By Jack and Kay Danchak
KAUNEONGA LAKE — April 29, 2005 – On Saturday, April 23, the annual Awards Banquet and Wild Game Dinner of the Sullivan County Sportsmen's Federation was held at the Kauneonga Lake Firehouse. the Sullivan County Democrat is a co-sponsor.
The Fish and Game Contest runs from January 1, 2004, through December 31,2004. This is a free contest and so is the dinner to which all winners and club delegates are invited. All of the wild game and fish was donated and it was prepared by Norm and Barbara Weiss, Sharon Carroll, Edna Calkin, Hank and Frances D'Auria, Kay Danchak and Paula and Harold Barber.
The hors d'oeuvres table consisted of goose breast, venison hot dogs, smoked trout, smoked turkey breast, venison kielbasa, pheasant gizzards alfredo, wild game paté, perch (poor man's shrimp), elk chili, venison summer bologna, pickled pickerel, mozzarella balls, grapes and cheese and crackers.
The main course consisted of roast venison, moose, wild boar, red stag, pheasant breast and thighs, venison meat loaf, Stroganoff, sauerbraten, BBQ ribs and meat balls in spaghetti sauce, wild boar with sauerkraut and BBQ ribs, beer battered blue fish, fried trout, moose sausage and peppers, stuffed turkey breast, turkey legs and thighs, rabbit, red stag with onion gravy and bear roast. Side of mashed potatoes, gravy, string beans, cole slaw and applesauce accompanied the meal. The dinner was topped off with cake and beverages.
Federation officers and committee chairmen present included President Jack Danchak, Vice President Tom Yager, Secretary Edna Calkin, Treasurer Ray Herbert, Trustees Bruce Miller and Bob Aber, Habitat Cliff Horton, Alternate Council Delegate Hank D'Auria, Youth Ice Fishing Carl Lindsley and Awards Banquet and Wild Game Dinner Kay Danchak.
The awards ceremony began with the presentation of a Certificate of Special Recognition to Vassmer's General Store (which has been sold) for many years of dedicated service as a weigh-in station for the Federation's Fish and Game Contest, accepted by Marion Vassmer.
A $1,000 college scholarship was presented to Arianne Lindsey of Wurtsboro by the Federation's Scholarship Chairman Hank D'Auria.
Fernando and Paulo Neves of Neves Taxidermy of Bethel and Carl Lindsley presented fish mounts to three youngsters who caught the winning trout from the fish pond at the 2004 Youth Day Event. Mason Wynkoop caught the Native Brook Trout, Christ Bair snagged the Rainbow Trout and Lucas Price reeled in the Golden Palomino Trout. Two fish mounts were donated by Neves Taxidermy and one fish mount donated by the Longbeards Turkey Chapter.
The Youth Fish Division winners were: Channel Cat, Brendon Cunningham, 2 lb. 8oz., 16 1/2 inches; Lake Trout, Andrew Yager, 6 lb. 13 oz., 27inches; Crappie, Andrew Yager, 1 lb. 13 oz., 13 1/2 inches; Perch, Andrew Yager, 1 lb. 5 oz., 13 inches; Rainbow Trout, Scott Herbert, 3 lb., 21 inches; Brown Trout, Scott Herbert, 2 lb. 8oz., 19 1/2 inches; Largemouth Bass, Nick Shevak, 3 lb. 13 oz.; Sunfish, Nick Shevak, 9 oz., 9 1/2 inches; Pickerel, Gregory Vladimersky, 4 lb. 8 oz., 26 inches; and Bullhead, Robert Kelly, 1 lb. 10 oz., 14 3/4 inches.
The Youth Game Division winners were: Spring Turkey, Kristina Millis, 18 lb. 14 oz., 9 1/4-inch beard and 1-inch spurs; Fall Turkey, Ryan Brockner, 19 lb. 2 oz., 6 1/4- inch beard and 1-inch spurs.
The Adult Fish Division winners were: Brown Trout, Barbara Weiss, 2 lb. 2 oz., 17 1/2 inches; Pickerel, Tom Yager, 5 lb. 6 oz., 26 inches; Crappie, Tom Yager, 1 lb. 10 oz., 15 inches; Striped Bass, Jason Stanton, 8 lb. 5 oz., 29 inches; Walleye, James Elefante III, 9 lb. 9 oz., 31 1/2 inches; American Shad, Rachel Friedman, 4 lb. 13 oz., 21 inches: Largemouth Bass, Bill Danchak, 7 lb. 11 oz., 24 1/2 inches; Brook Trout, Bill Danchak, 1 lb. 15 oz., 16 inches; Smallmouth Bass, Gary Davitt, 3 lb. 14 oz., 18 inches; Perch, Gary Davitt, 1 lb. 5 oz., 13 3/4 inches; Channel Cat, Ken Fraze, 8 lb. 25 inches; and Bluegill, Mark Englehard, 1 lb. 8oz., 12 inches.
The Adult Game Division winners included: Spring Turkey, Tim Kautz, 26 lb. 12 oz., 9-inch beard; Bear, Larry McAllister, 458 lb.; Heaviest Deer, Mike Neenan, 176 lbs., 8 point buck; Largest Rack Deer, Carmine Rufrano, 19 pointer that scored a total of 84 points; 13-inch Beagle Trial Winner, FC Dirty Pond April, owned by Andy Papadimitropoulous; 15-inch Beagle Trail Winner, FC South Hill Baxter, owned by Ray Christian.
Two special Youth Awards were also presented: The Art Terbush Memorial Award (a Shrade knife) was presented to Kristina Millis by Tom Yager; the green jacket was presented to the 2004 Junior Sportsman of the Year, Jonathan Levy.
Hummingbird feeders were presented as gifts of appreciation to Norm and Barbara Weiss, Sharon Carroll, Frances Loughrey, Edna Calkins, Frances and Hank D'Auria and Paula Barber.
Winners of the drawing for cash prizes: Sullivan County Democrat Fish $100, winner Gary Davitt; Sullivan County Democrat $100, winner Carmine Rufrano; and the Sullivan County Federation's $300 grand prize, winner Tom Yager. The Renaissance 50/50 winner was Shannyn LaCroix who won $168.
The 2004 weigh-in stations for the fish and game contest were: Sullivan County Democrat, Callicoon; Rod's Taxidermy, Callicoon; Hunter Lake, Bethel; Vassmer's General Store, Kauneonga Lake; Catskill-Delaware Outdoor, Hankins; Heinle's General Store, Cochecton Center; Neves Taxidermy, Bethel; Tom's Bait & Tackle, Narrowsburg; and the Monticello Firehouse.
A total of 85 people enjoyed the awards banquet and the wild game dinner. Kay Danchak, chairman of the event, really out did herself. It seems that every year this event gets better and better.