Competition RULES
2025 Whitetail World Championship
1. RULES AND REGULATIONS: These guidelines, as set forth on this entry form must be strictly followed by all contestants. It is each contestant’s responsibility to read and fully understand these rules because entrants may be disqualified for noncompliance and may be required to forfeit all prize money and entry fees if they fail to comply with these rules and regulations. The decision of the tournament directors appointed by the Whitetail World Association (WWA) will be final in all matters. All protests must be submitted to the Competition Directors in writing by December 31st, 2025, and must be sent to WWA, Attn: Brett Ware, P.O. Box 542, Maryville, MO 64468.
2. PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY: Participation in this competition is limited to applicants that are 19 and older as of September 1st, 2025, to compete in the Whitetail World Championship. The tournament directors reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone who has been previously disqualified from any outdoor competition or tournament for a serious violation, such as cheating or stealing. No one directly employed by the WWA will be allowed to participate in the competition. The WWA promotes you submit weekly content during your hunting season that demonstrates to social media your hunting techniques using the hashtags #WhitetailWorldChampionship and #HeatwaveHunting,
3. REGISTRATION, COMPETITION DATES and ENTRY FEE: Entries may be filled out with electronic signature or printed out on-line at www.WhitetailWorldChampionship.com or mailed into the address on the Entry Form. Competitors need to have their entry fee paid in full prior to hunting and in-order to be in good standing with the WWA and eligible to compete in the tournament to receive prizes. The competition will start on October 15th, 2025, and end on December 31st, 2025. The entry fee is $25.00 per person from August 21st – October 15th. There are no refunds to any contestants once their entry fee is paid full.
4. REGION and ENTRY TIME PERIOD: Contestants are limited to hunting in North America on both private and public-ground. No High-Fence hunting is allowed. The Entry Period will be from August 21st, 2025 to October 15th, 2025.
5. BOW HUNTING SPECIFIC / ONE DEER ENTRY: Contestants are required to use a bow or crossbow for the purpose of taking the deer that is submitted for consideration and tagged according to state regulations. Bow hunters are limited to turning in one deer to be considered for the 2025 competition. The hunter must turn in the deer within five (5) days of being shot/taken/tagged.
6. SAFETY: NOTE: The WWA and/or its employees, sponsors, and/or representatives will not be responsible for hunting, stand, travel, or any other accidents. Each contestant is solely responsible for his or her actions, including situations that result from inclement weather. It is each contestant’s own personal decision to travel to and/or hunt for this competition regardless of weather conditions. The WWA does not encourage anyone to take undue risk simply to participate in this or any other hunting competition.
7. SPORTSMANSHIP: Illegal hunting is not allowed and anyone displaying poor sportsmanship, breaking state or local laws, or violating any of the rules of this tournament will forfeit their entry fee and may (at the discretion of the competition directors) be disqualified from this competition.
8. CONTESTANTS/AGE: Contestants have to be 19 years of age and older as of September 1st, 2025, to compete in the Whitetail World Championship. No one 18 years of age or younger may enter.
9. PUBLICATION RIGHTS: By signing this entry form, each contestant agrees to allow the WWA in conjunction with “The Whitetail World Championship” the sole and exclusive right to take and publish photographs, motion pictures, voice recordings, and/or videotape footage of him or her as a contestant and use this material, or dispose of it, in any legal manner without further permission or compensation to the contestant. Any and all announcements from the WWA concerning results will be broadcast over Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The WWA promotes you submit weekly content to social media using the hashtag #WhitetailWorldChampionship and #HeatwaveHunting
10. FINAL DEER CHECK-IN PROCEDURES: All deer to be considered for prizes and cash associated with this tournament have to be tagged by December 31st, 2025 by 11:00 PM CT. To check-in your deer for money and prizes, email a picture of the deer and the official rack score on Boone and Crockett form to INFO@WHITETAILWORLDCHAMPIONSHIP.COM
11. PRIZE MONEY AND PRIZES:
- 1st Place – 70% Cash Payback + $500 in Heatwave + Plaque + Name on WWC Trophy +$1,000 Bonus if taken using Heatwave
- 2nd Place – 20% Cash Payback + Plaque
- 3rd Place – 10% Cash Payback + Plaque
100% PAYBACK…….1,000 Paid Entries = $25,000 in Cash Payback…
12. VARIATION IN RULES: Each contestant agrees that the competition directors’ decisions will be final in all matters and agrees to abide by the competition’s directors’ decisions.
