Totaloutdoorsman

Information for the 2009 Total Outdoorsman Challenge

2009 FIELD & STREAM TOTALOUTDOORSMAN CHALLENGE

A Special Event Presented by Mobil 1

ONLY ONE WILL WIN $25,000, WILL IT BE YOU?

The Game Plan:

1)  Qualify at your local Bass Pro Shops on Saturday April 25th or Sunday April 26th between the hours of 9am and 4pm.

- Be one of the top 200 sportsmen nationwide to contend at Regionals

You will be tested in bait casting, air rifle and archery (competitors must bring their own bows)

You can click this link TO PRINT an application to bring with you to this Qualifier round. (If you forget to bring it...no worries there will also be applications at the event)

 

2) Advance to the Regional competition in June

- Place in the top three positions at one of these Bass Pro Shops locations:

June 6, 2009 - Grapevine, TX

June 12, 2009 - Nashville, TN (at the CMA Music Festival)

June 20, 2009 - Independence, MO

June 27, 2009 - Harrisburg, PA

3)  Compete in the Championship event in Springfield, MO on September 10-13, 2009

-  Walk away with braggin’ rights, $25,000 in cash & prizes and a Yamaha ATV

View 2009 Total Outdoorsman Challenge Rules and Regulations

Check out our new Field & Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge web site coming in April 2009!

Look for: new blog posts, your favorite moments from past competitions and details about upcoming Field & Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge events

It's Showtime!

So, we know that Paul Thompson is the man, and we know that he won his third TOC title. But, you can see the soul-patch warrior in action starting next Friday on Versus. Hosted by T. Edward Nickens and Courtney Hanson, the show will feature all of the action from the finals in Springfield, Mo. through four episodes.

Here's when you can catch the action (and check it out, an hour of TOC action on the day after Thanksgiving--forget the football and cozy up with your turkey sandwich, next day's hunting plans, and 60 minutes of high TOC drama!):

Episode 1
Friday, November 7 at 5:30 pm
Thursday, November 13 at 12:30 pm
Friday, November 28 at 5:30 pm
Thursday, December 4 at 12:30 pm

Episode 2
Friday, November 14 at 5:30 pm
Thursday, November 20 at 12:30 pm

Episode 3
Friday, November 21 at 5:30 pm
Thursday, November 28 at 5:00 pm

Episode 4
Friday, December 5 at 5:30 pm
Thursday, December 11 at 12:30 pm

The Big Winner

No, not Paul Thompson. Sure, he took home the title yet again, in a three-peat of Michael Jordan proportions, but the big winner I'm talking about is Suzanne.

Suzanne posted a comment on the "pick a winner" blog, and her clairvoyance of all things Total Outdoorsman got her the $100 Bass Pro Shops gift card. Suzanne, please email your contact information to: toc@bonniercorp.com, and we'll get your prize to you.

Thank you all for playing.

The Results Are In!

The 2008 Total Outdoorsman Challenge has come to an end. Somehow, we managed to get through without any major problems with the weather. Although, it did start pouring right after the awards ceremony. But by then, we were all too excited about celebrating to care.

But I digress. Let's get on the important stuff—the results!

Although he got off to a rough start in the rifle event, Paul Thompson staged one hell of a comeback and successfully defended his title (again) to win his third consecutive TOC. Three in a row...I don't know about you guys, but I think Paul's three-peat has earned him a spot in the Dynasty Club.

Immediately after Paul won, he joked that he was going to call it quits. But I think everyone knows that they can expect to see Paul back next year, gunning for Number 4.

Congrats, Paul, on another incredible performance. The bragging rights are yours for at least one more year.

