From Homepage Feb. 2008 - July 15th 2008 Replaced with "Registration Open"
The 2008 Indiana Predator Challenge was once again a record setting event in every way! Registration opened on July 15th and was closed on the 29th of September, jamming the contest full with 56 registered hunters in record time! At Fridays initial check-in we saw 52 of those participants on hand; making this the largest field of callers we’ve ever had.
Hunters were anxious to get in the woods, chasing predators that could put them within striking distance of the $2,858 worth of prizes displayed at headquarters! This prize package contained dozens of the finest custom calls and cow horn howlers on the market, 4 shiny new 22-250 rifles, truck decals, magazine subscriptions and beautiful laser etched plaques. With the help of some generous companies offering us price breaks and awesome donations; we were able to offer the largest prize package in IPC history!
We had a weather scare for the beginning of the competition, with weathermen anticipating 1-2 inches of ice and a few inches of snow overnight Thursday and into Friday. As usual; the weathermen were wrong and roads were dry with a light dusting of snow sticking only in wooded areas. High winds were a factor as contestants rushed off to their favorite stands, but it didn’t take long for The Hoosier Daddy team to tag a coyote. Team K-Nine also hammered home their first points with a 31 pound coyote. Team Savage also struck an early lead with a Friday afternoon Red Fox just a few miles from the Headquarters building!
Friday night was chilly and very dark so several teams hoofed the hills all night making stands. The Regulators would score big with a Grey Fox around 11pm Friday and a coyote just before daylight Saturday. The Howlers knocked down a hefty 45 pound mail on Saturday morning just before the mandatory check-in: putting 5 teams on the board with fur!
As animals were weighed and scored by volunteers, teams gathered inside the HQ building for some great food prepared by the Chef. After gorging themselves to the brink of misery; contestants marveled at the prizes for a little motivation then congregated outside for the infamous IPC Rifle Contest.
The Indiana Predator Challenge Rifle Contest was once again challenging for all involved and entertaining for those in attendance. 5 targets were placed at various ranges in random positions on the course; shooters were given 5 rounds and/or 60 seconds to attack the course from one location.
It didn’t take long to set a benchmark, as Jason Brunner (Regulator) stepped up to the plate second in line and knocked down 4 targets in 46.93 seconds. One by one, a representative from each team addressed the course with his favorite rifle. It wasn’t until The Howlers stepped up that we saw some competition for Regulators blazing speed…. As Patrick wielded his single shot rifle knocking down 4 targets then struggling to find the 5th critter hidden in the woods!
As he searched for the remaining fox, Patrick’s 60 second time window elapsed, and he was awarded 2nd place. If he had fired his 5th round into the air immediately after knocking down the 4th target- he would’ve taken first place! Fortunately for The Regulators, he didn’t empty that round… and the rest of the field failed to match their 80% kill ratio.
Other points of interest: Team Savage managed to whiff on all 5 targets 29.67 seconds, while Team Clark took twice as long to miss them all. (Sorry Gary)
After the rifle competition we had a clear leader and an offset tie for second; The Howlers held 2 points with their coyote and a second place finish in the rifle contest while Savage had two points from their Red Fox. The tie breaker (weight) would throw the position in favor of the Howlers but there were two teams that could overthrow that balance by popping any fox or coyote out there! We didn’t know how 2nd-5th would pan out- but we knew someone would really have to step up to catch the Regulators.
As they say, you have to crawl before you can walk… and Cucvblazer was feeling pretty low after missing all those targets but he was flying high just hours later when he popped a beautiful male Gray Fox! Dtrain defied all odds by killing the female of the pair, on the daytime stand, giving their team a shot in the arm and propelling them into the lead!
Knowing that other teams were out there hunting hard; Team Savage couldn’t afford to rest on a one point lead. Their foxes were lightweight critters compared to the coyotes being checked in; so they would lose any tie that came about. Not to be outdone; The Howlers came through with a 272 yard shot on a nasty little female coyote just before dark to keep themselves in contention. As the sun went down we had no idea what would show up at the final check-in on Sunday afternoon.