13. DISPUTES: If any contestant refuses to abide by the decision of the competition directors and elects to litigate any dispute arising out of the Whitetail World Championship tournament, the contestant agrees, by signing this entry form, that venue of any such litigation is in Nodaway County, Missouri. Furthermore, contestant agrees to pay for all of the WWA’s / sponsors attorney’s fees and costs incurred by the WWA / sponsors as a result of the contestant filing such litigation regardless of whether the contestant prevails. Moreover, any contestant who files a lawsuit regarding a dispute arising out of The Whitetail World Championship tournament instead of abiding by the decision of the competition director agrees to reimburse The WWA / sponsors for any and all time spent by their employees on such litigation, (such as trial preparation, attending depositions, responding to discovery requests, etc.) at a rate not less than $50.00 per hour. Such reimbursement will be made within ten days of the date the contestant or the contestant’s attorney receives an invoice from The Whitetail World Association / sponsors, even if such reimbursements are billed for prior to the date set for trial.
14. POLYGRAPH: Each contestant, by signing the entry form and/or participation in the competition, agrees to submit to a polygraph style examination. Polygraph test will be given on a random basis and must be passed in order to receive cash and prizes. There will be random polygraph tests given after the conclusion of the tournament. All contestants who have placed in the top 5 places may be subject to a polygraph test. Contestants that fail a polygraph will be disqualified from the competition.
15. DECLARATION, WAIVER, RELEASE, and HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT: The undersigned participants hereby affirmatively states and acknowledges the following in consideration for participation in the Whitetail World Championship that is sponsored by the Whitetail World Association (WWA):
- That participation in this event is entirely voluntary and of participant’s choosing and not the result of any inducement offered by the WWA, other than as set out in the competition rules. Participants agree to abide by the rules of this competition.
- That participant executes this Declaration, Waiver, Release, and Hold Harmless Agreement in consideration for the opportunity to participate in this event.
- Participant assumes any risk of loss, damage, or injury to participant’s person and /or property and waives any claim in connection thereto against Whitetail World, their officers, board members, agents, tournament sponsors, and other contestants. Furthermore, participant waives any claim, demand, complaint, or cause of action which participant
now has or may have, whether known, developed or undeveloped, including but not limited to claims based upon negligence, on account or arising out of participant’s entry into and participation in this hunting competition. - Participant further agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Whitetail World, their officers, board members, agents, tournament sponsors, Heatwave, and other contestants from and against any and all claims by participant and participant’s heirs, assigns, and representatives, arising out of or in any way related to participant’s entry into and participation in this hunting competition. I warrant that I am in good physical and mental health and am physically capable of withstanding the rigors and requirements of this hunting competition.
- If the participant is hunting, participants further states that the property, blind, or stand to be used in this hunting competition complies with State Laws and regulations, and that the blind or stand to be used in this competition is properly working order.
- This declaration, waiver, release, and hold harmless agreement has been executed by the participants, relying on each participants’ own judgment and understanding of this declaration, waiver, release and hold harmless agreement, and no representation from any other party; participant further declares that he/she legally competent to execute the declaration, waiver, release and hold harmless agreement, and no representation from any other party; participant further declares that this document shall be binding upon his/her heirs, assigns, representatives and acknowledge that it shall be interpreted unto the laws of the State of Missouri. If any section herein is declared to be invalid, it shall be severable from the balance of the declarations, waivers, release and hold harmless agreements made herein. Participant further request that any court interpret this declaration, waiver, release and hold harmless agreement as broadly as possible in accordance with participant’s intentions set forth herein. Finally, participant certifies, by participant’s signature, and/or parent or legal guardian signature, that participant has read, fully understands, and agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of this competition. I agree that photographs, film or videotapes taken of me or I have posted on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram during my participation in the competition may be used without prior consent or payment of royalties and/or fees.
- I expressly recognize that loss of property, injury, or death could arise from the hunting activities contemplated by the hunting competition, the fact that participant might hunt in a blind or stand belonging to another participant, the fact that the risks normally encountered in hunting from the competition may be enhanced by the exposure to the elements and other risk inherent in outdoor competition. I am aware that my participation in this hunting competition creates the risk of my serious personal injury or death and could lead to the loss or damage of personal property.
16. ENDORSEMENT FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL: The WWA reserves the “first right of refusal” for all endorsement contracts the champion could potentially receive after winning the competition.
17. COMPETITION WINNER: The winner of the Whitetail World Championship for 2025 will be given to the bowhunter that follows all the rules of the competition and submits the largest officially scored rack. The WWA reserves the right to have all potentially winning racks officially scored for the WWA. In the case of a tie, the winner will be given to the bowhunter that submits the winning rack the earliest date.