Big Lou
Well-known member
My 204 called from the rack last night and informed me that I’d only taken it out once this winter and killed just a single coyote with it. I apologized profusely and informed it that there were a couple hours of free time today and, it would be on my shoulder instead on the 6mm AI.
I walked in and was darn near at the half mile mark. Quite often here, I’ve poked my head over a hill and seen coyotes mousing not terribly far off in a slough bottom. This morning was just that. I spied my quarry, preoccupied with mousing and I ducked back behind the rise and scooted over to a portion of the fence line, out of sight from the coyote. Caller deployed along the fence line, I scooted back into the field and deployed my coyote decoy, then tucked in and bole the silence.
I really thought about going distress as, it was hunting but, coyote vocals have been so hot, I didn’t want to deviate. I worked through a couple howls, then a pair howl and into Stanky Leg. I was just about to roll into another sound and saw the coyote come into view about 350 yards away. It just watched intently and I stayed quiet for a couple minutes. Dialling the volume way down, Humpy Bumpty cascaded across the expanse and the coyote broke into a trot and dropped down out of sight.
I had a pretty solid hunch on where it would show again and got up on the rifle. Ears, head, then body filled the scope and the coyote spied my decoy. It was a big male. Shifting its head, up down, side to side; trying to identify who the intruder was. At 150 yards and frontal, I figured it was as good a time as any and settled in for the shot. BOOM! CHOP! Through the scope, I watched the 39gr SBK hit it and a single tail wag was the only movement noticed. Nothing else was to show and quite pleased with myself, I collected it for a photo.
The wind was good for a spot I had been eyeing up all winter. Never called it before. Where I planned to depart from, is close to a yard site on a small acreage. Rightfully so, the occupant came out to see what I was up to and turns out, it’s a fellow I used to work with and had not seen for a long time. Had a nice chat and he also informed me of the local coyote numbers they had witnessed throughout the winter. Sadly, he had a video of them snatching his wife’s cat and he was excited at the prospect of them being thinned out a touch. His yard was a much better place to hide my truck and he welcomed me in to tuck behind a building.
I hiked in close to a half mile. Sign was excellent. I heard a group of coyotes howling about 3/4 mile to a mile south of me as I was deciding where to set up. I opted to deploy the caller along the fence line and also set up the decoy so it could be readily seen from the south or north. I opted to get my back up against a large corner post so I could easily manage different shot positions. Really, I was anticipating possible approaches from 3 different directions.
I saw little reason to deviate on sounds from what has been working. Lone howl. Pair howl. I hear another group of coyotes light up to my NW. Cornered Hottie. Stanky Leg. Humpty Bumpty. I look to the NW and I see 4 coyotes charging hard and they are already within 300 yards. This is going to get western.
I start with some loud WOOOs and one stops at about 70-80 yards, slightly quartering to. BOOM! CHOP! It falls and I have three streakers. Dying coyote is wailing on the caller. One stops. I figured it for 300-325. BOOM! “Damn it! You missed!” They are all peeling again and I throw on Pound Town. Everyone comes to a stop again. I watch as one, then another and finally the third are all coming back in. I’m thrilled. One is approaching on my left side, the other two are swinging to the right. The one on my left was in the lead. And I decided that I’m just going to pound it as it is loping in and almost 180 to the pair. BOOM! CHOP! it folds and I swing towards the other two. I ramp up the volume and they are still inbound. WOOO. WOOOOO! One comes to a stop, 1/4ing too again, at about 130 yards. BOOM! CHOP! I watch the bullet strike the point of the shoulder and it goes down. I’m swinging on the runner now and afterburners have engaged. BOOM!…….. “Last round man”. BOOM! CHOP! And I watch it go end for end as it slides to a stop at 225 yards. “THAT’S FOUR BABY!!!”
A feeling of horror sweeps over me as I look back and see one head up and another hobbling coyote departing. I’m out of rifle rounds…. With my rifle switch this morning, I had forgotten to put spare rounds in my pocket. The four 6mm AI rounds in my hand, now count for nothing. Now both are up and I can clearly see where the bullets had splashed on the shoulder. I’m sick. I look down at my shotgun, sitting at my feet and could not hold back the laughter at how completely inadequate of a tool remained for the task at hand. I made my best effort to run one down and got as near as 75 yards. I was near a jammer at this point, lungs burning and I emptied the shot gun, hoping for a magic pellet that didn’t manifest. I’m now completely out of breath and ammunition. And feeling terrible about the suffering I’ve caused - what a horrible way to go. I slink back and collect things, as well as the two coyotes that I didn’t wound, a big male and large female. I’m sad over the lost coyotes. I really do try and avoid things of this nature.
I’ve killed, quite literally, hundreds upon hundreds of coyotes with a 204. The lions share have been with 35 & 40 gr Berger’s. Quite a number with a 40gr V-max as well. I lost the odd one with the V-max and I’ve never lost one with the Berger’s. Losing two in the same set with the 39SBK - I’ll be liquidating everything on the shelf. Splashes on perfect shoulder shots is something unto which I cannot abide. They shoot like a house on fire for accuracy but, this is the wrong projectile for coyotes. Walt, if you can hear me; I’m coming back to you in the .20 cals, and never leaving again.
