Derek Grant

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Lorenda DayCoombs

 This month’s featured buck was shot by Lorenda DayCoombs from Southern Maine. I had the pleasure of meeting both her and her sister Janah at the 2010 Remington/Cedar Ridge bear hunt. From my experiences during that week I can tell you both are hunters, period. They have been hunting for the better part of their whole lives and they can shoot, stalk and kill anything they want. They are as dedicated to the sport as most of the fellow hunters I have met while working in this industry and I will be the first to admit I was impressed with their enthusiasm, commitment and accomplishments. I enjoyed hearing the stories of how their Dad took them out as children. Congratulations to their Dad for taking the time that he did with them. As they shared stories of their hunts during that week, I realized how strong of a bond they have with him because of the hunts they have shared throughout their lives. Lorenda’s 2009 big buck is yet another example of what persistence can do for you. She did not use the excuse of feeling a bit under the weather as a reason not to go out in the woods and it paid off. Apparently she is pretty stealthy in the woods as well because she killed that beautiful buck while stalking to her stand. The BWB team would like to congratulate Lorenda on an awesome big bodied Maine buck. 

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Christopher Kuncaitis

This month’s featured buck was shot by Christopher Kuncaitis while hunting in Northern Michigan. Northern Michigan spells big woods to me so I was pleased to read his success story and wanted to share with you how he outsmarted this big bruiser. In the big woods, you have to be open to employing any tactic necessary to get yourself in the right place at the right time. Hal calls it two points connecting. This old boy had love on his mind. He was chasing a doe when he ran up the hill and came by Chris' carefully place blind. Pre-season scouting provided him with the information needed to be in the right place. Experience told him to be there before daylight and be prepared for any action that might happen. That experience had in there at the right time. As always, a little luck doesn't hurt either. Practice/preparation can also included playing out different scenarios while in your stand and helps you to react correctly when the situation heats up and you have a split second to kill a big buck. The Big Woods Bucks team congratulates Chris on his trophy and wishes him good luck on the trail this Fall.

Chris Dalti
Big Woods Bucks

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Sadie Theriault

This month’s featured buck was shot by Sadie Theriault from Jackman, Me. Sadie is talented young gal that has some really neat hobbies. Besides the obvious of being a good hunter, she also competes in skijoring and dog sledding. I had not seen skijoring before last winter but had a chance to jump on the the back of Sadie's Dad's snomachine and tape her as the dogs pulled her on cross country skis. It was really neat. Sadie's 2009 hunting season is a classic story of putting your time in and not giving up. It is all about 2 points connecting and being innovative enough to find ways to battle the elements as harsh as they may be.  Congratulations Sadie. Sounds to me like you earn this buck.

Chris Dalti
Big Woods Bucks

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In honor of the close of an awesome turkey season here at Big Woods Bucks, I decided to feature a story of 2 Pennsylvania residents who have hunted at Cedar Ridge several times and had a great turkey hunt to share with all. Roger Kinsley and his son-in-law Jason have a great story about a turkey hunt that was not text book but worked because they were patient, had done their homework and had the persistence to get the job done.  Roger and Jason are no strangers to hunting. Between the 2 of them they have about 60 years of hunting experience. They love to deer hunt, turkey hunt, varmint hunt and goose hunt and they shoot as often as possible. After getting to know  them, I have a sense they share in the same camaraderie most of us are privileged to experience while enjoying the activities the outdoors have to offer. Hunting is much more than just the killing of an animal. The BWB team shares in my sentiment that 50% of the hunt is camp life and the memories that develop from our outdoor experiences. Strong bonds and loyalty develop amongst family and friends. The family unit is a worthwhile investment of your time and effort. From my personal perspective, I am doing my best to introduce my son, at an early age, to the many advantages hunting and fishing allows us to experience. I have seen my wife’s curiosity build about hunting and fishing since my son has been born. So much so that she passed her hunter’s safety course a few weeks ago with a 98. My curiosity as to the root cause of her new found interest in hunting has led me to believe she sees my son and I spending quality time in the woods walking down game trails discovering the many forms of clues the animals leave or sharing an early morning breakfast I have cooked for us on the Coleman stove while waiting to set the hook on the next fish we catch. My curiosity as to the root cause of her new found interests has led me to also realize she has been listening to the memories we are creating and the camaraderie we share and wants to share in all of it. I am excited to share the rest of my hunting and fishing career with the 2 most important people in my life. Being as close to Hal and his family for as long as I have has given me a great example to model my efforts after. Hal’s wife and son are avid sportspeople and have enjoyed many years of fun and created memories together that will last a lifetime. I am sure many of you can relate or have shared in the making of some of those lifetime memories with family and friends while enjoying the outdoors. I am proud to say I am an avid sportsman and will declare I feel sorry for those who choose not to experience what nature has to offer and take advantage of all the benefits that go along with it.

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Kody Pickell

This month’s featured buck was shot by a young man named Kody Pickell from Grove City, Ohio. Kody shot this beautiful 11 pointer while hunting with his Dad. His Mom tells us Kody has had a passion for the outdoors since he was 5 years old. Since that age, his Dad Jay and his Godfather George have taken him shed hunting, shown him how to set up trees stands and taught him how to locate scrapes, beds and tracks. At the age of 8, his Dad started to take him to the youth gun hunt and when Kody was 10 he received his first Horton crossbow. Every year since then he has killed a deer. As you can see from the picture, he hit pay dirt in 2009. Kody also likes to go 4 wheeling and he works on cars. It is exciting for the team at BWB to read all of the stories submitted by fellow hunters and hear their passion for the outdoors expressed in the words they choose to describe their experiences. It is especially exciting to hear of more and more young people and women taking an interest in hunting or the outdoors in general. It is a great way to spend family time and strengthen the family unit. Congratulations Kody for your accomplishment and good luck this fall. The BWB team would also like to congratulate Kody’s parents for their effort to encourage Kody to enjoy the outdoors but also create strong family ties that will likely pay dividends as Kody grows older.

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