X RING CUSTOM LLC   FIREARMS SALES - SERVICE - TRAINING

 X RING CUSTOM held their 5th Annual Coyote Competition on Friday, January 29, 2016 and Saturday, January 30, 2016.  On Friday, at 5:00 pm, a total of 73 teams from throughout Illinois (grand total of 146 hunters) arrived at X RING CUSTOM eager to pick up bite sticks (that had to be properly placed in the coyote’s mouth in order to be counted for the competition), door prize tickets, and a competitor drawing ticket for either a Savage Axis 223 or a Fox Pro Firestorm Electronic Call. Teams called in downed coyotes throughout the two-day hunt with morning and evening coyote check-ins.

 A grand total of 44 coyotes were called in, weighed, and counted on Saturday. The check-in crew carefully inspected each coyote to ensure it was a fresh kill. Food, awards, and drawings took place at the Toledo American Legion starting at 6:00pm. Many hunters received various door prizes consisting of electronic calls, cleaning products, ammunition, knives, hunting lights and headlamps, tools, lubricants, hats, and other hunting gear from area and corporate sponsors including: Remington Arms, Zander’s Sporting Goods, Pro-Shot Products, Slip 2000, Predator Tactics Hunting Lights, Dave Butz NRA BOD, Buck Knives, North Fork Power Sports, Casey State Bank, The Fillin Station, and X RING CUSTOM.

The winner of the competitor drawing for the Savage Axis 223, donated by X RING CUSTOM, was Jon Schoonover of Carlinville.  In honor and remembrance of a fellow hunter and friend, Jason Hooper of Effingham, tickets were sold to win either a Savage Axis 243 or an Iver Johnson PAS 12 before, during, and after the meal. Many area residents and fellow hunters stepped up to purchase tickets to make a generous $1200.00 donation to Jason's family. The winner of the Jason Hooper benefit drawing was Travis Devall of Vandalia.

Cash prizes and custom designed coyote skull mount trophies, made by Colin Cole of Toledo were given to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, largest, and smallest coyote winning teams. Cash prizes were awarded to 4th and 5th place. Winning 1^st place with eight coyotes, weighing 245 lbs, was Roger and Wayne Shaw of Urbana. Jon Schoonover of Carlinville and Daniel Webster of Kinmundy downed seven coyotes weighing 220.9 lbs which earned them the 2^nd place trophy. Coming in 3^rd place (which was a 3-way tie with 3 coyotes, so the largest combined weight was the determining factor) was Ruben Royer of Oakland and Jesse Smith of Hindsboro with three coyotes weighing 116.25 lbs. Todd Hewing of Hidalgo and Dave Staley of Newton also snagged three coyotes weighing 100.9 lbs earning them 4th place. 5th place went to Ron Carver and Clint Shaw both from Charleston for grabbing  three coyotes weighing 88.95 lbs.

 Aaron Miller of Brownstown and Luke Wasson of Effingham snatched the biggest coyote which weighed 40.8 lbs. The smallest coyote, 23.1 lbs was brought in by Jake Vancil of Chatham and Justin Roepke of Effingham.

Even though the weather was a bit warm, most of the tired, red-eyed hunters enjoyed the hot chili and chicken noodle soup, told their hunting stories, and made some hunting memories from the competition. X RING CUSTOM is looking forward to the 6^th Annual Coyote Competition on January 27-28, 2017. Mark your calendars and bring on some snow!!