Contest Rules

  1. All contestants will be required to follow the rules and regulations of Racks-&-Tusks of Texas contest. All game must be taken in accordance to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department rules and regulations. All game must be scored, photographed and an information sheet completed to be eligible for an award. Scores and photos should be sent to Racks-&-Tusks of Texas P.O. Box 3305 Edinburg, TX 78540.
    1. Photos must be with etiquette: no blood or tongue sticking out and not photographed in truck bed. All game must be photographed perferably at location of harvest or on ground so it can be published on Racks-&-Tusks website. Photos may be sent to emailed to photos@racksandtusks.org for quicker publishing.
  2. Contestants must be entered in Racks-&-Tusks of Texas contest before the animal is harvested to be eligible for an award.
  3. A certified scorer of Texas Big Game Awards using Boone and Crockett measuring system must score all animals. Animals may be scored at Racks-&-Tusks contest headquarters.
  4. "Tame" or "pet" animals may not be entered into the contest even if the animal is free ranging. Tame or pet refers to having been associated with humans to such a degree that they have lost their natural fear.
  5. Racks-&-Tusks of Texas contest will use the Boone & Crockett scoring guidelines with no deducts. Animals with velvet will be measured and totaled, and then 3% will be deducted for final score.
  6. Racks-&-Tusks of Texas contest is for animals harvested in the state of Texas within the borders of  US Route 59 from Laredo to Goliad and State Highway 239 to Hynes Bay.
  7. No contestant may have more than one entry per species. A bigger animal may replace prior submittal if a new entry is paid for prior to harvest.
  8. All weight categories must be weighed on certified scales (must provide certified scale number and signed by weigher). Animals will be weighed without entrails (i.e. lungs, heart, liver, etc.).
  9. Any contestant may be required to take a polygraph test to secure the integrity of the contest.
  10. Racks-&-Tusks of Texas contest directors have the right to re-measure an animal to establish the place in each category.
  11. Best overall deer will be highest score from official panel score of all categories, overall hog will be heaviest tusks measured from gum line 10lbs per inch.
  12. High fence is an enclosure with seven-foot or higher fence completely around perimeter.
  13. Bow division will be for animals taken by legal means with archery equipment (long bow, recurve bow, compound ). Animals taken by any other means or combination (i.e. dog and bow) will be entered in crossbow division or rifle division.
  14. Women will compete in "Women" Division and men in the "Men" Division, except in the "Overall" division.
  15. A low fence is an enclosure with no fence, a fence under seven feet tall, or with at least a stretch of fence 1000 yards under seven feet high on the outside perimeter that is not captive to animals.
  16. Youth categories are for male and female under age 17  at the time the trophy is harvested. They may also compete in all other divisions.
  17. Contest will run from first day of archery season til the end of hunting last day, deer rifle season. All entries must be turned in by mid-night next day. Also during season all entries must be submitted within 7 days of harvest or no longer qualify. ( this is to stop people for holding their animals hoping to get bigger animal.)
  18. All ties will be broken by the earliest harvested animal.
  19. Judges decision is final.
  20. Overall and first place winners must turn in a testimonial and must be at awards banquet to receive their award.
  21. Scholarship contest is available for contestants, and college students sophomore and up. If not a contestant must be referred by a contestant who is entered in the Racks-&-Tusks of Texas contest and submit a scholarship application.