MIKE BRAUN DOW to finalize dates for ducks

The mailbag on the Vindicator Outdoors desk -- both snail mail and electronic -- is bursting at the seams, so it's time to clear away the spillage and get some information to the masses.
A note from the Ohio Division of Wildlife advises that it will be the first week of October before dates are finalized for waterfowl seasons in the state. The Ohio Wildlife Council is expected to will make a decision Sept. 21 on season dates based on guidelines proposed by the United States Fish & amp; Wildlife Service .
The USFWS proposed the following seasons: North Zone, Oct. 20 to Nov. 24 and Dec. 1 to 23.
There is also a proposal to extend the South Zone as far north as state Route 30 with the exception of Killbuck Marsh.
More on this topic when the council makes a decision.
Banquet reminder: Mark your calendars now for late September and the annual banquet of the Mahoning Valley Chapter of Ducks Unlimited.
Always a great affair, the banquet also offers a chance to grab some pretty nice artwork, duck stamps, guns and collectibles as well as help out the waterfowl cause through auctions and raffles.
This year's banquet will be Sept. 21 at St. Mary's Assumption Social Center at 356 S. Belle Vista Ave. in Youngstown.
Tickets are $50 per person, $80 per couple, $40 for greenwings, $300 for sponsor status and $325 for couple sponsor billing.
Tickets include appetizers, dinner, drinks as well as the auction and other festivities.
Call (330) 533-2455 for more details or to order tickets.
This is a great way to support wildlife and have a good time as well.
Safe-shooting course: Youths ages 11-17 are being invited to apply for a 10-week safe gun handling and .22 position rifle shooting course being sponsored by the Cougar Juniors Rifle team.
The course, planned for Sept. 17 to Nov. 19, will take place at the Fish & amp; Game Club of Vienna, state Route 193 across from the Youngstown/Warren Regional Airport.
With instruction provided by NRA-certified coaches and instructors, the courses aim to instill gun safety and teach Olympic-style rifle shooting in prone, sitting, kneeling and standing positions.
There will be an informal competition at the end of the course with top scorers who are interested being invited to fill openings on the Cougars team.
The course is $8 the first night and $5 weekly thereafter.
The Cougars are a nationally ranked junior shooting team as well as state champs for the past three years.
Reservations for the course are required. Call (330) 534-5344 or (330) 759-2504.
Speaking of shooting: The 2001 Grand American Trapshooting Competition ended last weekend in Vandalia, Ohio.
Although local shooters didn't bring home any top trophies, enough of them turned in some respectable scores to merit mention here.
Joe Pascoe of New Castle, Pa., managed to post a score of 95 from 27 yards to take runner-up in the Vandalia Handicap. A number of other area shooters also managed to be listed in the top scorers lists for various evens during the nearly two-week contest.
Among those listed were Pascoe's father and mother, Frank and Belinda, and his brother, Kenneth, all of New Castle. Others included C. Dale Bertuzzi of Warren, Frank Hornyak of Canfield, Talmadge Rose of Alliance, Flip Jendre of Youngstown, Gary Ehasalu of Enon Valley, Pa., Leo Johnson of New Castle, Norman Anderson of Warren and Arthur Daily of Conneaut.
Wolf help: On the topic of good causes, the folks who are trying to save hybrid wolf-dogs at the Richard E. Flauto Wildlife Foundation Wolf Sanctuary in Columbiana County are still trying to collect funds to save their property from sheriff's sale.
They are looking to raise in he neighborhood of $160,000 to prevent their facility from being sold and possibly closed.
They have a number of nice gifts and other items that you can order off their Web site -- calendars, clothing and pictures as well as details on the foundation -- and could use your help.
Log on to www.wolfcountry.net and check it out.
braun@vindy.com