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Bear season, big game firearm season underway

Bill Kubasik with a nice 10-point buck taken on opening day.

Pennsylvania’s opening day of bear season coincided with New York state’s opening day of big game firearms season, on Saturday, Nov. 18. According to a report, there were 26 weigh-in check points located throughout the state. In a two-day period from Saturday to Sunday, there were reportedly 666 bears brought in. The largest was reported to have been over 800 pounds. That’s a lot to “bear.”

Bill Kubasik, a local deer hunter, was hunting from a stand located in Sheridan on opening day. At 8 a.m., he spied four deer heading his way. There were three bucks chasing a doe and Bill put the sights on the largest of the three rutting bucks, a big 10-pointer. Bill managed to hit the bruiser twice. After waiting a 45-minute eternity, Bill picked up the sample blood trail and located his prize. The 10-point buck had a 20-inch inside spread, and Kubasik intends to have this trophy mounted by Brian Noody’s taxidermy shop. Kubasik also thanked his son Adam who helped with the field dressing and dragging as well as Nick and Jenn France who brought in the 4 wheeler. Kubasik also sends out a special thanks to the land owner Joanie, who has given Kubasik a place to hunt for the last six years. This 10-point buck weighing an estimated 175 pounds dressed, is the largest deer Bill Kubasik has taken in his 44 years of hunting.

Fifteen-year-old Michael Porpiglia had recently activated his lifetime sportsman licenses. He had the opportunity to go deer hunting with his father and friends on the outskirts of Fredonia at the family deer camp. On Friday afternoon, Mike successfully tagged his first deer, a nice doe. Nice job! I hope I have the opportunity to share many more of your success stories in the future! Hunt smart, hunt safe!

Calendar:

Attention big game hunters! If you need help locating a big game animal, after exhausting all attempts to find it, call Deer Search at 648-4355. This is a volunteer service that will help, whenever possible, with a high percentage success rate. Our local chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation — the Lakeshore Long Beards — announced at the Wednesday meeting that the annual banquet/fundraiser will take place on Jan. 20, 2018. This is the 20-year anniversary for the Long Beards.

The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club will continue this year with their Hunter’s Helping the Hungry program. Club members are urged to bring one non-perishable food item (canned food or water) on Tuesdays. This year, the need is greater than ever. Thank you for your help!

Correction: There will be a pistol course on Wednesday, Nov. 29, from 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club. There is a mandatory fee of $75 for this course. For information contact Gary Dudek at 366-3397.

On Dec. 16 and 17, there will be a gun show at the Harborcreek Fire Department, Social Hall located at 7275 Buffalo Road, US Route 20, located between North East and Harborcreek, Pa.

On January 27 and 28 there will be a gun show at Conneaut Lake, Pa., at the Conneaut Lake Sportsmans Association located at 11861 Sportsman Road (off Route 18).

Monday night, free fly tying courses at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club are from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tying vises, instruction and materials are all provided free No registration is necessary. The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club is located on Mullet Street Dunkirk. Turn towards the lake at the Country Fair store located on Lakeshore Drive west (Route 5).

The Children of the Stream Youth Fly Fishing Program will be starting its 18th year of providing weekly free fly tying and fly fishing classes to both youths and adults in our area. Classes will be on Tuesday evenings from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at the Costello Community Room (P84) in the new addition to the Rockefeller Arts Center at SUNY Fredonia. You do not need any prior experience to attend these classes and the course is geared towards ages 10 and older. For more information contact Alberto Rey at 410-7003 or alberto@albertorey.com.

If your club or organization is holding a hunter safety training/trapping course or a turkey shoot or any other outdoors event, and would like to see it posted in the calendar, send information to the OBSERVER, 10 East Second Street, Dunkirk, N.Y. 14048, or call the sports dept. at 366-3000 ext. 5 after 6 p.m.

Note: If you have a big-game fishing or trapping success story you would like to share, call 366-1772, or 467-2079 and leave a name, phone number and a time you can be reached. You can also call 366-3000, ext. 5, after 6 p.m. e-mail Sports@observertoday.com

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