Truck-Buck 2019-20: Youth Wildcard Winner, Janie Funderburk

Youth Wildcard: Janie Funderburk, 140 2/8 typical
County: Meriwether       Date: Nov. 28, Week 11

Youth Wildcard: Janie Funderburk, 9, with her Meriwether County buck that netted 140 2/8.

The Youth Wildcard is a spot in the annual Truck-Buck Shoot-Out for the highest-scoring buck entered by a hunter 15 years old or younger that doesn’t win a week outright. GON also conducts a separate contest just for kids called the Youth Big-Buck Contest, which has weekly youth winners and their own Shoot-Out for a $3,000 Adventure Outdoors shopping spree and a weekend at Woods-N-Water. A young lady from Woodbury won both her Youth Big-Buck Contest week, plus she earned the Youth Wildcard spot in the Truck-Buck Shoot-Out for a chance to win a new pickup truck.

Janie Estes Funderburk, just 9 years old, couldn’t wait until she was old enough to go hunting with her mentor, Uncle Bill.  Following in her older sister Nora’s footsteps, Janie killed her first 8-point buck at age 7. In her still brand-new hunting career, Janie has procured a trophy buck for all three seasons. An outdoor enthusiast, she loves fishing, basketball, swimming, climbing trees and honing her shooting skills. This fall Janie will be a 4th-grader at Flint River Academy.

Janie calls this “The Big Boy Story.”

“Uncle Bill and I slipped into the stand one fall afternoon, and just a few minutes later seven or eight does arrived,” Janie said. “Not long after that, big boy stepped out following the does to the center of the field. I made a perfect shot and dropped him in his tracks. We waited approximately 20 minutes before climbing down to recover him.”

Janie didn’t win her scoring period, Week 11, but as the highest-scoring youth buck that didn’t win a week, she’s in the Shoot-Out for a chance at the truck from long-time Truck-Buck sponsor John Megel Chevrolet.

As a wildcard winner, Janie has already earned a $250 gift card from Agri-Supply, a safety harness from Hunter Safety System, a multi-tool from Havalon and some Antler Addict and 4S Draw from 4S Advanced Wildlife Solutions.

GON’s Official All-Time Meriwether County Buck Rankings