On Saturday, March 5,
members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held their 51st Annual Awards Banquet. The banquet was held at the Wildlife Heritage
Center and Museum. Members and their
families were treated to a meal of smoked pork, smoked polish sausage, soft
drinks and side dishes prepared by the members & spouses. Members were recognized for their
achievements during the 2021 hunting and fishing contests.
The first awards to be
presented were for the 2021 spring turkey season contest. The length of the turkey’s beard determined
winners. Winning first place was Billy Hensley.
He was the only member entered into the contest that harvested a
bird. Billy received a plaque and a check
for a share of the entry fees.
Anglers that placed in the
club’s Top Ten Bass Tournament that was held in September were next to be
recognized. The top ten anglers, along
with five anglers that qualified for wildcard positions, competed in the
tournament. Kindle Holiman placed fifth,
Josh Johnson fourth, Randy Janoe third, Chuck Beck second and Billy Hensley
finished in first place. Billy received
a plaque for his win.
The Top Ten Anglers of the
Year were recognized next. Each angler usually
receives an embroidered patch but this year, a perpetual plaque was awarded.
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
2021 were (from number 10 to number 1) Forrest Cave, Kindle Holiman, Billy
Hensley, Andy Cripe, Randy Janoe, Chuck Beck, Kane Miller, Ellis Silvey, Billy
Latham, and Bass Angler of the Year, Judd Thomas. Judd received his plate for his perpetual
plaque, a plaque for the Angler of the Year, and a check for $100.00. Judd was also presented with a custom “Bass
Angler of the Year” shirt printed by club president, Billy Latham.
The Big Bass of the Year
award was presented to Jesse Ayers.
Jesse caught a bass weighing 0.81 pounds at McGee Creek Lake during the July
bass tournament. Randy Janoe won the
award for the Heaviest Stringer of the Year.
He had a stringer weight of 18.06 pounds that was caught during a tournament
in August on Pine Creek Lake. Both were
presented with 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 bass tournaments in a season.
Only one member was able to catch over one hundred pounds. That member was Judd Thomas with 137.47 pounds
for the year. Judd received a plaque.
In the club’s deer archery
season contest, Colby Chandler 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.
Billy Hensley took first
place honors in the deer primitive firearms contest. Billy Latham finished in second place. Both received a plaque and a share of the entry
fee money.
There were no deer taken for
the rifle season contest,
The Grand Slam Award is
given to members who are able to harvest a deer in all three seasons; archery,
primitive and rifle seasons. This year
there was no one that qualified for the award.
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 The Convenience Center in Antlers,
OK and Tadpoles Marine in Hugo and Mead, OK.
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 2021
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 by awarding him a plaque for his
service. This year, club president Billy
Latham, was awarded a perpetual plaque acknowledging his service of twenty-five
years as club president.
The ladies door prize, a
$100.00 prepaid MasterCard, was won by Stephanie Hensley. The men’s door prize, a Lew’s Tournament
Series speed spool baitcast reel, was won by Judd Thomas. 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 2022 will be at McGee Creek Lake on Saturday, March 12. Launch site for the tournament will be the
Buster Hight boat landing. Fishing times
for the tournament will be voted on at the club’s monthly meeting on Thursday, March
10. Meetings are held at the Wildlife
Heritage Center 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.
END
Billy Latham, president
Pushmataha County Sportsman
Club
