I think that's kewl, and I enjoyed the years running an Archery Check Station in IL.(they no longer have them)

As far as contests goes. I won't participate, I think overall contests promote the wrong idea about hunting. It also tempts too many to delve in something illegal. Many have been caught throughout the years.

I don't think hunting should be a competetion because if you are enjoying yourself and having fun then you are a Winner!!

Dan

I agree Mean. I get the idea behind the contests, but just don't get into it myself. The last deerI killed that was even photographed was 3-4 years ago and the scene just happened to give a good pic, and my uncle happened to have a disposable camera with him. I've never even seen the pic.

Other than that one the only deer that I have a pic of is my first deer.

If I ever do photo a deer I probably wont even post it here. No sense in arguing with somebody that the picture itself isn't good enough.

I haven't thought about that. I am going to have to give the archery pro shop a call and ask them if I can enter. Why not? You never know!

We never had a big buck contest at the shop, but we did have a "Wall of Fame" board that anyone who brought in a picture of a bow killed animal could post on. We put it in one of the front windows of the shop and there were tons of people walking by that would stop to look. By the end of season, there were probably 75-100 pics on that thing, the customers loved it.

I have mixed feeling on them and holding one at my shop.
If ALL hunters could just be happy for each other for success on a big buck it would be easier.
Too bad that it seems in my area many hunters have antler envy. Last year a couple of my friends/customers shot really nice bucks. Rumors of poaching,trespassing and the such soon followed. I know both these guys and there is NO WAY they did anything wrong but it didn't stop the envious from spreading lies.
Contests can be great fun and a good traffic builder for a pro shop.
They can also fuel the envious.

Then you get to the "official" scoring of a rack. Heck, even 2 different scorers can come up with different numbers sometimes. Do you go by Gross or Net score?
Who scores? I know it's not going to be me.
Do you go by green score or after the 30 day period?

I'd be interested in how other shops conduct theirs.