Deer hunters lucky enough to harvest a trophy whitetail buck this season can again look forward to joining the ranks of 8,000 record holders in the Missouri Show-Me Big Bucks Club.

The club is accepting new applications for records under the typical and non-typical deer and shed categories. The club has not accepted applications in several years because of an outdated record-keeping system which made the process unmanageable.

Now under new leadership, the club has implemented a more efficient record-keeping system and is able to accept new membership applications.

"The Missouri Show-Me Big Bucks Club is back in business," Central Region coordinator Larry Lueckenhoff told the Missouri Department of Conservation. "A backlog of nearly three years of record entries has been processed, and the club is now accepting new entries."

Founded in 1968 by interested hunters and Missouri Department of Conservation staff, The Show-Me Big Bucks Club has dedicated itself to recognizing trophy whitetail deer and successful hunters, promoting deer hunting and interest in the sport and developing sportsmanship among deer hunters.

The club also established and maintains a permanent record of trophy deer heads and shed antlers in Missouri. Members obtain recognition at the state level and get assistance in obtaining national recognition through The Boone & Crockett Club, Pope & Young Club and the National Muzzle-Loading Rifle Association.

Although there is a fee to join the ranks of the club, membership is reserved exclusively to those who have taken or found a deer in Missouri with antlers (free-ranging, no high fences) that will score 140 typical or 155 non-typical using the Boone & Crockett scoring system. The club also accepts members who have found a shed antler from Missouri that will score 60 typical or 70 non-typical, using the same scoring system.

With more than 8,000 entries, hunters and shed collectors will have a daunting task if they would like to be at the top of this club's record books. The current top non-typical deer scored 333 7/8 inches, while the Missouri record typical measured 205 inches. The non-typical shed record currently stands at 111 6/8 inches, and the typical shed record is 98 inches.

The Missouri Show-Me Big Bucks Club breaks down each record entry into the proper category of typical or non-typical antlers, then subdivides it into categories for high-powered rifle, bow and arrow, muzzleloader, pistol and even crossbows for those on medical waivers and those who hunt with them during rifle season.

Anyone interested in more information about the club or needing contact information for an official measurer in their area can contact the following regional representatives:

Kansas City Region, Bradley Harriman, (660) 886-6654, bharriman@yahoo.com

Northwest Region, Martin Marks, (660) 442-5332, mam64437@squawcreek.net

The club's Web site (www.missourishowmebigbucksclub.org) is currently under construction. When it is completed, plans call for offering separate areas for the public and for members, with information about official measurers, public measuring events, records, photos of record deer and more.