Peachland’s Brad Edwards and Alvin Bates earned top honors, respectively, in the buck and doe categories of the 21sst annual Big Game Hunt Tournament.
Each earned prize money of $800 in the Anson County Chamber of Commerce event. The tournament drew 337 registered hunters Nov. 23-24 at Ansonville Volunteer Fire Department.
Shelby Emrich the chamber’s president and CEO, thanked all the hunters and sponsors.
“The Big Game Hunt Tournament is very successful because of all of the great volunteers,” Emrich said in the chamber’s December newsletter.
Edwards’ nine-point buck weighed 171.4 pounds. Second was Darren Poplin of Wadesboro with a 10-point, 170-pounder earning $475 in prize money. Next was Ian Morgan, of Norwood, 169.6 pounds, $400; Carson Davis of Polkton, 10-point, 166.4 pounds, $225; Richard Allen of Peachland, nine-point, 161.8 pounds, $100; and Chris Edwards of Peachland, four-point, 151.2 pounds, received a free 2019 tournament registration plus $25 daily prize money.
Bates’ doe weighed 97.2 pounds. Second was Jamie Poplin of Wadesboro with a 96.6-pounder for $475. Next was Aaron Bates of Wadesboro, 94.6 pounds, $400; Richard Bates of Wadesboro, 90.2 pounds, $200; Brent Preslar of Polkton, 90 pounds, $125; and Randy Thomas of Marshville, 89.6 pounds, $25 daily prize money and a free 2019 Big Game Hunt registration.
In the youth buck category, Mason Tarlton of Wadesboro won top prize money of $325 with a six-point, 140.8-pounder. He was followed by Sam Davis of Polkton, 10-point, 124.8 pounds, $200; Cason Surratt of Norwood, nine-point, 124 pounds, $125; Garrett Sikes of Lilesville, six-point, 122.8 pounds, $75; and Seth Gathings of Wadesboro, seven-point, 120.8 pounds, $15 daily prize and a free 2019 Big Game Hunt registration.
Jordan Williams of Polkton, won the youth doe category with an 83.8-pounder worth $325. Next was Joe Tarlton of Wadesboro, 83.2 pounds, $200; Will Thomas of Marshville, 81.6 pounds, $125; Mallory Sikes of Wadesboro, 79.2 pounds, $100; and Erin Lookabill of Wadesboro, 77.6 pounds, $25 daily prize money and a free 2019 registration.
For the second year in a row, the chamber offered a division for a two- to four-person team. Hunters had to be registered as an individual in the tournament, and pay an additional $200 per team for the team division. The combined weight of the four heaviest does for each team determined the winners.
First place was Clodfelter Culls whose team won $1,000 with a combined weight of 345.6 pounds. Team members were Lynn Clodfelter, David Sowers, Richard Bates and Kim Beck. Second place went to Bates Farms, $600 prize, 329.6 pounds, team members Alvin Bates, Dane Edwards, Eric Hicks and Erica Hicks. Third place went to BDB Team, 318.8 pounds, $400, team members Myron Baucom, Ricky Godwin, Aaron Mullis and Jody Brown.
The 2018 weigh-in breakdown listed 45 bucks, 76 does for grand total of 129 deer. The entire bay area of the Ansonville Volunteer Fire Department was available for the tournament and Saturday night’s banquet drew a standing room only crowd.
Those donating items for raffle drawings and games included Robbie Hill (youth gun and a Marlin rifle), Whitley Power and Equipment and Reel Determined Outdoors (youth crossbows), Hyatt’s Gun Shop (Ruger Model EC9S 9mm), Hill’s Taxidermy (full shoulder mount), Quality Equipment (YETI cooler), William Josey (flight over Anson), David Edwards (clothes chest), 704 Outdoors (hog hunt), Tim & Shelby Emrich (Badland ATV Utility Winch), Johnny Cox of Plank Road Realty (Wildgame Innovation Deer Cam), Beltway Gun & Pawn of Anson (Ruger SR-22 Talo Pistol) and Plank Road Realty (Mossberg 243 Winchester Bolt Action with Crossfire II Scope).
Sponsorship were provided by Four A Loader Work, title sponsor; Uwharrie Bank, banquet sponsor; gold sponsors Cobb-Vantress, Duke Energy, Pee Dee Electric, NCEMC, Hill’s Taxidermy and Waste Connections; silver sponsors Lynn Thomas Grading, Tyson Foods, Valley Proteins Inc., Circle 8 Auction, Quality Equipment and Windstream; bronze sponsors Anson Health & Rehabilitation, Anson Towing & Recovery, Bates Law Firm, Carolina Farm Credit, D&A Skull Mounts, Devil’s Rib Hunting Preserve, First Financial Bank, H.W. Little & Co., B&B Pest Control, Huntley Oil & Gas, Piedmont Plumbing Group, Plank Road Realty, TLC Paint & Body, Diggs Hunting & Fishing, Three Rivers Land Trust and Woodsmen Life; youth sponsors Dale McRae Farms, Precision Saw Works, Whitley Power Equipment and Reel Determined Outdoors; youth daily sponsors Dennis Concrete Finishing and Kiker Resource Management LLC, and Program Book Funding, Anson County Tourism Development Authority.
Emrich, the chamber leader, also gave special thanks to Megan Sellers of the chamber, Tyson Foods, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, AVI Food Systems and the Ansonville Volunteer Fire Department.
Next year’s tournament is Nov. 29-30.
