The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) has opened its 13th annual Big Buck Photo Contest, inviting hunters to showcase their trophy bucks harvested in the Black Belt region. The winner will be determined through online voting.
“This contest celebrates the incredible deer hunting opportunities in Alabama’s Black Belt, known as one of the premier destinations for bagging a trophy buck,” said ALBBAA director Pam Swanner. “We encourage hunters to participate and share their successes this deer season.”
The winner will receive a $150 gift card and a copy of Black Belt Bounty, an award-winning coffee table book featuring stunning wildlife photography, compelling stories, and wild game recipes.
Contest Details
To enter, hunters must upload a photo of a buck harvested within the 23- county Black Belt region during the 2024-2025 whitetail deer season. Eligible counties include Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, and Wilcox. Entries and voting take place on the ALBBAA website: Big Buck Photo Contest.
Participants and visitors to the webpage can vote once per day, per entry, per IP address. Voting will close at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, allowing extra time for late-season submissions.
Rules and Reminders
Photos must meet ALBBAA standards, emphasizing ethical and respectful depictions of hunting. Entries deemed inappropriate or casting a negative perception of hunters may be disqualified. Winners from the past two years are ineligible, and voting violations will result in disqualification.
Hunters are reminded to purchase their licenses through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), wear orange for safety, and report deer harvests via Game Check. Participants are also encouraged to donate venison through ADCNR’s Hunters Helping the Hungry or Venison Provisions programs to support needy families.
The contest highlights the unique hunting culture of Alabama’s Black Belt and encourages families to create lasting memories in the great outdoors. As Swanner noted, “Seeing photos of children on their first hunt with family is especially rewarding, as it captures the essence of outdoor adventures and lifelong traditions.”
