Wile E Coyotie
New member
Was out for a few hours - on Sunday and got 3 set ups in -- mostly headed out to - confirm - rumors of large quantities of Ground squirrels reported - but- although he is making a come back -- the numbers are still way off from where we where before 2010 -- - I have purposely stayed away from shooting them since the die off-estimated at 400 per acre ----hoping they would come back ---i see places they r well on there way - but didn't shoot yet--on them --back in the Hay Days -u could fire 500 rds .22LR before lunch and or more into the whole day--
Ranchers spent small fortunes on poison- and in some places the poison so potent the country side was wreaking of rotting gopher-- World Class Shooting -seemingly endless quantity --enter mother nature and a small flea that carries disease -and the entire nation from horizon to horizon for 100 rds of miles gone in a couple weeks - should b noted as one of the largest die off of rodents ever.( the flea is my theory--I do not know what killed them for sure - but almost 100 % what ever it waz)
I love to call/shoot gravel pits /piles and have a dozen or so in my inventory -- and for a while now have seen one spring up on the landscape about 25 mins from home - its out west and so are the reports about gopher numbers --so i headed the Tacoma that direction with a back up gunner on board-about 9:00 am--- I throw on board 100 rds rimfire - 2- 10/22
--It doesn't take long to take a lot of the hot air out of the gopher rumors- and so with out shooting any of them - we move through into a calling sequence close to the rd with the Tacoma tucked deep into the new gravel pit
- there are no trees in sight -just 4 piles of gravel 60 feet tall- and a fresh growth of prairie grass tangled with old growth about shin height disappears in all direction --rolling landscape- -+27C slight west wind -11:00 am
I have a good feeling and find a coyote turd about 2 steps out of the truck - from the top of the gravel pile -u pretty much own the compass- and with lots of confidence with the gun- and a good hold results are often positive -
--So from the Mountain Top -- after - all comfy in- and done my ranging and all -i send out a series of Bark Bark Bark Bark -- for about 2 mins --then Pup Distress- and sit back - scanning the openness --its tough
-- they can cover a lot of turf in a hurry and how they do it is beyond me - but you look out over the land and figure --400 yrds is long field of sight -and plenty of time to react but-- he can cover that distance in a blink-
-I feel for our Eastern Kinfolk who hunt the critters in the wood lot -much different game plan there i bet -- Here --i am blessed with wide open scenario --
There is a few sage brush scatted around but thats about the only thing other than grass --I have set the FoxPro about 80 yrds away up against the sage -and can see the Mojo spinning doing its thing
-I can out shoot my rifles capabilities from my position - watching constantly scanning looking for movement--suddenly@ 6:00 mins -- inside 100 yrd slurring movement -How he get to 100 yrds without being detected - is a rush!!-
- I do not have time to center on him before he gets to the Mojo which is mounted on top of the Prairie Blaster - Its kinda cool to see his demure/character change as he plunges in for the kill totally committed without reserve --and in an explosion -recoils --most of the time this happens they take the same line back out as they took into the set up-I let out a howl more like a wolf than coyote and i can see he hears it and increases his pace - @ about 150 yrds out from the top of the gravel pile - i finally catch him in the scope and fire -#961 skids to stop leaving an oil slick on the prairie - adult male -white red sable- no more baby Antelopes for him--
-Back Up Gunner suggest --after opening note he watched him crest out over the horizon and on full gallop- straight as an arrow full tilt -right to the box - may b -700 yard run
Last edited by a moderator: