To start with, tonight's hunt is not what I call a sport hunt, it is more livestock protection.
I have sheep, cattle, and horses. When we lose one lamb to coyotes I lose about $1.50/lb. //110lb lamb, you do the math. Please, no criticism for hunting this time of year.
I staked a young lamb about 200 yds from my barn and left her for an hour or so. Came back, sat for about 30 minutes and began to scan with my light. shortly into the scanning, the Optronics 350 got too hot and got weak. About this time two sets of eyes start bobbing down the fenceline about 250 yds away. they are making a beeline for the lamb. I switched to my small light(wally world surefire)and pick up eyes clearly again. Strangely enough, one set was green and one set was red.
I let out a couple of bleats from my call and tried to refocus the light while looking through the scope. no luck, so I began to close the distance and get closer. The eyes begin to scramble a bit as they try to find a place to get through the fence and then dissappear.
I parked it right there and gave my self a couple of minutes to let things settle. I let out a wounded pup call for a few seconds and then saw eyes again. I still can't see a body shape or get a positive ID, no shot.
the eyes dissappear again.
I move over to the lamb that I had staked out and cut her loose to go back with the flock. Aggravated and figuring that i am done for the night I start to walk back to the barn to gather my things. I spend about 5 minutes looking for my shooting sticks and the upper part of my Kee Yee call and then scan the fenceline before I go home and there along the fenceline is the same coyote, about 175 yds. Using the small light I get ears and eyes and take a shot just below the eyes. One yip and then nothing. I move over to the fenceline to see if I have a runner or a solid hit.
After walking the fence and scanning the tall grass where I think it was I look over and about 30 feet away sitting on a bank was two eyes glaring at me. It was between me and my neighbors houses so keeping the light on him I move across the field until I get a safe shot. Light on, crosshairs on chest, pull trigger, and CLICK.
Eyes dissappear. I rechamber another round and let out a few wounded pup calls for 2 or so minutes and then nothing.
Lots of rookie mistakes.
I believe that a new light will be on order in the next couple of days.
I have sheep, cattle, and horses. When we lose one lamb to coyotes I lose about $1.50/lb. //110lb lamb, you do the math. Please, no criticism for hunting this time of year.
I staked a young lamb about 200 yds from my barn and left her for an hour or so. Came back, sat for about 30 minutes and began to scan with my light. shortly into the scanning, the Optronics 350 got too hot and got weak. About this time two sets of eyes start bobbing down the fenceline about 250 yds away. they are making a beeline for the lamb. I switched to my small light(wally world surefire)and pick up eyes clearly again. Strangely enough, one set was green and one set was red.
I let out a couple of bleats from my call and tried to refocus the light while looking through the scope. no luck, so I began to close the distance and get closer. The eyes begin to scramble a bit as they try to find a place to get through the fence and then dissappear.
I parked it right there and gave my self a couple of minutes to let things settle. I let out a wounded pup call for a few seconds and then saw eyes again. I still can't see a body shape or get a positive ID, no shot.
the eyes dissappear again.
I move over to the lamb that I had staked out and cut her loose to go back with the flock. Aggravated and figuring that i am done for the night I start to walk back to the barn to gather my things. I spend about 5 minutes looking for my shooting sticks and the upper part of my Kee Yee call and then scan the fenceline before I go home and there along the fenceline is the same coyote, about 175 yds. Using the small light I get ears and eyes and take a shot just below the eyes. One yip and then nothing. I move over to the fenceline to see if I have a runner or a solid hit.
After walking the fence and scanning the tall grass where I think it was I look over and about 30 feet away sitting on a bank was two eyes glaring at me. It was between me and my neighbors houses so keeping the light on him I move across the field until I get a safe shot. Light on, crosshairs on chest, pull trigger, and CLICK.
Eyes dissappear. I rechamber another round and let out a few wounded pup calls for 2 or so minutes and then nothing.
Lots of rookie mistakes.
I believe that a new light will be on order in the next couple of days.