Despite hunting hard, and nearly nonstop, nobody connected on fur overnight! Sunday morning Team Savage was able to seal the deal by calling and killing one more coyote; The Howlers called several but couldn’t knock any down to clinch a runner up position. Team Savage would win, Regulators taking second place!
Also; Patrick Byrum from The Howlers will recieve a subscription to the Trapper & Predator Caller for his valiant effort and second place in the IPC Rifle Contest. Anybody that can shoot like that deserves a prize... even if he did miss a REAL coyote at 40 yards! LOL!
In short, I'd like to thank everyone for coming out and especially all those who volunteered or contributed to this prize package in some way! I had a great time and hope you guys did too.... there are hundreds of pictures to come; keep an eye on the Indiana Predator Challenge website for those in the near future!
From Homepage September 2007 - November 2007 Replaced with "Breaking News"
Registration for the 2008 Indiana Predator Challenge is off to a tremendous start! While still less than 6 weeks into the 6 month entry window; we’re halfway booked with brand new teams from
To stay in touch with our registered hunters, potential contestants and event supporters we have started an email newsletter that is sent out periodically. Three editions of this newsletter have already been released, and some very important information has been shared with its recipients. If you would like to be kept up-to-date on the 2008 Indiana Predator Challenge please send an email to IndianaPredator@yahoo.com and we’ll get you on the mailing list.
The first jump in the Graduated Fee Schedule will take place on October 1st, where fees will increase from the current $50 to $60 per man. In order to beat this price increase you must have your entry fees completed and enclosed with payment in an envelope post marked on or before September 29th. You may also complete your paperwork and pay entry fees at the Indiana Predator Challenge booth on September 29th at Hoosier Trappers Supply in
From Homepage July 2007 - September 2007 Replaced with "Registration Update"
If you’ve landed here you have probably heard about this great calling contest through friends or seen our information in various hunting related magazines and websites. The Indiana Predator Challenge has been a growing tradition for Hoosier Hunters for years but today it is becoming popular across the entire Midwest.
The 2007 event was a great success in bringing together hunters from Midwestern states like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee. With response from states as far away as Arizona and California there is obviously no limit to the growth of our contest- folks are really getting eager to take the CHALLENGE!
We’re all very excited to begin the process of filling up our 2008 event! That process kicks off here in mid-July and will intensify throughout the fall. The format, timing and location of the event will remain much the same as previous events. A graduated fee schedule is still in place and registrations are limited so don’t delay sending in your paperwork.
Great times, beautiful country, plenty of animals, incredible food and great camaraderie are on tap as always- so don’t miss your chance to join us for the 4th Annual Indiana Predator Challenge! Make sure to visit www.MidwestPredatorHunters.com and visit the forums here in the off season. That’s the best place to keep up on news pertaining to the upcoming competition and our summertime gatherings!
From Homepage Feb.2007 - July 15th, 2007, Replaced with "Registration is Open"
Registration for the 2007 Indiana Predator Challenge is officially closed! With overwhelming response from across the Midwest, this event will bring together more predator callers than ever before. Callers from Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee will be making the journey to Southern Indiana for a great hunt in early February!
The popularity of this competition continues to grow at an amazing rate, with publicity in every popular trapping and predator calling magazine on the shelf, the IPC is becoming a household name in many areas. Thousands of Indiana Predator Challenge website viewers have been keeping tabs on the upcoming events and hundreds more have called or emailed requesting more information.
We are very excited about this years hunt because we have more hunters, more dedicated volunteers, stronger organization and a ton of awesome prizes to give away! Registered teams will be mailed helpful information packets in the coming weeks. All volunteers and organizers will be meeting two weeks before the hunt. As usual, others will not be allowed to visit or participate in the 2007 event whatsoever. We are hoping to reformat the 2008 event to include the non-registered public for special events throughout the hunt weekend. We’ve had dozens of calls from people requesting some form of limited participation in the event. We’re working hard to accommodate that crowd in the future.
