Louisiana Deer Hunting meets the NFL? Touchdowns, field goals, and interceptions? First round draft picks, Pro Bowlers, and MVP’s? That’s just some of the ways this revolutionary deer hunting contest called the “Bruiser Bowl” is being described, and it’s making news all across the Bayou State. The game hails from a newly formed and growing “League” of hunters, the Elite Hunting League (EHL) to be exact, which is the organization responsible for securing the hunters who’ll compete. And Cajun Outdoors Magazine is proud to present the EHL to all of our readers.
The Bruiser Bowl will be played in the field and online at BayouBucks.com this coming fall, where teams with varying degrees of hunting skills will match woodsmanship and wit against the rest of the Bayou State’s best deer hunters. There are currently 24 teams drawing battle lines and sizing up existing draft picks which consist of more than 130 eager whitetail killers, growing handily day-by-day. But exactly how does this game work? Cajun Outdoors Magazine recently sat down with BayouBucks.com Publisher Jason Aycock and EHL Commissioner Don Toups to discuss, in detail, why the contest was created and how the game is played:
CO Magazine: What’s the purpose of the Bruiser Bowl?
Aycock: Deer hunters are some of the greatest athletes in the world, and Louisiana has the best of the best. It’s about time they get their due credit. The idea for the Elite Hunting League is to create a place where these hunters can congregate and be recognized for their skills and kills, and the Bruiser Bowl is a contest that fosters the camaraderie and community awareness that BayouBucks.com is known for. Since our launch in 2008, we’ve attracted some of the most talented hunters in Louisiana. Cajun Outdoors Magazine has done the same with its readership. We needed a more efficient way to help spread these hunters’ knowledge and elevate some of them—these less-known hunters—into the lime light. The Bruiser Bowl and the EHL bring them out of the shadows and give them the recognition they deserve in a subtle manner that doesn’t scream “look at me”.
It’s obvious that the contest involves a tremendous amount of strategy to win. What kind of “players” might a Bruiser Bowl Championship Team consist of?
Toups: The team that wins will definitely be the most well rounded in the League. It has to be. It’ll have bow hunters and gun hunters, as well as several guys that hunt different areas of the state—even out-of-state hunters. There’s so much to look at in strategy with the way the rules are designed. Every type of hunter has his or her role to play, and we’ve got 24 amazing Team Captains that understand what it takes to win. It should be fun to watch and participate in!
