All participating teams will need to be registered by Monday April 8th, 2024.

Each Two-Man team will be allowed to harvest 2 bearded turkeys, but only weigh in one bird per category.

Weigh-in will open at 8am at Briley’s Farm Market 5290 Old Pactolus Rd Greenville N.C.

All participating teams will be provided lunch by Sam Jones BBQ.

Teams can only hunt properties access to or permission from the landowner.

We will have entertainment on site throughout the day, including food trucks and games for the kids.

All harvested birds will need to be checked in and on-site by 4 pm. The weigh-in will close at 5:00pm.

Beginning at 6pm, the NC Strutmasters committee will award the winning teams and conduct the NC Strutmasters blue jacket ceremony.

Live entertainment will begin at 12 pm.
All birds must be harvested in North Carolina.

1. PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: The Strut Masters Championship (“SMC”) turkey hunting tournament (the “Contest”) is open to anyone who is: (i) 18 years of age or older; (ii) licensed to hunt turkeys in North Carolina and willing and able to abide by all other applicable laws, rules, regulations and codes; (iii) registered as one of the first 400 teams for a particular year; (iv) of sound mind and body and able to physically and mentally participate in an active competition of skill. Proof of age to the satisfaction of tournament officials is the responsibility of the Participant and tournament officials reserve the right to deny participation to any individual that does not submit adequate proof of age. Any candidate for competition who, in the judgment of the Tournament Director (Michael Letchworth) is disabled in such a manner as to unfairly hinder their partner or endanger the safety and well-being of their teammates or themselves or anyone else involved with a SMC sanctioned event may not be eligible to participate. A properly completed and signed official entry form must be provided to the SMC tournament administrative team prior to the competition. Tournament entry fees must be received by the official due date (April 2nd) posted on SMC website, email correspondence and any SMC authorized social media account. Any fees or new entries submitted or received after the entry fee due date will be subject to availability and SMC approval. SMC reserves the right to discontinue acceptance of applications prior to deadline and/or extend the acceptance date; the Contest registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. ANY AND ALL DEPOSITS AND PRE-PAYMENTS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE AND NON-TRANSFERABLE REGARDLESS OF THE DATE OR REASON OF CANCELLATION. The preferred method for tournament registration is via ncstrutmasters.com (website)________________. The preferred payment method is by Credit Card payment indicated on the website registration page.

2. RULES AND REGULATIONS: Participants participating in the Contest (each a “Participant” and collectively, the “Participants”) shall observe this code of conduct and the applicable rules set forth herein. Participants shall, at all times, conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner that will not reflect unfavorably on the Contest, SMC, its participants, officers or representatives, property owners or sponsors. To this end, Participants shall use their best efforts to demonstrate professionalism and integrity in support of the sport of hunting. Any hunter who violates any of the provisions of the Hunter’s Code of Conduct may be subject to disqualification from the Contest, forfeiture of tournament winnings, suspension and/or permanent ban from competing in future SMC, or its affiliates’, events, or any combination thereof deemed appropriate by SMC. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Participant is also subject to, and is fully expected to, follow and abide by all applicable federal, state and local laws and ordinances.

3. REGISTRATION: Each team must register in advance of the Contest…

4. LIABILITY WAIVER AND RELEASE FORM: as a condition of participation in each tournament, each Participant must execute a waiver and release of liability, which will include a name and likeness release. All forms must be complete on the day of registration prior to participating or engaging in the Contest. Failure to do so will result in disqualification and removal from the Contest.

5. SCOUTING: Participants will be allowed to scout at their discretion leading up to the morning of the hunt.

6. TEAMS: Each team consists of two (2) members no more, no less. A team must have a minimum of one (1) shooter. If a team member wishes to be solely a camera man/caller, he must have all applicable licenses, tags, and permits to participate. If a team member chooses not to participate as a licensed hunter, he may not engage in any activity that would be considered hunting or otherwise require a hunting license and/or permit(s). This includes, but is not limited to, carrying guns and equipment or calling any wild game. Only two (2) birds per team can be taken (not more than two (1) per Participant), or less if so required by applicable law at the time of the Contest. It is the responsibility of each Participant to be aware of any change or modification in the permitted number of turkeys that can be taken at the time of the Contest. Any of the two (2) licensed and permitted team members can be an eligible shooter.

7. LICENSES, PERMITS, AND GAME TAGS: All Participant shooters must obtain and possess all pertinent resident or non-resident hunting, licenses, permits, and game tags required by North Carolina law. Failure to do so will result in disqualification from the Contest and may subject the violating Participant to state and federal fines, penalties or otherwise. SMC, its officers and directors, are not, and will not be held liable or responsible for any Participant team in any way. Each Participant acknowledges and agrees to follow all State and Federal Hunting rules and regulations and agrees to fully indemnify and hold harmless SMC, its officers and directors, for any action, damage, cost or expense, arising out of a Participant’s action(s), negligence, intentional misconduct, and/or violation of law.

8. WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT: Each team is allowed to attempt to harvest an adult male turkey with any weapon deemed legal by the state of North Carolina. A Participant is allowed to attempt to harvest an adult male turkey using any hunting decoy that is deemed legal by the state of North Carolina. The use of a drone is absolutely prohibited during the Contest. Participants are allowed to attempt to harvest an adult male turkey using any hunting blind that is deemed legal by the state of North Carolina.

9. TURKEY CALLS AND CALLING: Participants are allowed to attempt to call a wild turkey during the Contest. The SMC is a contest of skill therefore: (a) any use of digital turkey calls or any pre-recorded nature calls of any kind is prohibited and will lead to disqualification from the Contest; (b) mouth calls, diaphragm calls, box calls, friction calls, gobble calls, owl calls, and crow calls are permitted; (c) any devices or hunting techniques or methods that are illegal in the state of North Carolina will be forbidden in the Contest; (d) no dogs or any other types of living decoys are allowed.

10. PERMITTED HUNTING LOCATIONS: Participants with written permission slips with access to properties in the state of North Carolina.

11. HUNTING/SHOOTING: Participants may begin hunting at legal shooting time on the day of the Contest. In order to qualify for the Contest, each team must have its turkey checked-in at the Check-In Location (as defined below) by 4 PM Eastern Standard Time on the day of the Contest. The Contest will officially end at 4 PM Eastern Standard Time on the day of the Contest, there will be no exceptions to this rule. Therefore, each Participant needs to set aside enough time to travel safely from the hunt to the Contest Property for turkey check-in. Hunting equipment, such as pop up blinds, may be left in position on the property with the approval of the land owner and at the Participants’ sole risk. For preservation purposes, any bird with a beard length of 4 inches or less will not be scorable nor entered into any prize pot. However it will count towards the individuals tag. Any birds taken in excess of the maximum daily allotment or total team allotment will lead to disqualification of the particular harvested bird(s) and possible team disqualification. For the avoidance of any doubt, no trapped, road killed, poisoned, pen raised, snared, previously killed birds or any other means that deviates from calling to and shooting a wild turkey will be allowed and participating in such prohibited activity will result in immediate disqualification and a lifetime ban from any future SMC, or its affiliates’, events. A turkey shall not be altered or tampered with in any way that would cause an inaccurate measurement or weigh-in. All beards and spurs must be intact and attached to the turkey in order to be measured and scored by SMC Officials. There will be absolutely no shooting across legal, maintained or well-traveled roads. Participants are solely responsible for obtaining permission to hunt the land they will be entering into for purpose of the Contest. Each Participant understands that failure to obtain complete authorization to enter into and hunt upon such land for purposes of hunting in the Contest may result in trespassing charges, convictions, fines and arrest, all of which the Participant will be solely and fully responsible and liable for.

12. CATEGORIES AND WINNINGS:
The JACKPOT BIRD - $15,000 and official Strut Masters Championship jackets for the team harvesting the largest Single Bearded Turkey with the highest overall score using the NWTF scoring guidelines.
2nd place - $5,000 for the team harvesting the 2nd largest single bearded turkey by nwtf scoring guidelines
3rd place- $2,500 for the team harvesting the 3rd largest single bearded turkey by nwtf scoring guidelines
4th place - $1,500 for the team harvesting the 4th largest single bearded turkey by nwtf scoring guidelines
5th place - $1000 for the team harvesting the 5th largest single bearded turkey by nwtf scoring guidelines
6th – 10th place will win gear and prizes from our sponsors
The largest multi-bearded bird by nwtf scoring guidelines - $2500
The largest bearded hen by nwtf scoring guidelines - $2500

13. TURKEY CHECK-IN AND MEASURE: All teams must check-in their turkey for weigh-in by 4 PM Eastern Standard Time on the day of the Contest at Briley’s Farm Market 5290 Old Pactolus Rd Greenville N.C. Failure to do so will result in disqualification of the late team(s), and its harvested turkey, from the Contest. Check-in area will be clearly identified. All turkeys must be brought in whole. Turkeys must have all legal tags attached to each particular bird prior to check in and throughout the entire time that the birds are being held in the possession of the SMC. Harvested turkeys are the sole property, responsibility, and liability of the Participants responsible for harvesting the turkey. SMC will store all legally tagged and identified birds for team members for the duration of the Contest and related events that afternoon and evening at the Participants’ own risk. SMC is not responsible for any harvested turkeys being lost, damaged, spoiled, stolen or for anything else that may happen to the harvest turkeys. Any Participant caught transporting an untagged turkey or bringing an untagged turkey without registration onto the Contest Property will automatically be disqualified from Contest and authorities will be notified. All firearms must be unloaded and stowed before entering the Contest Property. DO NOT TAKE FIREARMS OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE ON THE CONTEST PROPERTY FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN A SANCTIONED SMC WEAPONS INSPECTION. DOING SO WILL RESULT IN TEAM DISQUALIFICATION AND POSSIBLE LEGAL ACTION.

