Courtesy Photo Lillian Suchey, a 92-year-old Presque Isle resident, is seen holding the antlers of a ten-point buck she shot in the Pigeon River Country State Forest on Nov. 16. She said that this was one of the biggest bucks she has shot in her life.

ALPENA — Lillian Suchey, of Presque Isle, shot a ten-point buck in the Pigeon River Country State Forest on Nov. 16. She is 92 years old.

According to her daughter, Judy Szydlo, Suchey shot the buck by herself from her blind.

“She is an inspiration to all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and sportswomen of Michigan,” Szydlo said in an email.

Suchey told The News that she has been hunting for “at least 40 years” in her own blind. She said that the buck she shot opening weekend is one of the largest bucks she’s shot in her lifetime as a hunter.

“We usually let the smaller bucks go so the antlers can grow bigger next year,” Suchey said.

She explained that her son took her to her blind and then he went to hunt on his own. Suchey said that she was watching many does come and go from her hunting spot when she suddenly saw her buck pick its head up.

“I said, ‘Oh my God, its a big buck,'” Suchey said. “I was alone and I opened the window and he looked at me so I picked up the gun. I thought, ‘Should I shoot him or not?’ I shot him right in the chest.”

Suchey stated that she shot the buck around 5 p.m. in the evening.

“My son came to the blind and asked, ‘Who shot?'” Suchey said. “I said, ‘I shot my buck. Go down and find him.’ He jumped and ran.”

Suchey said that when her son found the buck, who had not ran far before dropping, he said “Boy, you got a big one, Mom.”

“Everyone was happy,” Suchey added. “Grandma and Mom got the big buck.”

She said that she started the “ten-point club” as two other family members at the camp shot ten-point bucks that weekend, as well.

Suchey said her youngest grandson, who is 17 years old, cleaned the buck for her.

“He did a good job,” she said

Suchey said she thinks that more women and people her age should hunt.

“I think they should because it makes it more great,” Suchey said. “Hunting keeps families together.”

At 92, Suchey said that she still lives alone, bakes, cooks, and keeps a garden. She uses a walker, but said, “I get around.”

Suchey explained that she thinks it is important for elderly individuals to stay active so that they can stay independent.

“What you don’t use you lose,” she added. “I’m not done, I can still do this.”

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.