Below are the final standings of the 2008 Total Outdoorsman Challenge. —Colin Kearns

1. Paul Thompson..........28 pts.
2. Scot Marcin................32
3. Peter Mosby...............33
4. Tom Cooprider...........41
5. Daniel Lee Martin......48
5. Brian Cramer.............48
7. James Harrod............55
8. Matt Stedina..............57
8. Al Roberts.................57
10. Dan Powell..............61
11. Tim Gajewski...........62
12. Cory Yarmuth..........68
13. Dennis Billingsly......77
14. Jeremy Scott...........79
15. Scott Ritchlin...........90
16. Bill Moses................100

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Yesterday morning, the 16 finalists competed in the flyfishing event at Dogwood Canyon. Each guy got his own beat on the stream (which was assigned based on his score in a casting accuracy competition the night before), and fished it for 90 minutes. So for three hours, I got watch competitor after competitor catch big honking trout after big honking trout. Which, don't get me wrong was a lot of fun, but the trout junkie in me was absolutely jonesing for a fly rod. I'm telling you, these trout were big and the fishing was hot!

How hot? Consider this: Yesterday was the first time ever at the TOC where every competitor caught and scored his limit of three fish. In most cases, the guys caught a lot more than three fish and had to release smaller fish unscored, hoping that they'd catch one last big 'bow before their time expired. That's what Matt "the Vermonster" Stadina did, and the gamble really paid off.

With two 20-inch trout already scored, Matt caught a 19-plus-incher but decided not to score it because he wanted to catch another 20-incher. That would put his total score over 60 inches, which was the score everyone thought would be enough to win. Sure enough Matt eventually caught his third 20-inch trout, and finished first with 62 inches.

Peter "the Principal" Mosby finished second in flyfishing with 60.75 inches--a score that was good enough to push him ahead of Scot Marcin as the leader of the overall standings.

A few of the competitors had their trouble with the fly rod, but they all still managed to get that last fish at the zero hour.

I'll leave you with some photos from the event for now, but you'll be hearing back from me later today. --Colin Kearns

Greetings from Dogwood Canyon

Just in case you hadn't heard, the 2008 Total Outdoorsman Challenge is officially underway, and it's already shaping up to be the best yet. Before the competition began, the threats of t-storms and Hurricane Ike were looming, and it seemed like the show would go on (rain and no shine). Fortunately, that hasn't been the case.

So far.

The first two events, shotgun and .22 rifle, were bumped up one day ahead of schedule to beat the rain. And with the exception of a few light showers, the 16 competitors shot in dry (albeit humid) conditions. There were a couple surprises on the shotgun course: James "Shotgun Specialist" Harrod, who was a favorite to take first, had a disappointing performance and finished in the middle of the pack. And Matt Stedina, more know for his talent in flycasting, finished in the top three. Not bad for a trout bum!

As soon as the shotgun event ended, the guys walked over to the .22 rifle range, which is a big change from the air-rifle courses in the past TOCs. Each finalist shot at 15 targets (3 sets of 5, and each set consisted of 4 clays and 1 paper target) from distances of 25, 40, and 55 yards. Now, that might not seem like much, but believe me, those targets look pretty darn small when you step up the shooting line.

Scot Marcin, the TOC winner of 2005, won the .22 course (not to mentioned finished second in shotgun) and was the overall leader after the first day. Meanwhile, Paul Thompson, the two-time defending champ, finished 11th in .22 rifle and was far from his familiar place at the top in the overall rankings.

Here are some shots from the first day's events. Keep checking back for more updates. Up next: flyfishing and bass fishing. Let's hope it doesn't rain as much as they're calling for. -Colin Kearns

   

Pick A Winner Cheat Sheet

For those of you looking for some inside advice on who to pick as the winner of this year's Total Outdoorsman Challenge, help is on the way. We've compiled a list of strengths and weaknesses of all 16 competitors. Remember, you have till Thursday at 9:15 a.m. to make your pick.

Here's the list (in alphabetical order):

Dennis Billingsley   
•    Strong in the shooting sports
•    Likable guy and will fit in with the veteran competitors
•    Will struggle in the Endurance Discipline
•    First time on TV, and those little red lights can make ya a little tight

Thomas Cooprider
•    Outstanding practice regimen; not just time, but quality practice
•    Beaming with confidence
•    If he suffers through a poor performance in a discipline, he will struggle to recover
•    Has put a target on his back as one of the favorites

Brian Cramer
•    Has spent the year honing a good skill set
•    Will pick up steam coming out of the Bas Tournament
•    He must stay in the top half in his two weakest events, Endurance and Fly Fishing, to contend
•    Knows what a single poor performance can mean and that could him to press

