Joe Manchin III, Governor

Frank Jezioro, Director

News Release : August 7, 2006

Hoy Murphy, Public Information Officer (304) 558-3381 hoymurphy@wvdnr.gov

Contact: Keith Krantz , Wildlife Resources Section (304) 637-0245wildlife@wvdnr.gov

WANTED: Owners of West Virginia Big Bucks

The West Virginia Wildlife Federation and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources are seeking hunters who own trophy white-tailed bucks that were legally taken in West Virginia with either bow or gun and have a Pope & Young or Boone and Crockett score of 150 or greater. The purpose of this search is to establish a West Virginia Big Buck Display at West Virginia 's Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day, September 23 - 24, 2006 at Stonewall Jackson Lake Resort State Park near Weston in Lewis County. This is the largest event held at a West Virginia state park, attracting 13,000 to 18,000 visitors annually.

  Interested hunters who have qualifying head or antler mounts should contact Keith Krantz at (304) 637-0245 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. or Keithkrantz@wvdnr.gov, for additional information or a registration form. Additional information and registration forms may also be found at www.wvdnr.gov . Look under “ Special Opportunities, National Hunting & Fishing Days.”

Participation will be limited to the first 30 qualifying trophy entries received. As an incentive for participation, hunters who display their trophy deer at the two-day event will receive a hunting knife and event-specific, limited production hat. They will also be entered into an exclusive drawing for two Knight muzzleloaders and two Custom Shooting Systems (CSS) compound bows valued at $600 each.

**DNR**