GORE BAY—There were three more entries in this year’s ‘Tom’s Recorder Rack Roundup Big Buck photo’ contest over last year.
We asked hunters once again to send us a photo of their big buck from this year’s hunt. This year there were a total of 11 entries, including a papa-grandson entry, and participants were asked to send in photos of themselves and their harvested buck. Next year we are hoping for an even larger number of submissions.
As I wrote last year, having a relatively small number of big buck photographs to choose from should make it easier to pick a winner, right? Wrong. Yours truly looked over the photographs many times to pick the winners in the contest. Yes, I said winners, not a winner. It was again so difficult to choose one entry as a winner that on the fly we decided to present two awards, a first and second place award.
Entries this year included an 11 pointer harvested by Corey Gravelle of the Cozy Corner Hunt Club in Kagawong. The deer weighed in at 198 pounds field dressed, with a 23-and-a-half inch antler spread. One for this dad of three to be proud of!
Then there was the large buck harvested by Brian Stapleton on his property near Lake Kagawong and Spring Bay. He harvested the deer on Wednesday evening at 5 pm. In his email he told the Recorder the buck, “came out chasing two does and grunted four or five times before he stopped for a perfect broad side shot.”
Ken Hayden shot a large buck with his good luck charm beside him. Jessica Hayden wrote, “Ken Hayden shot this buck, November 24, with his five-year-old grandson Nash Hayden. An amazing and exciting moment for both. Nash has been hunting all week with his mom and dad, and we lent out our good luck charm for the hunt today, big mistake on our part.” And Britney Hayden wrote, “Manitoulin made. It was quite the experience for this papa-grandson duo! Incredible feeling having grandson Nash along side while this guy walked out!”
Carly Newlands of Kagawong, harvested a large eight-point buck on the first morning, Monday, November 19, of the annual hunt.
Al Bertrand of Sudbury sent in a photo with the large eight-point buck he harvested last week. There was also the very large buck harvested by Jonas Olson-Ewart, not sure how many points or how large, but it was big!
Thirteen-year-old Brett Mastelko was participating in his second deer hunt this year. His big buck was eight points and weighed 194 pounds (completely dressed with insides all removed). The buck was harvested in Robinson Township. An email states Mr. Mastelko lives in Little Current, but he is a West End boy at heart spending his summer and many weekends up in Silver Water enjoying the outdoors and Manitoulin life.”
And there was the 11-point buck, 220 pounds in size, shot by Evelina Holmes.
Galen Trudeau got his big buck on the first day of the hunt, Monday morning, right before lunch.
Mike Gour of Sault Ste. Marie harvested a 10-point buck shot November 19 in Robinson Township.
And on the last day of her hunt, “Claire Mable Talma, a 13-year-old second year apprentice hunter from Lafontaine, Ontario, harvested a spectacular eight-point buck in Silver Water. With her very proud dad by her side she watched this buck enter the clearing where they were hunting and at about 65 yards she placed a perfect shot with her 12 gauge loaded with sabot slugs. She is very thankful for this experience and the opportunity to share it with her dad, uncle, cousins, the Duncanson and Clarke crew and other friends! She says for Christmas she wants the head mounted.”
In all honesty all the entries were terrific, and the stories behind many of them as well. Unfortunately, we can only choose two winners. And the winners are! The winner of a $100 gift certificate from Up Top Sport Shop in Mindemoya courtesy of the Manitoulin West Recorder is Evelina Holmes, with the second prize of a $50 gift certificate from Up Top Sports going to Corey Gravelle. Prize winners need to contact Dave at the Expositor office at 705-368-2744 to claim their prize.
For a full gallery of the big bucks visit manitoulin.ca.