14. SCORING: All birds will be weighed and measured according to the NWTF scoring system/method. All measurements are taken in 1/16-inch increments and converted into decimal form. Birds will be weighed in pounds and ounces and will be converted to decimal form. Spurs will be measured along the outside center, from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur. Both spurs will be added together and the combined measurement of both spurs will be multiplied by 10 The beard will be measured from the center point of the protrusion of the skin to the tip of the longest attached hair and multiplied by 2. The weight of the Turkey will be added to the points scored by the spurs and the beard for the total score. In the NWTF scoring system, non-typical turkeys (birds with multiple beards) will be added together for the total “beard score” in the multiple beard category per this competition.

15. DISQUALIFICATION: Each Participant agrees to report to the Tournament Director immediately following any violation or infraction of any Contest rules. Failure to report any known violations, or suggestions to another Participant and or regulator that they violated these rules, may be cause for disqualification. OFFICIAL PROTESTS MUST BE FILED IN WRITING AND ALL PARTIES OF INTEREST WILL BE PROVIDED A COPY. Any action believed to be taken with intent to deceive Contest officials will lead to automatic disqualification of the deceiving team. A Contest committee of a minimum of three (3) judges will settle all disputes and disqualify turkeys or teams and confirm kills and methods of take. All decisions rendered by the Contest committee are final. Each team could be required to submit to a polygraph or voice analysis test and agree to abide by its results; a Participant’s failure to do so will result in disqualification of his or her team. All turkeys will be harvested by the Participants in North Carolina. Participants will obey and abide by all hunting rules and regulations as set forth by the state of North Carolina. Any consequence or disciplinary action brought against a Participant due to failure to adhere to Federal or State Hunting Regulations is solely between the Participant(s) and the legal authorities so controlling. Any ties will be broken in favor of the Participants who checked-in their bird first.

16. LIE DETECTOR TEST: By signing the SMC official entry form, each Participant agrees to submit to a truth verification test and abide by its conclusion should he or she be accused of any rule violation. The team captains of the 1st through 5th place winners also the multi-bearded bird and the bearded hen winners will be subject to this test will be required. The Contest Director or his designee shall be responsible for selecting an independent expert to administer and interpret the results and establishing, in consultation with the expert administrator, the scope of the questions which may be asked during the test. SMC shall determine the location, and time of the test. The Participant shall cooperate in this process in all respects.

17. SAFETY: SMC officers have the right to delay, shorten or cancel the Contest because of bad weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the Participants. The Contest Property and the post-Contest festivities may also be restricted at any time because of bad weather or other factors that may endanger the Participants and other guests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, because Participants may be hunting across North Carolina, and conditions for Participants could vary greatly on the day of the Contest, each Participant is responsible for determining its own parameters for what is and is not deemed to be conditions conducive for safe hunting. SMC will use its best efforts to safely and effectively determine and discern inclement weather conditions, however SMC assumes zero risk or liability for accidents as a result of weather or otherwise, because the ultimate judgment call on whether to participate in the Contest falls solely on the Participants. SMC will be held harmless and free from any and all claims from Participants, including but not limited to claims arising from, caused by, or due to adverse or dangerous weather conditions or acts of God. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, PARTICIPANTS SHOULD CALL 911 FIRST AND ONCE SAFE, NOTIFY CONTEST OFFICIALS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

18. SPORTSMANSHIP: Participants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Use of drugs (other than those purchased over-the-counter or prescribed by a licensed physician) or alcohol by any Participant, during the Contest, will not be tolerated and shall be cause for automatic disqualification from this Contest and all future contests held by SMC or its affiliates. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to traveling to and from hunting properties as well as hunting close to property lines or borders. Any act of a Participant, which reflects unfavorably upon efforts to promote hunting conservation, and sportsmanship, may be reason for disqualification. Although SMC is not required to conduct background checks on its Participants, SMC reserves the right to deny a Participant’s entry to the Contest if it is determined by SMC officials that a Participant suffers from a chemical substance addiction, has conviction(s) of a felony or other crimes involving moral turpitude, or some other identifiable history of conduct reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with Contest rules.

19. TAXES: All Contest winners will be required to complete a W-9 provided by SMC. Participants are responsible for all applicable taxes on both cash and merchandise awards. Various states require withholding tax on merchandise be paid upon the awarding of certificates and Participants awarded merchandise certificates in these States are responsible for remitting their tax to SMC. Failure to meet these obligations may result in fines, and/or disqualification from all future SMC events in addition to any applicable state penalties assessed due to a taxation violation.

20. POST-CONTEST ENTERTAINMENT. SMC is committed to fostering a community that loves and respects the outdoors and the sport of hunting. In furtherance of that commitment, SMC will provide post-Contest festivities for the Participants, their invited guests, and the larger hunting community, that will include an assortment of food and beverage vendors along with live music entertainment. All registered Participants will be provided food following the Contest. Non-Participant guests will not be provided food by SMC but rather can purchase food and beverages from any of the on-site food and beverage vendors. Each Participant will be given one (1) wrist band for access to the live music event as a part of the entry fee. All non-Participant guests are welcome to attend the live music event on a first-come, first-served basis, following their purchase of a ticket or wrist band through the SMC website. Parking is free for the event.