2005 Croc Match: Jungle Run Junior S. Kemper

The Jungle Run at the (Dundee, Oregon) Banzai Ballistic Croc Match YOU GOT BULLETS? must be the ultimate "IPSC Field Course".

The targets are hidden behind trees, bushes, ferns and the occasional no-shoot. Worse, it's sucha a target-rich environment, and extends over such a long linear distance (50 yards, give or take) that it would be virtually impossible to remember where the targets are hidden.

But that's not the worst part; the worst is that it's a Surprise Course, and you don't even get to SEE the stage before you shoot it. There are always one or two or more fern-cloaked targets that you don't see, unless you are paying very close attention, so if you're inclined to merely take CRO Loren's Mystery-Clue advise and "RUN!", you'll be sure to gain a couple of miss/failure-to-engage penalties.

Your only choice is to move carefully, watch both sides of the trail, and trust Loren and Sherrie to have hidden a couple of sneaky-buggers at the one place where you are sure to be distracted.

Here's Junior-shooter S. Kemper's first Croc Match Jungle Run. Pay close attention, as almost half-way through the stage he paused during a reload to make sure that the RO team is in a safe position, well behind him. This kind of dedication to Safety above all other considerations is a result of the kind of training which continues to keep IPSC a safe sport in even the most thrill-packed situations, and we're glad to see that "IPSC: The Next Generation" is alive and well in Oregon.




(Original AVI-format video courtesy Ron Downs)
We'll probably see a couple more Juniors videos during the next week or two, as they attempt the Jungle Run. (If I can get this furslignener embedded code thingie to work!)

If you think you're tough enough to face the dreaded Jungle Run, the 2006 version (which shall certainly be different ... and tougher!) will take place during Labor Day Weekend (September 2-3.) For early registration, contact Bill Marrs, also known as "Barsoom" for reasons which may not be obvious if you're not a fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Entry forms are not yet available on the Internet, but you can bet your jungle boots that when they are, you'll find an announcement here at Cogito Ergo Geek, or on the Columbia Cascade Section or Dundee Club websites. Certainly, it will be available in the USPSA Front Sight Magazine, perhaps a little closer to the actual match date.