~ PKC Hunters’ – Tip of the Day ~

[Jerry Moll]

We will post tidbits of helpful information here from time to time. These suggestions, if followed, should improve your overall “PKC Experience”.

[Jerry Moll]

Put a PKC Rules pamphlet in your truck. A great time to read up on the rules is while waiting for anyone or anything. Take the pamphlet with you when going to the doctor or dentist; use your waiting time wisely. If you are traveling to a hunt, have your hunting buddy read the rules and quiz you about them. Before going to the woods, fold the rule pamphlet and stick it in your pocket, it may come in handy if a rule question arises.

[Jerry Moll]

If the judge of your OPEN EVENT cast makes a call that you do not agree with or if your judge does not make a call you believe should have been made, make sure you ask for a cast vote immediately. Do not wait to see how things pan out in your favor or not. Your window of opportunity for asking for a cast vote is very small. Be polite and professional and simply say to the judge, “I would like to vote on that”.

If the result of a cast vote in an OPEN EVENT did not go your way or if your judge under PRO RULES makes a call that you do not agree with or if your judge does not make a call you believe should have been made, make sure you question the situation immediately. Your window of opportunity for posting a question is very small. Be polite and professional and simply say to the judge, “I would like to question that, here is my $25”.

If you disagree with something and ask for a cast vote or a question, be done with it. Don’t rant and rave, expressing your opinion for the other cast members to listen to the rest of the cast. You have done your part, drop the subject and continue on hunting.

[Jerry Moll]

When traveling to a hunt more than a few hours from home, a little pre-planning will help make your trip much more enjoyable.

Book your motel room well in advance, this will allow you to shop for the best price and location. Once you have made your decision, book your room with a debit or credit card and ask for a confirmation number. If possible, have them email the confirmation number, dates and the agreed upon price to you.

Before you leave home, print out your confirmation (or save it on your smart phone) and take it with you. Sometimes there is a job change and/or a mistake made at the motel and you may very well need to prove you have a room booked. It is also possible that you could have a dispute about the previously agreed upon price. It’s always nice to pull out the confirmation to prove what you are saying to be true. If the motel won’t hold up their end of the bargain, be sure to call the motel chain’s Corporate Office, the area Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau.

Travel safely!

[Jerry Moll]

The PKC $30 Open Event Chart of Awards is not in the current edition of the Blue Book, but it will be in the next printing.

Please click this link to view and print the $30 Open Event Chart of Awards: http://www.prohound.com/images/PDF/Forms/EventForms/30oeawardschart.pdf

It would be a good idea to print two copies, post one on your clubhouse wall and put the other one in your truck’s glove box in case you go to a club that does not have a $30 Open Event Chart of Awards posted.

[Jerry Moll]

Clubs hosting PKC hunts are required to have panel members available to hear $25 questions which may be brought back to the club. We fully understand that it is not always possible to have members available on site for this obligation, especially during the weeknight hunts. Having club members “on call” in the event a question comes up is a completely acceptable solution. If these questions cannot be handled in person, they may be heard over speakerphones so that all cast and panel members involved may hear the entire discussion. In rare cases when a tree scoring question is appealed, panel members may be required to return to the woods with the cast to look at a tree. Clubs not fulfilling these requirements may be subject to probation and/or suspension.

See page #3 in your current Blue Book. PKC Club Licensing Requirements, item #8. Clubs Must: “provide a 3 person panel to resolve questions; if not on site, must be on call”.

*Note: PKC Staff Members may not serve on panels when clubs have not fulfilled their requirements.

[Jerry Moll]

As a PKC Member, you share in the responsibility of assuring that the hunts you attend are conducted properly within the PKC Rules and Policies. There are many PKC Members like yourself that are running up and down the roads several nights a week spending lots of time, energy and hard earned money to compete in the State, Breed and National Races, as well as, running for the elusive “Truck Tickets”. You certainly do not want unscrupulous hunters cutting corners, bending rules and doing whatever possible to diminish your chances of winning what you have rightfully earned, just so they can sell a dog or benefit in some other ways from an undeserved moment in the spotlight.

When you enter a PKC Open Event, watch the clock, entries may not be taken more than thirty (30) minutes after the advertised deadline. If possible, judges who are not members of the sponsoring club should be used and club members who live in the local area should serve as hunting guides. Make absolutely sure the selected judges are called up to randomly and blindly draw their guide and other cast members in front of all members present.

