DoubleUp
Well-known member
The weather was too warm, bordering on steamy, and the mosquitoes were viscous, but I just needed to "GO". My dear wife of 48+ years, just doesn't understand when you have to scratch that itch. The wind was right for one of my favorite stands, but the cornstalks were pretty high and the ditch banks had not been mowed. So, visibility was an issue, but the coyotes were calling me. Before I could get my stand setup and the call out there was already one working the field. It spotted me and ran off a ways, but stopped to have another look. I was shooting through some vegetation, but the 50 gr. sp found a way through. This one somersaulted into a field lead ditch that was badly overgrown with heavy vegetation. I knew he would be tough to recover in that deep ditch with lots of water.
With one down, I managed to get the call set and a few minutes later I saw one in the opposite direction from the first one. I gave him some babe cottontail and he came hard charging. There was a fairly thick ditch bank and he was on the wrong side. I was concerned that if I let him get through that he might scent the call which he was almost downwind of him already. I tried for the head shot but missed. The suppressor apparently confused him and he ran about 70 yds. and stopped to look. He ran again and stopped at about 85 yds. and #2 was lights out. I had my rifle locked on where he fell but didn't want to turn the laser on to lead me to him because more coyotes were in the field. I gave it a few minutes to quiet down after what was now 3 shots fired. Then I made a lonesome howl and answered with a more aggressive howl and #3 and 4 were coming my way. I moved my tripod and seat, to get on the best side of the overgrown ditch bank and they came right down the edge. I whacked #3 a big male, and #4 a smaller female ran a few yards and stopped to look at what happened to the mate. I didn't hit her as good as I needed to as I was trying hard to get the quad on the ground, but a finishing shot ended her quickly and I put one for insurance in the male which was still moving a little.
Those two were easy to recover. However, I could not find #2 in the cornstalks and knew that recovering #1 was already going to be a big problem. My scope has video replay through the viewfinder, but it has been so long since I've hunted any amount that I couldn't remember how to activate it for the replay. So, I went back after lunch today after reviewing #1 and #2 on the computer. I walked right to #2, but even though I could hear blow flies on #1 in the lead ditch I could not see him and wasn't willing to risk getting in that ditch with cottonmouth moccasins.
Here is the picture of the #3 and #4 recovered last night.
And this is #2, 3, & 4 together today.
Here is the video.
With one down, I managed to get the call set and a few minutes later I saw one in the opposite direction from the first one. I gave him some babe cottontail and he came hard charging. There was a fairly thick ditch bank and he was on the wrong side. I was concerned that if I let him get through that he might scent the call which he was almost downwind of him already. I tried for the head shot but missed. The suppressor apparently confused him and he ran about 70 yds. and stopped to look. He ran again and stopped at about 85 yds. and #2 was lights out. I had my rifle locked on where he fell but didn't want to turn the laser on to lead me to him because more coyotes were in the field. I gave it a few minutes to quiet down after what was now 3 shots fired. Then I made a lonesome howl and answered with a more aggressive howl and #3 and 4 were coming my way. I moved my tripod and seat, to get on the best side of the overgrown ditch bank and they came right down the edge. I whacked #3 a big male, and #4 a smaller female ran a few yards and stopped to look at what happened to the mate. I didn't hit her as good as I needed to as I was trying hard to get the quad on the ground, but a finishing shot ended her quickly and I put one for insurance in the male which was still moving a little.
Those two were easy to recover. However, I could not find #2 in the cornstalks and knew that recovering #1 was already going to be a big problem. My scope has video replay through the viewfinder, but it has been so long since I've hunted any amount that I couldn't remember how to activate it for the replay. So, I went back after lunch today after reviewing #1 and #2 on the computer. I walked right to #2, but even though I could hear blow flies on #1 in the lead ditch I could not see him and wasn't willing to risk getting in that ditch with cottonmouth moccasins.
Here is the picture of the #3 and #4 recovered last night.
And this is #2, 3, & 4 together today.
Here is the video.
