The fifth annual Hugo Lake Youth Hunt held recently was a success this year. The event was sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, The Corps of Engineers and American Veterans Post No. 35 in Durant.

The boys and girls ranged in age from 12-14 and came from all over Oklahoma. The beautiful area around Hugo Lake made for a wonderful setting for camping and relaxing with the kids.

There were several large tents set up for accommodations, including a kitchen and dining area. One tent even had a television.

American Veterans Post No. 35 prepared and served the food.

Three prizes were awarded. Brian Pachucki of Oklahoma City won a 20-gauge shotgun donated by American Veteran Mike Hull. The second prize was a collector-edition knife donated by Weyerhaeuser Inc. It was won by Kaci Critchlow of Cloudy.

Emily Whipple, Hugo, won the grand prize, an H & R® .243-caliber youth rifle with scope that was donated by American Veterans Post No. 35. She won the rifle by bagging a 102-pound four-point buck.

There were nine volunteers of American Veterans Post No. 35 who donated their time and worked very hard to make the event run smoothly. They were, Larry Mitchell, Tom Attaway, Dan Earley, William Horn, Mike Hull, Steve Copeland, Tony Stubblefield, Larry Ooten and Kenneth Bounds.

First National Bank in Durant and Landmark Bank, Durant, both made generous contributions to the hunt. Veterans said the hunt is a gratifying experience that they look forward to each year.