The Anson County Chamber of Commerce recently hosted its 18th annual Big-Game Hunt tournament.
Hunter Williams of Marshville and Dean Effird of Albemarle earned top honors in the buck and doe categories during the tournament held Thanksgiving weekend. Both earned prize money of $800 each. Williams also received a free mount from Wesley Holbert Taxidermy.
Williams’s 8-point, 174-pound buck was shy of the record by a little over 10 pounds set two years ago by Bron Hyatt — 184.7-pounds and 10 points.
Tonda Edwards of Peachand placed second with an 11-point, 164-pounder and pocketed $475, followed by Alan Hildreth of Marshville, 10-point, 161-pounds, $350; Lanny Davis of Peachland, 9-point, 161 pounds, $175; Grayson Sarif of Albemarle, 6-point, 157-pounds, $75; and Zack Smith of Wadesboro, 6-point, 142-pounds and a free 2016 tournament registration plus $25 daily prize.
Effird weighed in a 113-pound doe to earn $800 in total prize money. Travis Curran of Polkton placed second with a 109-pounder for $500, followed by Richard Bates of Lexington, 104 pounds, $375; Aaron Bates of Wadesboro, 102 pounds and $200; Jordan Caudle of Lexington, 102 pounds, $75; and AJ Rathje of Polkton, 101 pounds, $25 daily prize money and a free 2016 Big-Game Hunt registration.
In the youth buck category, Mallory Sikes of Wadesboro won top prize money of $300 with a 9-point, 144-pounder. Sikes also won a free mount from Wesley Holbert Taxidermy. Hunter Williams of Wadesboro took second place in the buck category winning $150 with a 6-point at 137-pounds followed by Luke Morton of Norwood, 8-point, 134 pounds, $90. Fourth place went to Collin Smith of Oakboro, 9-point, 132 pounds and $65 in prize money; and Zack Sikes of Lilesville with an 8-point, 122-pounder, who received a $50 daily prize and a free 2016 Big-Game registration.
Alan Dale McRae of Wadesboro won the youth doe category with a 90-pounder worth $300. The record for the youth largest doe of 115.3-pounds was set by Elizabeth Tarlton of Wadesboro in 2008.
Jordan Sikes of Wadesboro placed second with an 82-pounder and won $175, followed by Jack Flake of Wadesboro, 80 pounds, $100; Noah Carpenter of Wadesboro, 77 pounds, $75; and Joe Don Tarlton II of Wadesboro, $15 daily and a free 2016 registration for his 75-pounder.
The 2015 weigh-in breakdown listed 43 bucks and 50 does for a grand total of 93 deer.
“Not a record, but certainly a good harvest for the tournament,” said Lynn Edwards, executive director of the Anson County Chamber.
The entire bay area of the Ansonville Volunteer Fire Department was available for the tournament and there was still standing-room-only at the Nov. 28 banquet.
Winners of the drawings include: AJ Harrington, youth gun; from the raffle, Dean Effird won the Remington bolt-action .308-caliber rifle. Bev Hicks won the Yeti cooler; Tebow Dixon, $100; youth crossbows donated by Whitley Power and Equipment and Reel Determined Outdoors went to Joshua Cranfill and Joe Don Tarlton II.
From the card game, Harold Gardin won the drone and Eli Randall won a Kindle Fire e-reader. There were two pick boards this year and those winners included Joe Sikes, who won a patio heater, Doug Richardson, who won a fire pit and Donnie Edwards won a Henry rifle. William Hicks won 500 pounds of deer shell corn and Otoniel Miranda won 500 pounds of persimmon-flavored deer corn, all donated by Long Creek Farms.
Drew Thomas won a free deer mount from Kelly’s Taxidermy. Bobby Bur won a special item, a homemade wooden deer-crossing sign donated by Clint Mabry, the Chamber of Commerce director’s brother.
“I can’t thank everyone enough for all the great donations that help make this tournament the success that it is,” Edwards said.
The Big-Game Hunt also included kids’ games and all the little ones in attendance received goody bags.
Edwards gave a “huge thanks” to the all the hunters who participate each year.
“We had record number of hunters for the second year in a row — 376 — and I thank you all for participating,” Edwards said.
Organizers also recognized tournament sponsors, including title sponsor Four-A Loader Work and banquet sponsor Uwharrie Bank.
GOLD SPONSORS
• Buckshot Deer Processing
• Cobb-Vantress
• Duke Energy
• Jordan Lumber Co.
• Pee Dee Electric
• Waste Connections
SILVER SPONSORS
• Locust Lumber
• Lynn Thomas Grading
• Tyson Foods
• Valley Proteins, Inc.
• Wesley Holbert Taxidermy
• Windstream
BRONZE SPONSORS
• 704 Outdoors
• Anson Towing & Recovery
• Bates Law Firm
• First Financial Bank
• PNC Bank
• Woodsman Forestry
YOUTH SPONSORS
• Dale McRae Farms
• Precision Saw Works
• Whitley Power Equipment
• Reel Determined Outdoors
YOUTH DAILY SPONSORS
• Dennis Concrete Finishing
• Kiker Resource Management LLC
For the first time this year, Edwards said, the event had a volunteer sponsor. Hyatt Land Surveying signed up for that post.
“The Big Game Hunt tournament is very successful because of our great volunteers, too,” Edwards said, singling out Marty Cato, Courtney and Jamie Webb, Abby and Luke Young, Jake Henry and Megan and Dempsy Sellers.
Edwards also praised the “outstanding effort” that Marty Cato puts into this event each year.
“Marty is a special person who simply loves hunting and kids and puts a lot of energy into our tournament,” she said. “Without him, this event would not be what it is today.”
Edwards also thanked her husband, Walter, and John Hyatt for cooking at the event this year. Edwards thanked Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Refreshment Services, Wadesboro IGA and the Ansonville Volunteer Fire Department for allowing the event to be held at the fire department each year.
The 19th annual Big-Game Hunt tournament will be held Nov. 25-26, 2016.
