Click Here to See the 2010 Winners
Through joint cooperation with Larry Tillman of the Hondo Ranch, Gordon Barham of the Gordon Ranch and Dennis Jones of the South Dakota River Ranch, we are pleased to announce a Youth Essay Contest on "Hunting" for youths aged 12 to 16.
This Contest was inspired by a young lady from Roswell, NM named Danielle Turner. You can and should read her story on the September 13 posting on the "What's New" page. In an effort to promote hunting in the eyes of our youth, we came up with the idea to give away some hunts. The essay contest seemed to be a good way of selecting some deserving youths while promoting an interest in hunting.
This Contest will only be advertised on this website. Only people who have enough interest in us to read our website will even know about it. Know a youth who deserves a western big-game hunt? Tell them about this contest!
First Place
A fully-guided, private-land, rifle elk hunt on the Hondo Ranch, a $10,000 retail value! The Hondo Ranch is located in south-central New Mexico and is one of the premier elk-hunting ranches in the state. The date of the hunt will be December 27-31, 2010. Click here to go to Hondo Ranch Elk-Hunting page.
Larry Tillman, of the Hondo Ranch, has donated the landowner permit, ranch access and accommodations. Elite has donated the guiding, food and license.
Russ Peagler of Monck's Corner, SC has donated $500 toward the equipment and/or travel expenses for the first-place winner.
Second Place
A fully-guided, private-land, rifle pronghorn antelope hunt on the Gordon Ranch, a $2,700 retail value! The Gordon Ranch is located in central New Mexico and is home not only to elk, but some top-notch pronghorn antelope as well. The date of the hunt will be September 11-12, 2010. Click here to go to the Gordon Ranch Antelope-Hunting page.
Gordon Barham, of the Gordon Ranch, has donated the landowner permit and ranch access. Elite has donated the guiding, food, accommodations and hunting license.
Michael Groom of Los Gatos, CA has donated $300 toward the equipment and/or travel expenses for the second-place winner.
Third Place
A fully-guided pheasant hunt on the Dakota River Ranch in northeastern South Dakota. A $2,500 retail value! The hunt dates are flexible and will be determined with whomever wins the prize.
Dennis Jones, of the Dakota River Ranch, has donated the land access, guiding, accommodations and food.
Eric Bell of Romeoville, IL has donated $200 toward the equipment and/or travel expenses for the third-place winner.
Consolation Prizes
Will be given to all contestants who enter the Contest. Depending on the number of applicants, suitable prizes will be chosen with the funding available.
Mark Michalsky of Chesapeake City, MD has donated $300 toward the consolation prizes.
Shawn Schmidtke of Oregon City, OR has donated $200 toward the consolation prizes.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this contest, the prospective writer must be at least 12 years old, but not older than 16 years on January 1, 2010. No exceptions.
Every contestant must fill out our application. The information requested is merely to help us understand the youth's hunting background. It does not matter whether that hunting background is extensive or nonexistent when it comes time to choose a winning essay. We just want to attempt to know you as an individual, as best we can.
Each prospective youth writer must have an adult sponsor that will ultimately accompany the youth on the hunt and see that they get to and from the hunt safely. If any youth has trouble finding a sponsor, let us know. We'll find you one.
The deadline for submitting essays will be May 1, 2010. The winner will be announced and the winning essays will be posted on this website by June 1, 2010.
We reserve the right to disqualify any essay that we feel was submitted under false pretenses or dishonesty of any kind. Besides, anyone who would try and cheat on something like this, will not have the heart in their writing it will take to win this contest so we're not worried.
Essay Format
The essay must be between 500 and 750 words in length. No more, no less. The topic of the essay is merely "Hunting". Any subject related to hunting is acceptable. The essay must have a title. The openness of the topic leaves lots of room for the writer to express their thoughts and ideas on anything related to hunting. There needs to be a point to the essay. The title sets the stage for the point and the essay makes the point. Any way you choose to make the point is fair game.
The essay should be about a subject that is important to the youth. Write from the heart more than the head. If the prospective writer tries to write something they think we want to hear without truly having the subject matter in their heart, it will show in their writing. Youths, write about something related to hunting you feel strongly about deep within you. THAT is how you pick what to write about.
The essay should be typed. Grammar and English skills are important to some degree, but we're most interested in content. We also realize that a 12-year-old's literary skills should not be equal to a 16-year-old's skills. Age will be considered in the judging process to keep it a level playing field.
Sponsor
The sponsor's main role will be to see that the youth gets to and from the hunt safely. The sponsor is expected to accompany the youth on the hunt and be responsible for the cost of travel to and from the hunt. Ideally, the sponsor would be whomever serves as the primary hunting mentor in the youth's life. Ultimately, the sponsor just needs to be a responsible adult who cares enough to see that the youth gets to and from New Mexico should they be fortunate enough to win one of the hunts.
The sponsor can help the youth with choosing an essay title and subject matter. The sponsor should be extremely wary of not over-shadowing the youth's thinking and writing. We also understand that editing is a vital and important part of any writing process. By serving as their "editor", after the essay is written, the sponsor can help the youth with polishing their final product. All we ask is please resist the urge to over-edit the youth's writing. It will ultimately take away from what came out of their heart and hurt them more than it will help them.
What is Included Should You Win
We will provide all permits and licenses for the hunt. We will also provide lodging, meals and guiding services for the youth hunter and one sponsor during the hunt. We can also provide the use of a very youth-friendly rifle for the hunts if needed.
Important! In order for us to purchase the youth licenses before the hunt, the winning youth hunters must have passed a state-issued, hunter-safety course. It is not necessary to have this course to enter the contest, but it will be required by the NM Game & Fish before we can buy the licenses. Any state's hunter-safety course is valid in New Mexico.
The sponsor is only responsible for getting the youth and themselves to and from the hunt location. That's it.
Here's What to Do
1. Print the application from the following link: Youth Essay Application
2. Fill out the required information for both the youth applicant and the sponsor.
3. Start thinking and working on your essay.
4. When you are finished, send the application and essay to:
Elite Outfitters
113 Edelweiss Loop
Alto, NM 88312
5. The deadline to have your application and essay
in our hands is May 1, 2010.