Contents

• Whitetail Deer Trophy Contest & Display
• State Turkey Calling & Owl Hooting Championship
• Trail Camera Photo Contest
• Outdoor Photo Contest

 

2012 TROPHY DEER CONTEST & DISPLAY

GENERAL RULES – Trophy Contest Entries & 'Measure Only' Non-Contest Heads

• There is no advance entry; just bring your trophy to the Classic.
• Entry Times: Noon Friday until 10:00 am Sunday.
• Entries do not need to be mounted, but they must have a solid skull plate.
• No trophies released between noon and 3:00 pm Sunday. Scores are being checked. Filing is being checked. Winner notifications are being posted. There is no time for trophy release.
• Trophy measuring/scoring by measurers certified by the Illinois Big Buck Recognition Program (Attn: Constituency Services, Department of Natural Resources, One Natural Resources, Springfield, IL 62702 — 217-782-4963, www.dnr.illinois.gov/Pages/BigBuck.aspx), with the assistance of certified Pope & Young Club and Boone & Crockett Club measurers.
• TROPHY ENTRANCE – Left doors of bank of glass doors at the building entrance on the semi-circle drive between SW Jefferson Avenue and Kumpf Blvd. Registration table will be on your left just into the lobby.

TROPHY CONTEST RULES

ENTRY FEE

Fee for the first entry is $20. With this, you get a weekend pass. Pre-scored additional entries are $7.50 each with written proof of official score, or $20 each if the entry has not been officially scored or the person entering the trophy does not have proof of official score.

Do not buy an admission ticket. However, everyone else with you MUST buy a general admission ticket.

TROPHY CONTEST CATEGORIES

ONE CONTEST

• Illinois whitetail deer (taken during hunting season, hunter known)

FOUR ENTRY CATEGORIES

• Firearms - Typical Antlers & Non-Typical Antlers
• Archery - Typical Antlers & Non-Typical Antlers
• Muzzleloader - Typical Antlers & Non-Typical Antlers
• Crossbow - Typical Antlers & Non-Typical Antlers

Divisions in Each Entry Category

• Archery – Current Year (2011 season), Historical (2010 season and earlier)
• Firearms – Current Year (2011 season), Historical (2010 season and earlier)
• Muzzleloader - all years together
• Crossbow - all years together

Two antler brackets in every division:

• Typical Antlers (8-, 9-, 10-, 11-, 12- and 13+-point classes)
• Non-Typical Antlers (all antlers in one class regardless of points)

ADDITIONAL RULES

• First Place winners in Current Year Category archery and firearms deer at last year's Classic are eligible to be entered in the Historical Category this year.
• First Place winners in Historical Category archery and firearms deer from any and all previous Classics are not eligible for re-entry.
• All First-Place winners in Muzzleloader and Crossbow divisions at previous Classics are not eligible for re-entry,
• All previous first-place winners not eligible for re-entry are automatically invited to display on the "Board Of Honor".
  The above rules keep each year's contest fresh.
• Second- and third-place winners in all divisions and categories at previous Classics are eligible for re-entry.
• All contest entries will be hung on display boards.
• All contest trophies must remain on display until released Sunday at 3:00 pm.
• EARLY CHECK-OUT FEE: Early check-out (before noon Sunday) – there will be a $10 charge per trophy. Early check-outs disrupt the measuring process and on Sunday disrupt the checking of entry lists to determine accuracy of filing, production of winner lists, and all other necessary wrap-up paperwork.
• There are no check-outs whatsoever of any trophies between noon and 3:00 pm Sunday.

Contest Awards

• Award presentations begin at 4:00 pm Sunday in Seminar Area A.
• Trophy must be present to win.
• Awards based on antler score.
• Awards proportional to entries:
  • 1-3 entries in class = 1 award;
  • 4-8 entries in class = 2 awards;
  • 9 or more entries in class = 3 awards.
• Award trophies given. No cash or merchandise prizes.

Click here to see 2011 Trophy Contest Winners.

BOARD OF HONOR

Background Information

The Board of Honor recognizes those trophies retired from further trophy competition. Retired trophies are those that won a first place award at a previous Classic in one of the following categories:

• Archery Deer / Historical category (any typical antler-point class & non-typical)
• Firearms Deer / Historical category (any typical antler-point class & non-typical)
• Muzzleloader Deer / All Years category (any typical antler-point class & non-typical)
• Crossbow Deer / All Years category (any typical antler-point class & non-typical)

Here are the details:

• You have FREE entry to the Classic all weekend. There is no registration fee. You do not need to buy a ticket, but anyone with you will need to do so.
• Bring in your trophy animal any day, but no later than 10:00 am Sunday.
• Please bring proof of your winning entry and categorical details. This will make registration much easier. Do not bring the award you received; we have no way to display it properly and securely.
• Take your trophy to the contest registration table in the main lobby, accessed from the semi-circle drive between SW Jefferson Avenue and Kumpf Blvd.
• You will receive registration and identification paperwork from contest registration personnel on-site. The paperwork will identify your trophy as "Non-Contest / Board of Honor Special Display".
• Your trophy will immediately be placed on display as soon as the registration paperwork is completed. The display boards will be identified with orange-and-black Board of Honor signs.
• Your trophy does not need to remain on display the entire weekend, although that would be appreciated by attendees and management.
• You may take your trophy with you when you leave, but not between noon and 3:00 pm Sunday. As you no doubt recall, no trophy heads are released during that time Sunday.
• If you have questions, please email: glenn@deerinfo.com

 

MEASURE-ONLY NON-CONTEST TROPHIES

• Attendee must purchase a general admission ticket to the Classic.
• Measuring fee is $20. The same work must be done as with contest entries. This fee is returned if the trophy has not yet been measured when the attendee is ready to leave.
• There will be no weekend pass.
• Trophy will be measured only after all trophy contest entries have been measured. There shouldn't be a problem getting all "measure-only" trophies measured. Measuring crews in the past have been able to do so.
• No check-outs between noon and 3:00 pm Sunday.

