PREECEVILLE — The Preeceville Wildlife Federation hosted its 73rd annual banquet and awards acknowledging hunters and anglers for their prize-winning entries at the Preeceville Community Legion Hall on March 25.
Heather and Greg Gawrelitza shared the master of ceremonies duties for the evening. Kaeley Rioch said grace prior to the supper that featured elk and moose roast, wild meat sausage, meatballs, boar bites, smoked turkey, pork cutlets, perogies, potatoes, vegetables and desserts. The meal was catered by Charlotte Chernyk.
A slide show was presented of all the hunters photographed with their entries during the supper.
Numerous fun games were played through the evening with individuals having the opportunity to win prizes. Trevor Bilan won a Savage Axis AP Scope Combo 270 Winchester rifle through the ping pong auction. Other games included plinko and a lucky buck and doe raffle. The live auction featured Greg Skurdal auctioning off several auction items.
The club also featured a live auction with Bruce Schapansky Auctions from March 30 to April 6.
Greg Gawrelitza, the Preeceville Wildlife president, helped to present the awards portion.
Fish awards
James Bodnar received the Frank Arnie Memorial trophy for largest overall fish that weighed 42 pounds, ½ ounce; Brett Geistlinger received the Dan Hort Memorial for largest walleye, nine pounds, 12 ounces; Claire Masko received the Rob Neitling Memorial for junior pike, 13 pounds, two ounces; Kirby Pankratz won the Mark Tonn Memorial, largest perch, 1.4 pounds; Mikayla Madsen received the Peter Steppan Memorial for ladies elk, 181 inches, women’s non-typical mule deer, 185 7/8, inches and women’s trout, 27 pounds, seven ounces; Bernadette Shiplack, women’s northern pike, 12 pounds; Lyndon Gawrelitza, junior men’s walleye, 2.8 pounds; Greg Gawrelitza, small mouth bass, 3.3 pounds and Taylor Sliva, men’s lake trout, 42 inches.
Big Game awards
Shelby Sliva received the Bob Masko Memorial award for largest moose, 160 2/8 inches; Justin Jakubowski, Lorin Tonn Memorial award for largest elk, 290 2/8 inches; Owen Myhr, the Sam Bowey Memorial award for largest white-tailed deer, 159 2/8 inches; Nathaniel Lisoway, men’s white-tailed deer, 142 2/8 inches; Norman Johnson, men’s moose, 141 2/8 inches; Steven Geistlinger, men’s antelope, 76 0/8 inches; Katryna Englot, women’s white-tailed deer, 141 7/8 inches; Aspen Nagy, women’s mule deer, 171 7/8 inches; Karen Vandewoestyne, women’s archery, bear, 17 3/16 inches; Shayna Geistlinger, women’s moose, 153 inches; Carter Halkyard, men’s junior white-tailed deer, 148 2/8; Seth Reynolds, junior men’s non-typical white-tailed deer, 138 6/8 and Quirin Nelson, junior women’s white-tailed deer, 141 6/8.
Blair Mitchell won the only bird award for pheasant, at 37 bars.
Greg Gawrelitza, Preeceville Wildlife president, gave a few acknowledgements and spoke on the firearm safety program which Norman Johnson had taught for many years. Unfortunately, Johnson had to step down due to health issues and Brad Steppan stepped up to instruct the program.
First-time hunters were acknowledged with medals: Boden and Kacey Heskin, Claire and Sarah Masko, Amber MacDonald, Izzy Payette, Peyton Lisoway, Leah Thideman, Seth Reynolds, Carter Halkyard, Wyatt Scheller, Shannon Nelson and Jaelyn Orban.
Preeceville Archery supplied some of the live auction items and Corey Nelson sponsored the top prize. “Corey was the recipient of Weyerhaeuser’s truck driver prize and selected the Preeceville Wildlife Federation as the organization to receive the $1,000 donation in his name,” said Gawrelitza.
The Preeceville Wildlife Club had previously donated and sponsored: SWF convention, Habitat Trust, fish artwork contest at the Preeceville School, the Sturgis Gun range, Sturgis Archery Club in the form of bows and arrows, maintenance of Preeceville Wildlife campgrounds, firearm safety program, Habitat Golf and Clay Shoot, Preeceville Curling Club, Annie Laurie Lake family fire pit, and the Crystal Lake land purchase.
