Staff Report
January 1 — To properly close out the the 2012 deer hunting season and our Big Buck Contest, here is a list of all winners since the contest started in 1974. Thank you to everyone who entered as well as all of our official weighing stations.
Arthur Dross of Goshen still holds the record with a score of 89 for a buck he shot in the Town of Forestburgh. Dross’s buck weighed 160 pounds and boasted a rack with 17 points (16 of which were at least 1” in length. The non-typical rack also had a 23 1/2” spread and identical beams of 24 3/4”. The deer also had a massive drop line on his right horn and a palmated left horn which measured 5” around.
1974* Betty Dales, Livingston Manor, 57 12-pointer, First Year, Only Woman
1975* Walt Peters, Bethel, 63.5, Good hunter!
1976* Daniel Wilcox, Crystal Lake, 61.5, Way to go, Judge!
1977* Jesse Kinney, Liberty, 66.75, Nice 9-pointer
1978* John Clader, Pike County, 65.25, 13-pointer, 1st Pa. Winner
1979* Norris Garman, 61.25, 8-pointer
1980* Gary Kortright, Neversink, 61.25, 8-pointer, 155 lb., 21” horns
1981* Gilbert Welch, Woodbourne, 68.5, 10-pointer, 145 lb., 25” horns
1982 Dave Mueller, Fosterdale, 73.5, 9-pointer
1983 Ray Cotton, Shandelee 76, 12-pointer, 155 pounds
1984 Russell Calhoun, South Woods, 75 15-pts., 164 pounds, wow!
1985 Don Meckle, Long Eddy, 75.75, 9 pts., 21.5” spread
1986 Tim Robisch, Westbrookville, 76, 12 pts., 23” horns, shot on drive
1987 John Einreinhofer, Shandelee, 77.5, 10-pointer
1988 Bill Buddenhagen, Callicoon, 80.6, 11 pts., Pleasant Valley buck, big tynes
1989 Mike Kehrley, Swan Lake, 75.5, 174.5 lbs., wins heavy, too
1990 John Barnes, Highland, 82.5, 9 pts., 161 lbs., Opening Day
1991 Richard Jonke, Swan Lake, 72.5, 8-pointer
1992 Korey Bodie, Honesdale, Pa., 78.5, 13-ptr., Youngest Winner ever
1993 Paul Gardner, Glen Spey, 74.75, 10-pointer
1994 Tom Mullen, Grahamsville, 80.25, 22” spread, 11 points
1995 David Ford, Swan Lake, 79.25, 10-pointer
1996 Jack Jordan, Grahamsville, 76.5. This 10-pointer was picture perfect
1997 Hal Roeder, Callicoon, 75.25, 2nd Pleasant Valley club buck to win
1998 Melvin Gorr Jr., Livingston Manor, 77, 12-pointer, 19” spread, 23” beams
1999 Arthur Dross, Forestburgh, 89, 17-pointer, 5” bases, all-time best
2000 Pat Kelty, Narrowsburg, 79.25, 12-pointer, 124 pounds, beauty
2001 Jerry Burke, PA. Gamelands, 75.25, Picture perfect 10, heavy deer
2002 Gregory D. Haase, Grahamsville, 85.5, 12-pointer, one of the all-time best!
2003 Charles DeHart Jr., Forestburgh, 82, 10-pointer
2004 Carmine Rufrano, Tusten, 84, An astonishing 19-pointer
2005 David Travis, Forestburgh, 80, 11-pointer, dressed at 160 lbs.; Mark Watson, Lebanon, Pa, 80, 11 pointer
2006 Paul Gonzalez, Stalker, Pa., 81.75, 12-pointer with huge tynes
2007 Eddie ‘Eb’ Herling, Town of Highland, 74.25, Opening day, 8-pts, Mahogney Ridge
2008 Gary VanValkenburg, Grahamsville, 81.75, Beautiful 10 pointer, 179 lb. monster
2009 Andy Piezga, Buckingham, Pa, 79.5, 13 points, 23 inch beams, 20.5 spread
2010 Tom Price, Town of Thompson, 77.5, 10-pointer
2011 Bill Abbate, Bethel, 86.75, 10-pointer, 2nd all-time
2012 George Stang, Liberty, 79.5, 10-pointer