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Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:26 pm
by bucksnbears
we're leaving in the morning

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:34 pm
by Daryl
Great to hear guys I will be there around supper time tomorrow so if your around look me up and I might just have a beer or two for ya... It will be fun we have a good bunch of guys every year. It might not be the biggest hunt but we do our best for being family run.

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:54 pm
by bucksnbears
Daryl, what time is checkin at night???

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:15 pm
by Daryl
6am to 7pm...

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 8:38 am
by ponydog
You guys shoot straight and best of luck, for those of us that dont have a local coyote tourney or hunt,

I would sure appreciate anyone that has a link, or a site that lists these type events Nationwide. I am in Missouri,

and love to go out every weekend and try my hand at calling in a few. Slim pickins this year.....weather has been a little

colder than normal, and we have had some great snows for us, ( from a hunting standpoint) 3 to 7 inches three or 4 times this winter
, enough to cover the ground

Dont know if that helps yall, but here, where everything is brown, a blanket of white makes them a little easier to spot, ( makes me easier

to spot too I am thinking) ......Anyway, if anyone does have a list, or "universal" site.....I'd sure like a heads up.

Best to you all, and safe hunting.

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 5:27 pm
by bucksnbears
I hope everyone made it back home safe!!! :shock:

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 10:13 am
by LeviM
Thanks for going through all that hard work and putting on the tournament Daryl! We woke up saturday morning find 4" of snow on top of our truck. We got a good handfull of stands in before the wind picked up and the snow really started to fall. We had white out conditions. We decided to pull the plug early and try to make it back home, we had a 3 1/2 hr drive. We got to Jamestown and that was probably the most nervous I have been when we hit I94. WHITE OUT, we coundnt see shit!!! We got just east of Jamestown and seen a 10 car pile up, and a semi, couple vehicles look like there might not of been survivors! I hope everyone in that accident is okay!!!!

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 10:19 am
by Daryl
I appreciate all the teams that showed up. Once again old mother nature didn't let us down with some pretty poor hunting conditions. I will try to get pics and story up later tonight. Thanks again to those who came and I understand for those who never came back for the evening check ins. Travel conditions were not the greatest.

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 10:39 am
by bucksnbears
perhaps you should hold in sept. :lol: :shock:actually, the morning started off not to bad. but sure went to hell after that. Denise and I and Tom hunted some private river bottom property and we split up right at daybreak. tom went north we went south. we called in 2 coyotes onto the ice at 125 yards. Denise dropped 1 and i dropped 1. both did the spin and dance and both got behind cover before we could get off a finishing shot. we trailed each one about 200-300 yards through heavy cover and deep snow and did not find either one :( (they did not stop anywhere). Tom had one close on the way in to his stand but did'nt shoot. those are the only ones we seen. Tom did possably have one coming but never did see it. (magpies and grouse flushing out of cattails). we had some barking at use in a great looking cattle area but never did commit to coming in..sorry we did'nt come in Daryl but we could'nt chance getting stuck and the roads we horrid. from rugby to devils lake were "white knuckle". white out shit your pants type stuff :shock: :shock: was really hoping to b.s. with everyone at the checkin. p.m. me your address and i'll get the blocks to you. there are still 10 of them :wink: Congrats to Tbush-John and Brian.

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 5:39 pm
by Daryl
The 5th annual Balta Predator Hunt was once again a success even with our now 3 year streak of bad weather. The hunt started at 6am the 13th of Febuary with 6 inches of fresh snow on the ground, winds expected and snow still falling. The weather wasn't the worst we have had but it made driving conditions terrible being unable to tell the road from the ditch.
17 teams set out that morning in search of coyotes to call and kill in hopes of making it into one of the top 5 teams to win cash and a plaque if they were in the top 3. The driving conditions deteriorated as the morning progressed causing some teams to bow out early and others putting a guy in front of the truck to walk ahead and point out the road from the ditch.
As check-in time neared there was a team here and there coming in saying they never saw anything including the road. Only 8 teams returned with one team being able to connect with 3 coyotes. This left us with a tough decision on what to do with the prize money and the 2nd and 3rd place plaques. After a short discussion with the only team bringing in any coyotes we decide that we would pay out the top 3 places and the money would be split 60%, 25% and 15%. We would put the # of the rest of the teams that returned into a hat and then 2nd and 3rd place would be drawn for. These guys showed remarkable sportsmanship for allowing this to be done. We decided 1st would draw for 2nd and 2nd drew for 3rd. After the door prizes were handed out we gathered all the teams and explained to them how only one team had returned with coyotes and that team has decided to allow us to draw out of the hat for 2nd and 3rd. These guys were given a round of applause and a few handshakes for there sportsmanship.
We got under way with the results starting with 1st place which went to Terry Bush, John Noonan and Brian Peterson winning them $330, first place plaques and they were also awarded biggest and smallest plaques that payed $70 each. First place team then drew out of the hat giving team #14 of Les and Brayden Johnson 2nd place and that awarded plaques and $137.50. Brayden happens to be my nephew and 7yrs old and he was ear to ear smiles getting that 2nd place plaque. Brayden then reached in the hat and pulled out team #5 which was Myron Miller awarding him the third place plaque and $82.50. Myron has hunted in this tournament every year and was happy he just said he wished he would have killed a coyote for that plaque.
After the awards were over we had one thing left to do and that was to give away the Savage .17 HMR. Since I had a brother-in-law and nephew in the hunt we decided to let Brian the owner of the bar draw for the gun. He reached in and pulled out a ticket then called off the number and the hand that went up was Brian Petersons who was part of the 1st place team. Brian had traveled all the way from Richfield, MN and had no expectations of winning anything he said but he went away with a couple door prizes, a first place plaque and a new rifle. He also shot his first coyote that day and had told me he was going to go home with alot of memories that were provided to him that day.
We would like to thank all of the hunters that registered even if you were unable to make it back in we appreciate you giving one of the toughest hunts (weather wise) a try. Again we appreciate it and if the hunt makes it to the 6th annual (TBD) we hope you are all able to return. We also hope you all got enough to eat and if the food was good thank Richard and Linda Sollin (my parents) for the sausage, potatoes, beans, salad and deserts..
The Sollin's


First Place.. Brian Peterson, Terry Bush and John Noonan
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Second Place... Brayden and Les johnson
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Third place... Myron Miller
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Brian with his new rifle...
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Couple of the door prize winners.. Jeff Berdahl with his gun cleaning center, Travis Hamilton with the Midland radios and then there is Brian the owner of the bar and his friend Bear that helps out.. These guys were great..
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Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 6:07 am
by LeviM
Wow congrats Terry!!! 3 coyotes in that kind of weather shows everyone why we call you Mr. February, no coyotes are safe this time of the year!!! LOL Congrats everyone!!!

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 6:19 am
by lyonch
Congrats to everyone who participated and at least gave it a shot!!! As Levi mentioned in his post earlier, we had a pretty touch day. We ended up seeing three coyotes on the day total. I sure hope the hunt can be put on next year, but with better weather :wink:

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:04 am
by Fallguy
Wow its like you guys have a curse on your weather for Balta! Good ideas on awarding the 2nd and 3rd place. That is pretty cool about the guy shooting his first coyote, winning the rifle, AND getting first place! I'll bet he's hooked for life now!!! :D

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:25 am
by jaybic
NIce job Tbush and crew!

Jaybic

Re: 5th Annual Balta Predator Hunt

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 3:11 pm
by Prairie Ghost
Good work Gentlemen!!!