With hunting season in the books, it’s time to make plans to bring your bucks to the Louisiana Sportsman Big Buck Contest, scheduled for March 13-15.
Even if your deer mount isn’t complete, you can make arrangements with your taxidermist to bring the antlers to the contest, which is being sponsored by Bowie Outfitters and Antler Shed Deer Blinds.
Every buck entered for scoring will be entered into the random drawing to win the Grand Prize, a fully featured $3,500 Antler Shed Deer Blind with stand and ladder.
Deer may be dropped off beginning Friday, March 13, but must be entered no later than 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. No deer will be accepted before Friday.
The person bringing their buck into the show to be scored will get Free Admission to the show and a Free Admission ticket to pick up their antlers on Sunday.
It’s free to enter — just bring your unscored deer from the 2019-20 or 2018-19 seasons to the show.
Winners will be named in the following categories:
- Best Louisiana Gun
- Best Louisiana Bow
- Best Out-of-State Gun
- Best Out-of-state Bow
- Best Youth
- Best Muzzleloader/Crossbow
- Best Mississippi Gun
- Best Mississippi Bow
First prize for Best Louisiana Gun
First prize for Best Louisiana Bow
All other category winners will receive a Custom Plaque, a $100 Gift Certificate to Bowie Outfitters and are eligible to win the grand prize.
All deer will be scored by official Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young scorers led by David Moreland and Keith LaCaze. Of course, only those past the mandatory 60-day drying period will receive final scores.
Bucks entered in any previous Louisiana Sportsman Big Buck Contest are not eligible.
Bucks killed in seasons before the 2018-19 hunting season can be entered for scoring but are not eligible for contest prizes.
All entries will be displayed on the Big Buck Contest wall until the winners are announced March 15.
Find out about more events at the Louisiana Sportsman Show here.
Big Buck Contest rules
- All legally killed, free-range bucks shot during the 2019-20 season and those deer from the 2018-19 season that have not been officially scored or previously entered in this contest are eligible for entry in any of the eight categories: Best Louisiana Gun, Best Louisiana Bow, Best Out-of-State Gun, Best Out-of-State Bow, Youth, Muzzleloader/Crossbow, Best Mississippi Gun, Best Mississippi Bow.
- All bucks beyond the 60-day drying period will receive an official Boone & Crockett or Pope & Young score.
- Any buck killed within the previous 60 days will be scored and entered in the contest, but the score will not be official.
- Only free-range whitetails from any of the 50 U.S. states are eligible.
- Bucks killed with primitive arms that aren’t true muzzleloaders will be entered in the gun categories.
- Youth category entrants must have been 15 or younger at the time of the kill.
- Bucks killed before the contest period may still be brought in for scoring but will not be eligible for the contest or the random drawing.
- Bucks must be brought in during show hours Friday or before 6 p.m. Saturday to be eligible for the contest. NOTE: No entries accepted before Friday.
- Racks must remain at the show until 2 p.m. Sunday, and may not be removed before that time.
- Louisiana Sportsman reserves the right to add or alter rules at its discretion.