If you observe Hunt Directors not following the PKC Cast Drawing Procedures outlined on page #24 of your Blue Book, step up and let the Hunt Director know that these errors need to be corrected before casts are sent to the woods. Please DO NOT leave the clubhouse until the Hunt Director announces how many dogs are entered and what the payout is. It is very important that you notify the PKC Staff of any discrepancies right away, so that they may be corrected. Please ask the Hunt Director to send the hunt
report to PKC the morning after the hunt if at all possible.

Following each PKC hunt that you attend, win or loose, please check the Hunt Results frequently: http://www.prohound.com/3549-listresults/?View=C This results page is updated every day as the hunt reports come in and they can be sorted by state and date. Make absolutely sure that the online hunt results reflect the exact same number of entries that were at the club the night you hunted. If you see an inaccurate number of entries on the hunt results page, contact PKC with details immediately.

[Jerry Moll]

There remains some confusion about determining the cast winner when no plus or circle points have been scored. Some members incorrectly think that a tree must be scored to determine a winner, this is not the case. If there are no plus or circle points are on the scorecard at the conclusion of the hunt, the dog with the least minus points wins the cast. It makes no difference if these minus points are strike or tree points; they carry the same weight when in the minus column.

17. DOG WITH NO PLUS OR CIRCLE POINTS - A dog that has not scored plus or circle points cannot place over a dog who has scored plus points or circle points.

18. DETERMINING WINNERS - The final score is determined by subtracting all minus points from all plus points. All circle points count as zero as a final score. This applies to placing in a cast or cast winners placing in the final four. After determining the final score, the order of placement is as follows:
A. MOST PLUS POINTS - If more than one (1) dog has the same amount of plus points as a final score, see tie breaking rules.
B. TOTAL SCORE OF ZERO - All circle points count as zero for a final score. If more than one (1) dog has a final score of zero (no plus and no minus), see tie breaking rules.
C. LEAST MINUS POINTS WITH PLUS OR CIRCLE - The dog with the least minus points that has scored plus or circle points.
D. LEAST MINUS POINTS WITHOUT PLUS OR CIRCLE - The dog with the least minus points without scoring plus or circle points.
E. DISQUALIFIED CASTS - Awards normally due any disqualified cast may be disbursed at the clubs discretion, but dog will not receive credit. Under no circumstances may awards from a disqualified cast(s) be added to other places. Examples of a disqualified cast are a cast killed by a member signing the gray, or a cast completing hunting time with less than three voting members.
F. CREDIT RECEIVED - Under no circumstances may the second, third, or fourth place dog in a first round cast receive any credit for winning.

*NOTE - The preceding formula applies to a placing in a cast or a cast winner advancing. Anytime more than one dog is scratched from a cast at the same time, they will place in the order of their score at the time they were scratched. No dog scratched for fighting may advance as a cast winner.

**NOTE - In the event two (2) or more dogs remain tied for final cast berth after all tie-breaking procedures have been exhausted, handlers may unanimously agree to flip a coin to determine finalist(s) or divide the Final 4 Split amount plus cast win awards (if any) equally.

15. BREAKING TIES - All ties must be broken to determine a cast winner or placement. Ties will be broken as follows:
A. The dog with the most plus tree points.
B. The dog with the most plus strike points.
C. The dog with the most circle points, combined strike and tree.
D. The dog with the most circle tree points.
E. The dog with the least minus points.
F. If there is still a tie; the dogs tied will continue hunting until the tie is broken, however the score at the end of regulation hunting time will remain the final score for determining placement in the hunt. In overtime, the first dog to draw minus or the scoring of the first dog called treed will break the tie. Time-out should not be called to break a sudden death tie and all time based rules started in regulation time carry over into overtime. As an option to overtime, tied Handlers may unanimously vote to flip a coin to determine the winner.

[Jerry Moll]

- Hunter Safety Is Everybody’s Business -

Something that is not talked about nearly enough, but is an issue that we all need to be more concerned about is handler safety; yours, as well as others! The tragedy that struck young Preston Luft last August is a grim reminder that when we go to the woods, there is no guarantee that we will ever return. One thing we are doing at PKC is printing each handler’s cell phone number on entry labels at those hunts where staff members are present. If we do not have your current cell number on file, please contact the PKC Office ASAP and get the records updated. We ask all handlers to put their cell numbers on the hand written entry slips at all events where PKC Staff members are not available. Adding cell phone numbers on all of these scorecards across the country will increase handler safety and reduce the possibility of another tragedy in a dramatic way. Hunt Directors, please implement this cell phone number practice at your club immediately.

