So, my morning started with heading to a spot I had planned to call first thing. A friend is calving and has lost a few calves to coyotes already. He has video of them doing their thing in the calving pen. To say the least, he was sad and needed some help.
Upon getting there and glassing, I saw three coyotes out in the field I had planned to access from. My access thwarted, I just sat there until they grew nervous and moved into the bush. I’ll circle back here in an hour or so.
I whistled over to a spot I hadn’t called yet this year. I hiked in and changed up my hide. I normally just watch to the south here as it’s about 1.5 miles of nothing to the north and a busy road to cross. I’m ashamed to say, I never even watch to the north. Anyway, I could see that direction today. I worked through my sequence of vocals and was horrified to see three coyotes come from the north. I was screwed and they winded me quite a ways out yet. A chill swept down my spine thinking of how may coyotes may have approached from there over the last few years that I had never seen and let smell me. Never again. There it is again. That never word. Either way, I was dicked there. Back to my original plan.
Returning, my field was now clear of coyotes and I hid the truck. I trudged in about 600 yards and deployed my Montana decoy. Continued up the tree line another 100-150 yards, deployed the caller and tucked into the base of a tree. I howled and was quiet. Then pair howled and was quiet. Then some greeting whines and was quiet. Time to step it up a bit. Corned Hottie had been good. Here goes. Within 30 seconds, I saw a silver object break from the willows. Then another and another. All in, 5 coyotes were inbound. The lead coyote was a considerable distance ahead of the other 4. I was faced with a difficult choice. Take the lead coyote and hope for the best with the others or let it blow out and hope the others are in the bubble by then. I opted to kill the lead dog. I stopped it at 150 yards and drew down. BOOM! “How in God’s name did you miss that??!!” I drew down on the now fleeing coyote after blowing a chip shot. BOOM! CHOP! “Well at least you can hit them running”.
I switched into a fight sound and within 30 seconds, had a hard charger coming back in. I stopped it and settled the cross hairs. BOOM! CHOP! “Better. Better”. I continued with the fight sound and caught movement above some grass. The scope showed ear tips and I had another call back enter the field again. This one had a bad front foot and was swinging a touch wide. I watched and watched and decided I was going to kill it before it swung out any more. WOOO. It halted and I figured it was a bit better than 300. Top of the back. BOOM! As I watched the snow spray above it. “COME ON!!!” I dumped at it twice after missing my second chip shot in the same set. Clean misses both times. I was wild with myself. “Just had to post that your shooting has been on point hey? Serves you right”.
My next set, I had called once this year and, buggered up badly. I’ve been struggling with it. Maybe 50/50 type of success. After my last foray here, I had decided on a new hide. My intent was to go there but, on the way in, I found something I thought could be okay. You know, completely ignore all previous intel and make a rash choice. Short and long, I had two come in - right to where I had originally figured I should be set up. Could have shot either with the rifle. Figured they’d get close and I’d shotgun them. Noooo. They pop up in a bad spot. Make me when I go to shoot. I miss sending buckshot through the buck brush. Bad…. So very bad.
I’m mad again. Actually, I’m not sure if I was done being mad from before. Anyway, I relocate and pull a blank set. I did however cut a wolf track here. I have some new permission close and decide to see what it is all about.
I hike in a half mile and, I really like what I see. It’s a pretty text book set up and even though there isn’t a pile of sign, what is there is pretty fresh. I deploy the caller 30 yards away and I tuck into the fence line. I rip a howl and immediately, there’s an answer upwind of me and it is not happy with this intruder. I howl again and it’s silent. “This thing is inbound” I think to myself. I’m scanning and about 500 yards out, I see a silver streak. A full on run. It slows up about 200 yards out and stops. I dial the volume way down and give a couple whimpers. Full on running charge again. I know I’m shotgunning this thing. It crosses the fence and comes sailing in on the downwind side of the caller, looking side to side for the intruders. I pop up and it wheels at 24 yards. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! I empty the shotgun and I know I hit it twice. It’s running but I can see blood on its rear end. Onto the rifle. Fall into a lead and BOOM! CHOP! Snowplow. I was disgusted that I didn’t kill it with the shotgun but, happy with a solid follow up shot at 120 yards.
I decide to hit a spot that normally holds a pair this time of year. Half mile hike in and get set up. The resident female is a bitch that I’ve done an excellent job providing negative experiences. Twice, I’ve killed her mate but, not her. Long story short, I call her in and she’s peeking over a hill top about 150 yards out. I’m debating shooting. She retreats. 3 minutes later, she pops out. I squander my opportunity and she’s moving and again out of sight. I fire up pup distress. She shows. She’s stopped and standing. Maybe 175 yards away. “Finally”. BOOM! And she’s running. I was border line crushed on this one. I never even tried the running shot. There was a semi serious internal conversation with myself at this point. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing wrong. Third stander of the day missed. This just doesn’t happen to me. Not for years.
I’m in half a tizzy now. I motor over to another spot that’s a quick set. I know where I’m headed for last light. As I’m walking in, I spy a coyote slinking into the trees. It stops and looks at me, then vanishes.
I called it anyway but knew the outcome before I even set up.
Onto my last spot. I actually forgot about this earlier in my post. After the morning double, I was half way in on this stand and the wind did a 180. I pulled out with the intention of coming back at end of day if the wind was good. It was and I marched in. I laid down in the wide open on a little slope. Caller 20 yards away. Lone howl. Pair howl. Nothing. Stanky Leg. Movement. 450 yards out. There’s a coyote along the tree line just standing and watching. I switch into Humpty Bumpty and I’m just watching this coyote. I shift a touch and catch movement under the stock of my rifle. I had the shotgun at my side and the rifle straddling my legs. I dip my head lower and there’s a coyote charging in and right on top of me! A big male.
I pop up and swing the shotgun. This thing is 20 yards away. It’s not even a question of it being dead already. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! I watch in horror as the coyote grabs road gear and is seemingly unaffected. “THERE’S NO WAY!!!” I’m rattled. Onto the rifle. BOOM!…. BOOM! It’s in a swale and I lose sight, waiting for it to emerge again for another volley. I catch movement to my right. It’s the Bitch, standing on a snow bank and she’s right in my wheel house. I recall thinking as I swung onto her “this is your last chance for the day and you’ve screwed up royally. Do not mess this up”. As I went to shoot, I caught myself wanting to flinch. Why? I have no idea but, it sure seemed logical that it had been happening all day given my misses on easy targets. “Just breath and squeeze Rookie”. BOOM! CHOP! She crumpled like news paper and thank Christ she did. I’m not sure what I’d have done had I missed again. I had made my weekend goal but, not by much. I sure didn’t feel very deserving given the days performance. Or, lack there of. What a fiasco made of a great day of calling. Still, I was thankful that it came together at the end.
Some lessons learned. I’m no longer going into things with a number in mind. What will be, will be. I had it in my head that this would probably be my last weekend to hunt this season and, I wanted to make a couple of numbers. Had I just approached things in a chill fashion as I always do, I have little doubt that I would have had a 6,7, maybe 8 coyote day. I cannot lose sight of the fact that first and foremost, I do this because I love it. Pressure can stay the hell out of it. A person deals with enough of that in every day life and it has no place in calling. Not for me anyway.
Regardless, that’s enough rambling. It probably will be my last outing until next year. If it is, I’ve enjoyed sharing things immensely with this new crowd; and sharing in your adventures as well.
it still amazes me how a perceived pressure can make the wheels fall completely off. 
