This year's winning ticket . . .
was held by Michael Shaw of Mohall. He won the 2007 Dodge Ram Quad Cab SLT 4X4 pickup in the GooseFest raffle.

A Saturday start . . .  The 19th Annual GooseFest started a day early this year, with the Lakeview Art Club Arts and Crafts Show first on the schedule at the Memorial Hall.  At right, visitors to the show look over the wide variety of items available from area crafters, artists and home-based businesses, as well as original paintings exhibited by members of the art club.

 
 Steady now. . . Youngsters take aim in a line of 15 shooting stations with an adult monitor at each one. Each contestant takes 40 shots at the targets, ten each from the standing, lying, sitting and kneeling positions.

Kennedy Chrest (above)
demonstrates the proper
technique for sitting shots, while Scott Heidel watches the target. 

Below, Craig Ellsworth advises a young shooter on the best way to hold and aim her gun.

Jacob Rodin, Jaycey Bangen and Patrick Harris won the BB guns donated by Marjorie Nordling in memory of her husband, the late Bob Nordling, and by the GooseFest Committee.

Goose and Gander Social . . . 
The Kenmare Association of Commerce hosted a social for residents and hunters Monday night.

Apple pie assembly line . . . A group of volunteers spent Tuesday morning making homemade apple pies, complete with fresh apples and a crust completely from scratch, for the Wild Game Feed.

Ladies Night Out . . . Tuesday evening was the ladies' chance to go out on the town and enjoy a lovely meal, along with the nostalgic sounds of "The Blazers" (photos at left).

Wednesday night's Wild Game Feed . . . This favorite event was well attended (photos at right), with the highlight of Fred Giese's induction into the Goose Hunters Hall of Fame (above).

GooseFest sporting clay shoot (below and right) held at the Kenmare Country Club on Thursday.

The hottest place in Kenmare on Friday afternoon was under the red and white striped tent set up behind the Pizza Hub for the GooseFest Chili Cook-Off.

The tent continues to be a popular location for this event, which had 39 teams entered this year, according to cook-off sponsor and Pizza Hub owner Roger Ness. "The camaraderie among the teams is great!" he said.

Teams once again revealed their spicy side by adopting different themes, including (second, right) The Four Amigos in their Zorro masks; (third) the popular Dog Pound Chili crew with their collection of trophies from past years; and (bottom) the new Chili Like "Nun" Other team.

Looking for the big bird . . . Hunters weighed in with their birds all week, with Troy Sivertson winning for the largest honker, and Mike Bartuska winning for the largest mallard and largest snow goose.

Goose Shoot check-in . . . Scott Heidel, Todd Ankenbauer and Dennis Heidel manned the check-in station for the annual Goose Shoot on Saturday.

GooseFest's final night . . . GooseFest ended Saturday night with the annual Landowners' Appreciation Banquet and Art Auction (photos right). The Memorial Hall was full of guests and hunters as the GooseFest raffle prizes were drawn then, too. Everybody is invited back for next year's event!

The Essler brothers defended their First Place title in the GooseFest Goose Shoot held Saturday. Using their tried-and-true belly sneak technique, they were able to bag 43 snow geese, weighing in at 221.42 lbs. Sold during the Calcutta auction held Friday evening, the Essler team returned $4664 to the high bidders by winning the competition. Pictured from left are: Steve Essler, Jeff Essler, Dennis Essler, and Leon Essler.