A Maine couple have completed an ambitious hunting challenge after travelling 991 miles over several months to each harvest four different animals: a turkey, bear, moose and deer.
Lauren and Melvin Waycott began their mission in spring and finally achieved their goal on November 7, becoming, according to the couple, the first pair from Maine to complete the hunting ‘grand slam’ this year.
The couple spoke about their achievement to the Bangor Daily News, detailing the months of hunting trips, long drives and successful hunts that brought their challenge to completion.
Lauren Opens the Challenge With a Turkey
Lauren got the challenge underway in spring when she shot a 19-pound male wild turkey.
Her next achievement came in mid-September, when she harvested a 265-pound adult female bear.
Melvin had also taken a bear just days earlier, shooting a heavier 276-pound boar.
By late September, Melvin had secured his first turkey, shooting a 17.5-pound bird and bringing the couple halfway towards their shared target.
Couple Complete Moose Hunts in October
The Waycotts moved on to the moose portion of their challenge in October, with both successfully harvesting an animal within 10 days of each other.
Melvin shot a 652-pound bull moose on October 13.
Lauren later completed her own moose hunt, harvesting a 352-pound cow with the assistance of Blackwater Guide Service in a large, heavily forested area of northern Maine.
Their successful hunts meant they had completed three of the four required animals each, leaving deer as the final part of their challenge.
Lauren Shoots 188-Pound Buck in November
Lauren travelled further north to hunt deer alongside her father as the couple approached the end of their mission.
She completed her part of the challenge late in the afternoon on November 3, when she shot a 188-pound buck.
Melvin, meanwhile, remained at home pursuing a buck he had been tracking through trail cameras.
After Lauren’s successful hunt, he contacted her to share the news that he had also harvested a deer, completing the couple’s shared goal.
Melvin shot a 220-pound buck on November 7, officially bringing their hunting grand slam to an end.
Couple Donate Their Deer to Food Charity
Following their successful hunting challenge, Lauren and Melvin donated the two bucks they harvested, along with a third deer taken by Lauren’s father, to Hunters for the Hungry.
The programme connects deer hunters with food banks, soup kitchens and homeless shelters to provide food for people in need.
The donations came after the couple had spent several months travelling across Maine to complete their individual hunting targets.
