2018 FALL Newsletter

From the Board
Like many Yukoners, my visits
to the Preserve are often a family
affair. But when you are a Hoefs,
that takes on a whole new meaning.
My father in law, a young biologist
new to the Yukon in the late 60s,
lived on the property with the
original owners of the “Game
Farm” Danny and Uli Nowlan. We
love to hear stories from that time,
like the one about the mink who
wanted to share his sleeping bag in
the winter, and took to swimming
in the toilet to cool
off.
We have photos of
my husband as a
toddler playing in the elk enclosure.
He eventually had his first job at
the preserve, followed by both of
his brothers, the youngest of whom
still feeds and cares for the animals
during his summers home
from university. One of the
brothers’ responsibilities
in the ‘90s was to watch
over the family pet beaver
“Chippy ClearCut”. Chippy
established the house
bathtub as his habitat,
complete with several feet
of willow branches, until he
was ready to make his way
back into the wild. Times
have certainly changed
between then and what
we experience today at
the successful and well-established
attraction that welcomes thousands
of guests from all over the world
every month.
I’m proud to be a recent addition
to the YWP Board of Directors
so I can help maintain our family
connection to this beloved place
for the next generation of Hoefs,
although we take photos of our son
from the other side of the fence at
the elk enclosure.
Emily Hoefs joined the Yukon Wildlife
Preserve Operating Society’s,
volunteer board of directors at our
2018 AGM held in July. She brings
with her a connection to the past.
Originally from Nova Scotia she is
an active member of our Yukon
community.
Top Right: Ammon Hoefs stomps around with elk at the Preserve when it was the Nowlan’s property in the
early 1980’s. Bottom Right: Ammon’s son, Hendrik viewing elk on the Preseve today! Bottom Left: Hanne and
Manfred Hoefs with grandson, Hendrik.
Fall 2018
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