SANDERSON – There was a fairly light turnout for the Second Annual Terrell County Big Buck Contest here this year
but winners came from as far away as Alaska and New York State. All deer were harvested in Terrell County, however.
Jerry Pippen of
Pedro Bay, AK, southwest of Anchorage, was the winner in the adult mule deer category.
He shot a 19-point buck on the Pinky Carruthers
Ranch (“Big Buck contest deadline nears,” News Leader, December 16, Page 12.)
Isaiah Aguilar of Sanderson was the youth leader with
a mule deer harvested on the McClellan Ranch.
Brett Watts of LaVernia won first place in the white tail deer category with a buck killed
on the Harkins Ranch. Jasper Jeffrey of Harwood, formerly of Sanderson, was the youth leader with a buck shot on his family’s Jeffrey
Ranch.
Coming in second in the adult mule deer category was Kenny Fred Stafford of Sanderson with a deer harvested on his Miller Ranch.
Second
place for white tail was a tie between Saul Aguilar of Sanderson and Daryl Pratt of Port Jervis in upstate New York.
Aguilar shot his
game on the Meyers Spring Ranch and Pratt got his on the Steve Forest Ranch.
Andrew Swearingen of Beaumont was second in the youth
white tail category with a buck killed on the Miller Ranch.
Stafford was fourth in the white tail category.
Stafford, who operates Sanderson
Deer Processing, said deer populations are down this year and showing very little fat because of the drought.
Mike Jeffries, grandfather
of the youth white tail winner, said mule deer are fairly scarce this year and those he has seen are quite small.
First place winners
each won a gun purchased with funds donated toward the event by ranchers and other interested citizens.
Judging was based on criteria
including number of points in the antlers, widest spread, longest point and the like.
Sponsors this year include the Harkins Ranch,
Steve Forest Ranch, Canyons RV Park, Wayne Sutton, Gary Hutto, Kothman Ranch Company and Pinky Carruthers.
Also, Desert Air Motel,
Bill and Lea Hawn, Hodge Corporation, Mike Turk, J. Baen Family Ranch Trust, Sanderson Visitor Center and J.C. and Bobbie Hicks.
And
Morrison True Value, Schoolmaster Realty & Auctions, Sanderson Deer Processing, Jennifer Miller, Tis the Reason Flowers &
Gifts, Papalote Antiques & Thangs, JoBeth Elrod and Sanderson Bank.
The contest was the brainstorm of Austin Stolte and rancher
Steve Forest, who approached the Chamber of Commerce in late 2010.