On Saturday, March 7, members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held their 55th Annual Awards Banquet. The banquet was held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and Museum. Members and their families were treated to a meal of lasagna and chicken Alfredo along with salad and bread prepared by Roma’s Italian Restaurant. Members were recognized for their achievements during the 2025 hunting and fishing contests.
The first awards to be
presented were for the 2025 spring turkey season contest. The length of the turkey’s beard determined
winners. Winning first place, with an 11-inch turkey beard, was Billy Latham. Taking second place honors was Billy Hensley. His turkey had a 9 ¾ inch beard. Both received a plaque and a share of the
entry fee money.
The Top Ten Anglers of the
Year were recognized next. Each angler received
a year plate for their perpetual plaque, or if this was their first time to
make the Top Ten, they received a perpetual plaque with the year plate attached.
Each year an angler makes the Top Ten, he will receive a year plate to be added
to his plaque. The Top Ten Anglers for
2025 were (from number 10 to number 1) Forrest Cave, Daniel Miller, Aubrey
Davidson, Randy Janoe, Billy Latham, Eric Baskin, Tony Derby, Billy Hensley,
Judd Thomas and Bass Angler of the Year, Ellis Silvey. Ellis received his plate for his perpetual
plaque, a plaque for the Angler of the Year, a fishing jersey and a check for
$100.00.
Fishing season ends each
year with the club’s Annual Top Ten Tournament that allows the Top Ten Anglers,
along with up to five wild card anglers, to compete against each other in one
final tournament. The winner of the 2025
Top Ten Tournament was Forrest Cave. Forrest
received a championship plaque for his win.
The Big Bass of the Year
award was presented to Billy Hensley. Billy
caught a bass weighing 8.45 pounds at Sardis Lake during the March bass
tournament. Billy Hensley also won the
award for the Heaviest Stringer of the Year.
He had a stringer weight of 19.66 pounds that was caught during a
tournament in March on Sardis Lake. He
was presented a plaque.
The “100 Pound Club” award
goes to members that are able to catch at least one hundred pounds of bass
during the club’s bass tournaments in a season.
Four members were able to catch over one hundred pounds. They were Ellis Silvey with 114.71 pounds,
Judd Thomas with 112.36 pounds, Chuck Beck with 107.50 pounds, and Billy
Hensley with 103.52 pounds. Each
received a plaque.
In the club’s deer archery
season contest, Billy Hensley won first place honors with Judd Thomas winning
the award for second place. Winners are
determined by measuring the buck’s antlers using the Boone and Crockett scoring
system. Both received a plaque and a
check for their share of the entry fee money.
Ellis Silvey took first
place honors in the deer primitive firearms contest. Billy Hensley finished in second place. Both received a plaque and a share of the
entry fee money.
In the rifle season contest,
Ellis Silvey won first place. No one
entered in the contest was able to take a deer for second place. Ellis received
a plaque and a share of the entry fee money.
Each year the club
recognizes a sponsor that consistently supports the club and the Big Bass Rodeo. This year, two sponsors were recognized and
presented a plaque. The “Sponsor of the
Year” award was presented to Miller Insurance Agency and Southeast Oklahoma
Land Company.
The club’s most prestigious
award is the Sportsman of the Year Award.
The winner of this award is determined by a point system based on club participation
and success in the field. The 2025
Sportsman of the Year was Billy Hensley. Billy received a plaque and a check
for $100.00.
Each year the club recognizes
the president of the club for his service and dedication. This year, club president Billy Latham, was
awarded a year plate for his perpetual plaque acknowledging his service of
twenty-nine years as club president.
The ladies door prize, a
$100.00 prepaid Master Card, was won by Martha Hensley. The men’s door prize, a Lew’s KVD Speed Spool
baitcast reel, was won by Billy Hensley.
As always, every child that attended was awarded a door prize consisting
of games, sports balls, fishing equipment and more.
The club’s first bass
tournament of 2025 will be at McGee Creek Lake on Saturday, March 14. Launch site for the tournament will be the
Buster Hights boat landing. Fishing
times for the tournament will be voted on at the club’s monthly meeting on
Thursday, March 12. Club meetings are
held at the Wildlife Heritage Center on the second Thursday of each month and
begin at 7:30 p.m. You can keep up with club activities on Facebook or on their
web page at www.pushcountysportsmanclub.blogspot.com.
