About Trophy Game Records of the World

Around 1965, Joe Burkett, DVM, began to collect data to support an innovative trophy scorekeeping system. Ten years later he introduced to the trophy collecting and record keeping world his Burkett System. Personal circumstances forced Dr. Burkett to turn his beloved system, to which he had devoted years of research, to dedicated subscribers who have continued to maintain the records. After the Exotic Wildlife Association acquired the system in the late 1980’s, and several name changes later, it became known as the Trophy Game Records of the World (TGR). Circumstances notwithstanding, this trophy record keeping system remains the only one that honors the game animal for the trophy it produced. It is the only system based on solid scientific evidence and geometric formulas. It is an entirely objective system. The basis of this system is the same today as it was when it was introduced. Thousands of hunters have shown their support of this system by entering trophies into its record book.

Trophy Game Records of the World recognizes that sport hunting can be an appropriate means of regulating animal populations within the carrying capacity of their environment. Sport hunting can also be economically beneficial, enabling landowners to better manage and conserve the wildlife and habitat on their property.

From the desk of the Executive Director

When President Theodore Roosevelt developed the Boone and Crockett scoring system many years ago he had in mind developing a record keeping system that would insure the preservation of each species of animals found on the North American continent.  Never in his wildest imagination did he ever believe that record keeping would become as competitive as it is today.

Many scoring systems have come and gone but only a few manage to stand the test of time.  Having said that, the Trophy Game Records of the World’s system has been around since 1978 when Dr. Joseph Burkett developed the system using the metric system and displacement of water to give an animal total credit for everything grown.  Unlike the Boone and Crockett method, the TGR system has no deductions for symmetry. 

There is also no minimum score for achieving status in the record book.  The ranking of each animal is judged as a diamond, gold, silver, and bronze.  The Technical Committee believes that every animal is a trophy to the hunter that pursued it and harvested it under fair chase conditions.  The size of an animal is not nearly as important as the conditions surrounding the hunt. 

With that all being said, the TGR record book that is published annually, is a record keeping system that is the most accurate measuring system in the world and truly honors each animal based on its own merits.  An animal, taken under legal and fair chase conditions is a trophy to the hunter that harvested it, whether that animal achieves diamond or bronze status.  The Technical Committee has taken great care in preserving the system as Dr. Burkett designed it years ago, for you the hunter.  The record book is a true measuring stick that will stand the test of time and help insure the preservation of the species for years to come.

The Trophy Game Records of the World has been taken to the next level with our new “Online” record book.  High tech has definitely come to the record keeping business and this will allow hunters to review and keep up with the status of their trophies on line.  The EWA is very proud of this new system and we hope that all those hunters who enter their trophies into the TGR record book enjoys the convenience of the online system. 

Charly Seale
Executive Director
Exotic Wildlife Association