Lake Erie Waterfowlers Festival is this weekend
September 20, 2005
By Steve Pollick, Outdoors Writer
As many as 10,000 duck and goose enthusiasts are expected to gather Saturday and Sunday for the 23rd annual Lake Erie Waterfowlers Festival.
Events are set for Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area and Crane Creek State Park, 13229 West State Rt. 2, Oak Harbor, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The festival is sponsored by the Lake Erie Waterfowlers and Gander Mountain in cooperation with the Ohio Division of Wildlife and Ohio Division of Parks and Recreation.
Daylong festivities include a trading post, silent auctions, food service, and archery shooting, with trapshoots set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Ohio Ducks Unlimited. Continuing events also include dog trials by the Lake Erie Hunting/Retrieving Club, BB-gun shooting by Wolf Creek Sportsmen's Association, and fishing pond by Northwest Ohio Bass Masters, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
On Saturday the regional duck calling contest is set for noon, and the regional goose calling contest is set for 2 p.m., both sponsored by Gander Mountain. The corresponding junior contests are set for the same hours on Sunday. Hayrides through Magee and the adjoining Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge are set hourly, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting, each day.
The Maumee Bay Carvers have set a decoy contest for Sunday, registration 8 a.m., singles judging at 10 a.m., rigs at 11 a.m., freestanding at 11:30 a.m., and working class at 1 p.m.
For duck and goose calling call Bob Chaplin 216-731-5208; for retriever trials, Scott Denham, 419-836-8516; for decoys, Bob Lund, 419-874-3671, and trapshooting Steve Oneail, 419-882-9548. Trading post chairman is Paul Kochanski, Jr., 419-691-8151.
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