Big Lou
Well-known member
I was up and ready to go first thing. My daughter had to bail on me for work. I decided I’d head to a spot I had buggered up on a pair a couple weeks ago. I was actually going to call this spot yesterday but, the binos turned up said pair already out and about in the wetland.
I opted for a hide that I had called from before with success. I just hadn’t employed it for a couple of years. This would have me about 500 yards from the previous hide. I had a commanding view of the slough and surrounding hill sides. The way the wind was blowing out of the SE, it was impossible to get winded with the now open water. I figured if they were there, they’d either show low and come along the edge of the water or at the top of the biggest hill.
I opened with a few lone howls, then a pair howl a couple minutes later. I heard a male and female answer from behind the big hill. I howled back again with a pair and then clammed up. I didn’t want to overdo anything, seeing as I’d already given these two a free lesson. 8 or so minutes later, I spied an object cresting the big hill. It angled down a short distance and started scratching. A couple minutes after that, I spied the mate cresting the hill and came down to join the other.
I threw out some whines and whimpers. Nothing overly aggressive. They seemed content to sit and watch. I really figured that curiosity would take over eventually. Not so. One and then the other started to depart. The Bitch went out of sight and I figured I may as well get aggressive and hope for the best. As Pound Town echoed into the surrounding area, I watched the male hook back and come to the spot they had marked. He paused there briefly and then broke into a charge, covering 300 yards in no time. I muted. He paused on the edge of a patch of trees and I gave another bit of sound at low volume. This got him coming again and he went behind said patch of trees. I used this opportunity to shift a touch and get the rifle adjusted. I knew exactly where the shot would be happening. He came into view again at about 175 yards and paused. 5-6 seconds of pup noises had him finishing. At 95 yards, he stopped broadside and directly upwind. It was readily apparent, this was one of the coyotes I had called in two weeks ago. As had happened many times already this season, the crosshairs settled on the shoulder. I was rock solid on the bipod and the trigger gave way, unleashing the fury of the 6mm AI. BOOM! CHOP! The 75gr V-Max hammered home and my quarry went flat. “I think I’ll just call this the last stand of the season” I thought to myself. “This is a perfect way to end things”. I collected him for a picture, as well as my gear and hiked out to head home.
There’s plenty of NCAA basketball to watch right now and it’s been a good run of hunting. I’m very happy to have shared it and I look forward to living vicariously through others adventures here, until it’s my time to contribute again of course.
Curtis
I opted for a hide that I had called from before with success. I just hadn’t employed it for a couple of years. This would have me about 500 yards from the previous hide. I had a commanding view of the slough and surrounding hill sides. The way the wind was blowing out of the SE, it was impossible to get winded with the now open water. I figured if they were there, they’d either show low and come along the edge of the water or at the top of the biggest hill.
I opened with a few lone howls, then a pair howl a couple minutes later. I heard a male and female answer from behind the big hill. I howled back again with a pair and then clammed up. I didn’t want to overdo anything, seeing as I’d already given these two a free lesson. 8 or so minutes later, I spied an object cresting the big hill. It angled down a short distance and started scratching. A couple minutes after that, I spied the mate cresting the hill and came down to join the other.
I threw out some whines and whimpers. Nothing overly aggressive. They seemed content to sit and watch. I really figured that curiosity would take over eventually. Not so. One and then the other started to depart. The Bitch went out of sight and I figured I may as well get aggressive and hope for the best. As Pound Town echoed into the surrounding area, I watched the male hook back and come to the spot they had marked. He paused there briefly and then broke into a charge, covering 300 yards in no time. I muted. He paused on the edge of a patch of trees and I gave another bit of sound at low volume. This got him coming again and he went behind said patch of trees. I used this opportunity to shift a touch and get the rifle adjusted. I knew exactly where the shot would be happening. He came into view again at about 175 yards and paused. 5-6 seconds of pup noises had him finishing. At 95 yards, he stopped broadside and directly upwind. It was readily apparent, this was one of the coyotes I had called in two weeks ago. As had happened many times already this season, the crosshairs settled on the shoulder. I was rock solid on the bipod and the trigger gave way, unleashing the fury of the 6mm AI. BOOM! CHOP! The 75gr V-Max hammered home and my quarry went flat. “I think I’ll just call this the last stand of the season” I thought to myself. “This is a perfect way to end things”. I collected him for a picture, as well as my gear and hiked out to head home.
There’s plenty of NCAA basketball to watch right now and it’s been a good run of hunting. I’m very happy to have shared it and I look forward to living vicariously through others adventures here, until it’s my time to contribute again of course.
Curtis
I would assume you’ve seen the paintings of the dogs playing poker, drinking and smoking cigars? I’ve often imagined, when I pack things in at the end of a winter; coyotes around the poker table, talking amongst themselves about me being done and that it’s once again safe to respond to the sounds of a dying rabbit. 