Winners will be invited to the MBHA Convention in March 2027 to accept a big bear award and give a short speech about how they bagged their bear. They can also submit a story and photo to be published in MBHA’s newsletter, The Bear Facts.
2026 Big Bear Award Winners
1st Place
Jesse Darnell 502 lbs
2nd Place
Brian Agren 444 lbs
2nd Place
Barry Patterson 444 lbs
3rd Place
Jo Ann Ososki 439 lbs
Contest Rules
Entries must be received no later than December 1st, 2026
Membership in MBHA is NOT required.
Bear must be legally tagged and registered.
Bears must be dressed and weighed on a scale.
Dressed means removal of all internal organs.
Entries must include the animal’s weight and a photo of the successful hunter with the bear.
Mail-in Entries
Send entries to:
Hannah Leech 14972 10th Ave., Johannesburg, MI 49751
