JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. — Many people are mourning the loss of James Jackson, Jr., a father, brother, son, friend, professional hunter and fisherman.
Some call him a treasure to the hunting community. Others say "Bub" was a hunting icon.
James City County Police said they got a call Sunday about an unmanned boat in the area of Diascund Creek Reservoir. Jackson was identified as missing from that boat. JCC Police and Fire Departments resumed the search on May 25 with assistance from New Kent Sheriff’s Office and Marine Sonic. Jackson’s body was recovered in the morning.
Jackson was not wearing a life jacket.
On Tuesday, 13News Now spoke with several people who knew Jackson or who hunted with him.
Robert Vermont met Jackson 25 years ago. He said Jackson was always ushering in the next generation of hunters and fishers.
“Hunting was just the opportunity to get together and have a great time with him, and whatever happened as a result of hunting and fishing was the icing on the cake,” Vermont said. “He was a person who loved God, his family, and to have a great time with people.”
Vermont said Jackson's influence runs through his entire family.
"My first deer, my first turkey, my daughter's first deer, turkey, there are a lot of firsts for me that came as a result of Mr. Jackson guiding, setting up a hunt or teaching me what to do," Vermont said.
In 2008, ESPN wrote an article about Jackson and his father, James Jackson, Sr.
On Tuesday, Jackson's children wrote on Facebook:
“We lost a great father, a great man, who was funny, passionate, cool, driven and one who God has chosen to come home.”
Clarissa Richard said she learned everything she knows about hunting and fishing from Bub. Richard flew up from Texas in 2017 to learn about the outdoors from Jackson, who she called the best of the best. She wanted to learn for herself and to teach her children.
“They told me if you really want to know how to hunt and fish, get a hold of James Jackson,” Richard said. “He's not just a legend in the woods, out the woods he's a gentleman."
"The outdoors were important to him, he lived outdoors," Richard said. "It was literally his home."
Jackson’s body was transported to the Tidewater Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy.