Buffalo resident Stephen Booth's entry was one of five Adult Division winners in the second annual Big Buck Photo Contest. Photo courtesy W.Va. Division of Natural Resources
Hadley Allen, of Charleston, was one of 20 Youth Division winners of the second annual Big Buck Photo Contest. Photo courtesy W.Va. Division of Natural Resources
Buffalo resident Stephen Booth's entry was one of five Adult Division winners in the second annual Big Buck Photo Contest. Photo courtesy W.Va. Division of Natural Resources
Hadley Allen, of Charleston, was one of 20 Youth Division winners of the second annual Big Buck Photo Contest. Photo courtesy W.Va. Division of Natural Resources
Charleston resident Dillon Jones was among the Youth Division Big Buck Photo Contest winners. Photo courtesy W.Va. Division of Natural Resources
The winners of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources' second annual Big Buck Photo Contest were announced by Gov. Jim Justice March 15 at the State Capitol.
Sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and Department of Tourism, the Big Buck Photo Contest was open to residents and nonresidents and included a youth division for hunters 17 and younger and an adult division for hunters 18 and older.
To enter the contest, hunters had to submit a photo with a buck they harvested during a 2022 hunting season, along with a short account of their hunt. Each entrant was required to show proof of a valid 2022 West Virginia Hunting License and had to include the 13-digit DNR-issued game check number for the buck.
Finalists were chosen by random drawing from all eligible entries and winners were selected by a judging committee made up of Justice, WVDNR Director Brett McMillion and Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby or their designated representatives.
Winning photos were selected based on photo composition, size of the buck’s antlers, number of antler points, and how well the hunt was described.
Stephen Booth, of Buffalo, was among the five Adult Division winners selected.
Among area residents, the Youth Division contest winners included Hadley Allen, Charleston; Courtney Burgess, Walton; Dillon Jones, Charleston; and Brayden Reese, Scott Depot.
They and the other youth participants will all receive one lifetime hunting and fishing license. Booth and the other four contest winners can choose one lifetime hunting license or a two-night state forest cabin stay. Only West Virginia residents are eligible for a lifetime license.
