On Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Vermont Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche and Vermont Big Game Trophy Club Chairman Brad Hanson signed a Cooperative Agreement in which the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department recognizes the VBGTC as the "official keepers of the trophy records for all Vermont big game."

The VBGTC is a non-profit organization founded in March 2008 by Hanson and Boone and Crockett Club Official Measurer Curtis Smiley to document the largest deer, bear, moose, and turkey killed in Vermont. In addition to records keeping, the mission of the VBGTC is to protect, preserve and promote Vermont's hunting heritage. The VBGTC will be maintaining all trophy records from the former Vermont Big Game Trophy Awards Program that had been administered by the Fish & Wildlife Department as well as adding all future records.

The VBGTC has already uncovered several Boone and Crockett Club qualifying bear and moose that were taken in Vermont and not yet entered into the Boone and Crockett Club records or the Vermont records. The club is actively searching to locate and measure trophies from Vermont that have been harvested in the past. These trophies must meet the minimum score standards set by the VBGTC, which are lower than Boone and Crockett Club minimums.

The Vermont Big Game Trophy Club will be measuring trophies at the following shows:

• SEPTEMBER 13-14, 2008 -- Northern Vermont Outdoor Recreation and Sportsman's Show, Indoor Recreation of Orleans County (IROC) Building, Derby, Vermont
• JANUARY 16-18, 2009 -- Yankee Sportsman's Classic, Champlain Valley Fairgrounds, Essex Junction, Vermont

The VBGTC has scheduled its first annual Awards Banquet & Trophy Show for April 4, 2009 at the Canadian Club in Barre, VT. The Club will also be publishing its first records book titled "Records of Vermont Big Game" in 2009. This book will contain records, stories and photos of Vermont's big game species.

If you have taken a large deer, bear, moose, or turkey in Vermont and are interested in getting it scored for entry into the club records or need more information on the entry requirements, please contact Brad Hanson at 802-893-8011, Curtis Smiley at 802-849-2986, or log onto the Club's website at www.vermontbiggametrophyclub.com.

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Predator Hunting on the Manitoba Prairie
As a young lad growing up in any rural area can tell you, predators are a part of life, whether you like it or not. I was introduced to a form of predator control at an early age, my father always used to run a small trap line, nothing special, just a bunch of snares and a few foot traps set out on only the most popularly used predator trails. My old man was always on the lookout for a new spot to set up traps and was usually right on the money when he returned to see if his hunch was correct. His personal best was 8 coyotes and one red fox, which he managed to collect during a 2 - day period about 20 years ago, it seems the tradition is bred into our heritage. This is the story of how my brothers and I tied my dad's personal best.