By Rob Potter
CALLICOON — December 14, 2007 — Eddie “Eb” Herling of Pond Eddy is the winner of the Democrat’s 34th annual Big Buck Contest.
Although dozens of hunters entered bucks they took either here in Sullivan County or across the Delaware River in Wayne County, Pa., none could top Herling’s 8-pointer.
On opening day, Saturday, November 17, Herling, who is a member of the Mahogany Ridge Hunting & Fishing Club, shot the 8-point buck on club property in the Town of Highland.
On Monday, Nov. 19, Herling took the buck to Rod’s Taxidermy in Callicoon, one of the official measurement stations for the Democrat’s Big Buck Contest. The other official stations were the Democrat office in Callicoon, Cannie Ds in Neversink, Catskill-Delaware Outdoors in Callicoon, Monticello Fire Department, Neves Taxidermy in Bethel and Tom’s Bait and Tackle in Narrowsburg.
Rod Smith, proprietor of Rod’s Taxidermy, measured the length of the two antlers on Herling’s buck, the width from outside to outside between the antlers and the number of points that were at least 1 inch. The buck’s total score was 74 1/4.
Herling was so excited about shooting the buck that he said he did not “even remember the rest of the day” and that he “woke up the next day with an adrenaline rush.”
Herling said that he has been hunting with his cousin, Peter Finck, who is also a member of the Mahogany Ridge Hunting & Fishing Club, for 23 years. This buck is the biggest Herling has ever shot.
For bagging the buck with the biggest rack in the 2007 Democrat contest, Herling will receive a $100 cash prize and a free mounting courtesy of Rod’s Taxidermy.
Shawn Herbert of Liberty earned the contest’s second place prize of $50.
While hunting on Nov. 17 in the Town of Liberty, Herbert shot a 10-point buck that totaled 73 in the Democrat measuring system.
Herbert also captured first place in the Heaviest Deer division of the Democrat Big Buck Contest. His 10-point buck weighed in at 155 lbs. on the Monticello Fire Department’s scale.
The Monticello FD and Neves Taxidermy in Bethel were the two official weigh-in stations for the Heaviest Deer division.
Herbert will receive a $100 cash prize for bagging the heaviest buck in the contest.
John Jaycox of Hurleyville took second place in the Heaviest Deer division. On Nov. 18, Jaycox shot an 8-point buck in the Town of Fallsburg. He then took it to the Monticello FD, where it weighed in at 149 lbs.
Jaycox will receive a $25 cash prize.