The West Kootenay Big Game Trophy Association (WKBGTA) held its 58th Big Game Awards banquet Saturday at the Cominco Arena, with its top award going to one of its youngest recipients yet.
Kyle Bartsoff, a 15-year-old Fruitvale hunter, took home the Championship Cup for the largest Rocky Mountain goat ever entered at the awards banquet. The billy scored 53 on the Boone and Crockett rankings, not far off the world record that was taken in 2012 in the Stikine River Valley of northern B.C., measuring in at 57 4/8 Boone and Crockett points.
Bartsoff also won first place in the senior division for his wild turkey, scoring 42, and came second place in the junior black bear category that scored 18 2/16.
The evening attracted over 300 wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts, and honoured hunters, fishers, and conservation groups for their success in the field the past season, as well as recognize long time volunteers and businesses for their contributions over the years.
The Pat Archibald Memorial Award, presented by the Trail Wildlife Association (TWA) to the person or business whose primary goal is to protect and enhance the environment for the benefit of future generations, was awarded to Gary Nutini and Hil-Tech Contracting. The Cookie L’Ecluse Memorial Award went to Laurie Bursaw for his years of dedication and commitment to the WKBGT and TWA.
Heidi Daley won the Female Grand Aggregate award for her 165 1/8 California Bighorn sheep, and Tyson Angerelli took the Junior Championship plaque for his black bear that scored 19.
Don Campbell won the George Commander Award for the largest elk, measuring 347 1/8, while the Robert Miller Trophy for the largest sheep was captured by Eric Woodhouse for his epic Rocky Mountain Bighorn at 175 3/8.
Senior Awards: Marty Thomas took top black bear, 19 5/16, Eric Cotter largest grizzly bear at 20 1/16, Tyler Mengler won for largest cougar, 14 5/16, and Randy Workman nabbed top prize for typical whitetail deer at 147 3/8.
Eddie Philipzyk captured the largest wolf at 17 1/16 and his typical mule deer won top spot at 180 2/8, while the non-typical mule deer went to Martin Heuston that scored 189 3/8. The largest Canada moose was taken by Eric Dalla Lana at 169 1/8, Derek Simm claimed the Caribou award at 315, Mike LeRose tagged the prize for out of province whitetail at 154, and Randy DeBiasio caught the largest river rainbow at five pounds four ounces.
Junior Awards: The John Shannon Memorial Trophy went to Rory Bond for the largest elk, scoring 300. Logan Mengler won top cougar at 13 11/16, Jace DePelllegrin captured the typical whitetail award at 124 3/8, Joseph Issel the typical mule deer plaque with a 112 4/8, Hayley Angerelli for a 151 5/8 non-typical mule deer, while Brendan Beetlestone landed the largest river rainbow at four pounds and five ounces, and Bond the biggest bull trout, weighing in at 16 pounds three ounces.
Samantha Shkuratoff won second place for her 112 2/8 whitetail deer, and Darin Issel was runner up for his typical mule deer, which scored a 78.
Photos: The West Kootenay Big Game Trophy Association held its 58th annual big-game banquet on Saturday at the Cominco Arena, recognizing some of its best results over the 2015 hunting and fishing season. Tyson Angerelli won the Junior Championship Plaque for his black bear and Kyle Bartsoff captured the overall Championship Cup for his trophy Rocky Mountain goat. The top senior and junior outdoorsmen and women were also awarded for their achievements in variety of categories - see below.