The Prairie County Sportsman Association has set December 4–6, 2026, for its 27th Annual Coyote Calling Contest, a weekend that pays out to four places, returns 60% of entry fees to competitors, and sweetens the pot with a $1,500 added purse plus $100 for a “Hard Luck” 2- or 3-person team. That’s the invitation, but the fine print is where the event’s character really shows: fair chase rules apply, so no shotguns, snares, or traps; and no flying machines, ATVs, four-wheelers, motorcycles, or snowmobiles are allowed, which leaves teams to do the work the old-fashioned way — on foot, on call, and on their own judgment. Entry is $50 per team, paid at the rules meeting, and the weekend opens December 4th with registration from 5:00 to 7:00 PM followed immediately by a 7:00 PM rules meeting at the American Legion Club in Terry, Montana. At least one person from each team must attend that meeting — no exceptions — and alcohol is prohibited during the hunt.
The competition itself is scored on coyotes delivered to the Kelley Bean Plant for check-in no later than 5:00 PM on December 6th, with the Stockman Bank clock serving as the official time and judges’ rulings declared final. Beyond the main payouts, side pots offer $10 entries for the most fox, the most porcupine, and the heaviest coyote, giving teams a few secondary ways to salvage a slow weekend. The association is also feeding its participants — sloppy joes at the American Legion on Friday night and a chili feed there Sunday night — and is dangling door prizes for anyone whose calling luck runs dry. Dan Thomason and Mark Dolatta are the listed contacts for more information, and the whole affair is organized by the Prairie County Sportsman Association.
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