2026 Virtual Whitetail Buck Pole – Official Rules & Terms and Conditions
Sponsored by Jerome Country Market LLC
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE AN ENTRY’S CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
1. Sponsor
The 2026 Virtual Whitetail Buck Pole Contest (“Contest”) is sponsored and administered by Jerome Country Market LLC (“Sponsor”).
Jerome Country Market LLC
8985 E. Chicago Rd. (US-12)
Jerome, MI 49249
Phone: (517) 688-4041
The Contest celebrates Michigan’s deer hunting traditions, recognizes successful hunters, and provides an opportunity for hunters to share their experiences with the community.
2. Contest Overview
The 2026 Virtual Whitetail Buck Pole is a free, judged photo and hunting-story contest featuring legally harvested white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).
The Contest is open exclusively to eligible Michigan residents age 18 or older who legally harvested a white-tailed deer within Michigan during the designated 2026 hunting season.
There are two divisions:
Trophy Division — $500 Visa Gift Card
Recognizes an exceptional antlered whitetail buck, with emphasis on the deer’s overall quality and characteristics.
Open Division — $250 Visa Gift Card
Recognizes the hunting experience and story behind a successful harvest. Both antlered and antlerless whitetails are eligible.
Each hunter may enter only one division with one deer.
Winners will be determined by a judging panel designated by Jerome Country Market LLC using the published judging criteria.
There is no public voting, random drawing, raffle, or paid method of participation.
3. Contest Dates and Deadlines
All dates and times are Eastern Time (ET).
Eligible Harvest Period: September 12, 2026, through January 1, 2027, inclusive, provided the harvest occurred during a lawful Michigan deer hunting season applicable to the hunter and location.
Entry Period: Begins when the official Contest entry form is made available and ends January 3, 2027, at 11:59 PM ET.
Submission Deadline: January 3, 2027, at 11:59 PM ET.
Judging Period: January 4–10, 2027.
Provisional Winner Notification: January 11, 2027.
Winner Verification Period: January 11–16, 2027, ending at 11:59 PM ET.
Official Winner Announcement: January 17, 2027, at 12:00 PM (noon) ET.
Winners will be announced on Jerome Country Market’s official website and social media accounts.
If an eligibility issue, tie, or forfeiture prevents confirmation by the scheduled announcement, the affected division may be listed as pending until a verified winner is determined.
4. General Eligibility
To enter, participants must meet all of the following requirements:
1. Be at least 18 years of age when submitting an entry.
2. Be a legal resident of Michigan.
3. Have personally and legally harvested the submitted white-tailed deer within Michigan.
4. Have harvested the deer during the eligible harvest period and an authorized hunting season.
5. Submit a complete and truthful entry through the official Contest form.
6. Agree to these Official Rules and Terms & Conditions.
Only white-tailed deer are eligible. Other deer species, farm-raised deer, previously harvested deer, and unlawfully harvested deer are not eligible.
No purchase, entry fee, processing service, or store visit is required.
Owners, employees, designated judges, and members of their immediate households are not eligible to win Contest prizes.
5. Contest Divisions
Trophy Division — $500 Visa Gift Card
The Trophy Division is open to eligible hunters who legally harvested an antlered Michigan white-tailed deer.
Entries will be evaluated using the following criteria:
– Overall Quality and Characteristics of the Harvested Whitetail — 75%
– Hunting Story and Experience — 25%
Judges will consider the deer’s overall appearance, antler characteristics, and the hunting experience described by the entrant.
No minimum antler-point count, official Boone and Crockett measurement, or professional photography is required.
Open Division — $250 Visa Gift Card
The Open Division is open to eligible hunters who legally harvested any Michigan white-tailed deer, including antlered bucks and antlerless deer.
Entries will be evaluated using the following criteria:
– Hunting Story and Experience — 75%
– Overall Quality and Characteristics of the Harvest — 25%
The Open Division emphasizes the significance of the hunting experience rather than the size of the deer.
