Big Lou
Well-known member
My daughter, made my heart soar when she asked if I would like to take her calling today. She’ll be 19 in April. Used to go scouting and hunting with me quite often. I think she was 6 or 7 when she smashed her first called in coyote with my .22 Hornet. Between boys, post secondary, a part time job and all the rest; opportunity to do these kinds of things seems to be fleeting. It’s windy today and a big front is blowing in. Not premium conditions but, I was in!
Sets 1 & 2 both produced two responders but, we had a couple tough lessons on movement and just how little we can get away with whilst trying to get on. Her enthusiasm wasn’t dashed at all. Blanking the next three sets and the wind picking up even further in intensity; I decided we needed to get in tight to some cover. Close enough that they will be obligated to respond. There’s a spot I’d been pondering calling and figured it could be the ticket.
Parking the truck behind some trees, it was a half mile hike in to where I wanted to set up. This would have us right on the half mile line and about 200 yards from the edge of a willow choked slough bottom. A thick willow ring surrounding thick grass and cattails. A perfect spot for a coyote to wait out a storm in comfort.
Getting to the spot, we decided to set up prone. We took a little extra time getting the bipod legs set right and got her up on my cushion and pack so she enjoyed a comfortable shooting position behind the Howa 1500 in 223Rem. Myself with the shotgun and my 6mmAI right beside her. All I had brought for myself was a walking stick to steady the rifle, as I only have the one bipod.
The caller was set up about 30 yards crosswind to our position. I ripped a howl and muted the caller. Glanced to the north and was doing a quick survey.
“Dad. Dad!”
“Yes”.
“There’s a coyote right there”.
“Where?”
“Right in front of me. Along the willows”.
“Where? Oh crap. Yeah. Right in front of us”.
“I’m going to shoot it right there”.
“How about we see if we can get it closer and maybe it’ll have a friend?”
“Okay but, I can shoot it right now”.
“You’re going to shoot it anyway so, let’s just see what happens”.
A bit of a sharp glare was received but, she nodded in agreement.
I gave some submissive whines and the coyote began closing to investigate what it believed was happening on the other side of the grassy fence line.
“There’s two more Dad! Dad!”
“Yes. I see them”.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Let the one in front keep coming. When the other two walk into the scope, tell me and I’ll stop them. Shoot whichever one gives you a better shot. You know where to aim. Just squeeze when you’re ready. There’s no hurry at all”.
“Okay”.
As the lead coyote came into shotgun range, and continued closing I heard a soft tone utter “stop them”.
“WOOO”.
The brakes came on everyone. BOOM! CHOP! as the 40gr Berger found its mark.
“Did I get it?”
“Hell yes you did! Get another round in!”
One of the coyotes was departing back to the bush and the other was swinging way upwind. Oblivious to what was happening. The upwind coyote was on my side and crossed the fence. There was nothing for me to rest on so I settled in as best I could. WOOOO! The lope slowed to a trot and then a stop. BOOM! CHOP! It sounded like a bullet hitting a gallon jug of water. Dirt nap.
I looked over my shoulder and she had somehow managed to double feed and had a jam. I reached over and got that addressed in short order. “Let’s see if we can pull the third back in”.
I started cycling rapid fire between pup distress and dying coyote for 30 seconds, then initiated Pound Town. Within 30 seconds of that “The other one is out again Dad!” She kept trying to get on it as I stopped it a few times. Struggling with body position and grass in front of her, she said “I’m not going to get it. You better kill it before it gets away”.
I had her slide behind me as the coyote continued on its big swing to try and get our wind. Finally getting it to stop, I was now seated and up on my walking stick. The crosshairs settled and I touched off. BOOM! CHOP! Dirt nap.
“WE GOT ALL THREE OF THEM DAD!!!”
“We sure did! Great shot Kid!”
“You too! Your’s were way farther than mine”.
We went about collecting for a photo. She had thumped her’s at 115 yards. The second one fell at 225 yards and the third, 290 yards. She has a date with her boyfriend this afternoon so, that was our last set of the day. A tremendously successful way to wrap up the outing. I haven’t decided for sure yet but, I’ll probably give her that Howa. I put a better stock on, bedded the action and installed a Timney. It has been a prolific killer over the years and shoots just as well as several of my customs with 40gr Berger’s and SBK. It has served very well and owes me nothing. Perhaps it’s time to be her tool of adventure.
