Jerome — Driving down East Chicago Road during the first weekend of the firearm hunting season, you’ll pass hundreds of dead deer hanging from their antlers on display for hunters across the state.
It is Jerome County Meat Market’s annual Buck Pole—the self-proclaimed largest in Michigan—where hunters bring their morning prizes from the day’s hunt, celebrating opening day.
“This is a gigantic unwritten holiday, from here all the way up to the U.P. to Wisconsin, everyone takes off and has deer camps and beer camps,” says Troy Sandy Jr., a local from Hillsdale whose dad, Troy, scores all the deer coming into the Buck Pole.
The event, run by market owner Brett Griffis Jr., features local hunting businesses, raffles with prizes, and food. While just 50 yards away, workers gut the deer before bringing them over to hang on display.
The younger Sandy has been coming to the Buck Pole for 12 years and said three of the largest bucks get scored based on weight, age, and antler points.
“It doesn’t matter how big the buck is, you get entered into the contest,” Sandy Jr. said. “You can hang a spike up there. They have the biggest buck contest, and there are three prizes for those guys.”
The 18th Buck Pole by Jerome County Meat Market has become renowned.
“I think we all just determined it is the biggest one, because by tomorrow, police will block this off down the road,” Sandy Jr. said. “The giveaways got quads, side-by-sides, and all kinds of stuff. But it is the best, to see all the people coming together, having such a good time, seeing all the deer, and telling the stories.”
Avery Darrell, 14, from Olivet, a newer hunter, said this year she was reluctantly pulled from bed to go out hunting with her dad.
“My dad kept telling me, ‘Come on, you’re not gonna miss it,’” she said. “I knew I had to get something today, and there my buck was.”
The deer laying at Darrell’s feet is a 16-point buck, which took her a day to track. Darrell and her dad eventually located him laying in a field.
The pair had to crawl through 200 yards of grass to find the camouflaged deer. Thankfully, the wind covered their noise.
“We got about 10 yards away, he was lying down perfectly, and I stood up and shot him,” Darrell said.
While Darrell’s buck did not win biggest buck of the weekend, it was 153 inches across with 16 points on its antlers.
Another hunter, Kyle Wilson, 17, was out hunting in the morning hours on Saturday along with his dad on family land in Fishcreek. He shot the biggest buck of his career so far.
“I love it. I’ve been hunting since I was 6 years old,” Wilson said. “This is not the first deer I’ve shot, but this is my biggest. I watched some doe pass on by and waited to see what would follow, and there he was.”
Wilson said the opening day of firearm season is like a holiday, and family friends and hunters get together the night before.
“Last night, we all got together with a bunch of my dad’s buddies at the farm,” Wilson said. “I was running them beers the whole night. They drink, play poker, shoot the shit, have fun, and talk. Everyone says good night and then wakes up in the morning to go get something.”
Another hunter, Reanna Hawes, from Reading, said it is her 10th Buck Pole.
“I just like seeing what everyone’s got,” Hawes said.
Singer and songwriter Ted Nugent was at Jerome’s Buck Pole and spoke with hunters about their morning traditions kicking off firearm season. Nugent is the national spokesperson for Hunter Nation and a gun rights activist. His song “Fred Bear” has become a part of opening day traditions for many Michiganders.
“So in Michigan, especially today, everyone sends me screenshots of them listening to the song ‘Fred Bear.’ That’s just tradition,” Sandy Jr. said. “When Ted Nugent came here, there were a couple kids, and it was their first day out ever hunting. It is pretty awesome to meet Ted on your very first day hunting.”
According to Darrell, her family traditions are an important aspect of hunting season.
“My mom’s side of the family, they do a deer camp,” Darrell said. “They all come together, and they put in some bets. I’m actually part of that pool right now, I think I might win.”
Darrell said she is grateful to grow up learning how to hunt.
“It shows how much my family cares about me and how they always put me first,” Darrell said. “My dad totally could have shot this, but he let me, and I’m just so grateful for that.”
Anna Broussard is a contributing writer for Michigan Enjoyer.