Judges may consider the circumstances of the hunt, the entrant’s experience, the personal significance of the harvest, and the overall characteristics of the deer.
No minimum antler size, official measurement, or professional photography is required.
6. Division Selection and Entry Limitations
Each eligible hunter may submit (1) one deer into one Contest division only.
Hunters must select either the Trophy Division or Open Division when completing the entry form.
Hunters submitting antlered deer may select either division.
Hunters submitting antlerless deer must enter the Open Division.
Once an entry has been approved and published, the selected division cannot be changed, except to correct an administrative error identified by the Sponsor.
Duplicate entries, multiple deer submitted by the same hunter, and participation in both divisions are prohibited.
Each hunter is eligible to receive only one Contest prize.
7. Legal Harvest Requirements
All submitted deer must have been legally harvested in Michigan in compliance with applicable federal and Michigan laws and Michigan Department of Natural Resources regulations.
Entrants are responsible for complying with all applicable requirements, including:
– Valid hunting licenses and permits.
– Authorized hunting seasons and legal hunting hours.
– Applicable antler restrictions and bag limits.
– Lawful hunting equipment and methods.
– Proper tagging, including paper or electronic tags where permitted.
– Mandatory Michigan deer harvest reporting.
– Land access and other applicable hunting restrictions.
Michigan requires deer harvest reporting within the applicable DNR deadline, generally within 72 hours of harvest or before transferring possession, whichever occurs first.
The Sponsor may request reasonable documentation establishing that the submitted deer was legally harvested.
Acceptance or publication of an entry does not constitute a determination by the Sponsor or Michigan DNR that the harvest complied with all applicable laws.
8. How to Enter
Participants must complete the official online entry form available through Jerome Country Market’s website.
Each entry must include:
1. Hunter’s full name.
2. Valid email address.
3. Telephone number.
4. Confirmation of Michigan residency and age eligibility.
5. Selected Contest division.
6. Date of harvest.
7. Michigan county where the deer was harvested.
8. A clear, original photograph of the harvested deer.
9. A written hunting story describing the experience.
10. Acceptance of these Official Rules and required certifications.
The hunting story should describe the experience behind the harvest. It may include the circumstances of the hunt, challenges encountered, personal significance, or other details the hunter wishes to share.
No purchase or payment is required.
Entries must be received by January 3, 2027, at 11:59 PM ET.
Incomplete, duplicate, fraudulent, or ineligible entries may be rejected.
9. Photograph and Content Requirements
Submitted photographs must accurately depict the white-tailed deer harvested by the entrant.
Photographs must be original or submitted with permission from the copyright owner.
Artificially generated photographs, stolen images, fabricated harvests, or material alterations that misrepresent the deer are prohibited.
Ordinary cropping, brightness adjustments, and other minor corrections are permitted if they do not materially misrepresent the harvest.
Photographs containing excessive gore, offensive material, unlawful activity, or content unsuitable for Jerome Country Market’s public website may be rejected.
Entrants must have permission to submit photographs containing other identifiable individuals where legally required.
The Sponsor may request original photographs or supporting information when reasonably necessary to verify authenticity.
10. Entry Review and Publication
All entries are subject to review by Jerome Country Market LLC before publication.
The Sponsor may reject entries that are incomplete, inappropriate, fraudulent, misleading, or inconsistent with these Official Rules.
Approved entries may be displayed in the Virtual Buck Pole gallery on the Sponsor’s website.
Publication of an entry does not guarantee eligibility for a prize.
The Sponsor is not required to publish every submitted entry.
11. Judging and Winner Determination
Winners will be selected exclusively by a judging panel designated by Jerome Country Market LLC.
There will be no public voting.
Each eligible entry will be evaluated within its selected division using the published criteria.
Trophy Division
– Overall Quality and Characteristics of the Harvested Whitetail: 75%.
– Hunting Story and Experience: 25%.
