I’m torn on how to deliver the last 72 hours of hunting. I love posting the successes for people to enjoy but, it’s been tough slugging. I’ll try and condense things so it isn’t such an essay.
Wednesday,
First stand of the morning went just perfect. It was quite windy so my play was to get on the downwind side or into the trees. The former in this case. I had treated myself to a shopping spree of new sounds for the caller the night before and couldn’t wait to try some out. I was just laying on my back in the hay field in the shadows of a small hill about 60 yards from the tree line. 7 minutes in, I saw ears above the buck brush, then a face and finally a body materialized. It wasn’t in a hurry, as it had arrived during a pause in my sequence. I let it close of its own accord, raised the shotgun in a smooth motion as I brought my body up. I had timed my move as it looked back at the trees. When its eyes returned and had just met mine, I sent the load of #4 buck into its face at 28 yards. It crumpled instantly. Not even a tail wag. Another big Tom down.
My fourth set really hurts - bad. I got right in the trees. It was tight but I knew the trail any coyotes would take to come in. Figured it would be a good spot to try with my mouth howler. I wasn’t entirely situated yet. I had planned on getting the shotgun on my knee pointed in the general direction of the deer trail. I sounded off with a solitary howl. I looked down and was just about to lift me knee when directly in front of me, a coyote sounded off with a challenge. It hadn’t even been 10 seconds! I spied the Tom about 35 yards in front of me, on the very trail. His bitch, just behind him. I really didn’t know what to do. They both started to close so I let it play out. Like the pig I am, with the Tom now at 19 yards and the bitch only paces behind, I was still being stupid; wanting them both. I can only assume the wind swirled because the bitch wheeled and ran like her tail was on fire and the Tom a quarter second later. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Are you serious? You just let that, THAT happen?” I howled a few more times but they were done playing. A flash of movement to the west of me caught my attention and I spied another coyote streaking in. This one solidified to me that the wind was certainly swirling in there. He piled on the brakes at 50 yards like he had hit a wall. I ripped at him 3 times with the shotgun but, no dice. That was bad. So very bad.
Another blank set found me in a different area afterwards. I ended up pulling one to the tree line. I figured it would close but made a fool of me. I’m sure I could have gotten on it at 200 yards but wouldn’t you know it, it turns and back into the bush. Would not come out again. Another two blank stands to finish the day. That was a lot of work for one coyote.
Thursday
Fickle winds greeted my face when I walked out of the house in the dark. I looked at a couple wind maps and it was a total hodgepodge. Swirls and rolls and sweeps were everywhere on the map. I should have just stayed home but, I’m stubborn.
My second set had me after The Mensa Coyote. Why on earth I made this choice, that day, I will never know. Long story short, the wind was good when I walked in. I didn’t feel it change 225 degrees. But it did. And wouldn’t you know it, I had that miserable Tom and his Bitch coming at long last with another younger male in tow. Again, it was like an invisible man had slammed them in the faces with a 2”x8”. They all wheeled and were gone. I knew what had happened, I just hadn’t felt it happen. Not like I’ve been trying to kill that coyote for half a decade or anything. No big deal. I was some dejected.
Several dry stands later, I finally got into one again. I had deployed my coyote decoy on a hill top and was doing an entire sequence of new coyote vocals. I was about 10 minutes in when I thought I saw a set of ears above a hilltop, and then a coyote came bounding into view. It saw my coyote decoy and went about 70 yards upwind of it. Then sat down and stared at it for close to a minute. I had the shotgun on it already but wanted to see how it would play out with the decoy. It finally rose from its haunches and started trotting towards the decoy. I didn’t want it to cut my tracks and spook so I decided to let fly. I had completely misjudged the distance, thinking it at 45 yards; it was actually at 60 yards. I hit it all three times with the shotgun and my head just about exploded when it started running away. Onto the 6mmAI in a flash and made a quick running shot to finish things. I’m always amazed how tough these things are.
More blank sets to round out the day. I did find a pretty nice dead WT rack. I wasn’t dealing with getting a found dead permit with dicey phone service, so I snapped a photo and will recover when I’m in there looking for sheds come spring.
Friday
Morning had me sneaking into a field that I had been seeing coyotes mousing for a few days now. I glassed what I could before heading in but the field undulates in a way that its entirety cannot be seen from the road. Peeking over a hill top, I could see a coyote moving south. Then I spied another to the south of that coyote. I wasn’t going to be able to get where I wanted, so I figured I’d lay down and see what happens with some soft cries on the mouth call. Well, 20 seconds later, there were three sets of eyes staring my direction. I actually thought it was going to play out alright but one spooked and the other two followed suit. I ran to the next hilltop and got prone on one, now about 450 yards away. My wind call was good but my bullet missed high. That was unfortunate.
The next set had me going back to a spot I had called about a week ago. It’s where the fight broke out and three of the four peaced out. Well, in the weeks interim, they had killed a deer and I found the carcass on the way in. What a murder scene. No joke, it was like The Ghost and The Darkness when the lion kills Remington. I’ve never seen so much blood. Coyote tracks were everywhere. Let’s get to calling! Getting situated, I pounded out some distress with the hand calls. It hadn’t been much more than 4 minutes and I had a coyote streaking along the bottom of the hill in front of me. I have no idea where it came from. I gave a couple loud “WOOFS” to try and stop it but instead, it grabbed a gear. I was on it with the rifle almost immediately when it came into view and falling into a comfy lead before before breaking the trigger, a resounding BOOM! CHOP! echoed back to me. Looking to the south, I could see another coyote scathing for cover. I gave a loud, long “WOOOOOH” and it came to a stop. I figured it to be around 450 yards and touched off. Again, my wind call was perfect but I shot over once more. Getting back to calling, I switched to howls and fights. I caught movement to the west of my position and could see a coyote working towards my position through the slough grass. It got onto to open ice of the slough and then started swinging wide. I knew it wasn’t going to be getting any closer so I shifted with the rifle into a shooting position when it went behind some willows. As soon as it came into view again I gave another long “WOOOO”. It came to a halt in its travels and I nestled the crosshairs with my 350 yard hold over. “BOOOOOOM! CHOP!” I later paced it out at 347 yards. Lucky guess. I did have the previous miss to pull on for my range estimation though. Anyway, not text book but, a solid double.
I had to get my daughter to the Orthodontist so I had to put the day on pause. I was able to get out for another set after taking care of Fatherly obligations. It was all coyote vocals with my howler. I wasn’t running a timer or anything so, I’d guess it was about 15minutes into the set. I saw three or four magpies bombing at something in a little dip. I swung the rifle over immediately and waited for the coyote to pop into view on the chance that it would try to swing downwind without a shot opp. It was coming steady enough that I probably could have had a chance to shotgun it but, I had already committed. It came to a halt at 70 yards, looking around for the coyotes it had heard. The crosshair settled on its shoulder and the rifle barked once more. BOOM! CHOP! Another big Tom down and #45 in my tally.
I pounded out another 2 sets before pulling the pin. Both blanks. There was one coyote screwing around about 700 yards away on one set but it had zero interest. It was 80 yards off the road when I went by. I’ll get it another day.
Lots of work and screw ups to match. I can’t win every day. I did however, just sat and watched the sun set on Thursday instead of a last minute, hurried set. A cigarette really would have made that moment. Thinking about what I was thinking about when I was twelve. Lol…. Anyway, enjoy the read. I’ll be out again tomorrow. See if the coyote gods will smile upon me once more.
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The Last Three Days
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