Young deer hunters enjoy the weekend

ADDISON COUNTY – The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s Youth and Beginner Deer Hunting Weekend saw fewer successful youth hunters than in years past in Addison County, but more weighed in impressive bucks at five among the wildlife reporting stations in the county.

In all, 63 hunters 15 years of age or younger or first-time hunters in the presence of experienced hunters weighed 63 deer at a county reporting station after taking the animals that weekend, Oct. 26 and 27. This is the lowest number since 2016; a more typical number is in the 90s. The 2023 youth/novice weekend count for Addison County was 91.

This year’s Newcomer Weekend numbers reflect lower local weights and, to some extent, lower costs for the other seasons — the rifle season in late November and the archery and muzzleloader seasons that run in October and November and then again in the first half of December; see related stories in this issue.

The closure of the Buxton store in Orwell, a popular deer reporting station, almost certainly had some effect on local numbers. But Backwoods Gun & Tackle in Bridport appears to have picked up some of its hunting clientele, and Jerusalem Corners Country Store in Starksboro and Rack ‘N Reel in New Haven continue to draw Chittenden County hunters to weigh their animals.

The top buck weighed locally during the Youth/Novice Weekend was handled by Jerusalem Corners Country Store but shot in Hinesburg by Owen Francie; was a buck of 195 pounds, 9 points.

Next on the list was a 184-pound, 6-point buck that Riley Fleming shot in Ferrisburgh and took to Backwoods Gun & Tackle to be weighed.

The bronze medal buck was 170-pound Noah Gorton with six points. Shot it in Middlebury and had it weighed at Rack ‘N. Drum.

The following hunters were successful during the youth/novice weekend and brought their deer to a county reporting station, a list that also includes Lincoln General Store, Green Mountain Trails End in Bristol and two stations that reported no action that weekend, West Addison General Store and C&S Hunting Supplies in East Middlebury.

Hunters are listed by name, city of kill, pounds and points if dollars and pounds if has.

LINCOLN GENERAL STORE

YOUTH: Tyrell Vaughn, Lincoln, 162 pounds-4 points; and Robert Newman, Huntington, weighs 112 pounds.

COUNTRY STORE IN JERUSALEM

YOUTH: Wilder Wheelock, Starksboro, doe 94; Owen Francis, Hinesburg, buck 195-9; Mason Atkins, Lincoln, buck 166-6; Darien Haselton, Huntington, buck 105-2; and Owen Lafreniere, Huntington, buck 154-7.

GREEN MT. TRAILEE ENDS

YOUTH: Logan Davis, Starksboro, male.

BACKWOODS GUN & TACKLE

NOVICES: Adam Gill, Cornwall, 55.

YOUTH: Riley Fleming, Ferrisburgh, buck 184-6; Austin Rheaume, Cornwall, buck 152-6; Colten Butler, Shoreham, doe 139; Camille Plouffe, Bridport, doe 120; Taryn Burns, buck 115-2; Nathan Abbott, Shoreham, doe 104; and Wesley Felion, Addison, doe 103.

Also, Malachi Clish, Shoreham, doe 100; McKenna Whitney, Shoreham, doe 95; Ashlynn Ketcham, Shoreham, doe 90; Todd McCray, Cornwall, 73; Eli Larocque, Shoreham, doe 70; Noah Hanson, Shoreham, male; and Case Pope, Bridport, female.

RACK ‘N REEL

YOUTH: Brett Wood, Shoreham, male; Milo Kinsman, Monkton, doe 106; Lawson Trombley, Ferrisburgh, doe 89; Connor Baslow, New Haven, male; Wyatt Jennings, New Haven, doe 124; Jayden Martell, doe 118; Eleanor Hurlburt, Monkton, female; Camden Fox, Hinesburg, buck 109-2; Sage Stevens, New Haven, $100-2; Alivia Germain, Panton, doe 111; Noah Gorton, Middlebury, buck 170-6; and Myra Haselton, Orwell, buck 134-5.

Also Rudy Devoid, Addison, doe 83; James Bahrenburg, Ferrisburgh, female; Reed Shepard, Monkton, doe 109; Maya Cousino, Ferrisburgh, buck 157-7; Brayden Fay, Bristol, doe 112; Wyatt Parks, New Haven, male; Alivia Briggs, New Haven, doe 100; Jackson Angier, Ferrisburgh, doe 104; Abel Trombley, Ferrisburgh, doe 106; Jake Jerome, Middlebury, male; Isabella Kilbourn, New Haven, $142; and Remington Cousino, Bristol, doe 110.

Also Abigail Hurlburt, Monkton, doe 114; Piper Steady, Orwell, doe 113; Patrick Bora, Ferrisburgh, buck 140-5; Celia Barnes, Cornwall, doe 106; Shealyn Zeno, New Haven, buck 99-2; Kohlton Flemings, Waltham, female; Isabella Audy, New Haven, buck 102-4; Carson Kimball, Brandon, buck 118-2; Violet Whitcomb, Starksboro, buck 85-2; Alexis Freegard, Weybridge, doe 135; Kayla Rose, Richmond, buck 111-2; and Bella Roell, New Haven, male.

NOVICES: Abby Brunton, Middlebury, doe 101; Lucinda Pollitt, New Haven, buck 170-4; Cardinal Keeygan, Starksboro, doe 127; Shannon Brown, Whiting, doe 114; and Phoebe Mason, Starksboro, buck 115-4.