There were a record number of competitors at the Steve’s Sports and Husqvarna Stock Saw Contest at Lumber Camp on Friday, August 3. Sixteen of the professional sawyers who took part are pictured here after the event, which ran until dark. (L-R, front) Desiree Danielzuk, Skyler Johnson, Jeff Eliasen, Jenny Atkinson, Tom Stockman, Clay Johnson. (L-R, back) CoLee Johnson, Paul Higgins, Vance Hazelton, Mark Black, Sue Prom, Chris Skildum, Chris Serpico, Darren Hudson, Todd Diethert, and Camp Boss Niel Atkinson.
The big local attraction at the Fisherman’s Picnic Lumber Camp was the Husqvarna and Steve’s Sports sawing dock, which hosted the head-to-head stock chainsaw contest Friday, August 3. The fierce competition of local professionals was run with Husqvarna 372XPs cutting through 20” lathe-turned white pine. Twenty-nine sawyers worked hard to finish in the top 10 for cash prizes.
Darren Hudson took home the gold and a new Husqvarna chainsaw, followed by Jeff Eliasen in 2nd, and Chris Skildum rounded out the medals in 3rd.
In the women’s division Jenny Atkinson took home the gold and a Husqvarna chainsaw, followed by Desiree Danielzuk in 2nd and Ann Rosenquist in 3rd.
In the mixed doubles Jeff Eliasen and Jenny Atkinson won gold and some cash. And finally, Paul Higgins received a bonus check of $100 for posting the fastest time out of the 62 times posted throughout the entire tournament.
The coin toss sponsored by the Cook County ATV Club was great fun for all the kids who jumped in the millpond to search for coins and the grand prize gold coin. The ATV Club does a great job of promoting responsible use of ATVs countywide and helping youth gain proper training for ATV use.
During the stock saw contest, there was a friendly competition between Aaron Mielke (right) of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Vance Hazelton of the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service won this round. The foresters will likely meet again next year at Lumber Camp.
Throughout the weekend, Niel Atkinson and his crew were busy milling 3 cords of salvage logs, donated by Hedstrom Lumber and trucked by Circle H Timber, with their LT40 Wood- Mizer portable sawmill. “Many people had questions and were intrigued by the machine. They were amazed I was able to produce 2,000 board feet of quality lumber. The Wood-Mizer sawmill is extremely efficient,” Niel Atkinson said. “Not one scrap of wood is wasted in our approach to managing timber and we are proud to work with companies focusing on efficient use and preservation of renewable resources and leading the industry in environmentally friendly technologies.”
The old-time crosscut contests sponsored by Hedstrom Lumber and the Grand Marais Lions Club were a big hit. Competitors got to try cutting wood the traditional way with a crosscut saw slicing through 8 inches of fresh aspen. A combination of singles, mixed doubles (Jack & Jill) and doubles (Jack & Jack and Jill & Jill) made for a great deal of fun on the Husqvarna and Steve’s Sports’ sawing dock.
The open competition continued at the Wood-Mizer ax throwing target and kids and adults had a great time trying— and not losing their hands—in a traditional ax throw. Great fun was had by all!
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