Red Rabbit Report post Posted March 5, 2008 As this past year's contest winds down and prizes are sent to the fortunate winners, it may be time to reflect on the contest. I see that the overall picture quality has improved. I see more people registered each year, and more prizes and better are being donated. Every youth that entered a coues in the contest has received an award each of the three years for the contest. I would like to see more of our kids entered. In my mind, the hunt should not rest a large part on the score even though most of us probably like and target big bucks, myself included. But it is the overall hunt experience that matters most after the close of the season. Personally, I hunted about the whole season in a quest for a large coues. I received contact from many of you and hunted together with a few. In the end, I wounded a nice buck and did not recover it. But I must say that this season has been one of my favorites, due to the overall hunting experience. In these regards, I am thinking of how we can improve the contest so it is the hunt that is measured and rewarded and not just the number of inches of calcium. Perhaps we can have new categories for the best hunt story, the best photo essay of the hunt, best camp photo, prettiest buck, more places for smallest buck and less for biggest, awards for first coues (not you Casey ) , best spot and stalk archery, best venison dinner plate. We can do polls to judge many of these categories. What are yall's thoughts and suggestions? Doug~RR Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted March 5, 2008 From Elkhunter: I'm down for the best story part, it would make people write up better stories and include more pictures, maybe ya oughta set up a poll and the top 3 categorys or so shall be on the next year's contest? Maybe next year the contest will be big enough like those major hunting magazines and give away some swaros, lieca and zeiss??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted March 5, 2008 From Coues n Sheep: I like the photo essay, idea...... There are some people on here that put together amazing photo-recaps of thier hunts it would be tons of fun! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted March 5, 2008 From FirstCoues: Nice Doug, way to make the contest so you can win something! Its kinda like how the smallest buck idea came to play AFER I killed the worlds smallest spike! I like all the ideas, any way to get more people involved, and give away prizes. ( I hope I dont get flamed for this) On the other hand, I think there should be some sort of minimum post rule... Lots of people join the site to throw their hat into the fire and try to win something free, but dont make a single post here. By all means, we need as many people to join as possible, it just seems we have a ton of people who join SOLELY for the purpose of trying to win something, who dont add anything to the site... Does any one at all agree with me? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted March 5, 2008 One of the benefits and goals of the contest is to involve more new people into the CW.com. The contest started in conjunction with MonsterMuleys.com, and has been mentioned on AZOD with TLH's permission, and also in the Outdoor section of the Arizona Republic. Of course there will be new members with no posts joining initially for the contest, but there is hope that they will stay and contribute. All forums have their lurkers and those that make a first post in the free classifieds. I would like to see the contest help serve the goal of growth for CW.com, and become a contest that celebrates the joys and tales of the hunt, and go beyond just a big buck contest. So I ask y'all "how can you do this?" Doug~RR Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Foundry Man Report post Posted March 5, 2008 You know, we have some people with writing ability on this forum. It may be cool to make an "arrangement" with one of the big magazines to have a story published about the "winner of the CouesWhitetail.com contest". That would be a cool prize in it's self, AND get us some "face time" with the public. I don't know, just a thought. I have very much enjoyed the contest this year, though. I was proud to be part of it. I want to do another bronze next year.>>Jason Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesdiehard Report post Posted March 5, 2008 I like Foundry Man's idea....of course we would have to disqualify Outdoor Writer. He's a ringer! I think anything that would encourage contestants to put more effort into writing up their hunt stories and giving the rest of us a feel for being there on the hunt would be great. I would also suggest a category for funniest or weirdest thing that happened on your hunt story. The members here always seem to have some hilarious or strange experiences on their hunts. Lee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted March 5, 2008 You know, we have some people with writing ability on this forum. It may be cool to make an "arrangement" with one of the big magazines to have a story published about the "winner of the CouesWhitetail.com contest". That would be a cool prize in it's self, AND get us some "face time" with the public. I don't know, just a thought. I have very much enjoyed the contest this year, though. I was proud to be part of it. I want to do another bronze next year.