Wipe out some predators at Carolina Coyote Classic

coyote classic
The 2020 Carolina Coyote Classic is scheduled for Feb. 21 - 23.

Contest will be held Feb. 21 – 23

Deer season seems like a distant memory now. And turkey hunting season is still a ways off. But a favorite hunt of many Carolina sportsmen and women is coming up. It’s almost time for the 7th Annual Carolina Coyote Classic.

Once again, the Carolina Coyote Classic has the support of, and is partnering with, the Stanly County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (VisitStanly.com) for the tournament.

The “C3” tournament takes place Feb. 21 – 23. This year’s contest will feature the Fat Dog Contest as well as the main event, the Coyote Derby. Participants can hunt anywhere in the Carolinas. They must bring all their coyotes to the weigh-in site on or before Sunday at noon. The American Legion Post 76, formerly known as the Stanly County Fairgrounds, will host the weigh-in.

The Fat Dog Contest will award a Predator Hunting Rifle Package with a Sniper Hog Lights package as its Grand Prize. The team with the biggest coyote will win the Fat Dog Contest. Other Fat Dog Contest prizes include taxidermy, predator calls, 704 Outdoors gear, and much more.

The team with the most coyotes will win the Coyote Derby. That portion of the tournament will award a guaranteed $3000 in cash. This amount may increase, depending on how many teams sign up.

Teams can sign up for the Fat Dog Contest with a $25 fee per team.  Up to four hunters can participate as a team. A separate contest for largest FEMALE coyote will be available for an extra $2.

Participants can hunt anywhere in the Carolinas

Registration for the Coyote Derby is $150 per team. Up to three hunters can participate in one Coyote Derby team.

The rules are pretty simple. Hunters must kill all their coyotes during the tournament schedule which officially begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 21. It ends at 12 noon on Sunday, Feb. 23. Every hunter must be properly licensed for the state they hunt in. Participants may hunt in any of North Carolina’s 100 counties and any of South Carolina’s 46 counties.

Participating hunters must obey the applicable hunting regulations in the state they are participating.

Team members must hunt together, and the Coyote Derby and Fat Dog Contest are separate tournaments. Hunters must photograph and submit pictures of their harvests at the time of each kill. They must also bring each dead coyote to the weigh-in by the deadline.

No worries on hunters stockpiling coyote photos and turning them in on tournament weekend. This is, of course, not allowed. And tournament organizers have a plan in place to ensure that does not happen. Basically, each team will receive a Hunter Number on a Kill Block just before the tournament begins. That Kill Block must be included in every photo.

704 Outdoors, who is organizing the tournament, will also have an autopsy performed on any coyote that appears to have been penned, trapped, or otherwise taken in a manner against the rules of the C3. Numerous wildlife biologists and a veterinarian will be on hand, and all winners will be required to take a polygraph.

For a complete list of all the rules and the payout structure, visit 704outdoors.com/carolina-coyote-classic.

About Brian Cope 2726 Articles
Brian Cope is the editor of Carolina Sportsman. He has won numerous awards for his writing, photography, and videography. He is a retired Air Force combat communications technician, and has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina. You can reach him at brianc@sportsmannetwork.com.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply