Robin Unrau, President

As founder of Hunters for BC, my interests are hunting, fishing, family life and dogs. My conservation interests include predation, wilderness access, cumulative impacts, habitat loss / fragmentation, hunting regulations and biodiversity.

I am blessed to see an idea become reality with the help of many good people! Hunters for BC has grown as a small yet very active society contributing to wildlife and habitat conservation in British Columbia.

I am currently active with several committees including Predator – Prey Dynamics, Mt Eneas Mule Deer Monitoring Project, Hunting and Trapping Committee plus Fundraising.

I look forward to a strong future with H4BC Hunt. Gather. Conserve. Society for many years to come.

Neil Findlay, Director

I grew up on a cattle farm in Armstrong, BC, attending UBC after high school and achieved a forestry degree with a minor in wildlife management.  I have worked all over Coastal BC for 3 years after UBC, completed requirements to become a Professional Forester and then moved to the Interior and started my own consulting business.  Forestry has been my career for 30+ years, throughout BC, primarily in planning, development and operations but have a broad and diverse background in a number of areas.

I currently reside in Sun Peaks and have two teenage daughters. I am a very avid hunter but also spend a lot of time fishing, mountain biking, plus downhill and Nordic skiing. I ran a trapline when I was younger and have also tried my hand as a guide-outfitter. My life largely revolves around the outdoors. I have found myself very frustrated with the crash in ungulate populations in this Province over the last 10+ years. My goal in working within Hunters for BC is to try and bring about change in wildlife management to attempt to bring back ungulate populations to where they have historically been.

TJ Burns, Member

This fall will be my 8th year hunting, and each year’s experience shows me how much more there is to learn.

I grew up with a curiosity about hunting after hearing hunting stories from both of my grandfathers; they passed on to me their appreciation for the outdoors and imparted a sense of wonder and responsibility for what it means to be a hunter.

I feel that part of that responsibility is being an active participant in conservation for both the land and the wildlife in our province. 

Evan Holmgren, Member

I am an angler and a hunter who takes an active role in conservation. I have volunteered in numerous watershed cleanups, sheep counts and marsh projects. I am also an active member of the Pitt Waterfowlers, a group of hunters who care for the waterways and marshlands of Pitt Meadows. The team has established habitats for wood ducks through their nesting box program for 12 years. This program is a great source of pride for the local waterfowl community. 

I have had a fishing rod in my hands for as long as I can remember. The rod of choice quickly became a fly fishing rod, allowing me to better understand my quarry, its feeding patterns and food choices. I came by hunting less traditionally. My father, an avid outdoorsman passed away when I was three years old. I was always drawn towards hunting, but never had a purpose to hunt. My partner Amanda, brought me into this community and taught me how to hunt big game. Together we trained a hunting dog and found a middle ground in waterfowling. 

I am excited to play a role in Hunters for BC because it allows me to provide something for tomorrow. As the farmer tends to their crops, so must we tend to our flocks and herds. The hunter-conservationist must evolve with changing times and perceptions. I look forward to how we will continue to lead as stewards of our shared land while building the relationships necessary to do great things.

Dave Ryder, Vice-President

Five years have already gone by since I was first invited to join forces in the creation of Hunters for BC, asides from my background in the world of hunting, fishing, and trapping, a lot has changed, both for myself and the state of our wildlife and habitat. So how does a small group of concerned individuals manage to come together and grow an organization that has the will and the strength to make a difference?

In my case, it came down to commitment, the need and desire to not only educate myself, but also to turn that desire into action, as I look back over the last five years, what seemed like small insignificant gains at the time, the cumulative effect of literally hundreds of hours of research, public engagement, building relationships with like-minded organizations, fundraising, project initiatives and much more has been rewarding, perhaps the most important to me, has been to gain the trust of my peers, not only within Hunters for BC, but throughout the outdoors community.

As of today, I currently hold membership status in six different organizations, write articles for two outdoor magazines, hold a director’s position within a BC Trappers Association chapter and currently serving as Vice President for Hunters for BC.
With the many obstacles that our wildlife and habitat face today it’s hard to say where we will be or what we will achieve in the next five years, but what I do know is, I will be part of it!

Dave Ryder.
Hunt.Gather.Conserve.

Brett Kryski, Interim Director

Member and director of Hunters for BC since the beginning, I am pleased to put my name forward for another term.  I have learned so much about wildlife conservation these past years, I feel confident I have more to offer going forward.