2012 PKC Blue RibbonPro Hunt, Dupont, Indiana

My experiences with the Clifty Creek CoonhuntersAssociation in Dupont, Indiana began many years agoas a teenager. Back in the spring of 1979, a few friendsand I traveled to Dupont for a Coonhound event thatwe had seen advertised in Full Cry magazine. We hadno intention of competing in the hunt, but we were allHide Hunters and wanted to see what these hunts wereall about.

We arrived in the late afternoon and the parking lotwas jam-packed; we had to park along the county road.The treeing contest was in progress with about 75entries and the winner’s pot and calcutta were worthseveral hundred dollars. We sat and watched a benchshow with over 50 entries and stayed until the club putnearly 100 dogs in the woods for a three-hour NiteHunt.

The Dupont club is also where I first got my taste forPKC hunting. In the late 80’s I was hunting a littlefemale called Salt Creek Ann II. I entered her in herfirst PKC $25 hunt at Clifty Creek. There was a largeentry that Saturday night and I was lucky enough toland a spot in the final four. Unfortunately, for LeeBallard and Patch, their scorecard was back, but theydid not make deadline. With the remainder of us split-ting first, second and third, it turned out to be a greatpayday. I won about $158 plus jackpot money and I washooked!

Many things have changed since those early experi-ences at Dupont, but one constant remains; this clubknows how to put on a quality event. For about the lastfifteen years the Clifty Creek CHA members have beenhosting the PKC Labor Day Classic in North Vernonaround the last week of August. It has been a top-notchevent that many members look forward to each year.

On August 03, 2012 the PKC Blue Ribbon Pro Hunttour made a scheduled stop at Dupont. This hunt wasto be no exception to the club’s excellent track record.Clifty Creek has an exceptionally nice clubhouse withan outstanding kitchen and a very welcoming atmos-phere. Bobby Wilson, Denny Wilson and all the clubmembers went out of their way to ensure a good, qual-ity hunt for everyone involved. If someone asked foranything, they provided it!

Thanks go out to a great group of judges! The full-time judges that stayed in the woods for two roundseach night were Clay Young, Jonathan Merritt, DarrellEads and Dustin Troutman. Those helping out the cluband judging one or two rounds were Rick Shafer,Dudley Jones, James Tirey, Steve Burkholder, DustinKern and Kevin Cable.

The Dupont guides did and outstanding job keepingthe casts in good hunting. They are as follows; Allen

Maschino, Austin Tungate, Calvin Royce, Chris Braley,Dalton Davis, Jerry Lemaster, Ki Roberts, Kyle Short,Lance Laymon, Larry Wahlman, Shane Stoner, ShawnSeals and Spencer Seals.

Congratulations to the Top Sixteen Semi-Finalistsmaking it to the early round on Saturday. Cast one con-sisted of Youth Dakota Stephens hunting Eric Caudill’sMo, Clyde Osborn hunting Ted Blaker’s Rueger andDave Lawson hunting his dog Cobb. Ronnie Smithcame out on top with Jerry Frazier’s Pack with 175+.

Cast two held Ladybird owned and handled by RyanGeorge, Homer owned by Travis/Axford and handled byJeff Travis, Box owned and handled by Keith Husband.The eventual winner was Smirnoff Ice owned and han-dled by Nickey Hale with 450+.

The third semi final cast involved Kirk Reitz huntingReitz/Axford’s Lady, Scott Allen hunting Allen/Allen’sRocks, Kris Whitelock hunting Carmack/Bellar’sPurdy. Besting this field was Tyler Steury huntingBurkholder/Steury’s Bell with 325+.

Rounding out the Top Sixteen, cast four included;Hoss owned by Ronnie House and handled by SluggoPayton, Barney owned by Ted Blaker and handled byDoug Bice, Jesse owned by Rory Cowles and handled byJason Reisert. The leader at the end of two hours wasDandy owned by Charlie Ammerman and handled byDennis Hensley with 250+.

Now it was time for the Final Cast. There were fourgood hounds and four good handlers with lots of nerv-ous anticipation. Clay Young was the final cast judgewith Ki Roberts doing the guiding. The panel in thewoods consisted of Darrell Eads, Jonathan Merritt andDustin Troutman. Jeff Travis was reporting from thewoods to Tony Secoy doing the Play By Play at home.

