GC
Well-known member
I had this day set aside to predator hunt. I had decided to hunt a new area to me, a place set aside as a designated Wilderness Area by the Forest Service. Basically it is the same as all the other places I hunt, just has a fancy title. More mile upon mile of Ozark timber, no trails or crossroads, just woods. I plotted the day with my topo map last night. I would work a circut of about 5 miles cross country ending back up at the truck at lights end. The weather was great today, heavy grey blankets of clouds, a light steady wind, the occasional light sleet rattling off the fallen leaves carpeting the forest floor. The temperature hung in the mid thirties all day, never rising, perhaps even slightly decreasing through the afternoon. I parked the truck a half hour before daylight and eased into the timber.
My first stand was near a small pond 1/4 mile from the truck at first light and produced nothing other than a Sharp Shinned Hawk which responded to the FX3 and the Squirrel Distress. He looked the Predator Supreme over with malice in his eyes, but evidently decided that was a mite too big for him.
I worked deeper into the timber for the second stand. The map revealed a small field about 250 yards down the ridgetop from the pond and that was worth looking over. Once I got there I knew I had to call this place even though I was still pretty close to the first stand site. The field was old and overgrown with tall grasses, old trees scattered around, lots of sumac. To make it about perfect, there was a jumbling of old tops strewn about the edge. I skirted the near edge and stalked to the lower boundry where the ecotone changed from the field to the oak hardwoods. The ridgetop took a 45 degree bend here making a soft L shape with a nice open flat area at the change in direction. A huge hollow was on my left, the field on the right. My thought was to broadcast the sounds down the ridgetop and pull something along the ridge from directly ahead, or from the right along the far edge of the field and the ridge over there.
The flat made a nice set-up with some visiability and the wind directly in my face. I set the caller and decoy off to my left thirty yards with me crosswind so that an approaching critter had to get out in front of me. I started semi-low allowing for the wind rustling the leaves. The Cottontail Distress #2 weeped its pitiful little song. At the 6-7 minute mark after I had increased the volume some, I saw him - King Kong Coyote!
I had to look twice, this coyote was absolutely huge! Easily the biggest coyote I have ever seen. Beautifully marked he was the boss of the woods, a hard charger (read that as FAST!) right on a beeline to the caller/decoy. His line of travel brought him just 20 yards across my front. I had the BAR .243 up, safety off, scope set at 3X and him in it as he ran across in front of me. He never looked at me as he was so focused on the decoy/caller he had no ideal he wasn't about to have a meal of cottontail fricasee. I wanted this big boy badly. Too badly. I was afraid I'd muff the running shot, so held off until he got to the decoy thinking he'd check up there for the two seconds I needed to drill him. I was wrong scooter! That huge old boy ran right to the decoy, ears forward, front end down and head extended. He stuck his nose to within six inches of the bobbling Predator Supreme. That's where things fell apart. I guess he got a good snoot full of human scent from me setting up the decoy. I do spritz some coon cover scent lightly around, but not on the decoy itself. I don't put it on the decoy because I have to handle the thing and that makes for a more spicy lunch than I care for. Anyway, the coyotes posture changed immediately and without a nano seconds hesitation, he spun and jetted straight down the ridge breaking the sound barrier. He was running straight downwind and behind me. I ran the FX3 to the KI-YI's but far too late. My trophy was long gone. I sat there in disbelief and then just had to grin as I marveled at how I had been duped by King Kong Coyote. Had to hand it to him... I will be back for round two in about 3 weeks with a new plan and we'll see how that one turns out.
I made a couple of more sets calling only a pair of redtail hawks and a murder of crows. I did see four nice turkey gobblers and two whitetails. At 12:30 I found a nice sidehill bench on the lee side of a hill and broke out lunch. I built a small fire on a granite boulder and warmed some water for hot tea. The warm tea along with some deer steak leftovers from supper last night revamped my spirits. I curled up in the leaves for a thirty minute power nap after lunch. I reflected on my day so far. I had heard not one human sound. How refreshing! No cars, horns, telephones, voices, barking dogs, not even an airplane droning overhead. Heaven...
After my nap I worked on through the timber amking a couple more unproductive stands. Four PM found me on a sharp point overlooking a vast oak timber bottom. There were thick pines alongside the hill to my left. Evidently a strong wind downdraft had knocked the tops out of the timber on my right. Directly in front of me was an alleyway of some 200 yards of open timber between the pines and downed tops. In the middle of the open woods in front was a group of grey granite boulders, looking for all the world like a medival castle of sorts. Here is where I'd make my last stand.
The decoy was dancing to the tune of Lucky Bird some forty yards down the slope from me when I saw some slight motion beyond. What was it? Very indistinct... There on a log, must be a squirrel. No, it just didn't look right. I eased the scope up and dropped my jaw as I realized I was looking at a bobcat on the log. Bob was laying on the log, tail twitching as if to keep beat with the funky birds song. His eyes were fixed on the decoy. I eased the crosshair behind his shoulder, safety off, finger ready to stroke the trigger. Then it hit me - this was the smallest bobcat I have ever seen! Tiny littly cat, maybe 12-15 pounds. I considered and just didn't find the need to pull the trigger on this particular bobcat today. Catch and release seemed to be the order of the day anyway considering the happenings with King Kong Coyote. I waited and watched the bobcat until it was too dark to readily make out his form. Then I gathered my gear and walked the last mile and a half in the dark to the truck. Seems I had forgotten my flashlight. Oh well, it wasn't so bad. Really, the branches slapping me in the face served to remind me to pay more attention to the small details. Not so bad after all... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
click image for details
My first stand was near a small pond 1/4 mile from the truck at first light and produced nothing other than a Sharp Shinned Hawk which responded to the FX3 and the Squirrel Distress. He looked the Predator Supreme over with malice in his eyes, but evidently decided that was a mite too big for him.
