Record turnout for Dick Huvaere’s Buck Pole

RICHMOND

Walker Jess, winner of the youth category, addresses the crowd during the Buck Pole event. PHOTOS BY GEORGE NORKUS — FOR THE MACOMB DAILY

Face painting was among the activities offered to children during the 14th annual Buck Pole Nov. 15-16 at Dick Huvaere’s Richmond Auto Body.

Hunter Milton, 11, poses with his buck during Huvaere’s Buck Pole event hosted annually by the dealership and auto body shop in Richmond.

Theresa Kessler, poses with the 8-point buck that earned her the prize winner for the women’s category.

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By Gina Joseph

gjoseph@medianewsgroup.com

Tree decorating, Santa parades and light festivals.

There are all sorts of events going on at this time of year but for many residents of Richmond and its surrounding communities last weekend’s two-day Buck Pole event hosted by Dick Huvaere Richmond Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM and Auto Body is what they look forward to every year.

This was evident by the crowd of individuals and families in attendance.

Those gathered not only enjoyed the fellowship, vendors, food and fun that included activities for kids but the opportunity to exercise their bragging rights for bagging a buck on the opening day of firearms season.

“We had a record turn out for the first night and filled the buck pole end to end with 29 deer,” said Kimberly Jugowicz, general manager for the dealership. “Over the two nights we had 43 deer and over 500 spectators each night.”

Hunters of all ages competed for prizes in the men’s, women’s and youth categories including one individual who was crowned overall Grand Buck Champion for the two day event.

The winners of the Buck Pole event Nov. 15 included:

• Women’s — Theresa Kessler score 118.5

• Men’s — Robert Artman score 152.0

• Youth — Derek Baranowski score 96.2

The winners on Nov. 16 included:

• Women’s — Angela Kerr score 98.5

• Men’s — Peter Saoud score 154.1

• Youth -Walker Jebs score 138.7

The Grand Buck Winner was Peter Saoud with a score of 154.1

Partnering with Huvaere every year for the event is the Commemorative Bucks of Michigan (CBM), who have a representative from its network of 2,000 members and 100 certified measurers present every year to professionally score the entries. CBM is the official record keeper for Michigan’s big game trophy records including deer, bear, elk and turkey.

As for the deer?

The harvest that follows the event provides hunters with a variety of meat that is used in everything from stews and soups to winter barbecues.

“The deer in this whole area are going to taste a lot better than those taken from the Thumb area,” said Paul Duetsch, who was the winner of a Dodge Ram pickup last year, attributing this fact to the game’s access to hay and other grains grown in the area.

This was the 14th year for the event that is supported annually by sponsors and partners who contribute the great prizes given away during the event that also benefits the P.A.T.H. Foundation.

The proceeds garnered annually by the event support the foundation’s mission to offer fishing and hunting trips to terminally ill children and adults.

Jugowicz said it is the sponsors and partners that truly make the event so successful.

That and the crowd of families who gathered around the bonfires, food and allowed their neighbors and friends to share their glory.

“We are located right between the urban and rural areas of a county that is mainly hunting country,” she said. “This gives us the perfect community to cater this event to. They love the sport, they love the gathering and sharing of their hunting stories and most of all they love being able to make memories with their fellow hunters whether they are family or friends.”