Big Lou
Well-known member
A late start seems to be a trend recently. This morning was no different. Assessed that the timing chain skipped in my wife’s vehicle and, we’ll be doing an engine. 10:00 and I’m finally getting on the road.
I had a spot in mind with the stiff south wind. It was supposed to taper off throughout the day but, for now, it was stiff. I had called and killed a triple here a couple weeks ago. With the completely opposite wind direction, I could make a big change in my hide. I slunk along through the shadows on the north edge of the bush. Getting to an opening I like to call from, I deployed the caller and tucked into my grassy rock pile. There were coyote tracks everywhere and I knew I was close to anything that may be there.
Opening up with two pup howls, I heard four coyotes break into song. Everything was within 300 yards and I rolled right into Bithday Pups. It wasn’t 30 seconds before I saw two coyotes on the edge of the bush, intently scanning. In another 30 seconds, two had multiplied to four. I tried some low volume whimpers and the like. One came a touch but stopped. Then they rallied together and two zipped back into the bush. The pair that remained were showing some body language like they were also going to follow suit. I opted to take one. BOOM! CHOP! The V-max covered the 190 yards in a flash and piled up my target without a twitch.
I quickly fired up Slaughter House, as these coyotes had heard some of my more commonly used sounds already. I caught movement along the edge of the bush line about 400 yards out and saw the trio working back towards me. The lead coyote stopped at 220 yards and another, not very far behind. I dialled up the volume and settled the crosshairs on a chest. BOOM! CHOP! The coyote closest to the one I just shot ran a few steps, then wheeled and stopped. BOOM! CHOP! The third coyote zipped back into the bush. I tossed on Pound Town. It wasn’t a minute and I saw the last coyote pop out of the bush, further down the tree line. It looked as though it was going to depart and I figured I best shoot. It started moving and I hollered loudly a couple times. “Not stopping”. BOOM! CHOP! Sadly, I saw a flopping leg as it made the trees. I trailed it but abandoned the search after about 600 yards. “So close to a quad”.
My next set was also one I had called a couple weeks ago. It was polluted with sign but, I had blanked there. Different wind direction than before so, different side of the property to set up. There were quite a few fresh tracks on the way in and, I liked my chances. Picking a hide, I deployed the caller 35 yards away and tucked in.
Lone howls were the opening sounds and I rolled into a pair howl. I heard three coyotes light up. One straight west and two to the north west. It wasn’t long at all and I saw a yellow object along the willows that wasn’t there before. Then, caught movement along the trees further out and saw a second coyote entering the arena. I got on some Stanky Leg. The yellow coyote sprinted over to the second coyote and they rallied a bit. Most certainly a pair. As I fired up Humpty Bumpty, they came. Not super fast. Sort of leap frogging one another as they closed. I was getting concerned that they may cut my wind if they continued on their path so I rose and got on the rifle. They both caught the movement and came to a stop. At 125 yards, the crosshairs settled on the lead coyote, which I assumed to be the bitch. BOOM! CHOP! Face plant. I got on Pound Town and was hoping the fleeing mate would stop but, turns out I should have gone for the runner. It never even thought about looking back. Turns out, the lead coyote was actually the male. Can’t win them all.
My third set had me going over by a calving pen of a friend. Access here is great through the bull pasture and an easy walk. I haven’t called this spot for a couple of years and decided to try a different spot to call from. I didn’t love it but, didn’t hate it either. Cover was a bit skinny but, I liked the vantage.
I opened with pup howls and had no answers. I then gave a territorial howl and had two coyotes answer to the SE, sub 800 yards. Then another coyote lit up to my east and it was very close. Sub 300 yards. I gave about 15 seconds of subordinate whines and muted. Maybe one minute later, I saw a coyote exit the trees. It was maybe 225 yards and had a laser lock on me. “It definitely sees me”. I let it make the first move and it started swinging but upwind. As it dipped into a swale, I moved up on the rifle. Coming back into view, I settled and touched off. BOOM! Snow flew over the back. “NOOO!!!” It ran about 100 yards and I got it to stop with some WOOOs. “300 ish”. BOOM! CHOP! As it piled up in a heap, I saw another coyote streaking towards it. As it came to a stop at the fallen mate, all I had to do was execute the same shot. BOOM! Snow flew again. “You’ve got to be joking!!!” It stopped again right on the edge of the trees. I was just about to squeeze and it made the last couple of steps into cover. “You should have hollered and locked it up dummy”. The one I connected on was 303 yards.
After a morning of great responses, they turned right off and I had 4 blank stands. I had to pull the pin for dinner commitments with the cousins from Oregon so, that was my day. It really should have been 7 today but, my shooting has not been overly good as of late and it is costing me. Still, three great sets overall and, tomorrow is another day. Maybe tomorrow will bring the Century Coyote.