Tim Gajewski
•    Quiet and very perceptive; will figure out the game pretty early for a finals rookie
•    Will contend for the win in the field’s overall strongest discipline, Archery
•    Could be overwhelmed by the size and difficulty of the finals courses, as opposed to the qualifier courses

James Harrod
•    Will win the Shotgun Discipline going away
•    Has spent a lot of time practicing with Coop, so he is well versed in the finals routine, and got some quality practice
•    Hard to practice fly fishing for rainbows in Florida
•    Table Rock’s technical fishing may throw this Florida angler

Scot Marcin
•    Three previous finals; 1st, 2nd, 4th.  He obviously has a good skill set
•    Will push James Harrod in Shotgun
•    Fly Fishing has always been his weakest discipline.  Can’t see that it has changed.
•    Has a tendency to “plow” through events, and will cause him to lose valuable points in his weaker events

Daniel Lee Martin
•    Has a very good overall skill set, but extremely talented in the Rifle Discipline
•    Very comfortable with TV cameras
•    His tour schedule has left little time for practice
•    He’s a “pro” which only adds pressure

Peter Mosby
•    Will be in the top three after the first event, Fly Fishing
•    He was in the mix in ’07; a year of experience is only going to make him better
•    Has a few things on his mind; his fourth child just arrived and a new school year just started.  These have had to affect concentration and practice.
•    Bass Fishing is a huge concern; it could erase the strong finish in Fly Fishing

Bill Moses
•    His experience gives him a perspective that most of the other competitors don’t have.  He’s not going to be shaken by anything.
•    Very strong in the shooting disciplines
•    The hectic schedule of the finals could wear him down
•    Endurance may give him fits

Dan Powell
•    Has gained a confidence that he didn’t have in ’06 and ‘07
•    Bass fishing replacing accuracy casting is definitely to his benefit
•    Ghosts of competitions past could haunt him
•    Needs to improve in Fly Fishing

Scott Ritchlin
•    Very competent outdoorsman (self-guides)
•    The pressure of meeting a bush plane on time is much greater than making a shot in front of a TV camera
•    The Wild Card selection has never seen a TOC competition in person
•    Has to learn to focus on the competition, not all the peripheral events

Al Roberts
•    Hard-core outdoorsman; spends all his time hunting, fishing, filming and editing
•    Strong in the three shooting sports
•    Practice time has been limited
•    Has the pressure of being a “pro”

Jeremy Scott
•    Favorite in the Rifle Discipline;  He’s a naturally good shot who has the benefit of USMC training
•    Will be strong in Endurance
•    Very little competition experience
•    Table Rock may eat him up

Matt Stedina
•    Matt is extremely talented, especially Fly Fishing, where he is the favorite
•    Has the most competition experience in the field
•    He has an “incident” that costs him dearly
•    Has never actually been in a bass boat

Paul Thompson
•    Been in the TOC finals twice and won it twice.  Not sure what else to say.
•    Cool headed and immensely talented, picks apart the courses like a surgeon
•    Has a big ol’ target on his back; everyone wants to knock him off the throne
•    Paul is struggling with the death of a co-worker, and is finding it tough to regain his focus for the event

Cory Yarmouth
•    His excitement for the event is unmatched
•    Has done superb fishing information recon
•    Could be a little over-excited and implode before the event
•    Must talk less and listen more

Meet the Finalist: The Shotgun Specialist

James Harrod
Southwest Ranches, Fla.

