Participants of the 9th Annual Yooper Squirrel Derby
NAHMA — A competitive squirrel hunt has grown into a fundraising force. The 9th Annual Yooper Squirrel Derby raised $3,300 earlier this month for youth shooting sports.
“It went awesome. The weather was it was really windy, which doesn’t make for great squirrel hunting — they just become less less active in the wind,” said Colter Lubben, organizer of the event.
The hunt, held March 16, drew the largest group of hunters ever seen for the event. A total of 64 hunters participated, up from the prior record of 36, set in 2023.
Each hunter paid $10 to participate in the 100% payout event and was allowed to hunt until 5 p.m. on the 16th. The hunters competed in three categories: gray squirrel, red squirrel, and “largest non-squirrel,” a category that usually results in hunters shooting things like coyotes or porcupines. At 5 p.m., the hunters returned to the Nahma Inn for a weigh in.
In the most gray squirrels category, all hunters were limited by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources five-squirrel bag limit. The winner was selected by the weight of their quarry. In that category, Mike Keeker, of Gladstone took first place and his share of the purse.
Red squirrels are not limited by the DNR, so the category was judged based on the number of squirrels shot. Brett Bednarski, of Garden, took the category.
The largest non-squirrel quarry was an 18-pound raccoon shot by seven-year-old Addie Bednarski, Brett’s daughter.
In total, 38 gray squirrels were harvested during the hunt, along with 56 red squirrels. Hunters were able to keep their gray squirrels for eating, and the tails of the red squirrels were collected to go to people who make fishing lures from the hair.
As for the raccoon, Addie and her father kept the pelt.
While the entry fees supported the purse, the events at the Nahma Inn supported the Delta County Crushers, a youth competitive shooting organization under the umbrella of Upper Peninsula Youth Shotgun Sports Organization. Money was raised through gun and bucket raffles.
Sponsoring the raffles were Power U.P., UP Trappers Association, U.P. Whitetails, Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands, Delta County Crushers, Beauchamp Landscaping, Yoo-Par Scoops, Nahma Inn, Michigan Outdoors Report, Linda’s Breadbox and Sporting Goods, Michigan Hunting Dog Federation, U.P. Bear Houndsman Association, Michigan Bear Houndsman Association, Jack’s Restaurant, Great Lakes Sports and Recreation, Mr. Chrome Lures, and Patti Segerstrom. In addition to supporting a bucket raffle, the U.P. Trappers donated a Charles Daly 20 gauge Model 101.
