SAN ANTONIO, Texas - For 17 years, the Texas Big Game Awards (TBGA), a partnership of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Wildlife Association (TWA), has been the leader in recognizing the contributions that landowners, land managers and responsible hunters make to managing and conserving wildlife and wildlife habitat on Texas’ private lands. 
 
The purpose of the Texas Big Game Awards is to make known to all citizens of the state of Texas the important role ethical hunting and habitat management play in the lives of our young people and to the ecosystem over which we must be responsible stewards.  Under this program awards are given to all “Scored Entries” that meet minimum regional requirements and there are no entry fees. 
 
Hunters who harvest a white-tailed deer, mule deer, or pronghorn antelope this season meeting the minimum net score B&C requirements for their respective Region, may be eligible to receive recognition in the “Scored Entry” category as well as the landowner for where the trophy was taken.  Also this year is the recognition only, of the hunters and landowners where desert bighorns are taken in Texas. 
 
Hunters of any age who harvest their first big game animal in Texas are eligible for the “First Big Game Harvest” category.  Hunters who harvest a white-tailed deer, mule deer, javelina, or pronghorn antelope are eligible whether they harvest a buck or doe, regardless of score of the animal in this category.
 
And, any youth hunter (under 17 years of age when they purchase their hunting license) with a Special Resident Hunting License who harvests a white-tailed deer, mule deer, javelina, or pronghorn antelope is eligible for the “Youth Division” whether they harvest a buck or doe, regardless of score.  The javelina is a new species added to the Youth Division and First Harvest Division.
 
The TBGA website for this season will include the $20,000 College Scholarship Program sponsored by Carter’s Country Outdoor Stores.  Scholarship applications though are due by March 1, 2008.  All program information, program history, entry rules and minimum scores are also featured on the website.  You can also find a local scorer in your area for official entry forms, or download the First Harvest/Youth Division forms on-line, as no scorer signature is required for those entries.  The TBGA website will also feature photos of entries that are entered this season.    
 
For more information on the Texas Big Game Awards, entry information, or for a local certified TBGA scorer, please visit our website at http://www.texasbiggameawards.com/ or call (800) 839-9453, ext. 114 for more information.  The final deadline to enter the Texas Big Game Awards for the 2007-2008 season is March 15, 2008. 

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