By Staff
THE WINNER Larry Reece, second from left, first-place winner in the Men's Division of the Original Buck Bounty awards, stands Thursday night among the program's sponsors and his awards. Pictured are, from left, John Bohl, general manager of The Meridian Star; Reece; David Espey, of David Espey Taxidermy; Al Brown, of B-93 The Buzz; Charles Clearman, of Boar &Buck Plantation; Ken Crabtree, of Blackwater Creek Tree Stands; and Jerome Hardy, of Hardy Rider Co. All winners were treated to a reception Thursday; look for photos of other Buck Bounty winners in the Tuesday edition of The Meridian Star. Photo by Carisa McCain / The Meridian Star
By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
March 22, 2002
Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and genders gathered at the Howard Johnson Inn Thursday evening for the Original Buck Bounty awards ceremony.
Larry Reece, 56, a land surveyor from Benton, placed first in the Men's division.
Reece's prizes as first-place winner included a 4×4 Hardy Rider ATV cart, a Browning A-bolt .270 rifle and $500 in cash.
Reece killed the buck with a muzzleloader in December in Madison County. He called his trophy "a stroke of luck."
The top winner in the Ladies Division was Melissa Brown, whose prizes included a Browning A-bolt 7mm .08 rifle.
The first-place winner in the Wheelin' Sportsman Division was Clint Smith, who won a .270 Remington Model 700 ADL rifle and a custom-made knife crafted by local artist Greg Cartmell.
Ryan Hinton was the first-place winner in the Youth 12 and Under Division. He received a .308 Remington Model 700 ADL rifle and a trophy.
Primary sponsors of the contest were: The Meridian Star, B-93 The Buzz, David Espey Taxidermy and Sportsman Headquarters, Boar &Buck Plantation, Hardy Rider Co. Inc. 4X4, Budweiser, Blackwater Creek Treestands, Mississippi Woods &Water, Kinard Marine &Sports Center, Spec Tech Service &Signs, and M Prints.
More than $33,000 in prizes were awarded.