The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association on Thursday announced the winner of its 14th annual Big Buck Photo Contest.
Bubba Williams and his 6-year-old son, Cason, a first grader at Pine Grove Elementary School in Bay Minette, submitted the winning photo. Cason harvested an eight-point buck in what the association called “an unforgettable start to the season” in a news release.
Bubba Williams photographed his son with the deer and entered the image in the contest. The photo received the most online votes, making Cason the winner.
Cason will receive a $100 gift card and a copy of “Black Belt Bounty,” a coffee table book featuring images, wildlife essays, stories on hunting and fishing traditions and wild game recipes. Buckmasters also provided a hat, a buck knife and a one-year subscription to Buckmasters Magazine.
Cason’s photo garnered more than 1,600 online votes. Addison Bridges, an 18-year-old student at Wallace Community College in Selma, finished second with about 1,000 votes. Braxton Lee, an 8-year-old student at Ivy Classical Academy in Prattville, placed third with 239 votes.
More than 125 people entered the contest, which drew thousands of online votes. Hunters harvested all of the bucks shown in the top three photos in Dallas County.
“Our photo contests are designed to highlight the amazing hunting opportunities that so many people enjoy right here in the Black Belt,” ALBBAA director Pam Swanner said. “It’s always gratifying to see photos that commemorate family memories, and it’s extra special knowing this year’s winner came from a father-son hunt.
“We want to thank everyone who participated and submitted entries into the contest and everybody who cast an online vote,” Swanner said. “The Black Belt offers the very best hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation activities, and we want our photo contests to celebrate that tradition.”
ALBBAA will launch its annual Big Gobbler Photo Contest next month. The contest will run through the end of Alabama’s spring turkey season.
The Black Belt includes 23 counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.
