I joined this site on March 11 2014. So coming up on ten years now. I joined here because at the time I was 26 years old, newly married, new career, and frankly just beginning to establish the life I now love and cherish. That meant I had very little time to get out and hunt so the few times I was able to, I was unsuccessful at best. I got tired of my trips out into the field coming up blank and the puzzled fealing on the way home. That lead me to this site. I came here thirsting for knowledge and to learn how to hunt coyotes and be successful. I spent hours on here reading and soaking in any bit of information I could.
Back then I was lucky to get one or two coyotes a year. Since then, I have changed the way I go about hunting these elusive critters. All changes that were inspired by the posts and pictures off of here. I am still busy in life, and I only get out about 8-10 trips a year, but I kill around 20 coyotes a year on average. To some that is not very many, to others and the ten years ago me, that seems like a lot.
Long story short, when I look back to when I first joined here and compare myself as a coyote hunter today, I can say there is a huge difference. I have learned so much from this site that has really helped to speed up the learning curve of hunting coyotes. To me the best way to pay it forward is to post on here for the guys like me ten years ago. Every time I go hunting, I make it a point to take pictures and mental notes throughout the day. I do this to both continue to learn and to also post on here to help someone else learn.
Perhaps we could all take a moment to look back to when we first started hunting coyotes. Think about the things we have learned from time in the field, time with a mentor or time spent scrolling this site.
More important than anything we should stop to remember one thing we all have in common on here. Whether you,re a youtube sensation, sponsored by a big name hunting brand, contest winner, weekend warrior or east, west and inbetween. We all have a passion for coyote hunting and that is what brings us all here.
Whether your post gets 1 comment or 100 I can guarantee it inspires someone and that should be enough to keep us all posting and commenting for the better of each other, this site and the game of hunting coyotes.