California Coyote Hunting: My Hunts

Here's a couple more hunts! Like I said, I've got a ton written down. You all are going to be tires of seeing all of this before you know it!!




November 25, 2014- Put my buddy on his first coyote!!


My buddy Chris came down from Redding this weekend so I took him out for a morning coyote hunt. We've been 4-5 times together yet I haven't been able to bring a coyote in range for him yet. That changed this weekend despite my rookie mistake of the year!

We got the ranch before light and chatted with a ranch hand for a few minutes. He told us he heard a lot of howling that night so we may be in luck! Chris was ready to go so we headed to one of my top producing spots. With a north wind we set up on a fence line facing east 300 yards from a vineyard. I set the caller to the north 50 yards out and before I sat down we got some howling and chatter going inside the grapes! Fog is thick, maybe 150 yard visibility. I run DSG cottontail to vol. 9 in the middle of the chatter and they stop instantly! 15 seconds later MY CALL DIES! I look at my buddy and tell him what I think happened and before I was done we had 2 charging in! I said hold thinking they were a bit farther out. The lead coyote ran into my caller and before Chris could shoot they were running away. I told Chris not to shot because they weren't going away at mach 2, they both looked sorta confused! 2 minutes had passed on my remote!

We gathered our gear and ran down to the local store, grabbed batteries and headed back out to the vineyards. I thought we might still have a chance at those 2 because they never saw us and the wind was good.

After 20 minutes we returned and I set us up 1/4 mile north from our last set facing the vineyards but this time closer, about 150 yards away.



I started back with DSG cottontail and at 4 minutes Chris spots 2 coyotes charging out of the vineyards. The lead coyote slowed at 75 yards and Chris made a great shot dropping him DRT! The second ran about 600 yards away and started screaming at us! It finally ran off so we got some pics and headed off.





On our 6th stand we had a coyote 300+ yards on ridge above us directly in line with the caller and us. I think he saw us because he stopped hard and wouldn't come any closer. I let one go and missed just high. It was 10am and we made the long hike back to the truck and called it a day.

It felt good helping a great friend get his first coyote! I'm sure it won't be his last. I sent him home with my redding area public land map to scout out some of his own spots up there for us.

It turns out my charger wasn't plugged in all the way! Woops
 


February 17, 2014- Hard days hunt rewarded!!


I was able to get out Sunday morning for a few stands. There was a light west breeze. I got set up on my first stand a few minutes early so I sat there. I heard a group howl and another answer. I was going to howl back but.... as I was turning up the volume my Firestorm started playing lightning jack, my first sound. I forgot that if you just raise the volume it will play the first sound. The coyotes stopped and after 20 minutes I called it a blank. After blanking on the next 2 stands the wind changed north maybe 5-7 mph? Worst wind I could've asked for for this ranch! Instead of wasting a day I decided to circle around and work my back up wind. I started with a 2.5 mile 3 blank stand walk south. I called to the west so I had a cross wind. I then turned west for a mile blanking on another stand. 7 blanks and about 4.5 miles of waking I was ready to head back into the wind.

My 8th stand I was facing north looking over a pond with trees 300 yards away. It was 12:15, I started with lightning jack and then CT cottontail. At 16 minutes I see a coyote casually walking north paying the caller or me no mind. After 20 minutes I can still see the coyote 800 yards away but I never saw it look back so I grabed my gear and the stalk was on. I was in great position heading into a 10mph wind. I crouch walked/ran closing ground rapidly. I had some shallow valleys as cover and as I crested the second ridge I watched the coyote lay down facing north over looking some cattle 400 yards away. As the breeze continued I closed the next 250yards working my way above the coyote before coming to the final ridge. She's still laying down so I sit and get on my sticks, totally outta breath! Looking down the final 150 yards all I can see is her head So I wait and catch my breathe. I watch for a couple of minutes waiting for her to stand up but she never moved, just layed there watching the cattle. I put the crosshairs where I thought the head met the neck and sent the VMax down range. Her head dropped, DRT at 141 paces.





I made 2 more blank stands before reaching my car. As I drove back I jumped 2 coyotes. One I chased down the road about 1/4 mile. I hit 30 mph and the coyote was still pulling away! They move so fast and smooth they almost look like they're floating.

