Switch
New member
Last week I shared a story of a quick predator hunting trip with my daughter, Alyssa and her boyfriend Dylan. We had a great day. We called six spots, saw three critters and bagged two of them. On that trip, Alyssa had a shot at a nice bobcat and missed. The bottom line, much like many of us, my daughter absolutely hates missing. So much so, that on the return trip, she made sure to book me for the following Sunday. My motto has always been, if my kids ask to go, I take them...always!
I loaded up the gear early yesterday and the three of us once again headed out. Like we've done since she was 7, we stopped at McDonald's grab a quick breakfast and point the truck to the hunting grounds. With one blank stand, we decided to do a little target shooting to boost the confidence and shake off the miss from the previous week. While the Ruger lightweight in 204 is my favorite calling rifle, when Alyssa hunts with me, she lays claim to it.
A little target practice before the hunt.
Our second rifle stand was also a blank, but that didn't sour our mood. Alyssa suggested we switch things up and grab the shotguns. We found a good looking spot that we had never called before and snuck in. Dylan was covering the downwind side on the left, Alyssa was in the center and I was covering the right. About 7-minutes in a I spot a coyote racing in on my side. I signal Alyssa and let the coyote pass me. He gets to the call about 25-feet out front and she drops him 6-inches from the call. I lean over and whisper, "how's your heart doing?" She answers back, "you know how my heart's doing!" She said, excited at her first ever shotgun coyote.
While Alyssa has killed a bunch of predators with a rifle, this was her first shotgun coyote.
We took a few photos and continued the hunt. Excited about our shotgun success, we decided to make another shotgun stand. With the same exactly set up configuration, we found another nice spot just up the road. I was hopeful that with Dylan covering downwind, he'd get a chance at dropping a predator. Unfortunately, the coyote didn't read the script. At about 8-minutes a cautious coyote came walking in on my side. He stops and then takes two steps behind a small bush. I raise the shotgun and when he reappears I drop him at 25-yards. Coyote number two is down!
This one had a nasty wound on it's back leg that went into the thigh muscle about two inches. From the smell, it looked like it was already in decay.
With daylight fading, we knew we had time for two more stands. Both would be repeat stands from our last trip, with the last stand being where Alyssa missed the cat.
Stand number five was a blank, but these kids were on point and ready.
We pulled into stand number six and got our gear ready. We were all shouldering rifles, even though I suggested someone grab a shotgun. Alyssa looked me square in the eye and said, "Sorry Padre, I'm on a mission!" I just smiled.
We set up in the same configuration as we had the week before. All the conditions were perfect and I was hopeful we'd see something. This spot has a small drainage about 30-yards out front that runs right to left and from all the prints, it looks like the critters use it like a highway. I placed the call on the far bank of the drainage so that anything approaching the sound, will have to face away from us.
I was covering the right side and the kids were 30-feet away covering the left. About 5-minutes in I catch a flash of fur way right up the drainage. I see a coyote pop out of the creek and stop. I have the crosshairs dancing on his chest, but decide to hold the shot. If he comes down the creek, he'll probably pop out in front of Alyssa and Dylan. This one read the script. He drops into the creek headed towards the call and I lose sight of him. I lip-squeak to Alyssa and motion to the creek. Thirty seconds later I see the coyote appear out of the creek and near the call and just as fast he retreats. I hear a shot from Alyssa and nothing else. She gives me the thumbs up and we keep calling.
She only had a second to get on the moving coyote, but she made it count. She felt bad that Dylan didn't get a shot, but he was a little out of position and being a new hunter on a borrowed rifle, chances were slim he'd connect on the moving animal.
Alyssa's second for the trip
She of course wanted a photo of her and both her coyotes.
Another great trip out with the kids.
It was a long day, but we talked about the day's events all the way home. We also realized we again made only six stands and called in three critters. This time, however, we went three for three.
I loaded up the gear early yesterday and the three of us once again headed out. Like we've done since she was 7, we stopped at McDonald's grab a quick breakfast and point the truck to the hunting grounds. With one blank stand, we decided to do a little target shooting to boost the confidence and shake off the miss from the previous week. While the Ruger lightweight in 204 is my favorite calling rifle, when Alyssa hunts with me, she lays claim to it.
A little target practice before the hunt.
Our second rifle stand was also a blank, but that didn't sour our mood. Alyssa suggested we switch things up and grab the shotguns. We found a good looking spot that we had never called before and snuck in. Dylan was covering the downwind side on the left, Alyssa was in the center and I was covering the right. About 7-minutes in a I spot a coyote racing in on my side. I signal Alyssa and let the coyote pass me. He gets to the call about 25-feet out front and she drops him 6-inches from the call. I lean over and whisper, "how's your heart doing?" She answers back, "you know how my heart's doing!" She said, excited at her first ever shotgun coyote.
While Alyssa has killed a bunch of predators with a rifle, this was her first shotgun coyote.
We took a few photos and continued the hunt. Excited about our shotgun success, we decided to make another shotgun stand. With the same exactly set up configuration, we found another nice spot just up the road. I was hopeful that with Dylan covering downwind, he'd get a chance at dropping a predator. Unfortunately, the coyote didn't read the script. At about 8-minutes a cautious coyote came walking in on my side. He stops and then takes two steps behind a small bush. I raise the shotgun and when he reappears I drop him at 25-yards. Coyote number two is down!
This one had a nasty wound on it's back leg that went into the thigh muscle about two inches. From the smell, it looked like it was already in decay.
With daylight fading, we knew we had time for two more stands. Both would be repeat stands from our last trip, with the last stand being where Alyssa missed the cat.
Stand number five was a blank, but these kids were on point and ready.
We pulled into stand number six and got our gear ready. We were all shouldering rifles, even though I suggested someone grab a shotgun. Alyssa looked me square in the eye and said, "Sorry Padre, I'm on a mission!" I just smiled.
We set up in the same configuration as we had the week before. All the conditions were perfect and I was hopeful we'd see something. This spot has a small drainage about 30-yards out front that runs right to left and from all the prints, it looks like the critters use it like a highway. I placed the call on the far bank of the drainage so that anything approaching the sound, will have to face away from us.
I was covering the right side and the kids were 30-feet away covering the left. About 5-minutes in I catch a flash of fur way right up the drainage. I see a coyote pop out of the creek and stop. I have the crosshairs dancing on his chest, but decide to hold the shot. If he comes down the creek, he'll probably pop out in front of Alyssa and Dylan. This one read the script. He drops into the creek headed towards the call and I lose sight of him. I lip-squeak to Alyssa and motion to the creek. Thirty seconds later I see the coyote appear out of the creek and near the call and just as fast he retreats. I hear a shot from Alyssa and nothing else. She gives me the thumbs up and we keep calling.
She only had a second to get on the moving coyote, but she made it count. She felt bad that Dylan didn't get a shot, but he was a little out of position and being a new hunter on a borrowed rifle, chances were slim he'd connect on the moving animal.
Alyssa's second for the trip
She of course wanted a photo of her and both her coyotes.
Another great trip out with the kids.
It was a long day, but we talked about the day's events all the way home. We also realized we again made only six stands and called in three critters. This time, however, we went three for three.
Last edited:
