By Rob Potter
CALLICOON — Thousands of hunters will be headed out to the area’s woods and fields early tomorrow morning as the 2011 regular firearm deer hunting season begins here in Sullivan County and throughout the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Southern Zone.
Tomorrow also marks the start of the 38th annual Sullivan County Democrat Big Buck Contest. The contest actually has two divisions: Biggest Rack and Heaviest Deer.
Every buck entered in the Biggest Rack Division will receive a score based on the Democrat measuring system. The system takes the length of the buck’s two antlers, the spread at the widest point between the antlers and the number of points that are at least 1-inch long. Those four numbers are then added together for the total score.
The Heaviest Deer Division is open to bucks and does.
Last year, Tom Price of Monticello won the Biggest Rack Division and Jerry Dagostino of Rock Hill took first place in the Heaviest Deer Division. Price shot a 10-point buck in the Town of Thompson which scored 77.5 in the Democrat measuring system. Dagostino shot a buck in the Town of Thompson which tipped the scales at 175 lbs.
The contest is open to deer legally taken either here in Sullivan County or in Wayne County, Pa. The season here in Sullivan County starts tomorrow and continues through Sunday, Dec. 11. In Wayne County, the season begins on Monday, Nov. 28 and ends on Saturday, Dec. 10.
First place in the Biggest Rack Division is $100 plus a free mounting courtesy of Rod’s Taxidermy in Callicoon. The runner-up will receive $50.
The Heaviest Deer Division has three prizes. First place is $100, second place is $50 and third place is $25.
All deer must be entered at one of the official measuring stations. Those measuring stations are:
Biggest Rack Division:
• Artistic Creation Taxidermy, 30 Eagle Drive, Swan Lake
• Cannie D’s, 4 Schumway Road, Neversink
• Neves Taxidermy, 1980 Route 17B and Donaldson Road, Bethel
• Rod’s Taxidermy, Route 17B, Callicoon
• The Sportsmen’s Den, 623 Gaebel Road, Callicoon
• Sullivan County Democrat, 5 Lower Main Street, Callicoon
• TK Taxidermy, 4402 State Route 52, Jeffersonville
• Tom’s Bait and Tackle, 118 Kirk Road, Narrowsburg
Heaviest Deer Division:
• Artistic Creation Taxidermy, 30 Eagle Drive, Swan Lake
• Cannie D’s, 4 Schumway Road, Neversink
• Neves Taxidermy, 1980 Route 17B and Donaldson Road, Bethel
• The Sportsmen’s Den, 623 Gaebel Road, Callicoon.