I told my 6 yr old Sat. night we could go out calling Sund. morn but to save peace with his mother and the Lord we had to be back for Church, so we would have to get up early. Well at 5:30am my 40 pound alarm clock was standing beside my bed. I had to chuckle to think that he must have been thinking about the next mornings hunt all night just like I did when I was a kid. I still do, but the excitement is just like Christmas morning for the youngster. He of course had all his gear lined up and was wide awake. We got dressed and eventually got the to truck. after some fuel, we had just a short drive to our stand. I had a certain spot prepicked that I had never tried before. We set up on the north side of a section that had a creek smack down the middle running north to south. In the middle of the section was a 60 acre weed patch. The creek was pretty brushy too. Although there was wheat planted on both the East and West side the East side did have a standing wheat field lying to it's East. that could also hold a dog. We set up on the East side after 1/4 mile walk in a dogleg of the creek and about 30 yds off the creek fence line. I wasn't completely satisfied with the entire view the big weakness was how brushy the creek was but I figured that if anything would show up they would show themselves on the fence line 100yds out and if we were lucky they would come out on the wheat and try to get down wind to get our scent making for a wide open shot! I let my son start off with his closed reed Lohman's.(a 6 yrs old lungs and a closed reed call is a combination makes for a great sqeeker and if anything was close this would be perfect.) He let out about a dozen sqeals then I had him wait. After about 2 minutes of nothing but a few magpies getting excited I started off with my Tally-ho a 30 to 45 second series then a 4 minute wait yielded nothing. I had just finished my second 30 to 45 second series when I caught movement on the fence line at 80 yards. The coyote was coming exactly on the weakside and up wind! I had my rifle proped on the sticks directly in front of me. This was not good...I was going to have to take the shot left handed because if I wheeled to my right that would be to much movement and he would be gone.I whispered to my son we had one coming and I heard an excited chuckle. By this time the prey was about 50 yards out and right behind a thicket and finding him in the scope left handed was not simple. I could see his head without the scope but the angle was awkward enough he was going to have to come out behind it for me to have a chance. I lip squeaked and that was all he need to take another 3 steps to open view. I found him this time looking right at us and I put the X right on his shoulder and squeezed. (Rather pulled!) (Pulled too MUCH) I didnt hear the contact report and I looked up to see him quartering away toward the deep brush bouncing and looking back! If the terrain was more open I know We could have gotten a second chance at a standing shot judgeing by his actions, but the cover was thick enough that when he stopped he was out of our view for another chance. By this time my son was looking for my ejected shell and saying "Dad you shouldn't keep saying that word". After about a minute peep talk from my 6 year old we collected our stuff and took a Long walk back to the truck. After all of that I realized How lucky I was to have that moment with him. And how lucky that dog was too. I still can't believe I missed!! I am going out to the range and prove to myself it was not the scope and just it was me!(COYOTE FEVER)
Thanks for listening
Thanks for listening
