Big Lou
Active member
Some of you may recall mention of a coyote I’ve been trying to get for several years. 4 years to be exact. He’s lived a charmed life for a coyote around here and always been able to avoid demise. He’s been a very worthy foe and taught me some really hard lessons. I had dubbed him “The Mensa Coyote”. Some of you might scoff at the thought of targeting a specific coyote. Much less the notion of being able to identify year to year. This one had a big rip in his left ear. It’s been there since the first encounter and is unmistakable.
I hadn’t really decided what I was doing this morning. Sort of driving aimlessly. Scouting more than anything. There were a few coyotes out and about I was spotting. Nothing crazy for movement though. I found myself only a couple miles from the general area that I would call his home. “Should I try for him again? I haven’t tried yet this year. Yeah, screw it. May as well get humiliated first thing”.
I’ve stated before, that when things haven’t gone quite right; it’s good cause for reevaluating everything. I decided that I should really heed my own advice. I stopped and deliberated. Deciding that I’d switch everything up. Where I parked. My route in. The hide. Sounds. Volume. Everything.
I had picked a little hilltop with some grassy clumps that I wanted to get to. I’d be able to stay low and out of sight from the rest of the pasture an islands of bush on route. Upon getting about halfway up the backside, I got down and belly crawled up until I just crested. I caught movement and saw a Snow White Jackrabbit bounding away. “Well, there’s a rabbit right here. I’m not deploying the caller. No Sir. You’re not exposing yourself at all. We’re going at him with The 33. Nice and easy”.
The 33, is the P.S. Olt call that my Dad purchased for me years ago when I first wanted to try calling coyotes. “Here. Don’t lose it” were the words uttered when it was given to me. I guess they stuck because, I’ve still got it.
I was prone and got the rifle and shotgun positioned. Towaah towaaah towah towaaah to to to to broke the silence and I hushed up. I stayed quiet for a minute of so. Tooowah towah towah to to to. As if it was following a script, I watched as a silvery form materialized from the willows 250 yards away. I slowly moved my eye to the scope and dialled it up to 15x. “Holy crap…. I think that’s him. What’s he going to do”? As I surveyed his body language, he also surveyed the scene. I closed my hand tight around the end of the call. Too to to. He advanced. Slow and methodical. Taking 6-10 steps and stopping. The same slow cadence to his advance. As he broke 150 yards, I could see the distinct tear in his ear. “It is him”. This was something I had yearned for. As he continued in, I marvelled at his size and condition. He was huge. Not a rub on him. His tail was so bushy and full. At the peak of his game and prime of life. Beautiful colours. The sun gleaning of his coat as it shimmered with each movement. I was considering the proposition of shotgunning him and quickly talked myself out of it. “When you’ve got the head on shot you want, put one right in his chest. No exit. No mess. Just put him down”.
Following him in the scope, each pause had me considering it. As he got to the base of my hill and just started up, I had the shot I wanted. BOOM! CHOP! The 75g V-Max found the mark at 57 yards and he collapsed in a heap. “YOU JUST NINJA’D THE MENSA COYOTE!!!”
I would have been content with the day right there but, I still had a call in my hand and rifle at my shoulder. I broke into a louder and longer series. Maybe two minutes into my pause, I saw a dark figure against a snowy back drop 350-400 yards out. I gave a more subtle series and the second coyote started advancing at a lope. I kept doing little coaxes and it kept closing. It gave pause at 130 yards and I decided to touch off. BOOM! CHOP! Another frontal shot and it folded like a cheap suit.
I collected them for a few photos. The second coyote is also a mature male. Just not near the specimen. I kept The Mensa Coyote. I wouldn’t have felt right not doing so. He’ll be getting tanned and will adorn a wall in my gun room. My scale in the garage doesn’t go high enough to weigh him. I’ll be sneaking the bathroom scale out to the garage tomorrow. I think he’s my largest coyote to date. If he isn’t, he’s in the top two or three.
My second set found me in a spot that I had a great set last year. Great, in that I called in 6 at once. Terrible, in that I crapped the bed and didn’t kill one of them. It was so bad.
