By Rob Potter
CALLICOON — November 26, 2010 — Since the regular firearm deer hunting season opened here in Sullivan County this past Saturday, dozens of hunters have entered the 37th Annual Sullivan County Democrat Big Buck Contest.
The contest has two divisions – Biggest Rack and Heaviest Deer.
As of noon on Wednesday, Tom Price of Monticello was the leader in the Biggest Rack division. On opening day, Saturday, Nov. 20, Price took a 10-point buck while hunting in the Town of Thompson. He then brought the buck to Cannie D’s in Neversink, which is one of the official measuring stations for the Democrat contest.
Price’s buck scored 77.5 in the Democrat measuring system. The buck’s two beams measured 23 inches and 21 3/4 inches in length, respectively, and the spread at the widest point from outside to outside of the beams was 22 3/4 inches.
Two other bucks which were registered for the contest at Cannie D’s scored in the 70s. Bob Kackos of Neversink shot a 12-point buck on opening day which scored 77 1/4. Dwayne LaBagh of White Sulphur Springs shot a 9-point buck on Nov. 21 which scored 73 3/4.
The leader in the Democrat contest’s Heaviest Deer division is Geoffrey Sheppard of Cochecton.
On Nov. 21, Sheppard shot a 5-point buck in the Town of Thompson. He then brought the buck to The Sportsmen’s Den in Callicoon, which is one of the two official weigh-in stations for the Heaviest Deer division. (The other official weigh-in station is Neves Taxidermy in Bethel.)
Sheppard’s buck tipped the scales at 165 lbs.
Remember, while the Democrat is glad to publish photos of successful hunters with their deer, only bucks which were taken here in Sullivan County or in Wayne County, Pa. and then measured and/or weighed at one of the official contest stations are eligible for the Big Buck Contest.
A list of all of the official measuring stations appears in the advertisement on this page.