCMP sign up but is not an RCMP building), 1915. Object #A17160Men posing with hanging coyote pelts, Cold Lake, Alberta, 1928. Object #A15771Winslow Noble, Allen Godby, and others with hunting trophies, Mountain Park, Alberta, n.d. Object #PR2009.0441.0078.0001Mr. Lothweiler, H. Scharr, Sr., Eugene Kest ,and Walter Sharr, moose hunting near Wildwood, 1914. Object #A11407Hunting camp with tent and moose hanging, 1916. Object #A11441Six undientified men pose with their catch from a goose hunt at Sullivan Lake, 1921. Object #A4833Manir Polet and unidentified men on the farmhouse porch, displaying their hunting catches, rabbits and partridges, 1907. Object #A7670Six men and two dogs on a hunting trip, 1910. Object #A8128Alfred Rathgeber at hunting camp, Baptiste River, 1953. Object #A12058Men in a make shift shelter in a hunting camp, n.d. Object #A10947Men in western gear in front of a hunting cabin, n.d. Object #A10948
The photos above were collected from the Provincial Archives of Alberta. If you search the object number that can be found in the photo captions, you will find additional information about the photographs on the Provincial Archives website. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from across Alberta and western Canada. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.
Tyler is originally from Saskatchewan, and yes he cheers for the Roughriders, but don’t hold that against him as Calgary has been his home for the past eight years. He is a teacher working at a wilderness-
based treatment program for youth working to overcome addiction. Tyler is also a volunteer with the GOT Parks initiative, which aims at reconnecting Canada’s youth with our national, provincial, and territorial parks. During his time away from work, Tyler enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and snowboarding, team sports, travelling, photography, spending time with good friends, and being at home with his wife and German Shepherd, Rome.
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