It was a good day, tough but good!



Happy Hunting!!
 

September 27, 2014- 2 stands, 2 pairs, one miss and a DRT!

I had the morning free so I headed to a ranch I haven't hunted in 6+ months. The wind has never been just right so I let it sit. Today I had a SSE wind, perfect for this ranch. The reason I held out on this ranch is I have a couple of awesome spots that have produced 4-4, so that's my plan, a quick couple of stands. Well... I called in 4 coyotes! On my first stand I'm facing SE. I start with Cal's cottontail for 5 minutes, I mute for a minute and then go with Bay Bee cottontail. At 8 minutes I see one running in to my left 300 yards out. I turn for a shot and get busted! Coyote stopped at 200 yards looking right at me. It turned broad side so I took the shot, I missed. As that one is running away I see it's partner blasting out of a gulley directly to the SSE! They ran East, I didn't shoot again. I make my way to my 2nd stand bummbed about my miss. I go about 3/4- mile to the SSE. Again I set up facing SSE.



2 pointer!


This coyote came from the direction the earlier pair ran too. Maybe the one I didn't shoot at...?
 


March 23, 2014- To me, It’s always worth the work!!

It's more then just "going hunting" when I'm sitting out there alone.



I got back after the coyotes this morning. I made a couple of blank stands before jumping a coyote as I drove. I made another 2 blank stands. On the 2nd I had a coyote answer from the south west during the stand. I walked about a mile in that direction before setting up against a fence facing east. The wind was NW about 10 mph. I placed the call out to my right 25 yards away. I started with Cal Taylor cottontail and immediately realized I didn't have my mask on. I scrambled to get it on! I just got it on when I looked up and see a coyote crest the ridge straight in front of me at 600 yards. It's been 1 minute! She trotted in to 400 yards before dropping into a gulley and out of sight. At 5 minutes she pops out to the south 200 yards away obviously trying to get down wind. She was heading toward some small hills so I barked 3 times before she stopped. I squeezed one off, I had a solid hit as I saw her she drop. 175 yards. One coyote in my last 20 stands with a few hard days hunting in there! A stand like this makes it all worth it!

 


January 27, 2014- Just another Saturday here in California



I had a chance to get out Saturday morning so I invited a buddy of mine who happily came along. It was a beautiful 70 degree Mar....January day out. Scary really! It's supposed to rain this week but we will see. Anyway....

We got the the ranch a little earlier than normal, 545. So we waited a bit, checked the wind, North maybe 3mph. We gathered our things and headed out. After getting set up it was still a bit dark so we waited for light. As we sat there we heard a group to the north chattering. Sounded pretty close! That was answered by another group farther to our south and then a third even farther to our southeast!

That "excited anxiousness" of coyote hunting was thick!

Our first stand was under an oak tree facing north. I played bay bee cottontail and baby cottontail on and off for 24 minutes before calling it a blank. Off we go to the northeast about 3/4 mile as a crow flies.

We walk north 300 yards to our second stand, a good producing spot (3 kills). Although it hasn't produced in over a year its a spot that at one time I had SIX charging coyotes from thee different directions coming in. We are facing north with the same wind. I play bay bee cottontail for 4 minutes and mute I go to DSG cottontail next and mute again at 9 minutes. I play lightning jack at 10 minutes. During this time I see a group of cattle to the east 500 yards staring south. At 15 minutes I hit mute, seconds after I see a coyotes head pop over a ridge to the east. He sat down right as I muted and didn't move. He was 2 ridges over and a little farther than I would normally shoot so I dial up to 12x. I can only see the left side of his head and neck as he's on the back side of his ridge. I take a breathe and send the VMax flying! I heard that lovely BOOM....SMACK sound we all know, and before my rifle moved that coyote dropped stiff legged. 200 pace DRT! I hit him right under the jaw.

Big male, big appitite, this was a good one to get with so many calves on the ground.





We got back to the car and headed east. As we came over a ridge after a 1/4 mile we jumped 2 more coyotes, no way we could get a shot so off they ran.

