About Us and Our History!
Our
Association was founded in 1925 under the name Toronto Anglers.
Our goals in the beginning were aimed at fish restoration and
conservation projects related to fisheries. As our Association grew, we added
Hunters to our name to include all outdoor enthusiasts. Our new name, Toronto
Anglers & Hunters Association, expanded our goals, projects, and outdoor
programs. Shooting became a large part of our activities.
Two major projects kept us busy in the early 1960's. First, the
Cold Creek Conservation area was developed with the Metropolitan Regional
Conservation Authority and our Association. Rifle Ranges, Skeet & Trap, Dog
Trials, and Archery became the programs at Cold Creek to better train outdoor
enthusiasts. Our former President, Vic Evans, who found the need to emphasize
the safe use of firearms for shooting and hunting, founded Hunter Safety
Training at Cold Creek.
The second major project was the Nogies Creek Muskie Research
Project. This project was funded by proceeds from the Canadian National
Sportmen's Show. Students from Ichthyology at the ROM learned under our
director, Dr. Ed Crossman, who founded the project to learn more about the
muskie in the Kawartha Lakes. Today, all of the research data can be found at
the University in Peterborough.
Following our natural progression of Casting and Fishing, Rifle
Shooting, Skeet & Trap, and Archery, we formed a Hand Gun Shooting section. In
1970, Hand Gun was spearheaded by Ray Tofflemire, Ken Gregory, John Borson, Earl
Barr, Bob Burden, Roy Dunlop, and several other enthusiastic members. Our Range
Officers are certified with the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA),
formerly the Ontario Hand Gun Association, to ensure the best and safest
instruction to all Hand Gunners. Today, this section is our largest activity.
We have continued the work of Hunter Education Courses and
expanded to include training for Firearms Acquisition Certificate (FAC), now
called Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL), for both non-restricted, and
restricted firearms.
In 1983, to better reflect our programs, courses and activities,
we changed our name to the Toronto Sportsmen's Association (TSA).
Growing out of our dedication to the outdoors, 1948, our
President, Dr. Francis H. Kortright, with the help of TSA members, founded the
Canadian National Sportsmen's Show. To date, the show has raised over 29 million
dollars for Conservation, Wildlife Restoration, Outdoor Education, and Special
Projects in Canada.
Our eighty-five+ year heritage is a long one. We have grown to meet
the needs of our members and the public who often call upon us for seminars and
demonstrations. You can see us at the Sportsmen's Show, where we have
participated every year since its formation in 1948!
Another Historical Note . . .
In 1927, two years after the formation of Toronto Anglers,
several of our members expanded the base of outdoor members in Ontario to form
the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters!