2011 Indiana Predator Challenge Recap

[jrbhunter]

The 2011 Indiana Predator Challenge was another successful, safe and fun event for all in attendance! This year we once again expanded the IPC event and its reach across the community. Despite a week full of blizzards, ice storms and power outages nearly 90% of our hunters made it to Friday’s sign-in meeting and looked over the field of competitors and some of the prizes they’d be working for. (Some prize deliveries were delayed by weather)




Friday evening’s fair weather made way for overnight sleet and snow. Teams scattered out in areas spanning as much as 100 miles in route to areas they’d scouted previously or located with aerial photos. One of the first reports back to headquarters was that of a bobcat, protected in Indiana, coming in on a team’s 2nd stand of the hunt. Lifetime residents of Indiana, this was the crews first encounter with a bobcat!

Later in the evening a couple of coyotes fell, one gray fox was put down overnight, and four teams found themselves on the scoreboard.

[jrbhunter]

Saturday afternoon brought big wet snowflakes and a cold breeze so hunters were glad to congregate indoors for a meal. This year’s lunch was prepared by Master Chef Larry Jean from Louisiana and his son Paul who came in from Australia by-way-of Mississippi. These guys travelled for the better part of two days to provide our hunters with some phenomenal BBQ pork ribs and tenderloin. They did a wonderful job and their effort is greatly appreciated!

[jrbhunter]

After filling up on BBQ, corn, taters and dessert teams shuffled outside for the 6th Annual IPC Rifle Contest. It seems lately everyone has figured out what to expect from the IPC Rifle Contest, nothing less than the unexpected. Some shooters struggled to initiate targets while others simply couldn’t acquire the ones that appeared right in front of them! The first ten shoots marked scores of 0/5 and 1/5 as driving snow blew in from down-range.

When the shooter from “Predator X” came up to the plate, a team with 2 Rifle Contest wins under their belt, the crowd knew some targets were going to fall. 3/5 was the benchmark set in just over 49 seconds. The next shooter failed to locate a single target, or fire a single round, but the following shooter would surprise us all! 3/5, including one running target, went down in just under 48 seconds securing the 2011 Rifle Contest win for the first time entry “Tail Chasers”.





Predator X:


Tail Chasers:



Long Shots


Flat Liners:




On Sunday morning, teams began shuffling in with tired eyes and sore muscles. The final check-in would result in some changes to the leader board. Predator X (2010 Champions), with their 1 coyote and runner-up position in the rifle contest would be bumped down the ladder by the Flat Liners who showed up with 2 more coyotes. Depending on what the Tail Chasers drug in, the Flat Liners were in position to take either 1st or 2nd.

As the Flat Liners fate would have it, the 2 time champions of other NPHA hunts would not get their first IPC Title this time, as the Tail Chasers showed up with another gray fox moments before the check-in closed. This sealed an IPC Championship, along with the Rifle Contest Title, for the Tail Chasers in their first ever IPC Appearance.





Finally, I'd like to thank all of the staff for their effort in making this another succesful and well-run event. We greatly appreciate all of the hunters who continue to support this event year-after-year with a capacity crowd soon after registration opens! To learn more about the Indiana Predator Challenge, visit our website at www.IndianaPredatorChallenge.com or email [e-mail]

Information about the 2012 IPC will be available in approximately 6-8 weeks, registration opens in July!

[trappnman]

so how are areas to hunt, set up?

[jrbhunter]

Large tracts of public property are set aside specifically for this hunt during the three day weekend, in conjunction with local/state and federal wildlife agencies. The number of hunters allowed into the hunt is adjusted to ensure plenty of room for everyone and no over-crowding problems arise. Basically, about 70 guys have access to 250,000-275,000 acres as it sprawls out over a 75x150 mile area. Everyone has access to the same maps, trail heads, tips from organizers and expert advice from foresters/rangers who manage these properties... it is rare that groups see one another outside base-camp during the 3-day hunt.

Stratagies vary. Some groups will take off on a 18 mile horse trail and spend the afternoon making numerous stands.... others will hop-n-skip across the countryside making 5 stands and putting 250 miles per day on their vehicle. Some guys take off to the farthers extents of the property as the hunt starts, others start making stands within a quarter mile of the event headquarters. To each their own: but I don't think anyone has proven a truely dominant strategy in these first six years.

[trappnman]

interesting set-up

good to see the agencys participating

[jrbhunter]

Hard to believe, but it's about time to start registration for the 2012 Indiana Predator Challenge. Paperwork will be available online July 15th, visit www.IndianaPredatorChallenge.com to learn more.

Hunters may also register at the upcoming IPC Summer Shindig on July 23rd where you'll find good friends, great food and some horrific sporting clay shooting! Please send an email to [e-mail] to learn more about that event or to RSVP, all hunters and their families are encouraged to attend.

Thanks;