    James Harrod, 46, entered the qualifiers for the 2007 Total Outdoorsman Challenge last year without knowing much about what he was getting into, and he brought his friend Thomas Cooprider. Cooprider would go on to place third at the finals and will be competing in the 2008 finals as well. This year, Harrod will be joining his old friend.
    "I coached Tom to a win the shotgunning event last year," says Harrod, who is a Master Class sporting clays shooter and a Level One instructor. "This year, I'm just gonna smoke him." Harrod has been a sporting clays aficionado for the last five years, and owns over 50 guns. His favorite is his sporting clays gun, a Beretta Model 687 EELL.
    At this year's finals, Harrod says he's most concerned about bass fishing in a lake he¹s never been to before, and he's been researching the area as much as he can. When he's not preparing for the TOC or shooting clays, he tries to get out on the water for ducks. He grew up outside Stuttgart, Ark., "Duck Capital of the World," and he still guides there on occasion when his construction business slows down in the winters. "I've had to take the last few years off to renovate my house after a hurricane came through," Harrod says, "but I¹ll get back up there again."
    Harrod is also an avid deer hunter. And lately, he¹s been very successful for a surprising reason, he believes. "I forgot my knife one time and killed a good buck," he says. "Then I forgot it again and I killed
another one. Now I never bring a knife with me‹I leave in the truck. I know it's superstitious, but it's working."
    And with the competition looking extremely tough at this year¹s finals, a little luck is not a bad thing to have.

Meet the Finalist: The Gator Hater

Thomas Cooprider
Pembroke Pines, Fla.

    Whether you like Thomas Cooprider’s (a.k.a. Coop) comments or not, the mustachioed man is ready to go make his voice really heard at this year’s finals. “It’s all about fun,” says Coop. “If I can make someone laugh and cut the stress with a comment that’s great because I don’t know about the other guys, but I’m starting to get a big knot in my stomach.”
    Since he finished in third place in last year’s competition, the highest placing “non-professional” hunter or angler in Total Outdoorsman Challenge history, Coop has had one thing on this mind: training to win this year. “Last year didn’t go over very well with me. I beat myself, and I can’t let that happen again this year,” he says. The HVAC technician has been training since right after the tournament: fishing everyday, shooting his bow five times a week, and shooting sporting clays with his mentor, and fellow finalist, James Harrod. “James and his wife are Master Class shooters, so I’ve been learning a lot from them,” says Coop, who won the shotgun discipline at last year’s finals. “He bests me most of the time, but if he has an off day at the finals and I’m on, you never know.”
    When he’s not hunting for alligators in the swamps of Florida, Coop can be found with a fly rod and a baitcaster in his truck, fishing canals and waters on his lunch break. “The problem we have here in south Florida is there is almost too much water to fish,” he says. “Lake Okeechobee, the Keys, we have peacock bass down here, and catching them on a 5-weight fly with a minnow pattern tied on is just awesome.” But after the comments and the gator hauling, Coop is just looking to have a good time.
    “It was such a great time last year, I made a lot of friends—my boys and I even went to Alabama with Marissa (Lee-Saser, a 2007 finalist) this fall,” says Coop. “But I’m ready to back up my comments next week.”

Meet the Finalist: The Principal

Peter Mosby

Aurora, Co.

Peter Mosby was set to compete in the Rancho Cucamonga regional in May, but an back surgery forced him to pass. Mosby, a principal at Hinkley High School, competed in last year’s Total Outdoorsman Challenge finals, finishing tied for ninth place with Brian Cramer, and he was looking forward to improving his ranking this year. “I was a wildcard last year,” says Mosby. “And I had never competed in anything like this before, so I knew I could do better this year.”
    Four weeks later, Mosby, feeling 35 percent better, mentioned to his wife that there was a qualifier and regional in Grapevine, Texas. “I was depressed about not competing, and my wife just said: ‘Lets go to Texas.’ So we did.” Mosby flew through the morning qualifier, and found himself in a familiar situation: tied with Brian Cramer. This time, though, it was for first place at the regional, with both of them advancing on to the finals.
    “Brian’s become one of my good friend because of the Total Outdoorsman, so I couldn’t have planned this any better,” says Mosby. Since the regional, he has been shooting, fishing, and swimming (last year, Mosby trained with the football team at his high school, but he’s had to change his training routine because of his surgery)--a lot of the time, competing against his 12-year-old son.
    “I had a great time last year, but this year, I’m looking forward to winning,” says Mosby. “Since last year, I’ve been shooting clays, practicing archery, and fine-tuning my skills. I didn’t know what to expect last year, and now that I do, I’m ready.”

Editors note: Peter and his wife had their fourth baby, a little girl, last night, Sept. 2.-- Congratulations to the Mosby Family!