Open Division
– Hunting Story and Experience: 75%.
– Overall Quality and Characteristics of the Harvest: 25%.
Each judge will independently assign a score from 0 to 100 for each criterion.
Scores will be weighted according to the percentages assigned to the applicable division.
The weighted scores from all judges will be averaged to determine each entry’s final score.
The entry receiving the highest final score in each division will be designated the provisional winner, subject to eligibility and harvest verification.
Tie-Breaking Procedure
If two or more entries receive the same highest final score, the entry receiving the highest average score in the division’s 75% primary judging category will prevail.
If a tie remains, an additional independent judge will evaluate the tied entries using the same published criteria. The tied entry receiving the highest additional weighted score will prevail.
The Sponsor will maintain reasonable judging records and apply the published criteria consistently.
Judging decisions are final to the extent permitted by law, provided they are made in good faith and in accordance with these Official Rules.
### 12. Winner Notification and Verification
Provisional winners will be contacted using the email address or telephone number provided with their entry.
Initial winner notifications are scheduled for January 11, 2027.
Provisional winners must respond and complete all reasonably requested verification by **January 16, 2027, at 11:59 PM ET**.
Verification may include:
– Government-issued photo identification.
– Proof of Michigan residency.
– Applicable Michigan hunting license information.
– Valid deer tag or eHarvest documentation.
– Michigan DNR harvest reporting confirmation.
– Original photographs or other reasonable supporting documentation.
The Sponsor may request additional information when reasonably necessary to verify eligibility or authenticity.
Verification information must be submitted privately through a method designated by the Sponsor.
Participants should not submit government identification or other sensitive documents through public website comments or social media posts.
The Sponsor will use verification materials only for legitimate Contest administration, eligibility confirmation, dispute resolution, and applicable legal or recordkeeping purposes.
13. Prize Forfeiture and Alternate Winners
A provisional winner may be disqualified and forfeit the prize if the individual:
– Fails to respond within the required verification period.
– Does not provide reasonably requested documentation.
– Cannot establish Contest eligibility.
– Cannot reasonably substantiate the submitted harvest.
– Provides materially false or misleading information.
– Violates these Official Rules.
– Declines the prize.
If a provisional winner forfeits or is disqualified, the prize will be offered to the eligible entrant with the next-highest final judging score in the same division.
Each alternate provisional winner will have 48 hours from documented notification to respond and complete the required verification.
If an alternate winner does not qualify or respond within the required period, the Sponsor will continue offering the prize to the next-highest-scoring eligible entry.
If no eligible verified entrant remains, the applicable prize may remain unawarded.
Any resulting delay in the winner announcement will be communicated through the Sponsor’s website.
14. Contest Prizes
The Contest will award up to two prizes.
Trophy Division Winner: One $500 Visa Gift Card.
Open Division Winner: One $250 Visa Gift Card.
Total Maximum Prize Value: $750.
Only one prize may be awarded to an individual.
Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash through the Sponsor.
Gift cards are subject to the issuer’s terms, conditions, and restrictions.
If a stated prize becomes unavailable for reasons beyond the Sponsor’s reasonable control, the Sponsor may substitute a prize of equal or greater retail value.
Winners are responsible for any applicable federal, state, or local taxes.
The Sponsor may request tax documentation if required by applicable law.
15. Winner Announcement and Prize Delivery
Verified winners are scheduled to be announced on January 17, 2027, at 12:00 PM ET through Jerome Country Market’s official website and social media accounts.
The announcement may include the winner’s name, selected division, approved deer photograph, and hunting story.
If a provisional winner has not completed verification, the Sponsor may identify the applicable division as pending until a winner is confirmed.
Prize delivery will be arranged directly with each verified winner.
The Sponsor may require a signed acknowledgment confirming receipt of the prize.
16. Publicity and Photograph Rights
By entering, participants represent that they own or have permission to submit their photographs and hunting stories.
