Snowshoes
Well-known member
I'm not sure what is going on with our weather here but we have seen everything from -30C temperatures to +10C,,, lots of snow, to no snow in the last couple weeks. This morning I pull out of the yard and its raining, well freezing rain to be more precise, Windshield wipers are on as if it was a summer rain and I navigate the truck down a ice covered gravel road to a nearby creek valley. Normally a ten minute drive turns into fifteen but I arrive safe and sound, hit the send button on the "Spot Messenger" so my wife knows where I am at and off I go. The rain is really coming down as I walk across the field and I question my sanity once again .....come up with the same conclusion.... maybe a little nuts..... yes that would be it.
Hunted here a couple days ago and came across a dead cow at the top of the creek valley, so that's the area I'll be heading. I drop down to the bottom of the valley and walk along a cow trail that I have followed many times before which will lead me to spot along a fence line. Get to the fence line and few minutes after getting settled in, I notice the rain has slowed down considerably but this was replaced with ice pellets. The pellets had a slight sting to them when they contacted any exposed flesh I must say!
I glass the hills and make out two coyotes on the dead cow but there is to much brush for a shot so I sit tight and wait. A couple minutes pass and I see a soggy looking coyote straight west of me (150 yards or so) Hard to see as it really blended into its surroundings, I swing the gun its direction and this coyote is gone on a dead run... I guess we have played this game before..... Maybe I need to sit somewhere else the next time I visit here! Fifteen more minutes pass before seeing another coyote crossing the valley floor but its well over a quarter mile away. Five minutes later notice one to the north west and its trotting my general direction but just before I lose sight of it I see it turn to the east which isn't good for me. I prop up on my knees but never get a good chance for a shot and end up having this one get away too.
I glass the cow carcass and the same two coyotes are still there which makes me feel somewhat better. Ten more minutes pass and I have another coyote directly west of me again...... It must have come up from the creek channel because there no way it could of crossed the flats without me seeing it. One bark and a 142 yard shot has the coyote down. I look to see where the coyotes are headed from the carcass but see nothing.... they must have run out into the open field ontop.
I notice its raining and I'm not really sure when it started again but nothing like a little coyote action to take your mind off it. I glass the valley one last time to see if there is anything of interest, nothing. Look at the side hill to the northwest and notice a dark spot that hadn't been there earlier.... the bino's show a recently bedded scruffy coyote. Zoom up the scope and with the crack of the rifle, roll this mutt 20 feet down the bank to where it came to rest in some light brush.
I look at an ice covered rifle, binouculars, and shooting sticks.... its time to get out of here! Walk almost a half mile back to my truck that also is covered in a sheet of ice.
Hope to go back tomorrow but will come in from a different way and set up in a different spot.
Hunted here a couple days ago and came across a dead cow at the top of the creek valley, so that's the area I'll be heading. I drop down to the bottom of the valley and walk along a cow trail that I have followed many times before which will lead me to spot along a fence line. Get to the fence line and few minutes after getting settled in, I notice the rain has slowed down considerably but this was replaced with ice pellets. The pellets had a slight sting to them when they contacted any exposed flesh I must say!
I glass the hills and make out two coyotes on the dead cow but there is to much brush for a shot so I sit tight and wait. A couple minutes pass and I see a soggy looking coyote straight west of me (150 yards or so) Hard to see as it really blended into its surroundings, I swing the gun its direction and this coyote is gone on a dead run... I guess we have played this game before..... Maybe I need to sit somewhere else the next time I visit here! Fifteen more minutes pass before seeing another coyote crossing the valley floor but its well over a quarter mile away. Five minutes later notice one to the north west and its trotting my general direction but just before I lose sight of it I see it turn to the east which isn't good for me. I prop up on my knees but never get a good chance for a shot and end up having this one get away too.
I glass the cow carcass and the same two coyotes are still there which makes me feel somewhat better. Ten more minutes pass and I have another coyote directly west of me again...... It must have come up from the creek channel because there no way it could of crossed the flats without me seeing it. One bark and a 142 yard shot has the coyote down. I look to see where the coyotes are headed from the carcass but see nothing.... they must have run out into the open field ontop.
I notice its raining and I'm not really sure when it started again but nothing like a little coyote action to take your mind off it. I glass the valley one last time to see if there is anything of interest, nothing. Look at the side hill to the northwest and notice a dark spot that hadn't been there earlier.... the bino's show a recently bedded scruffy coyote. Zoom up the scope and with the crack of the rifle, roll this mutt 20 feet down the bank to where it came to rest in some light brush.
I look at an ice covered rifle, binouculars, and shooting sticks.... its time to get out of here! Walk almost a half mile back to my truck that also is covered in a sheet of ice.
Hope to go back tomorrow but will come in from a different way and set up in a different spot.