I took my time walking in 700 or so yards. The snow is so crunchy and loud but, I tried timing things with the wind gusts as best I could. I wanted to set up about 350 yards from the edge of the trees along a snow filled drainage. There were several tops of grass clumps and drifts. I deployed the caller about 20 yards away and tucked in. I fired up Squeaky Squeak. I’ve started to really like this sound. Not sure if anything could hear it with the wind, I spied a coyote streaking towards my position on a dead run. Turns out, a literal dead run. I got my hand on the shotgun and waited. I dialled the volume way down and let it close. “Let’s see how close it comes”. It came right to the caller and stuck its nose right in the auxiliary speaker. The jig was up and it wheeled. BOOM! BOOM! A 25 yard double tap with 4 Buck halted its departure immediately. Distress was working good. Platinum Grey Fox was my next blast and I pumped it with a bit more volume. Glancing down the ditch row, I saw a second coyote break from cover. “Geeze. This one is coming hard too. Might be a shotgun double”.
My thought must have jinxed me, as no sooner did I think that and it changed course. This is where the wheels fell off the bus. I started trying to reposition myself to shoot it with the rifle. Three shifts and I still didn’t like it. “Screw it. Just make a big move”. My big move had me do just about a 180. When I set the bipod down, it got caught up in the sling of my pack. I was fighting it. The coyote now knows I’m there, still loping but doesn’t know what I am. “This thing is going to cut your wind!” Like running into a wall, it caught my wind and wheeled. I full run now and I have the rifle free. BOOM! I saw the strike. “I should have hit”. BOOM! Strike again. “What the hell?” BOOM! Strike again. “You’re still behind! How am I still behind?!”
I’m now down to the last round in my rifle. The coyote has hit road gear and is doing Mach chicken on the hard pack. “It’s going to make the trees you dummy. 10’. You need 10’. Just trust it”. BOOM! CHOP! A cartwheeling halt to its exit. The coyote was not terribly far from the trees and safety where it lay. Upon collecting, the distance was 326 yards. A nice running poke.
The third set had me going to a favoured spot. It made me sick to think this would be the first time calling it this year. It was sort of a lack luster set to be honest. Worked through progression of prey distress into some coyote vocals and a fight. I was 20 min in before I saw a coyote materialize 400 or so yards out. I dialled down the volume and gave a couple pauses. “Here it comes”. After covering about 100 yards, I saw another coyote where the first one had initially appeared. “I can shoot the far one first but, I really doubt I’ll get a poke at the lead coyote. What if you miss and lose them both? Don’t be a pig. Just take the gimmie”.
As it got up on a snow drift and its body now in full view, I couldn’t pass on the frontal shot. BOOM! CHOP! The V-max once more flew true and my fifth victim of the day lay motionless, 130 yards away.
Sets four and five were both busts.
On to my sixth, this would be my last of the day. I selected hide that I’ve never called from before. Starting with and working through prey, I could hear some coyotes howling in the distance. I started working through some howls and saw the unmistakable outline of a coyote on a snowy hillside 500-600 yards away. I gave a few submissive type sounds and it advanced but dropped out of sight. I’m 19 minutes in now and this thing hasn’t popped back into view. I figured I’d give a pause and get real aggressive. It’ll either peace out or commit. I started into some Pound Town and let it wail. To my right a touch, I see a coyote crest and start coming down the hillside towards me. Just at a steady walk. It’s 250 yards out and closer to my scent stream than I’d like. I shift my position to shoot and bring the 6mm AI into my shoulder. “When it hits that snowy patch.” WOOOO…. Coming to a halt, the rifle rocked gently in my arms. BOOM! CHOP! I looked down at my remote and it was just over 26min. My 6th of the day and what a great way to end it. A 180 yard chip shot.
I haven’t done a count but, pretty sure that’s 29 this week. I have to be an adult and take care of some work stuff tomorrow morning. Should be able to get out again on Sunday. Fingers crossed anyway. Enjoy the read.
