• Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Elk, Turkey Trophy Contest & Display
• Trail Camera Photo Contest
• Outdoor Photo Contest
  

 

2011 BIG GAME TROPHY CONTEST & DISPLAY

 

GENERAL RULES – Contest Entries & 'Measure Only' Heads

• There is no advance entry; just bring your trophy to the Spectacular.
• Entry Times: Noon Friday until 10:00 am Sunday.
• Entries do not need to be mounted, but they must have a solid skull plate (deer, elk) or complete skull (bear). Bear skulls must be clean.
• No trophies released between noon and 3:00 pm Sunday. Scores are being checked. Filing is being checked. Contest winner notifications are being posted. There is no time for trophy release.
• All measuring and scoring is done by members of the Commemorative Bucks of Michigan (CBM). For trophy measuring details, call the CBM at 1-800-298-2825.
• TROPHY ENTRANCE – Use main entrance to Lansing Center (from Michigan Avenue or from pedway across Grand River. Measuring/scoring will be in Ballrooms 7-8 to the west of the main entrance. Entrance is on the Michigan Avenue concourse side. Look for directional signs.

 

TROPHY CONTEST RULES

Entry Fee

• Fee for the first entry is $15. With this, you get a weekend pass. Pre-scored additional entries are $7.50 each with written proof of official score, or $15 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.

ENTRY CATEGORIES

• WHITETAIL DEER
  • Firearms - Typical Antlers & Non-Typical Antlers
  • Archery - Typical Antlers & Non-Typical Antlers
  • Muzzleloader - Typical Antlers & Non-Typical Antlers
  • Crossbow - Typical Antlers & Non-Typical Antlers
• ELK
  • Typical & Non-Typical Antlers
• BLACK BEAR
  • Firearms
  • Archery
• TURKEY
  • Firearms
  • Archery

Divisions In Each Entry Category

• DEER
  • Archery – Current Year (2010 season), Historical (2009 season and earlier)
  • Firearms – Current Year (2010 season), Historical (2009 season and earlier)
  • Muzzleloader - All years together
  • Crossbow - All years together
• BEAR
  • Firearms  -- All years together
  • Archery – All years together
• ELK
  • Typical & Non-Typical Antlers – no further breakout
• TURKEY
  • Archery – Single Beard, Multiple Beards / All years together
  • Firearms – Single Beard, Multiple Beards / All years together
    

Two antler brackets in every Michigan deer divisional category:

• 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 Spectacular are eligible to be entered in the Historical Category this year.
• First Place winners in Historical Category (archery and firearms deer ) at any previous Spectaculars are not eligible for re-entry.
• First Place winners in Muzzleloader Category (deer) at any previous Spectaculars are not eligible for re-entry.
• First Place winners in Bear, Elk and Turkey categories at any previous Spectacular 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 from any Spectacular 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.

Contest Awards

• Award presentations begin at 4:00 pm Sunday in Ballrooms 1-4
  (Seminar Area A).
• Trophy must be present to win. Awards based on antler score (deer, elk), skull score (bear), spur and beard length (turkey).
• 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 2010 Trophy Contest Winners.

 

BOARD OF HONOR

Background Information

The Board of Honor recognizes those trophies retired from further trophy contest entry. Retired trophies are those that won a First Place award at a previous Spectacular 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 – All Years category (any typical antler-point class & non-typical)
• Bear, Elk, Turkey -- Any First Place winner from any Spectacular

Here are the details:

• You have FREE entry to the Spectacular 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 area on the Michigan Avenue Concourse.
• 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.
• 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.
• Your trophy does not need to remain on display the entire weekend, although that would be appreciated by attendees and management.
• The display boards will be identified with orange-and-black Board of Honor signs.
• If you have questions, please email: glenn@deerinfo.com

 

NON-CONTEST "MEASURE-ONLY" TROPHIES

• Attendee must purchase a general admission ticket to the Spectacular.
• Measuring fee is $15. 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 always have been able to do so.
• No check-outs between noon and 3:00 pm Sunday.

 

TWO PHOTO CONTESTS – OUTDOOR, TRAIL CAMERA

General Rules for both photo contests

• You must purchase a general admission ticket to the Spectacular 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 on the Michigan Avenue Concourse. Ask a ticket taker for directions.
• 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.
• Awards will be given by an expo staff person Sunday at 3:00 pm at the contest display boards.
• Photos must remain on display until 3:00 p.m. Sunday.
• Photos can be picked up at the contest display boards after 3:00 pm 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) 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 2010 Photo Contest Winners.

2) Trail Camera Photo Contest rules and guidelines:

This is where you will see evidence of 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 2010 Trail Camera Photo Contest Winners.

 

PHOTO GUIDELINES & CRITIQUING, JUDGE'S CREDENTIALS

A contestant last year asked for photo guidelines, judging guidelines and photo judge’s credentials. Here they are:

PHOTO JUDGE

• Photo contest judge is Glenn Helgeland, the Spectacular's producer. He says, "We tried a committee once, but it took forever and was impractical."
• Credentials: Helgeland has 40 years in magazine editing and 40 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. He notes, "I edited all the photos in the first National Wildlife EQ Index, more than 1,000 photos in five days.  My eyes were twirling when I finished."

From 1970-1980 he edited Archery World magazine (now Bowhunting World) and was the editorial director for 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.

Since 1990, Target Communications has published Deer & Turkey Show PREVIEW magazine, for which Helgeland did all editing (copy & photos) and much of the photography. The magazine is now produced on-line as, naturally, the Deer & Turkey Show ONLINE PREVIEW. One issue is produced for each expo; each issue is posted one month before the respective expo.

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."

Critique

• Photo guideline notes will be produced, laminated and posted on the photo display boards prior to the opening of the Spectacular.
• There will be a short live critique/wrap-up at 2:45 pm Sunday at the photo display area just before the awards are presented. Signs at the photo contest display site will announce this. Judge's decisions will be explained to the extent possible in the time available, and various photos (winners and non-winners) will be used for comparative purposes to give photographic tips. Sometimes a near miss is more informative than a winning photo, particularly when coupled with explanations.

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 Spectacular's website, for all to see and enjoy, as soon as the photographers provide them. The previous year's winner list and photos also are included in the following year's ONLINE PREVIEW magazine.