I hope this is not a double post. After typing the set thing once, I hit a button and it disappeared so I will try again.
My daughter Emily (9) and I finally got a chance to try coyote hunting. I was worried that my paint job had affected my rifle (Rem 710 in .243)so we stopped at the range. A quick 3 shot group confirmed that the rifle was still shooting 2" high of center at 100yrds.
I checked the wind and studied the aerial photos. The ranch is very thick but I found a clearing and entry route that would keep our scent away from the target area. We parked a bit away and started walking. Holy cow, I have got to come up with a system for carrying all this stuff. Rifle, chairs, backpack with e-caller and decoy, shooting sticks, tripod and video camera. Well except I forgot the shooting sticks at the truck and didn't realize it until we were at the set.
I parked Emily against some brush and went to put out the caller (Johnney Stewart) and decoy (Expedite Quiver Critter). I put them on the upwind side of the clearing. I was hoping to see the coyote in the clearing as he tried to wind the call and decoy. I also set up the video camera and just pointed it toward the clearing. I was not gonna try to move it during the set, I figured I should just take whatever I get since it was our first time out.
We started with cottontail distress. Four minutes into the set a coyote entered the clearing directly across from us at about 60 yards. I figured he would go downwind but he started up wind. I guess he didn't go downwind because he would have to cross the clearing to get to the prey. Anyway he moved upwind and was almost to a spot where I would lose sight of him so I shot. He went straight down. My daughter said "Dad, you are shaking" and boy was I. What a rush and to top it off I was worried about missing since I was shooting without any supports. We called for about 3 more minutes then gave up hoping to make another set but ran out of time. I will try to post a snippit of the video. If you full screen it you will see the yote enter just right of the gas well and move to the right. I shoot him just before he exits the picture. It then goes into the trophy shot. Cheeeeezzzzyyy but I didn't take any pictures so this is all I got.
This was so much fun. Emily can't stop talking about it and now Hannah (6) insists on going. Maybe this weekend.
Later,
Stuart (flynpa)
My daughter Emily (9) and I finally got a chance to try coyote hunting. I was worried that my paint job had affected my rifle (Rem 710 in .243)so we stopped at the range. A quick 3 shot group confirmed that the rifle was still shooting 2" high of center at 100yrds.
I checked the wind and studied the aerial photos. The ranch is very thick but I found a clearing and entry route that would keep our scent away from the target area. We parked a bit away and started walking. Holy cow, I have got to come up with a system for carrying all this stuff. Rifle, chairs, backpack with e-caller and decoy, shooting sticks, tripod and video camera. Well except I forgot the shooting sticks at the truck and didn't realize it until we were at the set.
I parked Emily against some brush and went to put out the caller (Johnney Stewart) and decoy (Expedite Quiver Critter). I put them on the upwind side of the clearing. I was hoping to see the coyote in the clearing as he tried to wind the call and decoy. I also set up the video camera and just pointed it toward the clearing. I was not gonna try to move it during the set, I figured I should just take whatever I get since it was our first time out.
We started with cottontail distress. Four minutes into the set a coyote entered the clearing directly across from us at about 60 yards. I figured he would go downwind but he started up wind. I guess he didn't go downwind because he would have to cross the clearing to get to the prey. Anyway he moved upwind and was almost to a spot where I would lose sight of him so I shot. He went straight down. My daughter said "Dad, you are shaking" and boy was I. What a rush and to top it off I was worried about missing since I was shooting without any supports. We called for about 3 more minutes then gave up hoping to make another set but ran out of time. I will try to post a snippit of the video. If you full screen it you will see the yote enter just right of the gas well and move to the right. I shoot him just before he exits the picture. It then goes into the trophy shot. Cheeeeezzzzyyy but I didn't take any pictures so this is all I got.
This was so much fun. Emily can't stop talking about it and now Hannah (6) insists on going. Maybe this weekend.
Later,
Stuart (flynpa)
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