Thanks to everyone who registered, contributed or helped organize the 2007 event! Those of you who missed out this year; please make sure to watch this site for information and join many of our IPC participants at www.MidwestPredatorHunters.com for various hunting discussions!
Thanks; Jason R. Bruce
For Immediate Release: 12/26/2006
From Homepage November 2006 - Dec. 2006 replaced with "Registration Closed"
Welcome to www.IndianaPredatorChallenge.com! If you are here you have probably heard about our annual event from friends or seen our information in various magazines and websites. The Indiana Predator Challenge has been a growing tradition for Hoosier Hunters for years but today it is becoming popular across the entire Midwest.
The registration forms we have received for this 2007 event show a very diverse crew from states like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee. With response from states as far away as Arizona and California there is obviously no limit to the growth of our contest- folks are really getting eager to take the CHALLENGE!
Many of our newest visitors may have read about our contest in the latest edition of their favorite hunting magazines. The Indiana Predator Challenge is very excited to have been listed in magazines like Predator Hunting Magazine, Predator Xtreme, Predator & Prey and the Trapper & Predator Caller. These advertisements and recognition has definitely increased our name recognition across the country! Welcome to all the folks who learned about us through those publications! Make sure to keep up with many of the IPC participants and watch for other events on www.MidwestPredatorHunters.com throughout the year.
I do have one important announcement for anyone interested in joining us for February?s hunt! Everyone should understand that we are limiting the amount of entries this year and our charts show the hunt is well over halfway booked right now! The growth we?ve seen this year is exciting, but it means some teams may not be able to join us if they wait too long to register. December 15th marks the next increase in registration fees from the current $60 to our closing fee of $80. It is highly possible that this competition will be booked completely by that date, December 15th, so don?t delay if you are serious about joining us.
Planning is going very well at this point, we have been very busy working with new teams to make sure their questions are answered and paperwork complete. If you have sent in your registration paperwork but haven?t heard any response from the IPC please contact Jason Bruce immediately to make sure everything is in order. All teams will receive a verification email or phone call when they are accepted? at a later date all teams will also receive information and directions important for the IPC weekend!
Thanks for stopping by www.IndianaPredatorChallenge.com! I hope to see you join us for the February hunt, please call or write with any questions.
Thanks; Jason R. Bruce
For Immediate Release: November 11th, 2006
From Homepage July - November 2006 replaced with "Close to becoming booked"
With great weather, great people and a big stack of coyotes and some fox the 2006 Indiana Predator Challenge was another one for the record books. The hard work and dedication of IPC volunteers was shown by improved participation, hunter success and event efficiency all the way around. Organizers are now completing the organization of the next event and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. As of July 15th registrations will be accepted for this upcoming event!
The 2007 Indiana Predator Challenge will be held in Perry County Indiana on February 2nd-4th. Entries will be limited to less than 50 hunters and teams will consist of 3 or 4. Hunters will be allowed to hunt around the clock but must attend specified check-ins. Only Red Fox, Gray Fox and Coyote will be scored for this competition. A limited number of local hunters will be available and will be selectively placed with teams requesting their service. As our contestants have come to expect, prizes and meals will be wonderful and the rifle competition is sure to be tough! Hunters will find registration forms, schedules, rules and further info on the Registration Page. The entry fees will again be on a graduated schedule and of course entries are limited so teams should get moving quickly if they want to take the CHALLENGE!
Information and representatives for the Indiana Predator Challenge can be found at most trapping conventions and in many fur buyer or trapping supply stores. We had a great showing of IPC supporters for the FTA National Convention at
I know many of our contestants’ count the days to check-in once they’re registered so I’ll fill you in on a little secret to take the edge off this fall. A great way to stay in contact with a large part of the IPC participants and organizers, and many of
I hope to see you in February; we’re looking forward to a record crowd and a record harvest! Don’t forget to register early, with thousands of recent hits on our website I think we’ll quickly find 50 folks that are up for the CHALLENGE!
