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Tuesday, October 13th, 2026

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Ralph Loos: Illinois Outdoor News’ Best Buck contest — two decades proving the biggest buck isn’t always the winner

Sometimes, the winner of the Outdoor News Best Buck Photo Contest is simply the one that comes with the best lens angle and steady camera hand. (Stock photo)

I suppose it was inevitable. Give Illinois deer hunters a camera, a big buck and a good reason to create some friendly competition, and eventually somebody is going to turn it into a contest.
Two full decades later, the Illinois Outdoor News Best Buck Contest is still going strong. But here’s the thing I like most about this annual contest: It isn’t really a battle about who shot the biggest buck.

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