We still haven’t published the results of the annual Fuel & Food Big Game Contest so let’s do that now.

The winners during the northern zone early bow season were Paul Peniston of Bleeker who brought in a 108.8 pound doe and 14-year old Kyle Ferguson of Providence who brought in a 148.2 pound 10 pointer.  

Gary Gutowski of Perth took top honors during the early muzzleloader season with a 175 pounder and William Bell of Johnstown took the top spot in the longest spikehorn competition with a 10 1/2 incher.

The lightest buck was the 76 pounder brought in by Ira Cromling of Broadalbin. The longest brow tine came in at 5 3/4 inches and was brought in by Gary Gutowski of Perth.

The most points segment of the contest, 11 points, was a real crap shoot, resulting in a three-way tie between John Zeis of Wells, Neil Hoover of Mayfield and Ken Paro, Sr. of Tribes Hill.

Keith Zillis of Fonda brought in the buck with the widest spread at 21 inches and he also took the heaviest buck segment of the event with a 216 pounder. Ken Paro, Sr. of Tribes Hill brought in the heaviest doe, a 151.4 pounder.

Sincerest thanks to Lou and Nancy Stutzke of the Fuel & Food Store for collecting the above results for me. I was on a brief winter sabbatical and couldn’t collect them when the awards were presented at a special dinner at the Mayfield Grill back in mid-December.

LEGISLATIVE

AWARENESS DAY

On Tuesday, March 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the third annual Sportsmen & Outdoor Recreation Legislative Awareness Day will take place at the Well of the Legislative Office Building on South Swan and State Street in Albany.

This is billed as a day of celebration and advocacy of the 2nd Amendment and is being sponsored by the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association. Among the morning’s activities will be an opportunity to meet and discuss your 2nd Amendment rights and related issues with various legislators and will feature a presentation by NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre.

If you plan to attend, and I hope you will, call your State Assemblyman and Senator to make an appointment to meet with them in their offices. The Assembly switchboard number is 518- 455-4100 and the Senate number is 518-455-2800.Then call Senator Kolb’s Office at 518-455-3751 to let them  know you plan to attend.

If I hear of any groups from this immediate area planning to attend I’ll let you know.

For additional information you’re invited to call the NYSR&PA at 1-800-469-7772 or you can email the organization at: info@NYSRPA.org. You can also go to their website at: www.nysrpa.org.

IMPORTANT

CONTEST NOTE

This reminder recently went out to all registrants in the Walleye Challenge ice fishing contest. You probably noted it when you read the contest rules given to you when you signed up for the event but I’ll repeat it here in case you missed it.

On Saturday, Jan. 21, a decision will be made to determine whether or not the Jan. 28 Walleye Challenge will actually take place as planned.

If there’s insufficient ice, foul weather is expected, or any other reason why the event should not be held, there will still be a random draw, by bracelet number, for all the tournament cash prizes, door prizes, 4-wheelers and/or snowmobiles on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 12 noon at Lanzi’s on the Lake.

You need not be present for the cash drawings or for the snowmobile and/or the ATV prizes but for door prizes you’ll have to either be present to win or you have to pick up your door prize by 5 p.m. that day, on Saturday, Jan. 28, at Lanzi’s on the Lake.

Notices of the Jan. 21 decision will be emailed to all registrants that day, and it will also be posted on the Fulton County Facebook page as well as the county’s Twitter feed. If you’re a registered participant and don’t have access to the Internet or a computer, I suggest you call the Fulton County Chamber on Monday, Jan. 23, to check on the status of the event.

YET ANOTHER EVENT

On Saturday, March 3, beginning at 5 p.m., a Sportsman’s Venison Dinner will be held at the Johnstown Moose Club. This event will benefit the Wildlife Sports and Educational Museum in Vail Mills and will feature a delicious meal, a guest speaker, over 100 door prizes, raffles and auctions, as well as an opportunity to have any big buck scored that you took during the 2011 season.

Tickets are $22 per person and are available at Frank’s Gun Shop in Vails Mills, Bob’s Taxidermy in Johnstown, the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce in Gloversville or you can call the Museum Office at 762-7925 to reserve tickets.