The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) wants to celebrate the unbreakable bond that exists between a dog and its owner by reviving the Best Black Belt Sporting Dog Photo Contest.

The contest is open to any and all dogs out on a sporting adventure in the 23 counties of Alabama’s Black Belt.

The contest will feature dogs pictured in the woods or other grounds helping hunters, whether it’s quail, duck, squirrel or other game. Other possible photos include a dog accompanying an angler on a fishing trip or a retriever taking part in a dog trial.

While ALBBAA acknowledges the greatness of lap dogs, this contest is not for them. The contest is for photos of dogs in the woods, on point, in action or posing with their retrieved bird or game. Photos can include the owner or family members alongside the furry star of the photo. A general snapshot of a dog in a comfy bed, relaxing on the porch or anything other than showcasing sporting skills will not qualify.

“We’re bringing back the Best Black Belt Sporting Dog Photo Contest because it’s the perfect way to showcase dogs’ versatile skills and natural instincts that aid sportsmen and sportswomen throughout the Black Belt,” said ALBBAA Director Pam Swanner. “There’s something truly special about the bond between humans and our canine companions, and this contest is designed to highlight those extraordinary buddies that help make lifelong memories. We encourage all hunters to submit photos of their dogs or with their dogs as a celebration of the incredible sporting opportunities here in the Black Belt.”

The contest began Jan. 14 and runs through 11:59 p.m. on March 15. The winner will be selected exclusively through online voting on the ALBBAA website.

The winner of this year’s contest will receive a Filson shelter cloth dog coat, including monogramming, designed for upland bird and small game hunting, as well as a copy of “Black Belt Bounty,” an award-winning coffee-table book filled with wildlife photography and artwork, stories by award-winning writers and wild game recipes. The prize package is worth $185.

How to enter

To enter the Best Black Belt Sporting Dog Photo Contest, hunters must upload, through the ALBBAA website, a photo taken in the 23-county Black Belt region. Each hunter is limited to one photo.

Contest entries are submitted and all votes are cast online via the same web page.

Contest rules

Visitors to the contest webpage may vote once per day, per entry, per IP address. In the case of any dispute, the decision of ALBBAA is final.

All photos should show dogs in the woods, on point, in action, posing with their retrieved bird or game, or in another sporting situation. The photo must be taken in one of the Black Belt’s 23 counties.

ALBBAA reserves the right to approve or reject any photo submitted. Cause for disqualification of a photo can include, but is not limited to, the following:

• The photo content presents the subject in an unethical or disrespectful composition.
• The photo content is perceived to cast a negative perception of hunters and their contribution to the management of wildlife.
• A voting violation imposes an unfair advantage.

“Alabama’s Black Belt offers some of the very best recreational sporting opportunities available anywhere in the world,” Swanner said. “We want to see photos that showcase those adventures.”

ALBBAA promotes and encourages ethical hunting and fishing practices. Its contests are designed to highlight the abundant natural resources found in Alabama’s Black Belt.

Reminders

All sportsmen and sportswomen should purchase an appropriate hunting license online through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources before heading afield. Hunters should always wear orange for safety.

The Black Belt consists of Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox counties.