LEWISTOWN - Hundreds of local hunters will be successful in bagging bucks this year and we look forward to seeing them in The Sentinel's annual Big Buck Contest.
Antlered deer that meet the three-point standard and are killed during the archery season or the regular firearms deer season are eligible. First-, second- and third-place winners will be declared in adult and junior divisions (junior license or mentored youth hunters), with the first-place winners featured on the cover of the Big Buck edition to be published after the season ends.
As always, photos of all deer entered in the contest will be published in the special section.
To qualify for the contest, deer must be taken in Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Snyder or Huntingdon counties, or by residents of those counties hunting anywhere in Pennsylvania. Bucks shot in other states may not be entered.
To enter, we prefer you bring the whole deer - properly tagged - but the head and hide are acceptable as long as the tag is attached. All deer must have been killed legally according to the Pennsylvania Wildlife Code. Deer must be presented at The Sentinel, 352 Sixth St., Pleasant Acres, for measurement.
Hours for deer measurement during the regular firearms season are as follows:
* Monday through Friday, you may bring in a deer anytime between from 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. If you wish to bring a deer after 4:30 on a weekday, you must call 248-6741 in advance to ensure a photographer is present.
* Saturdays, measurements will be taken from 11 a.m. to noon only. This is a change from previous years; there will not be a photographer available at any other time Saturday.
* Sundays, deer taken Saturday may be brought in from 6 to 7 p.m. Again, this is the only time entries will be accepted on a Sunday.
If you are coming on a weekday during the listed hours, please bring your deer to the main entrance facing Mifflin County Junior High School. On weekends or after hours, go to the employee entrance on the side of the building facing William Penn-Golden Living nursing home.
Contest entries will be accepted through Monday, Dec. 10.
Each deer's score will be the sum of the rack's outside spread, number of points big enough to hold a ring, and base circumference of both antlers. The outside spread will be used as a tie-breaker.