I worked deeper into the timber for the second stand. The map revealed a small field about 250 yards down the ridgetop from the pond and that was worth looking over. Once I got there I knew I had to call this place even though I was still pretty close to the first stand site. The field was old and overgrown with tall grasses, old trees scattered around, lots of sumac. To make it about perfect, there was a jumbling of old tops strewn about the edge. I skirted the near edge and stalked to the lower boundry where the ecotone changed from the field to the oak hardwoods. The ridgetop took a 45 degree bend here making a soft L shape with a nice open flat area at the change in direction. A huge hollow was on my left, the field on the right. My thought was to broadcast the sounds down the ridgetop and pull something along the ridge from directly ahead, or from the right along the far edge of the field and the ridge over there.
The flat made a nice set-up with some visiability and the wind directly in my face. I set the caller and decoy off to my left thirty yards with me crosswind so that an approaching critter had to get out in front of me. I started semi-low allowing for the wind rustling the leaves. The Cottontail Distress #2 weeped its pitiful little song. At the 6-7 minute mark after I had increased the volume some, I saw him - King Kong Coyote!
I had to look twice, this coyote was absolutely huge! Easily the biggest coyote I have ever seen. Beautifully marked he was the boss of the woods, a hard charger (read that as FAST!) right on a beeline to the caller/decoy. His line of travel brought him just 20 yards across my front. I had the BAR .243 up, safety off, scope set at 3X and him in it as he ran across in front of me. He never looked at me as he was so focused on the decoy/caller he had no ideal he wasn't about to have a meal of cottontail fricasee. I wanted this big boy badly. Too badly. I was afraid I'd muff the running shot, so held off until he got to the decoy thinking he'd check up there for the two seconds I needed to drill him. I was wrong scooter! That huge old boy ran right to the decoy, ears forward, front end down and head extended. He stuck his nose to within six inches of the bobbling Predator Supreme. That's where things fell apart. I guess he got a good snoot full of human scent from me setting up the decoy. I do spritz some coon cover scent lightly around, but not on the decoy itself. I don't put it on the decoy because I have to handle the thing and that makes for a more spicy lunch than I care for. Anyway, the coyotes posture changed immediately and without a nano seconds hesitation, he spun and jetted straight down the ridge breaking the sound barrier. He was running straight downwind and behind me. I ran the FX3 to the KI-YI's but far too late. My trophy was long gone. I sat there in disbelief and then just had to grin as I marveled at how I had been duped by King Kong Coyote. Had to hand it to him... I will be back for round two in about 3 weeks with a new plan and we'll see how that one turns out.
I made a couple of more sets calling only a pair of redtail hawks and a murder of crows. I did see four nice turkey gobblers and two whitetails. At 12:30 I found a nice sidehill bench on the lee side of a hill and broke out lunch. I built a small fire on a granite boulder and warmed some water for hot tea. The warm tea along with some deer steak leftovers from supper last night revamped my spirits. I curled up in the leaves for a thirty minute power nap after lunch. I reflected on my day so far. I had heard not one human sound. How refreshing! No cars, horns, telephones, voices, barking dogs, not even an airplane droning overhead. Heaven...
After my nap I worked on through the timber amking a couple more unproductive stands. Four PM found me on a sharp point overlooking a vast oak timber bottom. There were thick pines alongside the hill to my left. Evidently a strong wind downdraft had knocked the tops out of the timber on my right. Directly in front of me was an alleyway of some 200 yards of open timber between the pines and downed tops. In the middle of the open woods in front was a group of grey granite boulders, looking for all the world like a medival castle of sorts. Here is where I'd make my last stand.
The decoy was dancing to the tune of Lucky Bird some forty yards down the slope from me when I saw some slight motion beyond. What was it? Very indistinct... There on a log, must be a squirrel. No, it just didn't look right. I eased the scope up and dropped my jaw as I realized I was looking at a bobcat on the log. Bob was laying on the log, tail twitching as if to keep beat with the funky birds song. His eyes were fixed on the decoy. I eased the crosshair behind his shoulder, safety off, finger ready to stroke the trigger. Then it hit me - this was the smallest bobcat I have ever seen! Tiny littly cat, maybe 12-15 pounds. I considered and just didn't find the need to pull the trigger on this particular bobcat today. Catch and release seemed to be the order of the day anyway considering the happenings with King Kong Coyote. I waited and watched the bobcat until it was too dark to readily make out his form. Then I gathered my gear and walked the last mile and a half in the dark to the truck. Seems I had forgotten my flashlight. Oh well, it wasn't so bad. Really, the branches slapping me in the face served to remind me to pay more attention to the small details. Not so bad after all... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
click image for details
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