Thanks; Jason R. Bruce
For Immediate Release- July 15th, 2006
From Homepage February - July 15th, 2006 replaced with "Registration Open"
The 2006 Indiana Predator Challenge was an absolute blast! With 9 teams registered to compete it didn’t take long for things to heat up… only 25 minutes after the one o’clock sign-in “The Flatlanders” took their first coyote! Mert Stroud of “The Flatlanders” team said “Boy we felt good at that point… I kind of thought we had this thing won!”
Mert was feeling good but little did he know his lead would diminish before sunset. Team Savage connected on their second setup and took a nice female coyote. Two setups later they would connect again on a long range male that gave them a two point lead over the rest of the field going into Saturdays check in.
With the scores settled and the animals registered on Saturday morning it was time for the Indiana Predator Challenge Rifle Competition. The weather was cold and blustery with inconsistent crosswinds that made it hard on shooters. After one round of shooting two teams emerged in a tie, “The Warrick Co. Wolfers” and “Team Buckshot” would move on to the next round. It was really a suspenseful competition as the two riflemen traded punches at eggs perched at 200 yards. The third round would tell the tale, “I felt like I busted the one good but with this wind it was just a guess” said Randy Merta. He was right, upon investigation he had busted one more egg than Kevin Stokes of Team Buckshot and he put two points on the board for his team. Stokes scored one point as the second place finisher.
Leaving the base camp on Saturday afternoon the race was too close to call. Almost every team had points on the board and one more successful hunt could turn the tables upside down. Team Savage continued hunting hard in hopes of padding their lead but came up empty handed… by daylight their lead would be gone! Rumors circled around local fuel stations and restaurants that Team Bal-Hinch had managed to take another coyote but it would be 3 o’clock on Sunday before contestants were sure. Sunday morning was another good hunt for IPC contestants, Teams Buckshot and Brushwolf would both connect on coyotes before heading in to tally the scores. Sunday afternoon found six teams on the board with points and the top two were in an even tie with two coyotes a piece. It would come down to body weight!!
Team Savage had two average sized coyotes; Team Bal-Hinch had one large male and a small female. Nobody really knew who would pull through victoriously but the scales put Bal-Hinch in the lead by 4.75 pounds! Bal-Hinch would take home the first place rifles and calls, Team Savage left with the second place call package. Bal-Hinch won their first ever IPC competition and Savage improved one position from their third place finish in 2005.
The Indiana Predator Challenge is growing in popularity and intensity each year, this event was considered a great success by contestants and organizers alike. With a total of seven coyotes harvested and six teams scoring points everyone felt like they were in the mix for the win.
With great weather, great people and great food the 2006 Indiana Predator Challenge is another one for the record books. The hard work and dedication of IPC volunteers was shown by improved participation, success and event efficiency this year. Organizers will soon begin working on the 2007 event with a focus of continued improvement. Popularity of the contest has grown by word of mouth around the Hoosier State in recent years but this fall sportsmen will notice advertisements for the hunt in numerous national publications as well.
Anyone interested in more information on the 2007 Indiana Predator Challenge should email Jason R. Bruce at Jrbhunter@hotmail.com with “IPC” in the subject line. Events such as promotional booths, group picnics and member input meetings will be held around the state this summer so inquire today to find out when we’ll be near you. Information and representatives for the Indiana Predator Challenge can be found at most trapping conventions and in many fur buyer or trapping supply stores. A great way to stay in contact with a large part of the IPC participants and organizers, and many of Indiana’s predator callers in general, is to visit www.MidwestPredatorHunters.com. This website offers great forums and real time chat that connects many of the best callers in the Midwest, nearly half of the 06’ contestants are members of the site!