Elko, NV Big Buck Contest.

fatrooster · Dec 18, 2009

On December 12th the Watering Hole in Spring Creek, Nevada held its 10th annual Big Buck contest at the Basque Hall in Elko. It was a great day with family, friends, big bucks and great grub. We have three categories being Archery, Rifle and Youth with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes in each category. Also, we auction off certain items to help pay for the event in the next upcoming year and also draw names from a jar to give away prizes to each person that bought a ticket for the event. Here are some pictures.

First we have a picture of our kitchen crew who served up chili and Bar-B-Qued pulled pork along with other dishes.

Next is a picture of our Sound/MC/Announcer/Karaoke man Travis sitting behind the sound equipment amongst the prizes, auction items and drawing gifts.

Here we have the 1st place winner of the rifle category holding the winning 1st place rifle and his antlers.

Next we have Skeeter who has in the past been a winner with a previous Big Buck. 2nd place winner.

And here is our 3rd place winner.

In between category events the auctioneer Justin McDermit went to work auctioning off items many of which are donated handmade items such as knives, paintings etc.

Next we go to archery and see the first place winner Jerome Semper with his big buck. If you look closely you may be able to see that his G-3 on the left side was folded over and kept growing in this position.

Here is a picture of the second place winner and boy what a whopper of a buck he had.

Third place went to Ed Harris a Taxidermist who donated some head mounts to the event. I love this picture with him and these girls with the one girl sticking her tongue out, ha ha.

fatrooster · Dec 18, 2009

Even though we didn't have a muzzle loader category this year this gentleman brought his muzzle loader rack in anyway for show and tell and ended up getting a prize.

Then we move to the Youth category and I can tell you that the Youth always bring in some very nice bucks.
Here is the 1st place winner with his newly won rifle and his antlers.

Second place winner with his rifle and antlers.

Third place winner. I realize that this guy is no youth but his son was not available so his Dad accepted his prize. This is Dave Gowan who has himself or his family members have almost always placed somewhere in the winners of our contest. He is a great hunter and also a sponser of the event. Thanks Dave.

Here are a few of the gifts given in the drawing.
This young man seems to be happy with this calendar he won.

And here he is again with a rifle he won. I think he looked happier with the calendar.

This young lady is Bailey Betancourt who took first place in the Youth division last year with a whopper buck. Here she is with a rifle she won this year.

This young man won the smallest buck
category a couple of years ago and this year won a rifle.

Here is Mr. Holcomb holding his newly won rifle.

kilowatt · Dec 18, 2009

Great pictures and who won what etc. Sounds like it was a great success again this year Drew, maybe next year I can make it out there to just enjoy the show and visit.

Last Sat. the 12th I was at a sold out show here not far from my house, went to see a local gal who make it big time in Nashville. What a performance.
Heidi Newfield use to be with Trick Pony C&W group but she is on her own now with her back up group of musicians.

Thanks for the update on the Big Buck Contest.

Brian

fatrooster · Dec 18, 2009

This is Jack Constable who with his wife Kenda and Kenda's sister Janarae Edwards owne the Watering Hole and are responsible for this event. Thanks guys for giving us another great year of BIG BUCKS!!!!

Here is Kenda Constable selling event sweatshirts.

Here is Janarae Edwards with her goodlookin' husband.

The winner for this years smallest buck category was won by this young man who recieved a small drinking mug to be used for free draft beer at the Watering Hole for one full year. To me he looks like he can really drink some beer.

In addition to Jerome Semper winning a new bow for the biggest buck in the Archery category he also won biggest buck overall and recieves a BIG drinking mug good for free draft beer at the Watering Hole for one year. I know for a fact that this big Basqo can drink and between these two guys getting free beer for one year there is a chance that the bar might go broke!

fatrooster · Dec 18, 2009

We had a baby in our area that required surgery and we auctioned off a homemade afghan and this gentleman was kind enough to buy it for $150.00. Thankyou sir for your kind and unselfish donation and support for this young baby.

Here is Monster Muleys very owne "TwistedAntler". She also won a RACKS calendar and looks pretty happy with it, ha ha.

Here is TwistedAntler with her significant other who is another Monster Muley inhabitant "Archerbug."

Congradulations to Ms. Holcomb for winning a camping potty bucket. Dang, I was hoping I'd win that one!

This young man had a sprayer on his water bottle and every time I tried to get close to him to take his picture he would spray my camera. So i took the photo out of gun range.

These two goofy lookin' guys are Jerod and Ralph Betancourt who were our official 2009 antler measurers. Which brings up another point, we do not measure Boone & Crockett style due to the large amount of antlers and time constraints. We add up outside width, height and number of points so if you see some antlers falling behind in winning placement when they look like they should of won, this is why.

At the end of the day everyone was tired and it was time to call it a day.

I'd like to take this time to thank all of our sponsors no matter how large or small the donation because without you none of this would be possible.

dwalton · Dec 19, 2009

Thanks for sharing. Good to see a few familiar faces from the old neighborhood.

nevadaboy89801 · Dec 19, 2009

Hey those are some good pics. WHO'S THAT LOVELY LADY IN PERLS WITH MONKEY BOY LOL that was a great time, wish I could have stayed longer

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ELKOHUNTER · Dec 19, 2009

wow looks like fun. I might haft to come next year!

("For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9")

NEVADAGUY · Dec 19, 2009

Awesome pics Drew, it was a ton of fun!

manny15 · Dec 19, 2009

i sure miss those kinda home town events haven't been to one since i moved to Oregon.....

sandsavage · Dec 20, 2009

Thanks for posting up pics and thanks to Jack for another great contest.I always enter but never expect to win.

I was blown away when he called my name as the winner in the rifle catagory!! I expected that at any min. someone would wisper in his ear and he would annouce that there had been a mistake.... but it didnt happen.
BTW, all the credit for that buck goes to Dave Gowan too.....

ARCHERYBUG · Dec 21, 2009

GOOD JOB DREW. IT WAS A FUN TIME AS USUAL !!!!
THANKS TO THE WATERING HOLE FOR PUTTING THIS ON EVERY YEAR. I KNOW THE YOUTH REALLY ENJOY THIS EVENT !!!

treedagain · Dec 21, 2009

looks like you had a good time.

eelgrass · Dec 25, 2009

Very nice Drew!

Eel

Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.

nv_hunter · Dec 29, 2009

I was there for this and I am still trying to figure how the bucks wee judged. There was a bad (_!_) 189 inch typical on the floor that didnt even place. They must not go by score?

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fatrooster · Dec 30, 2009

nv_hunter, you are exactly right. We cannot score Boone and Crockett method because it takes entirely too long. There are just too many entries so we use a much easier method. We count the total points, add the outside width, put a ruler accross the tippy top of the antlers and measure from the ruler to the top of the head and again add this measurement. Add all of this up and it is your score. It is true that some great racks don't even place and many times a smaller rack will out score a bigger rack but this is kind of a good thing because you never know who's going to actually win the contest until its all over. This encourages more people to bring in thier antlers and participate. Many people do not bring in thier antlers because they know someone has killed a 200" buck but in our contest a 180 buck might beat a 200" buck which gives everybody a chance. We have discussed this over and over through the years but have found no way to make it feasible to measure Boone & Crockett.
fatrooster.

nv_hunter · Jan 2, 2010

Oh ok that makes more sense. I have thought about having a large fishtank with water in it. Submerse the rack and the one that displaces the most water wins? Thats quick and truely tells who has the largest antlers. Only draw back is bucks in velvet.

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