PRIEST RIVER — Sitting on a Timber Days float surrounded by the tools of their former trade, Leonard “Curly” Davaz and Robert Bombino said they were honored by their selection as a 2019 Bull of the Woods.

“It was kind of a shock,” Davaz said as Bombino chuckled as he nodded in agreement.

Both said their time in the woods holds a special place in their lives, with the crews forging tight bonds.

“I think tougher when I ran the business than when in the woods,” said Davaz, who owned Curly’s Sales and Service. “When we worked in the woods it was like a big family because you knew everybody and you knew what they expected of you. They expected you to do your job.”

For much of his time in the woods, Davaz owned and operated his own truck, much like his father, uncle and brother. “I was kind of my own boss but I depended on a lot of guys skidding logs to keep me busy,” he added.

Bombino also has fond memories of his time in the woods, sharing tales of his work with his family, including his granddaughter, Lily Bombino, who nominated him for the honor.

Bob Bombino got his started in the timber industry, logging for Joe Murray in 1964. Learning most of his skills on the job, he could soon sod, skid, hook, drill, and jack hammer with the best of them as well as running a cat, blasting dynamite and building the necessary roads and bridges to get to and from the job sites.

During his career, Bob Bombino would be among those who fought the devastating Sundance fire in 1967.

“He was stuck at the top of Sundance for three days with no food,” Lily said. “When those three long days were over, he and the rest of his crew were moved to Trapper Creek to help with the rest of this fire.”

While hard work, Bombino said the crews developed tight bonds and he can’t imagine having done anything else.

“It was tough,” he said. “You had to be there. If you weren’t then somebody else was and you’d have to go find another job.”

“But you get it in your blood and it stays there.”

Davaz agreed, adding, “I guess I was born to it.”

Davaz began working in the woods as a gypo logger in 1957 and his daughter, Theresa Watson, remembers helping her day wash and shine his truck for the annual Loggers Celebration. Davaz, who was a co-owner in C&D Logging had long days of driving truck and weekends maintaining equipment at the truck shop, before opening Curly’s.

“It’s nice to be recognized but the public was good to me,” Davaz said.

Curly’s was a fixture in the Priest River logging community. It was both a place to pick up supplies and learn about who was hiring, where guys were working, catch up on all that was going on in the community.

A longtime friend said Davaz truly cares about the loggers, often letting them carry charge accounts for gas, etc. to help them get through the log spring breakups. Another friend noted that even when he left logging and bought the gas station, he still was involved in the timber industry.

Both said the community gave them as much as they have ever given the community — which for them is what the Bull of the Woods honor so special.

After a lifetime in the woods, Bombino would share tales of his time in the industry with his granddaughter, Lily. When she heard about the Bull of the Woods award, the teen knew she wanted to submit her grandfather’s name.

“I thought it was kind of perfect because he’s been in the logging industry for so long and he’s like super known around the town so it was something that just suited him,” the teen added.

When she learned her grandfather had been picked as a Bull of the Woods, Lily Bombino said she couldn’t help jumping up and down in her mom’s flower shop. She immediately called her grandparents and asked them to come down — without mentioning the rason why.

“He’s super excited,” she said. “He didn’t really know what to do at first ‘cause he was in shock in the moment but you could tell he was really excited.”

Both Davaz and Bombino thanked the community and said the other’s presence makes the tribute even more special.

“It’s an honor to be here with him,” Bombino said as Davaz nodded in agreement.

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.