This years Buck Pole displayed 18 bucks in spite of the miserable cold wet windy weather. The Girl Scouts set up table with intention to sell cookies, but the rain and cold made 'em think otherwise and they had to pack it up mid morning. 
   Dan Bundy of Midland was the first to pull in at 8:25am with his 6 pointer.It was celebration to check in Dan's buck because this meant we wouldn't be standing around in the rain twiddling our thumbs watching the poor young girls battle the weather. They were troopers sticking it out as long as they did.
  Pole workers had a brief break until 9am when local Dustin Dobbyn pulled in with his 6 pointer with a goofie rack that appeared to grow when the buck was facing the prevailing winds. Gave us an idea for a "Goofie Rack Award" for next years buck pole.    Ten minutes later local Bill Pullizi brought in a dandy 10 pointer with 2 drop tines. The dropped tines were like mirrors of one another, making it a rather handsome rack.  Dustin's 6 pointer still would have pulled off the goofie rack award me thinks.

   It was busy hanging deer up until 1:15pm with Rich Grabiec of Woodhaven's 11th entry of a nice 130lb  8 pointer . This is 1 deer shy of the entire contest day in 2004.  We had a bit of a lull until 5'ish with the exception of Ben Milligans prize winning 165lb 10 point buck that came in at 3:05pm. That sure was a moment of celebration indeed. 
  From 5:30pm to the 7pm deadline, another 6 deer came in which was very unusual compaired to previous years.  Until now, previous contest entries were very few in the early evening hours, let alone the 18 we hung this year. Thanks for breaking the trend! 
   Speaking of thanks, we sure do owe it to Carolyn McLaughlin of McLaughlin & Associates Real Estate. We needed electricity to power the buck pole lights and she came through by allowing us to run our extension cords over to their office 2 lots away.  Phew!  This helped us out very much.  Glad we didn't have to stick candles in the ears of the bucks so folks could see 'em. 
   By the end of the contest we were all a bunch of drowned cold wet rats. The flow of spectators coming in was sporatic, yet fairly heavy at times. At 7:15pm the prizes were given out from the Chamber trailer by Cathy Green, Chairwoman of the Atlanta Buck Pole Committee.  Local radio station Oldies 101.5 had Cathy award the trophy and grand prize to Ben Milligan of Swartz Creek live on the air with help from morning talk show host Mike Reting. Ray Banks of Ray's New and Used Guns in Hillman also awarded his donated 
50 cal. Black Powder Rifle to Ben on the air.  We appreciate the airwaves to help us make these awards as special as they are!

165lb 10pt Grand Prize Winner
 

Trophy & Prize Awards Presented

• Largest Rack - Ben Milligan of Swartz Creek  scored 134 pts (Boone & Crockett) with his stately 165 lb.  10 point buck. Ben recieved $100.00 from the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and a 50 cal. Black Powder Rifle donated from Ray's New and Used Gunsof Hillman.
• 1st Buck In - Dan Bundy of Midland brought in the 1st Buck at 8:25am. Dan won a trophy, a 2 1/2 lb bag of Big Buck Coffee donated by North Woods Coffee House Gallery and a gift certificate for a dinner for two from Coaches Corner and 3 free movie rentals from Videoville
• 1st Woman w/ buck - Stephanie Beckett of Atlanta brought in her 125lb buck at 12:04pm. Stephanie won a trophy, a Jerkey Kit and Butchers Paper Donated by Freddie's Family Market
• Oldest Hunter -Stephanie Beckett of Atlanta won this award too!    For being the oldest hunter Stephanie won a trophy and a $20.00 gift certificate donated by Haps Battery / M-32 Supply of Atlanta
• Heaviest Buck - Tom Mallard of Milford won the tie breaker with his 175lb, 122 pt. (Boone and Crockett) Buck.    
• Youngest Hunter - TJ LaBudie of Monroe was 14yrs old which earned him the Youngest Hunter Prize.  TJ won a trophy and a Large Pizza donated by JD's Pizza of Atlanta
• Consolation Prizes were awarded to all other hunters that hung a deer.  They recieved a NAPA camoflage hat donated by Brian Cady of Cady's Auto Supply and a Atlanta Buck Pole orange camo hat & Elk Capital Bumper Sticker donated by the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

  The Atlanta Buck Pole had live coverage
of the last hours by local radio station Oldies 101.5. 
 Morning talk show host Mike Reting and Adam Slosar set up camp and gave exposure to the event thanks
to the advertising blocks purchased by 
Cady's Auto Supply, Backwaters Inn and Lewiston Motor Sports. This gave 
great exposure for listeners across 
Northern Michigan to enjoy.
  At the close of the Buck Pole Contest
in live radio broadcast,  Buck Pole 
Chairwoman Cathy Green presented a 
trophy for largest rack and a $100.00 
check  to Ben Milligan of Milford for his 
trophy 10 pt. 165lb buck compliments of 
the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
  Ray Banks from Ray's New and Used Guns out of Hillman presented his donated 50 cal. Black Powder Rifle to Ben live on
the air.