Ashley Eckford bagged the biggest buck at 257.9 pounds, while Dave Milosek nabbed the biggest doe at 152.1 pounds. | Mik Horvath/MBC
Gourley’s Outdoors has wrapped up its 2025 deer contest; it’s a competition where the goal is the bag the biggest buck (or doe!) with podium prizes, draws and it’s all in the name for a good cause.
Gourley’s raises money for Hospice Renfrew through this contest and this year the amount raised totaled $20,000.
Owner Keith Gourley said he noticed a big jump in participation compared to last year’s contest.
Gourley said because of the larger participation pool he noticed lots of new faces.
Once the contest was over, Gourley and his staff worked tirelessly to sift through the results and post the closing numbers.
Of the $20,000 raised, $17,460 was raised through the contest alone. The Knife Draw added $1155 to the pool and the Hunting Package Draw raised $910. Gourley’s had also received $60 in direct donations and with a top-up of $415 from the store itself, the total amount raised cracked $20K.
Gourley said the staff needs a break from the hectic contest, but when the time comes the Deer Contest will return next season.
He said despite the weather, contestants were just chipper to be participating.
Before the contest began Gourley’s Outdoors also hosted a barbeque and bake-sale which raised $3110 for the Renfrew Victoria Hospital’s Oncology Unit.
(Written by Mik Horvath)