I must apologize if there’s any confusion, being as I’m a new member. I copy and paste these from the forum that I first started sharing calling stories on. Nobody here would have any knowledge of The Mensa Coyote, save a select few who grace both forums.
I hadn’t really decided what I was doing this morning. Sort of driving aimlessly. Scouting more than anything. There were a few coyotes out and about I was spotting. Nothing crazy for movement though. I found myself only a couple miles from the general area that I would call his home. “Should I try for him again? I haven’t tried yet this year. Yeah, screw it. May as well get humiliated first thing”.
I’ve stated before, that when things haven’t gone quite right; it’s good cause for reevaluating everything. I decided that I should really heed my own advice. I stopped and deliberated. Deciding that I’d switch everything up. Where I parked. My route in. The hide. Sounds. Volume. Everything.
I had picked a little hilltop with some grassy clumps that I wanted to get to. I’d be able to stay low and out of sight from the rest of the pasture an islands of bush on route. Upon getting about halfway up the backside, I got down and belly crawled up until I just crested. I caught movement and saw a Snow White Jackrabbit bounding away. “Well, there’s a rabbit right here. I’m not deploying the caller. No Sir. You’re not exposing yourself at all. We’re going at him with The 33. Nice and easy”.
The 33, is the P.S. Olt call that my Dad purchased for me years ago when I first wanted to try calling coyotes. “Here. Don’t lose it” were the words uttered when it was given to me. I guess they stuck because, I’ve still got it.
I was prone and got the rifle and shotgun positioned. Towaah towaaah towah towaaah to to to to broke the silence and I hushed up. I stayed quiet for a minute of so. Tooowah towah towah to to to. As if it was following a script, I watched as a silvery form materialized from the willows 250 yards away. I slowly moved my eye to the scope and dialled it up to 15x. “Holy crap…. I think that’s him. What’s he going to do”? As I surveyed his body language, he also surveyed the scene. I closed my hand tight around the end of the call. Too to to. He advanced. Slow and methodical. Taking 6-10 steps and stopping. The same slow cadence to his advance. As he broke 150 yards, I could see the distinct tear in his ear. “It is him”. This was something I had yearned for. As he continued in, I marvelled at his size and condition. He was huge. Not a rub on him. His tail was so bushy and full. At the peak of his game and prime of life. Beautiful colours. The sun gleaning of his coat as it shimmered with each movement. I was considering the proposition of shotgunning him and quickly talked myself out of it. “When you’ve got the head on shot you want, put one right in his chest. No exit. No mess. Just put him down”.
Following him in the scope, each pause had me considering it. As he got to the base of my hill and just started up, I had the shot I wanted. BOOM! CHOP! The 75g V-Max found the mark at 57 yards and he collapsed in a heap. “YOU JUST NINJA’D THE MENSA COYOTE!!!”
I would have been content with the day right there but, I still had a call in my hand and rifle at my shoulder. I broke into a louder and longer series. Maybe two minutes into my pause, I saw a dark figure against a snowy back drop 350-400 yards out. I gave a more subtle series and the second coyote started advancing at a lope. I kept doing little coaxes and it kept closing. It gave pause at 130 yards and I decided to touch off. BOOM! CHOP! Another frontal shot and it folded like a cheap suit.
I collected them for a few photos. The second coyote is also a mature male. Just not near the specimen. I kept The Mensa Coyote. I wouldn’t have felt right not doing so. He’ll be getting tanned and will adorn a wall in my gun room. My scale in the garage doesn’t go high enough to weigh him. I’ll be sneaking the bathroom scale out to the garage tomorrow. I think he’s my largest coyote to date. If he isn’t, he’s in the top two or three.
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 3024x4032. |
|
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 4032x3024. |
|
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 3024x4032. |
My second set found me in a spot that I had a great set last year. Great, in that I called in 6 at once. Terrible, in that I crapped the bed and didn’t kill one of them. It was so bad.
