
$40,000 in cash and prizes awarded at 2025 C3
The 12th Annual Carolina Coyote Classic took place Jan. 31 through Feb. 2, 2025, and participating hunters killed 303 coyotes during the event.
Team Red Lights won the Coyote Derby, earning a payout of $2000 cash, along with several other prizes. Team Howlin for Glory won first place in the Fat Dog Class, pocketing $760 in cash and a host of prizes donated by sponsors. All hunters who weighed in ‘yotes were awarded a cash prize.
“We had another great year of the Carolina Coyote Classic in the new venue, the Stanly County Farm Bureau Livestock Arena,” said John MacPherson of 704 Outdoors, the organizer of the event.
Other regional coyote tournaments were taking place at the same time, but it had little impact on this event.
“Even with three other coyote tournaments sharing the same dates, we still had a great turnout,” he said. “Teams battled the heavy rains the first night, and some tough hunting the second night. But they still managed to break the 300-coyote mark again.”
The Carolina Coyote Classic consists of two main divisions: the Coyote Derby involves teams that are attempting to kill the most coyotes, and the Fat Dog Class is made up of teams trying to kill the heaviest coyote. A few side pots also take place, including the Big Female Side Pot and the Little Dog prize, as well as the Coyote Derby Big Dog award.
Coyote Derby
First Place: Team Red Lights killed 27 coyotes and won:
- $2000 cash
- 1st Place Custom Carolina Coyote Classic belt buckles
- Silencer Central Banish Suppressors for all team members
Second Place: Dirty Dogs killed 22 coyotes, winning:
- $1200 cash
- 2nd Place Custom Carolina Coyote Classic belt buckles
- Silencer Central Banish Suppressors for all team members.
Third Place: Hushpuppies killed 22 coyotes, and were awarded:
- $800 cash
- 3rd Place Custom Carolina Coyote Classic belt buckles
- Silencer Central Banish Suppressors for all team members.
Because Dirty Dogs and Hushpuppies killed the same number of coyotes, a tiebreaker of heaviest coyote (38.91-pounds for Dirty Dogs vs. 36.37 pounds for Hushpuppies) was used to determine the standings.
Coyote Derby Big Dog: Red Lights killed a 41.44-pound male ‘yote, adding a $1000 gift certificate for a rifle build from DNA Firearms Systems.
Fat Dog Class

First Place: Howlin for Glory killed a 44.31-pound male coyote, and won the following:
- 1st Place Custom Carolina Coyote Classic belt buckles
- $760 cash
- Grand Prize Rifle Package from Hal’s Pawn & Gun (Howa 6mm bolt action rifle with optics)
- FoxPro Inc x24 electronic predator call
- FoxPro Inc call carry bag
- FoxPro Inc mouth calls and hats
- DNA Firearm Systems T-shirts and hats
- FatBoy Tripods T-shirts and hats
- Silencer Central Banish Suppressors for all team members
- Charles Hubert Watch from MacPherson’s Diamonds & Design
- Pocket drag and MFK mouth calls and hats from Nocturnal Optics
Second Place: Team Creepin killed a 43.65-pound male, earning the following prizes:
- 2nd Place Custom Carolina Coyote Classic belt buckles
- $456 cash
- Escort Camouflage 12-gauge shotgun from Key’s Gun Shop
- FoxPro Inc X24 electronic predator call
- FoxPro Inc predator hand calls
- FoxPro Inc lanyard
- FoxPro Inc call carry bag
- FoxPro Inc mouth calls and hats
- DNA Firearm Systems hat
- Sniper Hog Lights 40KAP headlight
- Silencer Central Banish Suppressors for all team members
- Pocket drag, MFK mouth call and hats from Nocturnal Optics
Third Place: Carolina Yote Smokers bagged a 42.54-pound male and won these prizes:
- 3rd Place Custom Carolina Coyote Classic Belt Buckles
- $304 cash
- FoxPro Inc Hellcat Pro electronic call
- FoxPro Inc call carry bag
- FoxPro Inc lanyard
- FoxPro Inc mouth calls and hats
- DNA Firearm Systems hat
- Silencer Central Banish Suppressors for all team members
- Pocket drag from Nocturnal Optics
Big Female Side Pot
Red Lights added to their list of awards by killing the biggest female dog of the tournament, a 39.79-pounder worth $424.
Little Dog Side Pot
Heybo killed a 20.17-pound ‘yote to claim the Little Dog Side Pot, and won their choice of a .17HMR or .22 rimfire rifle from All Seasons Outdoor & Pawn.
Numerous raffle prizes were also awarded during the event.
“Every year, we do a Hunter’s Raffle where we give all participants of the tournament that attend the weigh-in a ticket for their chance to win some great prizes,” said MacPherson. “This year, we went BIG thanks to Nocturnal Optics, Pulsar Optics, DNA Firearm Systems, Silencer Central and Fatboy Tripods.”
Among the raffle prizes given away were:
- FatBoy Tripods package that included Traverse Two Section Carbon Fiber Tripod Legs and an Invert50 Ball Head, valued at $1200
- DNA Firearm Systems gift certificate for $1000 off a custom refle build, and 50 percent off a custom Cerakote finish, valued at $1500
- Nocturnal Optics and Pulsar Optics Talion XG30 Pro Thermal Imaging Rifle Sight and Pulsar Axion XG30 Campact Thermal Imaging Monocular, valued at $4200
- Six (6) Silencer Central Banish Suppressors, valued at $3000
Click here for more information about the Carolina Coyote Classic
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