And pocket shells. Sweet Jesus, make sure that I have some pocket shells. Today, I feel shame.
I walked in and was darn near at the half mile mark. Quite often here, I’ve poked my head over a hill and seen coyotes mousing not terribly far off in a slough bottom. This morning was just that. I spied my quarry, preoccupied with mousing and I ducked back behind the rise and scooted over to a portion of the fence line, out of sight from the coyote. Caller deployed along the fence line, I scooted back into the field and deployed my coyote decoy, then tucked in and bole the silence.
I really thought about going distress as, it was hunting but, coyote vocals have been so hot, I didn’t want to deviate. I worked through a couple howls, then a pair howl and into Stanky Leg. I was just about to roll into another sound and saw the coyote come into view about 350 yards away. It just watched intently and I stayed quiet for a couple minutes. Dialling the volume way down, Humpy Bumpty cascaded across the expanse and the coyote broke into a trot and dropped down out of sight.
I had a pretty solid hunch on where it would show again and got up on the rifle. Ears, head, then body filled the scope and the coyote spied my decoy. It was a big male. Shifting its head, up down, side to side; trying to identify who the intruder was. At 150 yards and frontal, I figured it was as good a time as any and settled in for the shot. BOOM! CHOP! Through the scope, I watched the 39gr SBK hit it and a single tail wag was the only movement noticed. Nothing else was to show and quite pleased with myself, I collected it for a photo.
The wind was good for a spot I had been eyeing up all winter. Never called it before. Where I planned to depart from, is close to a yard site on a small acreage. Rightfully so, the occupant came out to see what I was up to and turns out, it’s a fellow I used to work with and had not seen for a long time. Had a nice chat and he also informed me of the local coyote numbers they had witnessed throughout the winter. Sadly, he had a video of them snatching his wife’s cat and he was excited at the prospect of them being thinned out a touch. His yard was a much better place to hide my truck and he welcomed me in to tuck behind a building.
I hiked in close to a half mile. Sign was excellent. I heard a group of coyotes howling about 3/4 mile to a mile south of me as I was deciding where to set up. I opted to deploy the caller along the fence line and also set up the decoy so it could be readily seen from the south or north. I opted to get my back up against a large corner post so I could easily manage different shot positions. Really, I was anticipating possible approaches from 3 different directions.
I saw little reason to deviate on sounds from what has been working. Lone howl. Pair howl. I hear another group of coyotes light up to my NW. Cornered Hottie. Stanky Leg. Humpty Bumpty. I look to the NW and I see 4 coyotes charging hard and they are already within 300 yards. This is going to get western.
I start with some loud WOOOs and one stops at about 70-80 yards, slightly quartering to. BOOM! CHOP! It falls and I have three streakers. Dying coyote is wailing on the caller. One stops. I figured it for 300-325. BOOM! “Damn it! You missed!” They are all peeling again and I throw on Pound Town. Everyone comes to a stop again. I watch as one, then another and finally the third are all coming back in. I’m thrilled. One is approaching on my left side, the other two are swinging to the right. The one on my left was in the lead. And I decided that I’m just going to pound it as it is loping in and almost 180 to the pair. BOOM! CHOP! it folds and I swing towards the other two. I ramp up the volume and they are still inbound. WOOO. WOOOOO! One comes to a stop, 1/4ing too again, at about 130 yards. BOOM! CHOP! I watch the bullet strike the point of the shoulder and it goes down. I’m swinging on the runner now and afterburners have engaged. BOOM!…….. “Last round man”. BOOM! CHOP! And I watch it go end for end as it slides to a stop at 225 yards. “THAT’S FOUR BABY!!!”
A feeling of horror sweeps over me as I look back and see one head up and another hobbling coyote departing. I’m out of rifle rounds…. With my rifle switch this morning, I had forgotten to put spare rounds in my pocket. The four 6mm AI rounds in my hand, now count for nothing. Now both are up and I can clearly see where the bullets had splashed on the shoulder. I’m sick. I look down at my shotgun, sitting at my feet and could not hold back the laughter at how completely inadequate of a tool remained for the task at hand. I made my best effort to run one down and got as near as 75 yards. I was near a jammer at this point, lungs burning and I emptied the shot gun, hoping for a magic pellet that didn’t manifest. I’m now completely out of breath and ammunition. And feeling terrible about the suffering I’ve caused - what a horrible way to go. I slink back and collect things, as well as the two coyotes that I didn’t wound, a big male and large female. I’m sad over the lost coyotes. I really do try and avoid things of this nature.
I’ve killed, quite literally, hundreds upon hundreds of coyotes with a 204. The lions share have been with 35 & 40 gr Berger’s. Quite a number with a 40gr V-max as well. I lost the odd one with the V-max and I’ve never lost one with the Berger’s. Losing two in the same set with the 39SBK - I’ll be liquidating everything on the shelf. Splashes on perfect shoulder shots is something unto which I cannot abide. They shoot like a house on fire for accuracy but, this is the wrong projectile for coyotes. Walt, if you can hear me; I’m coming back to you in the .20 cals, and never leaving again.
And pocket shells. Sweet Jesus, make sure that I have some pocket shells. Today, I feel shame.
