Local sharpshooter qualifies for ‘Big Buck Hunter’ world championships
The shooting may be fake, but the excitement is real. For Adam Ziegel, what started as an activity with friends after trivia nights has grown into a passion, and now brings an opportunity to be a world champion. Introduced in 2000, the arcade game Big Buck Hunter is holding its 18th annual World Championship “BuckFest” tournament, in Nashville Oct. 10-11, and Columbus resident Ziegel has qualified.
Ziegel, aka. “The Buckeye Bucker”, “Miamisburg Marauder” and “Vanquisher of Varmints”, among other nicknames (to be said in a Michael Buffer voice), started his qualifying journey at Pastimes in Grandview Yard this spring.
The local arcade game whiz said he’s always been fascinated with the unique lives that animals have, the niches they occupy, and how they interact with their environments. “Our world is amazing, and I treasure its variety. Buck Hunter offers a virtual opportunity to engage animals around the world.”
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Ziegel also said he loves competition, “Buck Hunter allows you to focus on individual ability, while still competing with others in a friendly and fun way. It’s also the safest way to have fun hunting and drinking Busch Light cans at the same time,” he joked.
He said his girlfriend has been a surprisingly good sport as he’s been practicing for the event. “Hand-eye coordination and timing are key, but balancing aggressiveness with patience and discipline is critical.” He added that calculating the time and money to practice is also a factor, but he has sponsors, including Pastimes, Buckeye Vodka, Trivia Night Ohio, WK Vending, Sabauce and CarStar to thank for helping.
This weekend’s 2-day tournament has 128 sharpshooters from around the world who qualified based on skill and cumulative points. Ziegel, a rookie, is ranked 80th. With $125k in total prizes, Ziegel is modest, with a goal to get past the first round. If he should win the $25k for first place, he said he’d like to spend it on an African safari and see the animals from Big Buck Hunter in the wild. BuckFest 2025 will be broadcasted live on Twitch.
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