Handlers, before hunting time begins, please put your cell phone in silent mode and stick it in your pocket. If you become separated from the cast and something bad happens, rescue workers can find you by triangulating your cell signal, but only if it is powered on. Once the cast is over or timeout is called, be sure to turn your ringer back on before going to round up dogs. If someone is hurt or lost, they may need to reach you quickly and you do not want to miss the call. If there is a deadline issue, send the cast winner back with the card, but others should stay until you know everyone is out safely. Above all, make sure all cast members are present and accounted for before everyone heads back to the clubhouse. NEVER leave a handler out in the woods alone and unattended!

[Jerry Moll]

With the high cost of fuel these days, many hunters are traveling to hunts in packs and only one of them has a truck. While attending a major event, please do not leave the hunt headquarters building to a satellite club or to the woods until you are 100% SURE that all of your cast members have a ride.

[Jerry Moll]

Even though it’s quick and easy, please DO NOT ask others to sign or initial a scorecard for you at the end of a cast. Yes, most all of us have done this at one time or another.

Your signature (or initials) on the back is your assurance to the validity and accuracy of the scorecard and you should not surrender that responsibility to someone else. If someone else signs the scorecard for you, you may in fact be validating honest mistakes or possibly an intentionally falsified scorecard and I’m sure you don’t want to do either.

Always check the scorecard for mathematical and other errors BEFORE signing it at the end of your cast. Honest scoring and mathematical errors can obviously change the cast winner and dramatically change the Final Four participants.

Please be diligent about your scorecard signing responsibilities.

[Jerry Moll]

Every weekend the PKC Staff spends several hours chasing down late hunt reports. It seems 80%-90% of these late hunt reports are from clubs that held no hunt on their scheduled date.

Please, mail your hunt report in the next day following your hunt.

Please, please, please, text me and let me know if you didn’t have a hunt on the night of your event, 812-212-1619.
Text example: “No Hunt Held, IN, St Leon, 08-25-13”

[Jerry Moll]

Hunt Directors; if a cast comes in with a question about the scoring of a tree and a cast member wishes to take the panel back to the woods, ALWAYS read 4. F. (Page #40 in the Blue Book) OUT LOUD to all cast members and panel members BEFORE the decision is made to return to the woods. Please!

4. F. PANEL RETURNING TO A TREE — In order for this option to be exercised the tree must be questioned at the time of scoring to be brought before a Question Panel. If the questioning cast member does not agree with the panel's ruling at the club, he/she may request that the panel return to the woods to view the tree by placing a $100 deposit with the Panel Chairman. If the panel inspecting the tree finds in favor of the questioning Handler(s), the scorecard will be changed and the $100 will be refunded. If not, the original score will remain and the deposit forfeited. If the panel inspecting the tree finds this to be a mere difference of opinion with no wrong doing, disciplinary charges will not be filed. However, if the panel inspecting the tree unanimously determines there to be blatant and intentional wrongdoing, Handler(s) will be charged with Handler misconduct and will be required to serve a one (1) year suspension. Additionally, each Handler(s) will be assessed a fine of $250, which must be paid before suspension period begins. All forfeited deposits and fine money in these cases will go directly to the PKC Youth Program's Escrow Account.

[Jerry Moll]

-- Hunt Directors --

Our US Postal Service is not what it used to be. Please do not simply put a stamp on your hunt report and drop it in a mail box. Here are a few suggestions that will get you much better service and will get your club’s results posted much faster.

1. The night of your hunt, put your Hunt Report, Scorecards, Memberships, Registrations and payment in the “PKC Envelope" that you have been provided.

2. Only send checks or money orders, DO NOT SEND CASH!

3. Seal up your envelope the night of your hunt, so that nothing gets lost.

4. The very next day go to the post office.

5. Go in the Post Office and have the clerk weigh your envelope to ensure the proper amount of postage has been applied.

If you do everything above for every one of your hunts, satisfaction with your hunt results being posted will increase dramatically and problems with late or lost hunt reports will be a thing of the past.