Hunters from around the region gathered at Westlock Community Hall over the weekend to have their prized antlers scored and judged.
The Busby & District Fish and Game Association held its fourth annual horn-scoring event on Jan. 28, which brought in roughly 250 hunters and 25 sets of antlers.
“I don’t think there was many deer and stuff taken this year,” said president George Lecky, adding this had a large affect on the turnout this year. “It was not a good hunting year this year.”
The event usually brings in between 50 and 55 sets of antlers. Even with this decrease, the association was able to hand out prizes for each of the seven categories.
The categories are divided by species, including elk, moose, mule deer and white-tailed deer, both typical and non typical. There are also categories for ladies white-tailed deer and youth white-tailed deer.
Pat Sparrowe attended his second horn-scoring event with the association and brought in a large set of elk antlers to be judged.
“It was the first day of rifle season that I went out and 10 minutes into the hunt, he walked out into the field with 30 cows,” he said. “I’ve watched him for three years now, but there’s been no season in that zone.”
His set of antlers is taking him to provincials, according to Lecky, who said they will send anything that’s “big and decent enough.”
“I think he’s got (the prize) for Busby & District Fish and Game — I haven’t seen anything that has even come close to him,” said Sparrowe. “They mentioned it to me about going to provincials and I believe he is big enough to go to provincials but I don’t think he’s big enough to win. There’s been a lot of Elk taken this year.”
Last year he placed in the top five for white-tailed deer and hopes to return in coming years.
“This is my passion,” he said. “It’s just the love of the outdoors and mingling with other people that like the exact same thing.”
Wes Voogd, Boone and Çrockett measurer, said he too does it for a love of the sport.
“I just like scoring horns. That’s why I became a Boone and Crockett measurer,” he said.
He said scoring a set of antlers typically takes about 20 minutes, although some antlers can take much longer if they are non typical.
“I like seeing all the different horns — none are ever the same. They all grow differently,” he said.
He was trained in Boone and Crockett measuring roughly a decade ago and has measured for the Busby & District Fish and Game Association since the horn-scoring event began four years ago.
This was the first time the event was hosted at Memorial Hall and organizers thought it would give exhibitors more space to showcase their businesses as well as attract larger crowds.
There were a total if eight exhibitors this year, which is on par with past years.
The larger space also allowed the association to bring in more silent auction items, which were donated by local businesses and individuals.
Lecky said there was no goal on how much he hoped to raise, adding the association “gets what we get.”
All proceeds from the admission fee and silent auction items goes back to the association, however they association sends some of those funds to other organizations.
“Every year, we send some money to Narrow Lake Conservation Camp and every year or two years, we donate money back to Alberta Fish and Game and that goes towards land purchases, habitat for wildlife in Alberta and stuff like that,” Lecky said.