As a side note, I sure am glad that I purchased some smaller sized garments in Predator Winter White over the years. I absolutely loved seeing her rocking an OG camo pattern. Hope you enjoy the read.
Sets 1 & 2 both produced two responders but, we had a couple tough lessons on movement and just how little we can get away with whilst trying to get on. Her enthusiasm wasn’t dashed at all. Blanking the next three sets and the wind picking up even further in intensity; I decided we needed to get in tight to some cover. Close enough that they will be obligated to respond. There’s a spot I’d been pondering calling and figured it could be the ticket.
Parking the truck behind some trees, it was a half mile hike in to where I wanted to set up. This would have us right on the half mile line and about 200 yards from the edge of a willow choked slough bottom. A thick willow ring surrounding thick grass and cattails. A perfect spot for a coyote to wait out a storm in comfort.
Getting to the spot, we decided to set up prone. We took a little extra time getting the bipod legs set right and got her up on my cushion and pack so she enjoyed a comfortable shooting position behind the Howa 1500 in 223Rem. Myself with the shotgun and my 6mmAI right beside her. All I had brought for myself was a walking stick to steady the rifle, as I only have the one bipod.
The caller was set up about 30 yards crosswind to our position. I ripped a howl and muted the caller. Glanced to the north and was doing a quick survey.
“Dad. Dad!”
“Yes”.
“There’s a coyote right there”.
“Where?”
“Right in front of me. Along the willows”.
“Where? Oh crap. Yeah. Right in front of us”.
“I’m going to shoot it right there”.
“How about we see if we can get it closer and maybe it’ll have a friend?”
“Okay but, I can shoot it right now”.
“You’re going to shoot it anyway so, let’s just see what happens”.
A bit of a sharp glare was received but, she nodded in agreement.
I gave some submissive whines and the coyote began closing to investigate what it believed was happening on the other side of the grassy fence line.
“There’s two more Dad! Dad!”
“Yes. I see them”.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Let the one in front keep coming. When the other two walk into the scope, tell me and I’ll stop them. Shoot whichever one gives you a better shot. You know where to aim. Just squeeze when you’re ready. There’s no hurry at all”.
“Okay”.
As the lead coyote came into shotgun range, and continued closing I heard a soft tone utter “stop them”.
“WOOO”.
The brakes came on everyone. BOOM! CHOP! as the 40gr Berger found its mark.
“Did I get it?”
“Hell yes you did! Get another round in!”
One of the coyotes was departing back to the bush and the other was swinging way upwind. Oblivious to what was happening. The upwind coyote was on my side and crossed the fence. There was nothing for me to rest on so I settled in as best I could. WOOOO! The lope slowed to a trot and then a stop. BOOM! CHOP! It sounded like a bullet hitting a gallon jug of water. Dirt nap.
I looked over my shoulder and she had somehow managed to double feed and had a jam. I reached over and got that addressed in short order. “Let’s see if we can pull the third back in”.
I started cycling rapid fire between pup distress and dying coyote for 30 seconds, then initiated Pound Town. Within 30 seconds of that “The other one is out again Dad!” She kept trying to get on it as I stopped it a few times. Struggling with body position and grass in front of her, she said “I’m not going to get it. You better kill it before it gets away”.
I had her slide behind me as the coyote continued on its big swing to try and get our wind. Finally getting it to stop, I was now seated and up on my walking stick. The crosshairs settled and I touched off. BOOM! CHOP! Dirt nap.
“WE GOT ALL THREE OF THEM DAD!!!”
“We sure did! Great shot Kid!”
“You too! Your’s were way farther than mine”.
We went about collecting for a photo. She had thumped her’s at 115 yards. The second one fell at 225 yards and the third, 290 yards. She has a date with her boyfriend this afternoon so, that was our last set of the day. A tremendously successful way to wrap up the outing. I haven’t decided for sure yet but, I’ll probably give her that Howa. I put a better stock on, bedded the action and installed a Timney. It has been a prolific killer over the years and shoots just as well as several of my customs with 40gr Berger’s and SBK. It has served very well and owes me nothing. Perhaps it’s time to be her tool of adventure.
As a side note, I sure am glad that I purchased some smaller sized garments in Predator Winter White over the years. I absolutely loved seeing her rocking an OG camo pattern. Hope you enjoy the read.
Well, the entire scenario started with a moose getting hit and dying on our place. The coyotes were thick on that carcass. Challenging the dogs. It was a whole thing. We walked a couple hundred yards from the house and lit up some pup distress. It happened quickly.