I had a spot in mind with the stiff south wind. It was supposed to taper off throughout the day but, for now, it was stiff. I had called and killed a triple here a couple weeks ago. With the completely opposite wind direction, I could make a big change in my hide. I slunk along through the shadows on the north edge of the bush. Getting to an opening I like to call from, I deployed the caller and tucked into my grassy rock pile. There were coyote tracks everywhere and I knew I was close to anything that may be there.
Opening up with two pup howls, I heard four coyotes break into song. Everything was within 300 yards and I rolled right into Bithday Pups. It wasn’t 30 seconds before I saw two coyotes on the edge of the bush, intently scanning. In another 30 seconds, two had multiplied to four. I tried some low volume whimpers and the like. One came a touch but stopped. Then they rallied together and two zipped back into the bush. The pair that remained were showing some body language like they were also going to follow suit. I opted to take one. BOOM! CHOP! The V-max covered the 190 yards in a flash and piled up my target without a twitch.
I quickly fired up Slaughter House, as these coyotes had heard some of my more commonly used sounds already. I caught movement along the edge of the bush line about 400 yards out and saw the trio working back towards me. The lead coyote stopped at 220 yards and another, not very far behind. I dialled up the volume and settled the crosshairs on a chest. BOOM! CHOP! The coyote closest to the one I just shot ran a few steps, then wheeled and stopped. BOOM! CHOP! The third coyote zipped back into the bush. I tossed on Pound Town. It wasn’t a minute and I saw the last coyote pop out of the bush, further down the tree line. It looked as though it was going to depart and I figured I best shoot. It started moving and I hollered loudly a couple times. “Not stopping”. BOOM! CHOP! Sadly, I saw a flopping leg as it made the trees. I trailed it but abandoned the search after about 600 yards. “So close to a quad”.
My next set was also one I had called a couple weeks ago. It was polluted with sign but, I had blanked there. Different wind direction than before so, different side of the property to set up. There were quite a few fresh tracks on the way in and, I liked my chances. Picking a hide, I deployed the caller 35 yards away and tucked in.
Lone howls were the opening sounds and I rolled into a pair howl. I heard three coyotes light up. One straight west and two to the north west. It wasn’t long at all and I saw a yellow object along the willows that wasn’t there before. Then, caught movement along the trees further out and saw a second coyote entering the arena. I got on some Stanky Leg. The yellow coyote sprinted over to the second coyote and they rallied a bit. Most certainly a pair. As I fired up Humpty Bumpty, they came. Not super fast. Sort of leap frogging one another as they closed. I was getting concerned that they may cut my wind if they continued on their path so I rose and got on the rifle. They both caught the movement and came to a stop. At 125 yards, the crosshairs settled on the lead coyote, which I assumed to be the bitch. BOOM! CHOP! Face plant. I got on Pound Town and was hoping the fleeing mate would stop but, turns out I should have gone for the runner. It never even thought about looking back. Turns out, the lead coyote was actually the male. Can’t win them all.
My third set had me going over by a calving pen of a friend. Access here is great through the bull pasture and an easy walk. I haven’t called this spot for a couple of years and decided to try a different spot to call from. I didn’t love it but, didn’t hate it either. Cover was a bit skinny but, I liked the vantage.
I opened with pup howls and had no answers. I then gave a territorial howl and had two coyotes answer to the SE, sub 800 yards. Then another coyote lit up to my east and it was very close. Sub 300 yards. I gave about 15 seconds of subordinate whines and muted. Maybe one minute later, I saw a coyote exit the trees. It was maybe 225 yards and had a laser lock on me. “It definitely sees me”. I let it make the first move and it started swinging but upwind. As it dipped into a swale, I moved up on the rifle. Coming back into view, I settled and touched off. BOOM! Snow flew over the back. “NOOO!!!” It ran about 100 yards and I got it to stop with some WOOOs. “300 ish”. BOOM! CHOP! As it piled up in a heap, I saw another coyote streaking towards it. As it came to a stop at the fallen mate, all I had to do was execute the same shot. BOOM! Snow flew again. “You’ve got to be joking!!!” It stopped again right on the edge of the trees. I was just about to squeeze and it made the last couple of steps into cover. “You should have hollered and locked it up dummy”. The one I connected on was 303 yards.
After a morning of great responses, they turned right off and I had 4 blank stands. I had to pull the pin for dinner commitments with the cousins from Oregon so, that was my day. It really should have been 7 today but, my shooting has not been overly good as of late and it is costing me. Still, three great sets overall and, tomorrow is another day. Maybe tomorrow will bring the Century Coyote.
.
No Sir. Instead of “Morning Glory”, we shared “Afternoon Delight”.
