I slept in an hour more than I originally intended. -23C, calm winds. I should be out already. Let’s get on the road.
I hit my set a bit different than ever before. There’s one here I’ve been duelling with. This time of year is when I’m generally dealing with the smarter survivors. I’d called in this greater area pretty heavy throughout the winter. A good friend lives close and he has been having a heck of a time with coyotes in the calving pen. It’s been a multi year campaign here.
I plunked myself in the wide open with my coyote decoy in a bank behind me to cast some shade. I had worked through several howls at lower volume and was into some social sounds. Probably 15 min in, I noticed something glimmering in the morning light along the tree line. Through the glass, I was able to see a coyote sitting and looking my way. Just its head exposed. For the next 30 minutes, I worked continued working through sounds and the stalemate continued. I looked behind me and the sun was directly behind. “Maybe this thing can’t see me with the sun”.
I waved my arms a couple times and almost immediately, it got up and came a little closer. I could now see body. In an absolutely ignorant move of defiance, it laid back down. Content to watch. It wasn’t buying what I was trying to sell. I started deliberating over the distance and thought about this for several minutes. Coming to the conclusion that it must be around 500 yards, I settled in for the shot. BOOOM!…. CHOP! The coyote had hardly moved at all and was laying motionless with its head now on the snow. “Hoooollllyyy crap. You crunched that thing!”
Collecting for a picture, the distance was 477 yards and I had tucked the bullet right into the front of the chest. A perfect shot and a beautiful male. He had beautiful colours and a very unique saddle. He was short on the rear half and I would have loved to have got him a month or two earlier when prime. I’d have kept him for sure.
My next set, I went to the spot my daughter and I had killed the triple a couple weeks ago. I had heard coyotes howling from here a few days ago when calling a different spot. I set up in a different hide and ripped a howl. Immediately, I had answers to the SE of me about 3/4-1 mile away. I quickly gathered my gear and made a move to some willows along a fence line which would cut the distance in half.
Setting the caller up about 20 yards away, I tucked up to a willow on a snow bank and got prone. I was excited at how well I blended in and had high hopes of a close encounter. I ripped a pair howl and within seconds, saw the pair I had heard exit the bush and into the field. Both looking my direction and very staunch in posture. Humpty Dumpty has been pretty hot lately and a started that on low volume. In a flash, they were both charging hard and coming straight for me. As they broke 100 yards, it was apparent the shotgun would be coming into play here. Maybe 20 yards between them, I recalled saying to myself “when you pop, shoot the back one first”. As the lead coyote hit the 10 yard mark, I popped up and completely ignored what I had thought earlier and, got on the lead coyote.
The payload of 4 Buck smashed it at 7 yards. I dumped my other two rounds at the fleeing mate, to no avail. Shotgun into the snow, I was now on the rifle and drawing into a lead as the mate hit road gear. BOOM! CHOP! A cartwheeling halt to its exit at 140 yards. I was mad with myself for not shooting in the right order with the shotgun but, tickled that I was able to secure the double.
I was now getting close to having to shut things down for the day due to a VR golf game. I was actually going to head home but, spied a couple objects in a field close to where I have some permission. Three coyotes and I’d have to pull them better than a half mile. I hid the truck and hustled out to a long dugout mound that I’ve called off of before. I set up with an always and never mindset; which we know, is truly folly. Every time I’ve called here, they’ve come from the SE, S or SW. This is the direction of the coyotes I had spotted too. I was prone and hidden well. Caller maybe 30 yards away.
I ripped a couple howls and heard no replies. I rolled into some Cornered Hottie and then Stanky Leg. 6min and 40sec in, I glanced to the west, where there is virtually no cover at all and see two hard chargers that are sub 200 yards. I’m pointed south. Guns pointed south. I’m completely out of position and they are going to finish almost 180 degrees from how I’m facing. “CRAP!!!” I let them get as close as I dared before they’d cut my wind and rolled over and up into shooting position. They both spooked as I was skylined badly. I was struggling to get a good lead. Whooping and barking was having no effect. Finally, my lead felt good and I touched off. BOOM! CHOP! The big male came to a sliding stop in the snow as the bullet smashed him at 212 yards. The Bitch did a couple peeks from behind a hill but didn’t expose herself. I’d have to be content with the single and it was time to head home.
Overall, pretty happy with the results in three sets. Sadly, this was only the first of my sins over the weekend thinking in terms of always and never. More to come….
