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The 2009 Indiana Predator Challenge is now complete!
This 5th annual event has been a record breaker from day one, LITERALLY! The first day of registration, back on July 15th of 2008, generated nearly 1/3rd of the limited entries we were looking for. It took less than 2 weeks to lock in the largest field in IPC history!
On Friday February 6th a field of 62 hunters checked in for what would turn out to be the most deceivingly difficult contest in event history. As organizers prepared to deliver the rules to the crowd of eager hunters, a chatter came over the group and eyes widened. A red fox had trotted across the field just behind our trucks in broad daylight! After releasing the contestants to travel across the countryside in search of predators, a coyote would also appear in plain view of even staff back at headquarters!
Surprisingly a sluggish predator response combined with the rough terrain and warming weather would make short work of two teams, but the rest prevailed to Saturdays check-in with the lowest harvest since our first event.
Team Lucky Point checked in one of the three coyotes they called up on an afternoon stand.
The Regulators would take an early lead with a pair of coyotes they called in around 2:45am!
Although most were tired and sore from the first 24 hours of hunting, hopes were high during lunch as the point spread was minimal and could easily be overcome! Each team had stories of predators spotted along the roadway, sprinting thru a calling stand or hanging up just out of range. One group had spotted a bobcat; another had already seen 6 coyotes- you could feel the energy building to get back in the field!
The guys enjoyed a pork BBQ lunch with all the fixins and mingled for a couple hours.
Glancing over our record breaking prize packages added a little boost of energy as well!
Each hunter took home magazines, decals and T-shirts but the first 36 guys to registration on Saturday also received their choice of some great door prizes!
Finally it was time for the 5th annual IPC Rifle Contest. A shooter from each team was set aside while the rest of their team spread out to view the contest. One by one they made their way to the shooting position and took their shot at those much needed points!
Jeff Porter of Illinois settled in as our first shooter in the rifle contest, his 4 targets in 60 seconds set the bar very high!
Jason Brunner tried to defend his 2008 win with a borrowed rifle, which appeared to be dreadfully inaccurate as bullets whizzed 18” to the right of the bullseyes!
Kyle Nees of the “Ultimate Predators” would be our last shooter of the day. As we’ve come to expect from the Indiana Predator Challenge events: the whole score sheet was turned on its ear in merely 40.58 seconds.
Kyle took down 4 targets quickly and then discharged his 5th round into the hillside to stop the clock. He had beaten Porter’s pace and swiped 2 points for his team in the process.
2009 Indiana Predator Challenge Rifle Contest Champion - Kyle Nees
With the rifle contest complete, all that remained was 20 hours of hard hunting. Hunt organizers stepped up surveillance this year and found a wide variety of strategies in effect. Some were making stands, others were napping at the hotel and others were sitting in the drive thru at Dairy Queen (SERIOUSLY?) LOL!
It was a long hot night in the hills of Southern Indiana. If the sweat hadn’t soaked you in the first 20 minutes of your hunt, a little sprinkle of rain would surely do the job. Fog set in and winds were variable. This was NOT the hunting conditions we had hoped for! No fur would hit the ground overnight, all bets were hedged on Sunday morning producing some call-ups.
As the sun came up on the last day of the event, and the stopwatch dwindled down on this 2009 contest, critters started moving again. Teams were spotting coyotes from the road and even calling up a few: but not getting anything killed. One group shared daylight vocals with 3 coyotes, eventually drawing them into within 80 yards before getting winded! Another group missed a pair of coyotes at close range: literally watching their victory run back over a hill for another year. There were several teams that had opportunities to WIN the contest in the closing hours… but failed to close the deal. A single fox would’ve tied anyone for first… a fox and any other animal would’ve won it!! How frustrating!
The Jocko Jockeys did manage to synch a 3rd place finish with a 42 pound trophy in the closing hours of the hunt!
The 2nd place finishers in the 2009 Indiana Predator Challenge – the Ultimate Predators!
The 2009 Indiana Predator Challenge Champions, and our first REPEAT WINNERS, the Regulators!
Everything about this contest was amazing and unpredictable. Who knew we’d be hunting in 65 degree weather on Saturday after a real temperature of -6 on the Thursday before it began. Who knew 3 sets of previous winners would be shut out, 3 brand new teams would rank in the top 4, and the Regulators would pull off what they’ve been trying to do since 2005! All these variables and excitement are what make the Indiana Predator Challenge the only event of its kind! Any given team could’ve gone from dead last to top dog in 20 seconds on a stand at any point in the contest.
I’d like to congratulate the Regulators on their 2nd title and also the Ultimate Predators for their impressive entry into this contest with a 2nd place finish! I hope everyone had as much fun as I did and took home some memories they can enjoy until we do this whole thing over again!
I can't say I'm offended. That looks like Indiana pure and simple. It was pretty neat actually seeing what you all got. Congrats to all players. The photos were very cool.
That is not what I want to see on here. I am actually disgusted!!!!!!!
Has indiana always had this competion?
Curious if you'd be less offended by a thread & photos of slaughterhouses?
BTW, guess you missed it, but it did state that this was the 5th annual event...
Congrats to the hunters and participants.
__________________
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
- Kurt Vonnegut
I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are,
But rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man.
- Sun Bear of the Chippewa Tribe
Curious if you'd be less offended by a thread & photos of slaughterhouses?
BTW, guess you missed it, but it did state that this was the 5th annual event...
Congrats to the hunters and participants.
What kind of comment is that
Well gee ShadowCaver I haven't lived in Indiana in last 5 years, so ya I guessed I missed that one.
Yes, I am disgusted and I think your slaughterhouse comment is demented
I had a feeling this was going to happen ... sigh. While I'm no hunter, seeing dead animals on display makes my tummy tweak, but that's just me and I understand how MOST wouldn't have tweaky tummies, therefore, I didn't edit the thread.
I don't desire to see slaughterhouse pictures either and, being a carnivore, I know where my meat comes from ... just curious though, what happens to these coyotes after the hunt?
I'm going to edit the title of the thread ...
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If there won't be dancing at the revolution, I'm not coming.
Emma Goldman
That is cool, I had to come over and see what this thread was about. Probably a good idea to make note in the title... the photos are not for everyone, and that's completely understandable. I think it's awesome though, nice looking yotes, and it looks like a very well put together event.
I would assume that the yotes would be put on the fur market or used for taxidermy purposes. There are some very nice color varriations there, I love the one with the white-tipped tail. Congrats to the hunters!
Any killing isn't pretty but sometimes there is no choice.
There is a real problem in parts of Indiana with predators. There are many sick animals due to the lack of larger/natural predators of these animals. There have been a number of attacks on humans and small animals due to the lack of culling. The pictures are not for everyone but other then that it is a necessatiy. They do this with many of the deer population in Nothern Illinois just outside of Chicago every few years. It does actually help the animal population in the end.
What's funny is that coyotes are one of the few animals that have been shown to improve pup survival rates (thereby increasing the population), decrease migration of animals from the area where they are bornin the face of increased hunting pressure so I'd like to thank these gentleman for supporting their local coyote packs. That said, I may not hunt for trophy or pelt (only for food...never understood the point of shooting something just to shoot it) but I figure as long as they're being safe to each and to their own.
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Are you for real!?!
