2013 Indiana Predator Challenge (RECAP)

[Jason R. Bruce]

For the 9th consecutive year, a record crowd registered for the Indiana Predator Challenge. On February 1st teams from near and far came together for the kick-off of this grueling 3 day hunt. The thermometer was reading 4 degrees with a wind chill of -10 as we got this hunt started, roads were nasty but hopes were high!

For all the prizes and benefits to winning this event, none compare to placing the championship plaque on your wall. The plaques got a high-tech upgrade this year, including a full color print of Friday’s group photo!
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/jrbhunter/IPC%20Hunt/plaque2_zpsf7433f8b.jpg%5b/IMG"][FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#0000ff]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/jrbhunter/IPC%20Hunt/plaque2_zpsf7433f8b.jpg[/IMG[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/URL][FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]After the rules meeting, teams scattered out and started making stands in the frozen terrain. Some jumped in the truck and travelled nearly 2 hours up the highway while others just crested the hill and jumped off on a 2-track. It wasn’t long before the first harvest was called in. The perennial powerhouse “Flatliners” had tapped a double on their first stand; you could hear the excitement in their voices as they hadn’t even made it back to the truck with their coyotes yet![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Judges too scoured the countryside in search of teams, inspecting their whereabouts and making sure all rules were followed. While inspecting an abandoned truck belonging to “No Excuses”, I got a call from that same team saying they’d just harvested their first coyote. Little did they know I was 200 yards away ready to verify![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]After reaching a balmy high of 19 degrees, darkness fell and the temperatures slid down once again. The cold weather must’ve really had the critters moving, the Tail Chasers were able to capitalize and put 3 grey fox in the truck.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Tail Chasers:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Flatliners:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[Jason R. Bruce]

Hoosier Daddy:
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][URL="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/jrbhunter/IPC%20Hunt/hoosiedaddy_zpse14d8558.jpg%5b/IMG"][FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#0000ff]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/jrbhunter/IPC%20Hunt/hoosiedaddy_zpse14d8558.jpg[/IMG[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/URL][FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Long Shots:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]No Excuses:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]After signing in and handing over their animals to the judges, teams filed inside for a delicious meal served up by Paul & Pop’s from Louisiana. Their state of the art smoker turned those pork shoulders into an amazing feast![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Meal:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[Jason R. Bruce]

After gorging to the point of misery, designated shooters from each team filed out to the rifle range for the popular IPC Rifle Contest. This year teams had a field of 10 targets to choose from, larger targets worth 3 points and smaller targets worth 5. Each shooter had five rounds and 60 seconds to engage the course. Brian of Predator Affliction came 4th in the lineup and managed to post a high of 15 points in 34 seconds, Jeff of Hoosier Daddy would follow him with a 15 point round in 48 seconds (fastest time breaks ties). With only a few shooters left, and the 15 point shooters well in the lead, TJ stepped up for the Flat Liners and said he was “Going for Broke” in hopes of gaining points to close the gap between his team and the leaders. He sat down and scored 18 points in just 20 seconds! TJ took 1st leaving Brian in 2nd slightly quicker than Jeff.

Saturday Afternoon Points Standings:
1) Tail Chasers: 6 Points
2) Flat Liners: 5 Points
3) Long Shots: 1 Point
4) No Excuses: 1 Point
5) Hoosier Daddy: 1 Point
6) Predator Affliction: 1 Point

With nightfall coming soon and the end of this 9th Annual Event only hours away, teams set back out to the hunting grounds with judges in pursuit. This was going to be a tough push to the finish, with temperatures falling and winds picking up!

The Tail Chasers were the first the first to strike, padding their lead with another gray fox just after dark. While numerous coyotes were called overnight, it was the grey fox that ended up impacting the scoreboard as the hunt wound down. The Fur Burglars knocked down a gray just after midnight, Big Lake took another just before 4am and Dekon scored the last fox at 5am.

The Flatliners kept pushing hard and called up a critter they couldn’t safely identify just before daylight. With the growing population of bobcats in the area, they knew they needed to identify the animal better but just couldn’t get it done due to snow covering their light lens. The damage was done, everyone headed to the final check-in to see how the scoreboard would shake out!

Final Points Standings:
1) Tail Chasers: 8 Points
2) Flat Liners: 5 Points
3) Big Lake: 2 Points
4) Dekon: 2 Points
5) Long Shots: 1 Point
6) No Excuses: 1 Point
7) Hoosier Daddy: 1 Point
8) Predator Affliction: 1 Point
9) Fur Burglars: DNF: 2 Points (Missed Check-In Deadline)


Tail Chasers:
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[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Big Lake:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Dekon:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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2013 IPC Champions – Tail Chasers

 

[CBR1000rr]

Great write up. Makes md want to join the fun next year. Again, great write and thank you for sharing.

 

[throttletony]

Excellent post... I'll need to sign up for next yr

 

[Jason R. Bruce]

A quick reminder,

Registration for the 2014 Indiana Predator Challenge, the 10th Annual Event, will open on July 15th. Paperwork will be available on our website - IPC » Contact

If you've never participated in an IPC event, it's important to understand that entries into this event go extremely fast. Some years we're booked up with our 70 hunters by the end of July. The 3 day hunt will be held February 7th, 8th & 9th of 2014.

We expect to see some old friends coming back around for this 10th annual event and I'm sure there will be plenty of new faces as well. If you're interested in participating please don't procrastinate. Talk to your buddies today, review the link I provided above that answers commonly asked questions, and be prepared to fill out paperwork next week. I look forward to meeting several of you in February!