How it started.
Where it's going.
Buck Lake Outdoors began with one piece of Tennessee land bought back in 2018. What's grown from it is something none of us expected.
Eight minutes that tell the whole story.
The local news ran a feature on Buck Lake Outdoors that captures what we do better than we can on a webpage. Take eight minutes if you have them.
A piece of land, and a purpose.
Chris Vick, Scott McKinney, and Dennis Byrne purchased the original tract of Buck Lake back in 2018, roughly 1,100 acres in Middle Tennessee. Over the years they added several adjoining tracts, and today the property runs to 1,600 mostly contiguous acres.
They work alongside a long list of conservation partners to manage the land, improve the deer herd and turkey population, and keep the 80-acre lake healthy. It hasn't been quick or cheap. Bringing power into camp alone cost just under $250,000, made possible by a lot of generous people. A bunk house is going up next, and there are big plans to make camp more comfortable for the families who stay there.
Because that's the point. A lot of the people Buck Lake hosts have been away from their families for a long time. The weekend isn't just about the hunt. It's about giving them memories with their kid or grandkid that they'll carry long after they leave.
Eight years, one piece at a time.
The land grew slowly. The mission did too.
The original tract
Chris, Scott, and Dennis purchase the first 1,100 acres of what becomes Buck Lake. The intent at the time is simply a place to hunt with family and friends.
First adjoining tracts acquired
The first of several adjoining parcels is added, beginning the slow expansion toward what would eventually become 1,600 contiguous acres.
Hero Hunt partnership begins
Buck Lake starts hosting annual hunts with Hero Hunt for combat-wounded veterans and first responders. Five years of partnership and counting.
USA Childs Wish partnership begins
Youth hunts launch in partnership with USAChildsWish.org, hosting children facing serious illness alongside their parents and caretakers during youth season.
Buck Lake Outdoors becomes a 501(c)(3)
What had been a private operation is formalized as a non-profit, with a board, a mission, and a path to scale.
Power installed at camp
After a $250,000 effort funded by generous donors and volunteers, electricity reaches the camp for the first time. Construction begins on a bunk house to replace condo rentals.
Five Hero Hunt events, plus youth and 1-on-1 hunts
The full season includes five Hero Hunt events, a youth event with USAChildsWish.org, the Governor's One-Shot Turkey Hunt, and one-on-one hunts as they're requested.
Sixteen hundred acres of working land.
The property is flat to gently rolling, mostly hardwoods, with open food plots and an 80-acre lake. The land is under conservation easement through the North American Land Trust, which means it stays wild in perpetuity.
We work hand-in-hand with the TWRA, USDA, and US Fish & Wildlife on deer herd management, turkey population improvement, and lake habitat — including stocking, pH balancing, and structure for the bass and bream that come out of the 80-acre lake.
There are 19 enclosed food plot blinds, several of them wheelchair-accessible, plus the family-friendly setups built to bring a hunter's kid or grandkid along. The bunk house is under construction. Until then, guests stay in donor-provided condos and houses close to the property.
The work doesn't happen alone.
Maintaining 1,600 acres of healthy habitat is a collaborative effort. We work hand in hand with these organizations on the land itself: managing the deer herd and turkey population, improving the lake, and keeping the property protected in perpetuity.
Meet the people who make it work.
Buck Lake runs on volunteers, guides, and a small board. They're the reason the gate stays open.
See the Team →