First-timers highlight Day 5 of shotgun season

It was a day of firsts for three local hunters who each checked their first-ever deer during Day 5 of the Massachusetts shotgun deer hunting season on Friday.

Area checking stations reported 29 deer on Friday, although two stations were unavailable for print. Attempts will be made to record those checks in Tuesday’s edition of The Recorder.

Nicole Rogalski of Shutesbury checked her first deer in at Grrr Gear in Orange with a 94-pound, spike horn, while Kurt Thibault of Conway and Craig Lynde of Colrain each checked their first deer into Gould’s Sugarhouse in Shelburne. Lynde shot a 104-pound, five-point buck, while Thibault shot a 97-pound, four-pointer.

The heaviest deer of the day belonged to Richard Kulis of Gill, who shot a 186-pound, eight-point buck he checked at Gould’s, while Steven Richard of West Enfield, Maine, shot a 183-pound, seven-point buck he checked into Gould’s. Jack Gougeon of Rowe shot a 174-pound buck that he checked into Overwatch Outpost in Charlemont.

Here’s a look at the list from Day 5:

Gould’s (13)

Richard Kulis, Gill, 186, 8; Thomas Glabach, Leyden, 94, 4; Raymond Donelson, Heath, 174, 10; Clinton Phillips, Buckland, 123, 4; Steven Richard, West Enfield, Maine, 183, 7; Craig Lynde, Colrain, 104, 5; James Vight, Charlemont, 100, doe; Russell Prittings, Brattleboro, Vt., 114, 3; Patrick Donahue, Shelburne Falls, 68, doe; Ralph Osgood, Conway, 150, 10.

Joseph Frankel Sr., Greenfield, 129, doe; Kurt Thibault, Conway, 97, 4; Jason Kingsbury, Gill, 107, 4.

Grrr Gear (9)

John Bonafini, New Salem, 121, 8; Travis Knetchel, Orange, 100, spike; Michael Gardner, Orange, 102, doe; Steven Burgielelwicz, Easthampton, 154, 10; Kevin Hayes, Shutesbury, 101, 7; Nicole Rogalski, Shutesbury, 94, spike, Derek Vescovi, Orange, 124, 8; Charles Reed, Gardner, 112, doe; Jeffrey Serrell, Gill, 148, 8.

Overwatch (7)

David Schofield, Greenfield, 109; Jeremy Lanoue, Charlemont, 101; David White, Orange, 135; Jack Gougeon, Rowe, 174; Gregory Dekoschak, Charlemont, 130; Michael Palimeri, Carver, 122; Morgan Grodie, Colrain, 94, doe.