Our third stand was were I saw that triple run the fence line a while back. We set up on a fence facing north again into a north breeze. I started with lightning jack then DSG cottontail followed by snowshoe1. Nothing... At 11 minutes I played some vocals and challenges, male and female followed by growling then pup dis 3. At 21 minutes I gathered the call and we started walking east. 100 yards later a coyote comes over the hill we are walking up! It jets northwest over a ridge. We laydown and I play pup dis 3 manually just in case. 2 minutes later the coyote comes around the ridge to the west 350 yards away. It stops and is looking right at us so I let another VMax fly. It looked like I missed by just inches. Had it been broadside I may have got it... But I missed none the less! It took off north not to be seen again.

After that I saw a cattle truck and trailer a mile or so off in the distance so we called it a day and headed in. Before leaving we saw another coyote running away 600+ yards out.

It was a definately a good day!



Happy Hunting!
 

December 22, 2013- Territorial male fooled!!


I got up early this morning and headed out to a part of the ranch I haven't been to in a while. There was a lot of cattle out and about but they paid me no mind. The wind was coming from the east about 5mph. I blanked on my first stand after 22 minutes of misc bird distress sounds.

I head east about 1/2 mile along a fence line. I come to a corner in the fence and it now runs north and south. I set up against the south side of the fence facing east. I set the caller and decoy 30 paces out and to my right.

My thought with the decoy was, they're in the early stages of pairing up so maybe I can fool a territorial male.

I start with baybee cottontail and after 4 minutes and a pause I fire up DSG cottontail and at 8 minutes I hear low growling behind me. Startled, I snap around to my right and 20 yards away down wind is this male! I scared him with my movement and he took off north down a hill and out of sight. After gathering myself, I played female challenge and he popped out up on a hill 300 yards away. He came to a grinding halt spun around and CHARGED at the decoy! He stopped at 144 paces and gave me a nice broadside shot I couldn't pass up. Another DRT! This guy had a bit of manger on his hind quarters and tail. I'm thinking he was probably 2-3 years old.

I countinued east for another 4 stands before the wind changed and started blowing from the west. I made 2 more blank stands on the way back to the truck before heading home.

An absolute beautiful 62 degree day today!

 

December 8, 2013- Saw 5 Coyote got 1


My wife took a trip to Santa Cruz for the day so what else was I supposed to do but go hunting!

I got to the ranch at 630am, the wind blowing 5 N with a temp of 26. After 24 minutes I ended my first stand. My 2nd stand I laid prone and after 20 minutes I called it a blank.



I headed to a spot were I've seen coyotes before but haven't gotten one yet for my 3rd stand. I set up with the caller off 35 yards to my left looking over a nice bowl. I played bay bee and baby cottontail on and off for 14 minutes before I saw movement 500 yards out. It's a coyote and its trotting along a fence line left to right. I was never able to close any distance before it got down wind and ran off. I drove a bit to another spot where I parked in a depression. As I gathered my stuff to go walking a coyote jumps up 75 yards away and is gone. I still walked to my spot and called for 20 minutes... Blank. I continued walking making 4 more blank stands. On the way back I jumped 2 other coyotes down wind, all too far and to fast to take a shot at, they got away. I got to my truck and wanted to make one more stand so I head east. I get to a bluff and set my gear down and set up the caller and SP-55 50 yards away. As I turn to walk back I see a coyote running away 300 yards out. Right away I hit pup dis #3 and nothing, I can see it still running. I figure I have nothing to loose so I'll try the same type of sequence that pulled in that mean dog last week. I start with female lone howl then male challenge #4. Then female challenge followed by male screams then finishing with pup screams. At 12 minutes I have a hard charger coming straight in from the NE 600+ yards out. As its closing the distance its swinging to my right down wind. It stops at 183 paces and looks right at me. I let another one of my hand loaded 50 grain VMax's fly. DRT! She was a nice light color with a thick healthy coat. I haven't tanned one yet, I'm trying to get a nice one this winter. She was one worth keeping, it's to bad the VMax ripped a huge exit hole in her.




Happy Hunting
 


September 30, 2013- Coyote down!!


No deer hunting for me this weekend, but....