I took my time walking in 700 or so yards. The snow is so crunchy and loud but, I tried timing things with the wind gusts as best I could. I wanted to set up about 350 yards from the edge of the trees along a snow filled drainage. There were several tops of grass clumps and drifts. I deployed the caller about 20 yards away and tucked in. I fired up Squeaky Squeak. I’ve started to really like this sound. Not sure if anything could hear it with the wind, I spied a coyote streaking towards my position on a dead run. Turns out, a literal dead run. I got my hand on the shotgun and waited. I dialled the volume way down and let it close. “Let’s see how close it comes”. It came right to the caller and stuck its nose right in the auxiliary speaker. The jig was up and it wheeled. BOOM! BOOM! A 25 yard double tap with 4 Buck halted its departure immediately. Distress was working good. Platinum Grey Fox was my next blast and I pumped it with a bit more volume. Glancing down the ditch row, I saw a second coyote break from cover. “Geeze. This one is coming hard too. Might be a shotgun double”.
My thought must have jinxed me, as no sooner did I think that and it changed course. This is where the wheels fell off the bus. I started trying to reposition myself to shoot it with the rifle. Three shifts and I still didn’t like it. “Screw it. Just make a big move”. My big move had me do just about a 180. When I set the bipod down, it got caught up in the sling of my pack. I was fighting it. The coyote now knows I’m there, still loping but doesn’t know what I am. “This thing is going to cut your wind!” Like running into a wall, it caught my wind and wheeled. I full run now and I have the rifle free. BOOM! I saw the strike. “I should have hit”. BOOM! Strike again. “What the hell?” BOOM! Strike again. “You’re still behind! How am I still behind?!”
I’m now down to the last round in my rifle. The coyote has hit road gear and is doing Mach chicken on the hard pack. “It’s going to make the trees you dummy. 10’. You need 10’. Just trust it”. BOOM! CHOP! A cartwheeling halt to its exit. The coyote was not terribly far from the trees and safety where it lay. Upon collecting, the distance was 326 yards. A nice running poke.
|
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 4032x3024. |
|
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 4032x3024. |
The third set had me going to a favoured spot. It made me sick to think this would be the first time calling it this year. It was sort of a lack luster set to be honest. Worked through progression of prey distress into some coyote vocals and a fight. I was 20 min in before I saw a coyote materialize 400 or so yards out. I dialled down the volume and gave a couple pauses. “Here it comes”. After covering about 100 yards, I saw another coyote where the first one had initially appeared. “I can shoot the far one first but, I really doubt I’ll get a poke at the lead coyote. What if you miss and lose them both? Don’t be a pig. Just take the gimmie”.
As it got up on a snow drift and its body now in full view, I couldn’t pass on the frontal shot. BOOM! CHOP! The V-max once more flew true and my fifth victim of the day lay motionless, 130 yards away.
|
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 4032x3024. |
Sets four and five were both busts.
On to my sixth, this would be my last of the day. I selected hide that I’ve never called from before. Starting with and working through prey, I could hear some coyotes howling in the distance. I started working through some howls and saw the unmistakable outline of a coyote on a snowy hillside 500-600 yards away. I gave a few submissive type sounds and it advanced but dropped out of sight. I’m 19 minutes in now and this thing hasn’t popped back into view. I figured I’d give a pause and get real aggressive. It’ll either peace out or commit. I started into some Pound Town and let it wail. To my right a touch, I see a coyote crest and start coming down the hillside towards me. Just at a steady walk. It’s 250 yards out and closer to my scent stream than I’d like. I shift my position to shoot and bring the 6mm AI into my shoulder. “When it hits that snowy patch.” WOOOO…. Coming to a halt, the rifle rocked gently in my arms. BOOM! CHOP! I looked down at my remote and it was just over 26min. My 6th of the day and what a great way to end it. A 180 yard chip shot.
|
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 4032x3024. |
I haven’t done a count but, pretty sure that’s 29 this week. I have to be an adult and take care of some work stuff tomorrow morning. Should be able to get out again on Sunday. Fingers crossed anyway. Enjoy the read.
I must apologize if there’s any confusion, being as I’m a new member. I copy and paste these from the forum that I first started sharing calling stories on. Nobody here would have any knowledge of The Mensa Coyote, save a select few who grace both forums.
