Dixie Deer Classic Winners

Laura Tucker won a Dixie Deer Classic Award, and her husband won the Carolina Sportsman drawing for a Yeti Cooler. Karen Nielsen won Best in Show.

18 NC hunters won awards at 2023 event

During the 2023 Dixie Deer Classic, held March 3-5 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, the Wake County Wildlife Club presented awards to 18 North Carolina hunters.

Karen Nielsen of Burlington, NC won the Best in Show Award for her Alamance County buck that scored 170 4/8 inches. She also won the Muzzleloader Female Typical Award.

Mickey Wilson’s Orange County 170 5/8-inch buck won the Bow Male Nontypical Award, as well as the President’s Award.

A total of 12 NC males won awards, including seven adult winners and five youth winners. Six females took home awards, including four adults and one youth deer hunter. Another adult female won a black bear award.

The award-winning deer came from a total of 13 counties. Orange County accounted for three winning bucks. Guilford, Person and Ashe counties each accounted for two bucks.

The biggest North Carolina buck came from the non-hunting category. A deceased buck found by Travis Brewer in Guilford County taped out at 191 1/8 inches.

The highest-scoring deer killed by a hunter was a 185 4/8-inch buck killed by Preston Allred in Caswell County.

Wake County Wildlife Club

Karen Nielsen won Best in Show.

The Wake County Wildlife Club is the 501-C4 organization that holds the Dixie Deer Classic during the first weekend of March every year. This all-volunteer organization does much more than just that, however.

Aside from the Dixie Deer Classic, which is the organization’s only fundraiser of the year, they pay for 36 kids to attend outdoor summer camps for free each year. They also hold numerous camps, provide financial support to Hunters for the Hungry, educate students at their education facility, including a Hunter Education course, and Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshops. Other courses they hold include those on tree stand safety, trapping, archery, etc.

Volunteer your time

If you’d like to volunteer or donate for future events held by the Wake County Wildlife Club, visit www.dixiedeerclassic.org/wakecowildclub.

About Brian Cope 3029 Articles
Brian Cope is the editor of Carolina Sportsman. He has won numerous awards for his writing, photography, and videography. He is a retired Air Force combat communications technician, and has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina. You can reach him at brianc@carolinasportsman.com.

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