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[chris gadsden]

Bill is gravely ill, please keep your thoughts and prayers with Bill and his family in the days ahead.

Bill has given so much to the hunting and fishing fraternity for many years and I had the pleasure of working with him for a few years, especially with the Sport Fishing Defense Alliance.

[jimmywits]

Did not know the man personally but I really enjoyed and valued reading his prose. I am sure Bill is being surrounded with love in this difficult time.

[huntwriter]

Thanks for posting that message Chris. My wife and I visit Bill everyday and so do many others. Bill is here in Merritt in palliative care. The doctors have given him 5 to 6 days to live. In one of our visits Bill told me that it gave him great pleasure to serve his fellow outdoor enthusiasts. He also cautioned that sportsmen need to understand that they have to put their differences aside and unite if we want to have a fighting chance in preserving our sport for future generations. "There are battles looming over us that could mean the end to hunting and fishing as we know it if we do not band together and keep on our toes." he said.

We're very saddened, and yes we shed a few tears too. I consider my self very fortunate that I could get to know Bill personally and work together with him on our clubs board of directors, that he called me a personal friend of his is an honor to me. Our prayers go out to Bill and his family.

Not many hunters and anglers realize that the reason we have so many hunting and fishing opportunities is due to a few individuals like Bill Otway, spending an enormous amount of time and resources to make our view heard in the government and defend our sport on many different fronts. Bill Otway will leave big shoes behind to fill and I am not sure that we will soon, if ever, find somebody to fill these shoes.

Coincidentally, two month ago I planned to dedicate one of my regular outdoor newspaper columns to Bill Otway. The day before he had to to the hospital I talked with him at length about his life and how he became one of the greatest conservationist and defender of hunters and anglers in this province. The column is scheduled to be published next week and it tears my heart apart to think that it now will be an obituary. This was the toughest column I ever had to write.     

[chris gadsden]

Thanks huntwriter for the nice post under very difficult circumstances.

I did not know Bill was this ill or I would have seen him when I was in Merritt a week ago, I regret very much I did not call him and have a chat.  We had many good times together as many people did working with him as well as fishing and hunting. We all know he worked so hard for us, the recreational angler and hunter.

Once again it reinforces the fact to enjoy every day as we never know when the Lord will call us home.

[huntwriter]

Chris I can't send PM's on this forum. If you send me an email to atacov(at)yahoo.ca I will send you Bills home phone number and his wife can give you his bedside phone number. Failing that you can write me any message you may have for Bill. I will print it out and take to him. I know he would love to hear from you and any other people that know him personally, he talks often about all the wonderful people he met in his live and how much they all mean to him.

[chris gadsden]

Chris I can't send PM's on this forum. If you send me an email to atacov(at)yahoo.ca I will send you Bills home phone number and his wife can give you his bedside phone number. Failing that you can write me any message you may have for Bill. I will print it out and take to him. I know he would love to hear from you and any other people that know him personally, he talks often about all the wonderful people he met in his live and how much they all mean to him.

Thanks, I have Bill's number.

[Terry Bodman]

Bill has set a high standard for us all. His total commitment to the conservation of wildlife is an example we should all strive to achieve.

[skaha]

-- Bill initiated so many successful campains and projects, I doubt they could all be listed.
-- Dear to my heart would be a return and rebuild of the Thompson, Nicola, Spences bridge steelhead.
-- I'm sure we can all think of fitting legacies

[huntwriter]

Bill truly is one of the greatest people the outdoor community has here in BC and beyond. Many people do not realize what he has done for all of us. What impresses me about Bill the most is that I not even once heard him asking for anything of us. The opposite is the case, even when he was very ill he always asked "What can I do for you."  Just two days ago when I visited him he asked me, "Is there anything I can do for you while I am still alive?" He never said or wrote "somebody should do something about it." He just went and did it himself.

To that end I am surprised how little response this thread generates. I thought people where a bit more grateful to a man that gave all of his life so generously of himself and did so much for so many, even during times when he should have looked more after himself than look out for others. It is save to say that without Bill we would not have that many fishing opportunities and programs like the family fishing day and many others that enhance our fisheries or recruit more anglers.

[huntwriter]

-- Dear to my heart would be a return and rebuild of the Thompson, Nicola, Spences bridge steelhead.

Bill was on the forefront in the fight to enhance the steelhead program on the Thomson. Together with the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club and the Lillooet Club he planned to build a hatchery. Until the day he had to go to the hospital Bill was busy with meetings at government levels. However this was one battle he lost because the government refused to have a hatchery built on the Thomson, even so the clubs would have provided the financing and the running of the hatchery. As usual a minority political agenda seems more important to the government than conservation and creating opportunity for all, not just a select minority.

We will continue the fight to have a hatchery on the Thomson and improve the steelhead fishery in that region. We owe that, and much more, to Bill.

