I want to take this opportunity to bring something up that JFergus7 mentioned to me last night. I don't want to have any of our team's hard work to be wasted by not having things square for the contest. I'm sure most of us here are veterans of the contest, but I can't stress enough how important it is to have a camera with you on EVERY hunt! I keep my digital with me at all times when I'm hunting, but I also keep a disposable film camera in with my gear at all times. Take multiple shots and poses with whatever camera you're using but try to make sure you have more than source. If it's man made, it can and will fail when you least expect it and generally when it's at a most inopportune time. Please be sure to go back and re-read the RULES post to make sure your photos are legal for the contest i.e. the hunter, the WHOLE deer, and of course your trusty weapon! We don't need a simple mistake costing us precious inches!
After I posted this; I had another couplethoughts come up that just had to be voiced here. In last years contest there was a person that tried to pass off a gun kill in this contest, and I believe there were legal ramifications. I highly doubt that this even needs to be brought up with this group, but some rifle and bow seasons run hand in hand in some states like it does here in WI.....it's just for fun so let's keep it clean.
I know I stressed to you the importance of photos for the contest, but it's more than that. The photos should also be great mementos for all you for remembering hunts past and to pull out once in a while for a trip down memory lane. I know everyone is different, but I will ask one favor from all of you that regardless of the contest, TAKE NICE PHOTOS! I really don't want to see a photo from anyone on team of a buck in the back of a truck or in a trailer! There are few things that rub me the wrong way more than the disrespect of taking like that instead of where the animal was taken. We all know what they should look like....it only takes a couple seconds so do it right, and I'm still waiting to see the annual TAKE QUALITY PICS thread and once it's posted I'd like you ALL to go read through it.
FINALLY.....it's a long season....LET'S HAVE FUN!