Taking a shot at the 'big time' sweepstakes
By MATT WILLIAMS Outdoors Writer

Courtesy photo DANNY BENNETT WON the Texas Grand Slam category last year, giving him the opportunity to take four, high quality big game hunt across the state. One of the hunts was to the Elephant Mountain WMA in far West Texas, where Bennett harvested a trophy desert bighorn ram.

Feeling lucky these days? If so, it would be smart to ante up in one or more categories in the 2007-08 Big Time Texas Hunts sweepstakes. You could win a premium big game hunt worth thousands of dollars for less than it costs to buy a 12- pack of beer.

Big Time Texas Hunts (BTTH) is the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's version of the Texas Lotto.

Rather than playing for cash, hunters play to win all-inclusive hunting packages for whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, exotics, bighorn sheep, turkey, ducks, geese, dove and quail.

There are seven BTTH categories to choose from:

* Texas Grand Slam: One winner of four separate hunts for desert bighorn sheep, whitetail deer, mule deer and pronghorn antelope. A non-hunting companion can come along.

* Texas Exotic Safari: Two winners of hunts for superexotics on the Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area. Each winner may be accompanied by a hunting guest.

* Texas Whitetail Bonanza: 10 winners selected to hunt a quality buck on select ranches. Each winner can bring a hunting guest.

* Texas Waterfowl Adventure: One hunter wins three separate hunts for ducks and geese. The winner may invite up to three hunting guests along.

* Texas Big Time Bird Hunt: One winner of four separate hunts for dove, turkey, quail and pheasant. Up to three hunting guests allowed.

* Texas Premium Buck Hunt: One winner of a hunt for a trophy whitetail on a well-managed ranch in South Texas. One hunting guest allowed.

* Texas Gator Hunt: One winner of a hunt for an alligator. One hunting guest allowed.

Each BTTH chances costs $10. There is no limit on the number of chances you can buy.

What are the odds of winning in one or more categories?

That depends on the category and how big of a gambler you are. Winners are selected by random computer draw. The more chances you buy, the better odds.

Last year's BTTH sweepstakes resulted in 78,813 entries that generated about $800,000 in gross sales.

TPWD spent more than half the money paying for the hunts and the costs of printing/mailing brochures. More than $100,000 was contributed for use in wildlife research programs, including one aimed at bolstering bighorn sheep populations. About $240,000 was deposited in TPWD's Fund 9 account.

Some hunters invest small fortunes in the BTTH lotto to increase their chances of winning. Others are more reserved.

You don't necessarily have to buy multiple chances to win. George Schultz, the 2005 winner of the Texas Grand Slam package, bought only one chance in that category. His name was selected from 19,605 entries.

Tom Roughton, the Austin homebuilder who won Texas Premium Buck Hunt package the same year, purchased only two chances. Interestingly, Roughton bought two chances in the 2004 Texas Whitetail Bonanza and won one of the 10 hunts offered in that category.

Winners in all categories will be selected within two weeks after the entry deadline. This year's deadline has been moved to Oct. 15, so that deer hunts can be conducted at times that better coincide with the rut.

Hunt dates are arranged between TPWD and the hunt provider. According to contest rules, acceptance of the package must be made within five business days of notification, or it will be offered to an alternate.

Winners are allowed to reassign the package to an immediate family member, or a youth hunter 8-16 years old, pending approval by the TPWD's executive director. However, no packages may be "sold" to another hunter.

What follows is list of tentative hunt schedule for 2007-08, according the current BTTH brochure:

t Texas Grand Slam: Mule deer and whitetail deer hunts during fall and winter of 2007-08; desert bighorn sheep hunt, fall or winter of 2007-08, or as determined by availability of the next harvestable sheep; pronghorn antelope during fall of 2008.

t Texas Exotic Safari: January or February of 2008.

t Texas Whitetail Bonanza: Fall and winter of 2007-08.

t Texas Waterfowl Adventure: Fall and winter of 2007-08.

t Texas Big Time Bird Hunt: Quail and pheasant hunts, fall and winter of 2007-08; turkey, spring of 2008; dove, fall of 2008.

t Texas Premium Buck Hunt: Fall and winter of 2007-08.

t Texas Gator Hunt: September of 2008.

There are four ways to purchase BTTH chances:

t Online through TPWD website's online license sales link (www.tpwd.state.tx.us/busi ness/licenses/onlinesales/ ).

t By phone, (1-800-895- 4248).

t Through any vendor that sells hunting licenses.

t By mail, with entry form addressed to Big Time Hunts, TPWD, P.O. Box 17427, Austin, Tx. 78760- 9946.