After my short military career I came back home to Texas. Which I then left for a job in Ohio, after a year I started to miss home. I wanted something that represented the South but also tied in my military background since I had just left the Marines two years prior. Around that time, I had made the Tactical Wahoo design and noticed that other people were making Buc-ee’s parody designs, like the beaver wearing quad nods. I thought that was cool and wanted a T-shirt for myself. Unfortunately, all the sites selling them were either sold out or unavailable.
So, just like with Tactical Wahoo, I decided to make my own version and print a T-shirt rather than paying $300 to a reseller on Ebay or buy a cheap Chinese knock off
Friends back home in Texas saw it and asked if I could sell them a T-shirt or patch. I agreed and starting selling/gifting it to friends back home. Shortly after it became viral on reddit and the rest is history.
----------
Fast forward to 2025: Due to IP (Intellectual Property) reports. I am legally unable to create new versions or products with my Tactical Bucee. He is clearly a parody of the beloved gas station mascot (I don't have the money to go fight Buc-ee's in court to allow me to sell this design.). Plus, I’ve seen straight up rip-offs of my design being sold online on several websites, and honestly, I just don’t feel like fighting those losing battles. As soon as I get one taken down 3 more pop up. Although it sucks to have your art be stolen and see people make a profit off of it. I do enjoy the fact that this design became so popular and beloved by veterans from my home state.
Once my current stock SELLS OUT I will not be restocking. If you bought something from me with this design, thank you for supporting my shenanigans. It means a lot.
-
Why make this?
Like any other Texan, Buc-ee’s holds a special place in my heart, right alongside The Alamo and Selena.
Whenever me and my family had to leave the Rio Grande Valley and make the 4-hour trip to San Antonio or the 6-hour drive to Houston, we always stopped at Buc-ee’s.
For those of you who’ve never heard of Buc-ee’s, imagine a flat, quiet Texas landscape with nothing but mesquite trees, brown bushes, and cacti as far as the eye can see. And smack dab in the middle of it all, there’s a massive, Walmart-sized building with 60 gas pumps, incredibly clean restrooms, every snack and knickknack you could imagine, and a bronze statue of a beaver welcoming you to come inside and take a load off. After hours stuck in a car with your family in the Texas heat, this was a safe haven.
Like most Texans, Buc-ee’s is a nostalgic and special place for me. It’s not just a gas station—it’s a part of home.
I say all this to give you some context as to why so many southern folks love this strange, smiling beaver.
Leave a comment