I was able to sneek out on Saturday morning for a few stands, so I call a friend from work and we went to an area I haven't been to in a few months. We got to the area around 6am, and started out north. We get about 1/4 mile from the truck and set up in what I'll call a moundy pasture. More like mini hills about 4 feet high.

Our first stand we set up facing west toward some vineyards, the wind is light but swirling. I place the caller out to my right 50 yards. At first light 630ish I started with DSG cottontail. At 1:30 secs. There is a coyote running across a ridge north west 200 yards away. It never stopped and dropped behind it. I was able to see it had a very nice coat, light back with a bistinct black stripe over the shoulder. I commented to my buddy how nice it looked.

After that coyote dropped behind the ridge another coyote started challenge barking to the south, this was at 2 minutes.

Now... We passed a freshly hit dead coyote in the road 100 yards before the gate, so I wasn't sure if this coyote was challenging us, the runner, or the dead one in the road. Non stop challenging for 8 straight minutes... I ask my buddy if he wants to call it a stand and he says 5 more minutes... Ok, I agree.

At 15 minutes (with the coyote STILL challenge barking) I female challenge back wait 30 seconds and go to pup dis #3. At 18 minutes a coyote pops out from behind a mound and stuffs his muzzle in the SP-55 and turns and runs north east. Suprised, I turn to face him running away, he stops looking back south west at the caller giving me a 75 yard profiled head shot only. I aimed just below and behind his ear and squeezed.... DRT!!







This is the same coyote that ran the ridge! You can see the black stripe across the shoulders. In this last picture you can see the exit hole by his bottom jaw.


Thank goodness I took the 700 out last Wednesday and zeroed it in (first 2 shots were 4" high and 4" right).

Happy hunting!
 


August 4, 2013- My Daughter asked to go hunting

Went out this morning with my 15 year old daughter. She asked if I would take her last night, so who am I to refuse?

We got to the ranch around 530. We made 4 blank stands in the front half of the property and then drove to the back. I was getting worried I really wanted Marissa to at least see one but I didn't have a very good feeling about the day. No vocals and it just felt kind of dead out.



We park at the back of the property and head south along a fence line. We are headed to call the spot where I missed that male months back. I point and tell Marissa that's the hill we are going to lay prone on and that's the valley we are going to call. Right then a coyote charges south out of a ravine 150 yards away! His afterburnets are on when I lip squeeked. He countinued south but began zig zagging looking back at us on his way out. I was estatic Marissa got to see that action! Bumbed out but still happy, we passed on the hill and continued down the fenceline another half mile were we set up facing west.

2 minutes into lightning jack Marissa picks up a coyote coming straight in 800 yards out! A black speck is all it was until I got glass on him. A great spot by any measure! Now he's trotting in inline with the caller so I'm kinda stuck not wanting to move. I've got a cross wind blowing north to south. I'm explaining to Marissa how coyotes protect themselves and usually head down wind as they approach the call and like clock work this coyote starts swing to our left. I said see how he's working the wind... He made his way in covering 2 rises before dissapearing. I tell her again to keep on eye south as I turned myself south. The coyote pops his head over a rise and freezes, stands on his hind legs for a better look, he throws his head back and is gone! I get him to stop passed 300 with pup screams and tried for another 15 minutes to no avail.

I couldn't have asked for a more teachable stand! Everything I was telling Marissa was happening just like it was supposed to... I'm actually kind of glad we got winded because it showed her how smart, slick and cautious coyotes can be.

We started heading back to the truck and on the way we made one last stand. We set up on a bluff facing east, the wind north to south. I start with DSG cottontail for 4 minutes... Nothing, switch to lightning jack at 5 minutes and start to scan around. At 8 minutes this male surprised me inside 100 yards to the north west! I barked him to a stop at 75 yards and put him to sleep with a DRT heart lung shot.







Awesome day with my daughter! She learned and saw a lot of different behaviors of the coyote. I was really shocked, surprised and rather excited at the request to go as it came out of nowhere! She had a blast and that's all I can ask for.

Happy hunting
 
I know.... I know... 5 year old post... BUT!

As I was looking at some of my old posts, I noticed Photobucket restored the links to our old pictures. Albeit with their logo across them but at least the photos are present in our old posts again!

Man there are some oldies in here!!!
 


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