 

2012 TURKEY CALLING & OWL HOOTING CONTEST INFORMATION

• Contest Date/Time: Saturday, March 24, 2012 / 2:30 pm
• Registration by mail must be received by March 22, 2012
• Registration day of contest is 9 am to 2 pm at NWTF booth
• Entry fees: State - $50 ($40 Early), Junior – Free; Owl Hooting - $40 ($30 early); Hunter - $15
• Draw for calling positions at 2:15 pm day of contest
• Contest Order -- State, Junior, Owl Hooting, Hunter
• You must be a NWTF member to call in this sanctioned calling contest
• NWTF rules. Sanctioned event.
• All contestants must show membership card or purchase and fill out a membership application to compete
• Click here to download a pdf of the entry form
• Send entry form with checks made out to Mackinaw Valley Gobblers to: Gary Eichelberger, 1004 Pine Meadows Ct., Normal, IL 61761
• Call Gary Eichelberger at 309-454-6502 evenings for additional details or questions.

Click here to see 2011 Illinois State Turkey Calling Contest Winners

 

TWO PHOTO CONTESTS --
TRAIL CAMERA & OUTDOOR

GENERAL RULES FOR BOTH PHOTO CONTESTS

• You must purchase a show general admission ticket before you can enter either photo contest.
• Entries may be made from 2:00 pm Friday to 10:00 am Sunday.
• The contests are open to amateur photographers only.
• Bring your entries to the show. No mail-in entries are accepted. Entries are to be made in the event office. After you get your general admission ticket, go in the main entrance ramp to the exhibit floor and look to your left for Show Office ID signs.
• Entry fee is $5 for up to three photos. There is an additional $5 fee for each additional group of up to three photos entered. The photographer's name, address, telephone number (with area code), and choice of contest category must be on the back of each entry.
• Judging will begin at noon Sunday.
• There may be up to three awards per category. Award plaques and engraved plates can be picked up at the show office Sunday after 3:00 pm.
• Photos must remain on display until 3:00 p.m. Sunday. Photos not picked up will not be returned.
• For admission before 3:00 pm Sunday, you must buy a general admission ticket. After 3:00 pm, each photo contest entrant can get in free to pick up his/her photos. You must show a contest entry receipt to pick up your photos.

1) TRAIL CAMERA PHOTO CONTEST RULES AND GUIDELINES:

This is where you see unusual wildlife scenes and activities.

• Categories: 1) Deer/Bucks, 2) Deer/Other, 3) Turkeys, 4) Predators,
  5) Miscellaneous.
• Black-and-white or color prints. Image size can be 4”x6” to 8”x10”.
• Photos must be mounted unframed on cardboard and cannot include glass. Matting is permitted but discouraged because it takes up too much space.

Click here to see 2011 Trail Camera Photo Contest Winners.

2) OUTDOOR PHOTO CONTEST RULES:

• Five categories -- 1) Wildlife - (North American only); 2) Flora;
  3) Scenic; 4) People in the Outdoors; 5) Miscellaneous/Novelty.
• No ‘hero' photos of game or fish taken; no pets.
• Black-and-white or color prints. Image size can be 5"x7" to 11"x14".
• Photos must be mounted unframed on cardboard and cannot include glass. Matting is permitted but discouraged because it takes up too much space.

Click here to see 2011 Photo Contest Winners

PHOTO GUIDELINES, JUDGE'S CREDENTIALS

• Photo contest judge is Glenn Helgeland, the Classic's producer. He says, "We tried a committee once, but it took forever and proved impractical."
• Helgeland has 43 years in magazine editing and 43 years of concurrent professional photography experience. From 1968-1970 he was associate editor of NATIONAL WILDLIFE magazine and editor of WATERSPORT, a quarterly coffee-table publication that was mostly photos. From 1970-1980 he edited Archery World magazine (now Bowhunting World) and was the editorial director of a magazine publishing company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During that time he also edited the 2nd Edition of the Pope & Young Club record book and wrote "Archery for Beginners" with John Williams, 1972 Olympic archery gold medalist. Since 1980, he has published, through his own company (Target Communications), 21 books and a trade magazine, and done considerable freelance writing, mainly on deer hunting and bowhunting. He has done the photography for his own publications and freelance articles.

PHOTO JUDGING

Helgeland notes, "I don't split judging into percentages, at least, not consciously. I've edited enough photos to do it all together quickly. Basically, I begin with the Rule of Thirds and go from there -- overall composition, framing, lighting, creativity of the topic and the photographic unit as a whole. All factors are important."

AWARDS

Awards are plaques only. Cash prizes are beyond the intent or goals of the outdoor photo contest. This is for fun and the sharing of your enjoyment and appreciation of the outdoors and all the beauty it has to offer ... and to be recorded photographically.

WINNER RECOGNITION

Winning photographs are posted on the Classic's website, for all to see and enjoy, as soon as the winning photographers provide them.