Hihitahi Challenge 2016

**Bagheera** · 26-01-2016, 03:39 PM

Well done Phillipo (and Gamereaper) with great performances on an unpredictable and challenging course. Phillipo you are one determined b×××××d, coming back after a couple of difficulties in past events - well deserved placing this time.

Thanks also to Gillie and Gillice for thinking up and setting up the event. As we ve come to expect, there were some challenging dilemmas in all stages, from the animal identification to the shooting. You sure need your wits about you.

It was good to see new hunters there who d just finished a HUNTS course and I d expect a lot of instructors around the country would put in a good showing too if they tried out here.

**Gillie** · 28-01-2016, 08:27 PM

The 2016 Hihitahi Challenge was held on the 23rd of January. The morning fog burned away to reveal a hot and cloudless day. This year we had 33 competitors turn up to challenge themselves against the course (best turn out yet!). In my view the event was very successful with only a few issues coming up through the day that hopefully we will iron out for next time. At the end of the day there was a whole bunch of happy competitors and we got some really good feedback!

It was a scorcher of a day

This year we decided to make the random number placed around the course a little harder. This was reflected in the scores with the highest score being 13 found out of 20.

This year we expanded the traditional "Tree ID stage" to include animals as well. Turns out not everyone knows their native frogs! Can you name this one?

Observation this year shifted back to where it started and the scores came in about the same.

Some shoot positions stayed the same...

And we introduced a new one...

We brought the penalty targets into the unknown distance shooting. All the "no shoot" white targets were hit by the end of the day...

Awesome to see juniors

Father and son team

The magnetic bearings were difficult again this year. Some of the cards competitors had to find where hidden (cards were located a given distance along a given magnetic bearing from a marker). More than one competitor obviously just followed the competitor in front of them and they didn't realize there was more than one card...

BBQ and prize giving at the woolshed. Basically nothing left of the BBQ and everyone got a prize!

Result Summary...

**Philipo** · 01-02-2016, 08:55 PM

Hahaha I decided to try a different tactic with range estimation this year, I just took a quick as look & went with my gut, turns out that was a shit plan. Taking a bit more time & using the surroundings to help with judgement seems to be more accurate.

**Gillie** · 02-02-2016, 08:08 AM

Ummm... you do realise we play with the target sizes with the aim of making it difficult to do that - funny how changing the size of the target just slightly and using a bit of dead ground can really play with our perception of distance. And screwing up the distance estimates didn't seem to hurt your shooting score too much.