Prairie Rod and Gun Club Deer Show Feb. 16
Visitors and participants can watch big racks like this one get scored, and also learn what scorers look for. Loren Miller of Lansing, Iowa scored this gnarly and beautiful set of antlers at a previous Deer Show. Racks and mounts from around the area will be on display at the 2019 Deer Show Feb. 16. (Courier Press file photo)
By Ted Pennekamp
The 21st annual Prairie Rod and Gun Club Deer Show will be held on Saturday, Feb 16 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Prairie du Chien National Guard Armory.
Hunters are encouraged to bring their game head mounts or antlers, taken anywhere, any time for display in this celebration of our deer hunting heritage. Antler registration is at the Armory on State Highway 35 on the north side of Prairie du Chien from 6-9 p.m. on Friday night, Feb. 15 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday Feb 16.
Persons bringing in a mounted game head or antlers for display will qualify for a chance to win a Henry Big Boy 45-70 lever action rifle donated by Stark’s Sports Shop in the participants raffle.
A group of volunteer antler scorers will score the racks entered for the show free of charge. The antlers that qualify will be eligible for entry into the Boone and Crocket, Pope and Young, or Wisconsin Buck and Bear Club record books. Sheds are welcome and will be displayed but will not be scored nor allowed into the participants drawing. The mounts and antlers will be released at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Mounts and antlers will be displayed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for all see. Come and enjoy the display of fruits of the hunter’s efforts in taking a nice whitetail or mule deer, antelope, elk or other trophy.
Admission to this event is $5 per person 12 years of age and older. Food and beverages will be available. A variety of vendors will be present. Various raffles and a Sportman’s Silent Auction will also be held.
According to Dennis Kirschbaum, Prairie Rod and Gun Club secretary, “This year’s Deer Show is a great way to celebrate our deer hunting heritage. As a participant, you get the opportunity to display your trophy from past hunts, have your new rack scored and as a visitor you get to see some of the best our deer hunters have to offer.”
The Deer Show is the Prairie Rod and Gun Club’s only fund raiser. Funds raised go to support the club’s efforts in improving and protecting our natural resources and promoting safe outdoor use. Some of the club’s continuing projects include: trout habitat improvement by protection of stream banks, sponsoring hunter education classes, conducting a kid’s casting contest at the Crawford County Fair, helping the Prairie du Chien Parks and Recreation Department with youth fishing activities, conducting Clean Water, Clean Boat inspections at boat landings, maintaining a safe rifle range for members, opening the range to all for pre-deer season sight-in, archery range management at La Riviere Park, habitat improvement projects at La Riviere Park and other places, support for a personal flotation device lender rack at the Woodman boat landing, and providing a trap range for Prairie du Chien High School students to use for their participation in the Wisconsin High School Trap League.
Some projects in 2018 included building a bird blind for La Riviere Park, erecting chimney swift towers for La Riviere Park, completing a fishing project whereby anglers can have a safe place to fish the waters of the Mississippi River from shore, conducting a clean water project, and building an archery tower at the La Riviere Park archery range.
Kirschbaum said projects the club is working on so far in 2019 include repair of flood damage at the rifle range and continuing with the construction of the elevated shooting stand at the archery range at La Riviere Park.
Event sponsors for the Deer Show include Stark’s Sports Shop, Cabela’s, Walmart, Country Inn and Suites, and Design Homes.
