2025 - John Richards, Eric List Big Buck winners!

November 25, 2025 • Voyageur Press

John Richards was one of the big winners in the local Big Buck contests in 2025. Richards entered three contests — Bann’s, Village Pump and Jackson’s Hole — and his 197-plus-pound buck earned him first place in both the Bann’s and Village Pump contests.

It wasn’t the biggest deer Richards has shot over the years. He still recalls the year he harvested a buck weighing more than 200 pounds — and forgot he was entered in one of the local contests.

“The 8-pointer was around 205 pounds and had a drop tine,” Richards recalled. “After I processed the deer, I realized I was entered in a contest.”

Richards didn’t forget this year.

The Richards family has enjoyed the tradition of hunting for many years, and that tradition continues to be shared by the next generation. His children, Danielle, Johny and Tiffany, all hunt. Family friend Jake Ramberg also hunts with the group.

In fact, Ramberg shot an 186.5-pound buck just 80 acres from where Richards harvested his deer. Ramberg placed second in the Village Pump contest and fourth at Bann’s.

Johny Richards also filled his tag while hunting with his son, Braxton. Johny’s wife, Maikayla, shot her buck this season while hunting with their daughter, Braelyn, on the same day.

List Takes Country Corner Contest

Eric List was this year’s winner of the Country Corner Big Buck Contest after harvesting a 196-pound buck on the Olesiak farm.

A family friend, List has hunted with the Olesiaks for the past three years.

“I’m pretty sure I am the son Brian Olesiak never had,” List joked.

Before hunting with the Olesiaks, List hunted in Wisconsin.

“One day, I decided to try something different,” he said. “So I joined friends in Brookston.”

List admitted that a large portion of his winnings will likely go toward pull tabs at Country Corner and losses in cribbage to Brad Olesiak.

“If you see any new additions to Brad’s house, you will know why,” List laughed.

Young Hunter Leads Youth Contest

Ten-year-old Alan Larson led the youth division of the Country Corner Big Buck Contest for most of the season after shooting a 147-pound fork buck on opening morning.

Larson was hunting with his father, Eric, at a family shack in the Brookston area.

Eric said it was Alan’s first deer and the only deer harvested at the new hunting camp this season.

“My cousins recently purchased the property and the shack was placed there a month ago,” he explained. “We took a garage and turned it into the cabin (shack).”

Hunting has been a family tradition that Eric has enjoyed for more than 25 years, and he hopes to pass that tradition along to the next generation.

“We want to pass on the tradition to the next generation,” Eric explained, although he is quite certain Alan is already more excited about the tradition than he is.

“It was an eventful hour and a half that first morning. We haven’t seen a deer since,” Eric concluded. “Alan is officially the only one who has seen or shot anything this year.”



The last-minute winner of the Country Corner youth contest was Parker Maki, whose deer weighed in at 151 pounds. Voyageur Press was unable to catch up with Maki before press time.