The hounds were released at 2:54 AM EDT, Noff

ByJerry Moll

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struck shortly after for 100 followed by Bell for 75.Pack went in for 50 before Bell treed for 100. Dandy isstruck for 25 with a line while Noff covered Bell for 25.Dandy was found at the tree also and his 25 strike wasdeleted. It didn’t take long to find Bell’s coon, her andNoff are plussed up!

After the minute was walked, the six was applied toPack and it got him for 50-. Bell, Noff and Dandy arereleased under a new set of strike points. Strike Packfor 100, Noff for 75 and Bell for 50. Pack is treed for100 and Noff behind him for 75. Bell is treed for aquarter and Dandy is struck for 25 with a line.

Pack and Bell are handled in the ground, circle themup. Noff's is found nearby split from Pack and Bell andis handled. Dandy is also handled at Noff’s tree, hisstrike is deleted and Noff is circled both ways.

All hounds are loose again and competing for strikepoints. Noff is struck for 100, Dandy for 75. Dandy istreed for 100 and Noff backed him for 75. Bell is struckfor 50 with a line. Plus up Dandy and Noff Up!

Tree Bell for 100, making her 50 strike points liveones. Noff is re-struck for 25 with a line and treedbehind Bell for 25. Pack is struck for 25 with a line.Circle up Bell’s strike and tree, delete Noff’s 25 strikeand circle his 25 tree. Dandy was also handled at thistree, but was not struck in.

After the trio is released, Pack is treed for 100. Noffand Dandy struck for 25 each with a line. Pack’s rac-coon is quickly spotted, plus him up!

Dandy’s 25 strike is minued just before the huntexpires and Noff’s 25 strike is deleted. What a greathunt. Here is how they finished.

First Place 300+$4,000 WinnerSmirnoff IceNickey Hale-O/H

Second Place 175+$1,600 WinnerBlue River Miss Bawling BellTyler Steury/Steve Burkholder-OTyler Steury-H

Third Place 150+$800 WinnerCrooked Creek DandyCharlie Ammerman-ODennis Hensley-H

Fourth Place 75+$400 WinnerPower PackJerry Frazier-ORonnie Smith-H

Thank you to all who participated or helped out inany way to make this a great event!

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Dupont, IN I August 3-4Blue Ribbon Pro Hunt

FINAL CAST WINNERS:

4th. Ronnie Smith with JerryFrazier’s Power Pack

1st. Nickey Hale with his Smirnoff Ice

2nd. Tyler Steury with hisand Steve Burkholder’s

Blue River Miss Bawling Bell

3rd. Dennis Hensley with CharlieAmmerman’s Crooked Creek Dandy

Judges: Darrell Eads,Jonathan Merritt, Clay Young

and Dustin Troutman

Nickey Hale wins theDupont, Indiana

Blue Ribbon Pro Hunt withPKC PCH Smirnoff Ice

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Dupont, IN I August 3-4Blue Ribbon Pro Hunt

Semi-Final Cast #1: Howard Ridge Mo aka Big Mo, Eric Caudill-O,Dakota Stephens-H; Power Pack, Jerry Frazier-O, Ronnie Smith-H;TBS Tree Talken Rueger, Ted Blaker-O, Clyde Osborn-H; andRehab's Lil' Cobb, Dave Lawson-O/H. Judge: Jonathan Merritt,Guide: Chris Braley.

Semi-Final Cast #2: Smirnoff Ice, Nickey Hale-O/H; Ladybird, RyanGeorge-O/H; Huff Hollow Homer, Travis/Axford-O, Jeff Travis-H; andTackle Box, Keith Husband-O/H. Judge: Clay Young, Guide: CalvinRoyce.

Semi-Final Cast #4: Crooked Creek Dandy, Charlie Ammerman-O,Dennis Hensley-H; Hardcore Hoss, Ronnie M. House-O, Charles H.Payton, Jr.-H; TBS Tree Talken Barney, Ted Blaker-O, Doug Bice-H;and Cowles' Big River Jesse Lee, Rory Cowles-O, Jason Reisert-H.Judge: Dustin Troutman, Guide: Jerry Lemaster.

Semi-Final Cast #3: Cutter's Psychotic Lady, Reitz/Axford-O, KirkReitz-H; Blue River Miss Bawling Bell, Burkholder/Steury-O, TylerSteury-H; Bellar's Dam'n Purdy, Carmack/Bellar-O, Kris Whitelock-H;and Great Miami Rocks, Allen/Allen-O, Scott Allen-H. Judge: Darrell

Cast Winners in Bold

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