>>Jason Good suggestion, and I am already doing that for this contest. When I first announced the contest, Chris Denham of Western Hunter magazine contacted me to suggest we do an article about the winners of the contest for his magazine. So I am working with him to do that. We are still working on exactly what format to do for that. Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SunDevil Report post Posted March 5, 2008 I personally always thought that having 6 adult big buck winners was a little much. 1) Typical and 2) nontypical for 1) MX 2) US 3) archery. I would think 3 should be enough (MX, US, archery). you could take those other 3 prizes and create 3 new categories. I would vote for 1) best story 2) biggest first coues 3) best scenery photo. I enjoy seeing and viewing the few photo essays that are put together each year but doubt I would ever do one. I do take a few photos but when I am hunting, I am hunting. Most of the field pictures I have taken have been after I have taken a deer or when I have been out helping other people on their hunts. Just my 2 cents. Thanks to all for their efforts on a great contest. Chris. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NOFX Report post Posted March 5, 2008 One of the benefits and goals of the contest is to involve more new people into the CW.com. The contest started in conjunction with MonsterMuleys.com, and has been mentioned on AZOD with TLH's permission, and also in the Outdoor section of the Arizona Republic. Of course there will be new members with no posts joining initially for the contest, but there is hope that they will stay and contribute. All forums have their lurkers and those that make a first post in the free classifieds. I would like to see the contest help serve the goal of growth for CW.com, and become a contest that celebrates the joys and tales of the hunt, and go beyond just a big buck contest. So I ask y'all "how can you do this?" Doug~RR Because I am a new member, I will get to register for the contests this year. I think that all of the suggestions are good. However, I noticed that the registration deadline for the last contest was Oct. 15th. This is after the Aug/Sept. archery hunt. Hypothetical scenario: My buddy, who has no interest in joining the forum, tags a toad in Aug. I could set him up as a member and join the contest after the buck has already been harvested to win a big prize. My buddy wins the contest and forgets all about the forum (0 posts, 0 views). I know that you want to recruit new members but maybe the registration deadline should be before the Aug. archery hunt. Just a suggestion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted March 5, 2008 NOFX, That was the risk we knew we took with the registration after the start of archery, but many rifle hunters may be seasonal viewers and miss an earlier August deadline since rifle season is not till the end of October. We can easily do a dual registration deadline next year. Thanks for your input. Doug Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted March 5, 2008 I think NOFX has a great point there, and that idea you have of a "Dual Registration Deadline" would be a good thing Doug. I really like the idea of adding a "Best Hunt Story" and "Best Photo Essay" categories to the contest next year! I think that would greatly increase the amount of quality posts here on this site! I always look forward to reading everyones hunt stories and wish more people took the time to write about their hunt and post more pic's.........that's what drew me here several years ago and I'm sure that's what draws most people here and keeps them here! I also like the idea of creating categories such as the ones I mentioned, and allowing the members to add their vote and be the judges.......that would create more involvement with the members and possibly create more interest in the contest itself. That's my $.02 Thanks, JIM> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesdiehard Report post Posted March 5, 2008 Great idea Jim about allowing members to vote in some of the categories. I don't how difficult that would be but it would interest me. One caveat, each member should get only one vote each so Jim can't stuff the ballot box like some lame politician! Lee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted March 5, 2008 Great idea Jim about allowing members to vote in some of the categories. I don't how difficult that would be but it would interest me. One caveat, each member should get only one vote each so Jim can't stuff the ballot box like some lame politician! Lee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted March 5, 2008 Regarding the voting on categories (like best hunt story, etc)....Doug and I had talked about it before he started this thread and I was thinking that voting on the contest categories should be limited to just those who registered for the contest (this year there were about 200 people). But we could also leave it open to any registered member whether they are signed up for the contest or not. Which do you guys prefer? Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
