It’s now noon and I’m pulling into a gas pump jack to park. Learned this trick from Redfrog. Out in flat country there’s not many places to hide a pickup. Redfrog would drive right up to the gas/oil wells, get out, walk a very short distance, and start calling. I was dumbfounded the first time we did this, thinking there’s no way a coyote will come to the stand as the pickup can be easily seen. I was wrong! Heck, our most memorable stand was having a pair howling and charging into our stand while a well hand was pumping oil into a semi not 200 yards away! That made a believer out of me. Anyway, as I was pulling up to the well a coyote runs off. I jumped out, take a rest on the hood and fire. The wind was blowing pretty good so the bullet drifted about 13 inches (250 yards) (I hate that about the .204!) and hit him in the haunches. He ran a ways then lay down behind a small hill. As you probably have guessed, Bubba took a flying leap out of the truck and was off! Dash waited for me to open the tailgate. I was able to hold Bubba back until we got to the fence that was less than 100 yards from the coyote. As I crawled under, he took off, missing where the coyote lay by 25 yards. The second he got directly down wind his nose went straight up in the air, he turned on a dime and was all over the coyote in a flash. The coyote is very alive and the fight is on. Dash, having never been this close to a live coyote saunters right up to it and promptly gets bit! He didn’t like that one bit and comes running back to me for moral support!
By this time though Bubba’s been bit a few times and as is always the case, is [beeep] bent to kill the coyote. He accomplishes the goal but not before I coax Dash to get back into the fight.
As you can see, Dash is still mad.
Later in the day we had two coyotes coming in from two different directions. The one from the South came in first. I should have shot it at 150 yards but wanted the dogs to work. The coyote got to 40 yards then the dogs chased it back and forth a few times before it held up at 250 yards. It stood there for 5 minutes watching the dogs and then circling down wind. I finally took the shot, there’s a loud “whack” and the coyotes up and running with two dogs are chasing it out across a large flat.
Both dogs are out of transmitter range by now so I get to watch them chase it over one a hill at ½ mile and Dash go over the next hill at ¾ mile! Bubba came back but Dash just kept running it. He’s so young that he doesn’t know to turn around and come back. I was very worried and thought he was going to be lost. Loaded Bubba and we took off to a road that was close to where Dash went over the second hill. Once we got there, no pup. I was sick and was calling Shelly on the cell phone to tell her I’d lost Dash when he comes running over a distant hill, back tracking!! I was sure happy to see him. We loaded and on the next stand the dogs were acting very coyotee but I didn’t see anything (low light). I called them back and sure enough a mangy coyote skylighted a couple of minutes later. No telling how close he got as I never saw him. The next stand two coyotes run over the hill top as we were getting out of the truck. That was it for the day, saw 12 coyotes, of which, only one came to the calls. It appears to me once the coyotes see both dogs they're holding up. Maybe two is too many?
November 23, 2009
Another great morning, the winds straight out of the west and we’ll be hunting into the wind all day. A couple of years ago I wrote about parking at a cattle guard and walking and walking wondering where my calling hill was. Turns out I’d parked at the wrong cattle guard as it was one mile further than I thought. Well, that day we killed 6 coyotes. I was going to hunt the same area today and anticipation is high. Parked in the right spot this time and at the first howl, we have a whole chorus of coyotes about a mile up the drainage. We called for 15 minutes but nothing came in. Our next move was to get closer to the howling coyotes. After parking the truck, we took a long hike into where the coyotes were howling. This is a coulee with rolling hills lining the North side, which also happens to be Canada. The last time we were here we tripled. Once in place I let loose with a few greeting howls and the hills lit up with responses. I’ll continue to howl as long as they respond. We serenaded back and forth for a couple of minutes then I hit them with the dying rabbit. That’s all it took, two coyotes were charging from two different directions. I love it when a plan comes together. The only question now is which one would get to us first.
I keep looking back and forth and could tell they were both going to arrive at about the same time. Bubba locks in on the one coming from behind and out he goes. Dash watches Bubba and follows suit. The coyote pops over a hill at about 150 yards away and is charging hard! Let me tell you, trying to control one dog is hard enough, two is almost impossible, and still be able to shoot. They chase the coyote over the hill and I call them back. I look back to our front and there’s the first coyote. I get it to stop at 100 yards and put the thump on it. Dash and Bubba are on it in no time. I look back at the coyote behind us and it’s coming back in. Bubba sees it and is off. I get him to stop when the coyote’s 75 yards away. Only problem is I’m shooting off the fence post, and I suck at it! I shoot and the coyote runs off! Dag nabbit, I can’t tell you how many coyotes I’ve missed that way. Bubba runs back over the hill, I tone him back and the coyote’s right behind him. Ok, take your time Mike, you can do this. Hes down at the shot and both dogs are on him in a flash. Whew! That was exciting. I keep calling just for the heck of it and I be darned if another coyote isn’t coming from the SW. He’s a little leery and isn’t charging in. When he’s broadside at 216 yards I pull the hammer and we have our first triple of the year, and Dash’s first triple ever!
I found three stones to prop the coyotes on so I’m calling them “Stoned Coyotes”!
At noon were overlooking a large CRP field that produced one coyote the last time we were here. As I’m getting setup on a little rise, I see Bubba raise up his head and put his nose into the breeze. This always means he’s got a hot coyote scent. Sure enough, he’s off and I tone him to come back but get no response. Hmm, another tone and nothing. Hes kinda stubborn so I figure it’s time for a little shock to remind him who’s boss. Nothing! What, something must be wrong with the collar or he’s already out of range. He turns to look back at me and I’m frantically pushing buttons. When he doesn’t get a command he takes off at a trot. I watch as he trails to the middle of the field then a coyote stands up and Bubba barks at it. They do the mexican stand off looking and barking at each other and when Bubba figures out I’m not coming, he comes slinking back. I was fit to be tied. When he puts his head in my lap I can see the collar light is flashing red, which means to recharge.
Bubba goes in the box while his collar charged and me and Dash tried a few more stands. Without Bubba, Dash bores quickly and lays down. He’ll eventually get it.
This is tough country, long cold winters, short summers and the wind always blows. Imagine trying to make a living with one of these babies! No doubt our forefathers were a very hardy lot.
This beauty was parked not far from the old plow. Like I said earlier, technology has had a dramatic change in a very short time.
November 24, 2009
The wind was howling this morning. I’ve had enough hunting in the wind and it was expected to blow 40 mph. So I stayed in bed until 9! That felt good! It was a lazy day, cleaned the trailer, read a book, took pictures and watched a couple of movies. Heck, I didn’t get one complaint from the dogs either.
Now this is the breakfast of champions. Especially on a windy day.