COLFAX, La. (WNTZ) – Young hunters across Grant Parish will have a chance to showcase their skills and win big during the upcoming Grant Parish Youth Deer Contest, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11, on the opening day of youth deer season.

The event, hosted by the Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office in partnership with Grant Parish Delta Waterfowl, Tony Gauthier of Nation Services, Hunters for Heroes, and Burnin Barrels Outfitters, aims to encourage youth participation in Louisiana’s rich hunting tradition while offering prizes, outdoor gear, and family-friendly activities.

The contest will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Grant Parish Detention Center, where participating hunters can bring their harvested deer to be weighed and measured. Does will be judged by weight, while bucks will be measured by antler size.

Prizes and Giveaways

The young hunter who brings in the heaviest doe and the one who harvests the largest buck will each receive a lifetime hunting and fishing license, one of the most coveted prizes for Louisiana outdoorsmen.

Additional prizes include: two .22 rifles (one awarded to a boy and one to a girl who enter the contest) and a guided duck hunt from Burnin Barrels Outfitters, which will be raffled off among all participants.

Every youth hunter who enters will also receive a hunter’s orange vest and cap to promote safety in the field.

Family Activities and More

The event is designed to be more than just a competition. Family members accompanying the young hunters will be entered into a separate prize drawing, and a free meal will be served to everyone who stops by.

There will also be arts and crafts made by inmates available for purchase, as well as firewood for sale at $50 per rick.

Sheriff’s officials said the event is part of an ongoing effort to get more young people involved in outdoor recreation and Louisiana’s hunting heritage.

“This contest is a fun and rewarding way to celebrate our young hunters while teaching them about safety, conservation, and tradition,” organizers said.

For more information about the event, contact the Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office.