By Rob Potter
CALLICOON — When the regular firearm deer hunting season ended at sunset this past Sunday, so too did the 2011 Sullivan County Democrat Big Buck Contest.
The winner is Bill Abbate of Stony Point who prevailed by shooting a large 10-point buck on Nov. 27 while hunting in the Town of Bethel. Abbate shot the buck while it was chasing a doe.
He then took the buck to Neves Taxidermy in Bethel, which served as one of the official measuring stations for the Democrat contest. The buck scored 86 3/4 in the Democrat measuring system, which is second all-time since the contest started in 1974.
For his victory, Abbate will receive $100 plus a free mounting courtesy of Rod’s Taxidermy in Callicoon.
Frank Lee of New York City finished second in the contest. While hunting on Dec. 4 in the Town of Callicoon, Lee shot an 8-pointer. The buck was standing alone when Lee took it with a 25-yard shot from a 30-06 Remington.
Lee transported the buck to Neves Taxidermy, where the buck measured 82 in the Democrat scoring system.
For being the runner-up in the contest, Lee will receive $50.
In addition to claiming the two top spots in the Biggest Rack Division of the Democrat Big Buck Contest, Abbate and Lee also fared very well in the contest’s Heaviest Deer Division.
Abbate placed second in the Heaviest Deer Division with his 194 lb. buck. Lee took third place in the Heaviest Deer Division with his buck, which tipped the scales at 187 lbs.
Brian Fisher of Bethel won the Heaviest Deer Division with a 195 lb. buck he shot in the Town of Bethel.
Fisher will receive $100 for earning first place in the Heaviest Deer Division. Abbate and Lee will receive $50 and $25, respectively, for finishing second and third.
Please see the official Big Buck Contest Leaderboard on page 8B of the printed edition.