As stated in a different post here. Bill did many things that we do not know about, but take for granted today, because he was not the kind of man that made a big story about it or bragged about his achievements on forums. He just worked quietly and unassuming day in and day out, often traveling great distances, even when very ill, to attend meetings and hearings.       

[dennyman]

Huntwriter: I was keeping quiet on this one, but I think you have stumbled across a few things. First things first, I am sorry to hear about Mr. Otway's condition and his presence will be missed as I enjoyed reading his columns in B.C. Outdoors. He seemed to be a tireless crusader trying to ensure the voice of the little guy was heard.  However, I don't know where the next Bill Otway will come from. I hope I am wrong, but it seems most sportsmen of today are takers instead of givers.  Heck they have enough trouble getting people to come out to collect garbage strewn along the banks of the Vedder and the Fraser River after fishing season. Hopefully this thread will draw people out of their shells and make people realize that all the things we take for granted didn't just happen. There were people behind the scenes, such as Bill Otway,  who worked tirelessly volunteering their own time to try and ensure the voice of the sportsmen was heard.

[huntwriter]

dennyman you hit on a very sore spot that plagues all of society not just the angling and hunting community. Just today I was talking to someone in our club how hard it is to get people to do anything or get them involved. Yet very often we hear "somebody should do something". Often the people who say something along these lines are the biggest complainers.  It's disheartening at times how we as a society seem to turn more and more into takers and relay on others to put something back. I do hope and wish that people like Bill Otway set an example and make us realize that we all have to do our bit in any which way we see fit to ensure a future for the generation to come after us.

To Chris. I told Bill today about our little conversation here and he seemed very happy - with a big smile on his face - when I mentioned your name. Bill is starting to find it difficult to remember words and form sentences. The end may come any day or hour now for Bill. If you get a chance please get in contact with Bill as I know he would love to hear from you one last time. 

[chris gadsden]

dennyman you hit on a very sore spot that plagues all of society not just the angling and hunting community. Just today I was talking to someone in our club how hard it is to get people to do anything or get them involved. Yet very often we hear "somebody should do something". Often the people who say something along these lines are the biggest complainers.  It's disheartening at times how we as a society seem to turn more and more into takers and relay on others to put something back. I do hope and wish that people like Bill Otway set an example and make us realize that we all have to do our bit in any which way we see fit to ensure a future for the generation to come after us.

To Chris. I told Bill today about our little conversation here and he seemed very happy - with a big smile on his face - when I mentioned your name. Bill is starting to find it difficult to remember words and form sentences. The end may come any day or hour now for Bill. If you get a chance please get in contact with Bill as I know he would love to hear from you one last time. 

Glad you did this, thank you so much. We had a lot of good times together especially with the SDA for a few years putting on the dinners etc.. He has been a inspiration to me and many of my friends who also work hard to make things better for our wildlife, the environment while at the same time providing fishing and hunting opportunities. We may not have always agreed on topics but we respected each others views at all times. I am so glad he got out with Gwyn to a fishing trip to Winter Harbour a couple of months ago.

I have tried the house to get his hospital phone # but not one was home. I imagine his family is spending as much time with him at his bedside. Needless to say the importance of family support is so important in such difficult times.

[huntwriter]

Chris I just found out that Bill does not have a phone in his room. As you can imagine Carol is very busy . On our visit to the house today I told Carol that you might phone up. Please keep trying it would mean so much to Bill. Thank you.

Not everybody agrees all the time with Bill, even I had at times a difference of opinion that is human nature but we always respected each other and that is what makes all the difference in a true friendship, heck even my wife and I do not agree on everything yet we're still happily married after almost 20 years.

[IronNoggin]

Very Saddening News this morning:

It is with a heavy heart that I bring news which you may already be aware of.

Bill Otway passed away last night. His family has requested that no flowers be sent but that donations be made to BCWF in Bills honour.

Bill was the single most vocal proponent of the recreational anglers needs and fought to hold both MOE and DFO accountable for their actions for many years. His ability to write incredible articles and books and all that he meant to BCWF and other angling and hunting associations will make his absence so difficult for many of us. However all this pales in comparison to the loss this means for his family and friends. I only knew Bill for a short time but will always treasure the conversations we had and I will always remember and admire his ability to see through the smoke on issues that were important to him. I will miss him.

Please say a prayer for and remember the Otway family at this time.

Thanks

Well Said. I truly admired Bill for what he stood for, for what he fought for, for the insight & thoughtfulness in him, and for The Man he was.

Even though we knew this was coming, it is a damn bitter pill to swallow. Mighty Big Boots to fill. I, as many will miss him. 

My most sincere condolences to his Family & Friends...

May the fish forever be Hungry and Plentiful my Friend.
RIP Bill.

Sadly,
Matt