San Antonio -

Celebrating its 20 Year Anniversary, 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 TBGA is to make everyone aware of 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.  Deadline to enter is February 15, 2011.

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 of the property from which the trophy was taken.  Also new this year is the recognition of javelina’s in a new Scored Entry category.  

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.  

NOTES FOR 2010/2011 – All top five entries in each Scored Entry category must be originally scored by an official B&C measurer, or the entries will be re-scored by a B&C measurer prior to spring 2011 awards season.  The TBGA will also feature a “Best of 2010 Field Photos Contest” sponsored by Game Guard. A panel of judges will look at all field photos that are part of an official TBGA entry this season, and recognize the top 20 of the 2010-2011 hunting season. Prizes will be awarded to the top three photos.  Look for the photos to appear in a fall 2011 issue of Texas Wildlife magazine, the official magazine of the Texas Wildlife Association. 

TBGA also encourages hunters to mail their entries in early, as the TBGA will continue the “Early Entry Special” whereby those acceptable entries entered by January 30 will be eligible for a Texas Lifetime Hunting License!  Photos for this drawing are not required, but encouraged.  The license reward is proudly sponsored by Smith’s Abrasives and Hunter’s Specialties.

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.  Last season, over 500 photos were e-mailed in.  You can check out links to great TBGA Sponsors, too. 

For more information on the Texas Big Game Awards, entry information, or for a local certified TBGA scorer, please visit at www.TexasBigGameAwards.com or call (800) 839-9453, ext. 114 for more information.