Entrants grant Jerome Country Market LLC a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to reproduce, display, publish, distribute, and reasonably adapt submitted photographs and hunting stories in connection with the Contest, its results, and promotional activities.
This includes use on the Sponsor’s website, social media channels, and promotional materials without additional compensation, to the extent permitted by law.
Entrants retain ownership of their original content.
The Sponsor will not publicly disclose private contact information, identification documents, or other sensitive verification records.
17. Privacy and Personal Information
Personal information collected during the Contest will be used for administration, eligibility review, winner notification, verification, prize delivery, and other purposes disclosed in the Sponsor’s Privacy Policy.
The Sponsor will use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards to protect information collected.
Sensitive verification materials will be accessible only to authorized individuals with a legitimate administrative need.
Information will be retained only as long as reasonably necessary for Contest administration, dispute resolution, legitimate recordkeeping, or applicable legal requirements.
Participation does not require consent to receive unrelated marketing communications.
18. Disqualification and Contest Integrity
The Sponsor may disqualify an entry based on documented evidence of:
– Fraud or misrepresentation.
– Ineligible participation.
– Duplicate submissions.
– Stolen or fabricated photographs.
– Misrepresentation of a deer or harvest.
– Attempts to improperly influence judging.
– Material violations of these Official Rules.
The Sponsor will apply the published rules consistently and in good faith.
The Sponsor may request reasonable supporting information before making an eligibility determination.
19. Technical Problems and Contest Administration
The Sponsor is not responsible for internet interruptions, transmission delays, upload failures, or other technical problems outside its reasonable control.
If a material technical or administrative failure affects the Contest, the Sponsor may take reasonable corrective action consistent with applicable law.
Corrective action may include extending a deadline, restoring affected entries, or postponing an announcement.
Material changes will be publicly disclosed and implemented in a manner intended to protect participants who reasonably relied on the published rules.
The Sponsor will not arbitrarily change judging criteria, eligibility requirements, or prize values after eligible entries have been accepted.
20. Liability and Release
By participating, entrants agree, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to release Jerome Country Market LLC and its owners, employees, representatives, and authorized judges from claims arising solely from ordinary Contest participation, submitted content, or use of an awarded prize, except where liability cannot lawfully be excluded.
The Sponsor is not responsible for the hunting activities, conduct, or regulatory compliance of participants.
The Contest does not encourage or authorize unsafe hunting, trespassing, unlawful harvesting, or violations of Michigan hunting regulations.
Nothing in these Official Rules excludes liability for fraud, intentional misconduct, gross negligence, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be waived.
21. Governing Law and Disputes
The Contest and these Official Rules are governed by applicable Michigan law.
To the extent permitted by law, disputes arising from the Contest will be subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate state or federal courts serving Jackson County, Michigan.
Nothing in these Official Rules limits nonwaivable statutory rights or remedies.
If any provision is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect to the extent legally permissible.
22. Social Media and Third-Party Disclaimer
This Contest is independently sponsored and administered by Jerome Country Market LLC.
The Contest is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Meta Platforms, Inc., or Visa Inc.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is not a sponsor, administrator, judge, or guarantor of this Contest.
Social media likes, comments, reactions, and shares have no effect on winner selection.
23. Acceptance of Official Rules
By submitting an entry, participants acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Official Rules and Terms & Conditions.
Participants certify that:
– They are Michigan residents age 18 or older.
– They personally and legally harvested the submitted deer in Michigan.
– Their submission information is accurate.
– They have the necessary rights to submit their photograph and hunting story.
– They agree to the published judging and verification procedures.
24. Official Contact Information
For questions regarding eligibility, entries, judging, verification, or prizes, contact:
Jerome Country Market LLC
8985 E. Chicago Rd. (US-12)
Jerome, MI 49249
Phone: (517) 688-4041
For official hunting requirements, consult the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. OPEN TO ELIGIBLE MICHIGAN RESIDENTS AGE 18 OR OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.