With apologies to Col. Custer, Spud's (almost) Last Stand

Airedale56

Member
DoubleCK hollered at me and was in Laramie with Spud's sister Tucker from the (Stryker/Sage-Dasher's) litter after Spud's. She's 9 months old and the image of their Daddy, dark-brindle, while Spud is red-brindle colored like their momma and 16 months old.

I picked him and Tucker up in Laramie at daybreak and headed out of town into the winter wonderland. Albany County had about 10" of snow so we headed toward Platte County between Wheatland and Laramie. Called a rancher buddy and he said to come on in.

While on the way we saw this bighorn sheep ewe
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and this mule deer buck
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Got to the ranch and set up on our first stand. Double CK used his e-caller to really get 3 different groups to howl back. Waited a while for something to show up. Spud and Tucker played around a lot chasing each other. Purdy sat it out by me as usual.

Moved toward one of the packs and got into position overlooking a creek bottom in a canyon. Worked into their territory. Sun at our backs, breeze in our face, we sat under some trees in the shade for camo. Had one large pine between me and and an unobstructed view of the far side of the canyon.

I used a Psycho Tweety call to send some high-pitched distress calls and sat back to watch the response. Spud and Tucker were doing their thing exploring below us. Purdy was sitting just in front of me and DoubleCK. One little call was all....

I was examining the far side of the canyon and saw a gyp coyote standing about 500 yards out looking at the dogs. I told DoubleCK about her, but he couldn't see her because the pine tree blocked his view.

I wondered where the rest of her pack was and figured she was hanging back. I lowered my binocs to tell DoubleCK to watch for incoming coyotes, glanced below me and to my left just in time to see FIVE (!) coyotes come boiling out of a draw and surround Spud.

HOLY SMOKES! he looked like Colonel Custer on a little knob surrounded by advancing coyoes out for his scalp! They fanned out and surrounded him, tails held high, ears back and closing. Tucker was not in sight. I think she was above and behind Spud.

The regal dog-king, Spud, stood his ground; swole up with hair on end and ready to do battle. His Destiny was to vanquish his foe. Bared teeth, dripping with venomous hatred for the interloper in their territory, the five stalked ever closer. Their god had sent them a victim to be sacrificed on the sacred knob... ever closer the five... (edited for drama, just watched "300" again)

It looked like Spud was gonna take a wuppin' or even be a goner. We, the vanguard of Spud's army must act without delay!(Okay, "300" mode off) DoubleCK was on my right and swung toward them. I told him to hold up and dragged Purdy out of his line-of-fire.

His Ruger .223 spoke and he hammered the one that was nose-to-nose with Spud. The coyote collapsed at the shot and the other 4 were headed back to the creek bottom at Mach 1. I swear Spud cast a grateful glance up our way.

I barked and one stopped, showing me his right side. I centered the reticle of my Leupold Vari-X III 4.5-14x40 Tactical Mil-dot on my 700VS carbine .223 on his shoulder. The Hornady 55V-max sped toward its mark and impacted behind the shoulder. He went down, looked like an instant kill, but he layed there and Ki-Yi'ed for about 5 seconds.

Meanwhile the other three headed off to an important meeting they had forgotten about. We waited about a half an hour, expecting them to show up to look for their brothers, but they never returned.

Spud and Tucker came up to us, relief on his face. The first coyote down was flagging his tail. Spud went down to investigate and Purdy went with him. They played tug of war and shake the coyote. We walked down and got Tucker to get involved. DoubleCK shook the coyote and encouraged her to grab hold and she did! She did a great job.

I got Purdy and Spud to go with me, cast them downwind of the coyote I shot, told them to find that coyote. Spud was ahead and as soon as he hit the scent he turned left and burned straight in, grabbing the chest and crunching down hard. Purdy of course had to take it away from him. She gets a bit possessive of coyotes.

We posed our coyotes and the dogs and took some hero shots to share with you guys. DoubleCK will post some more when he gets home.

Hope you enjoy these. First time out with DoubleCK. Great guy to hunt with!

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Tucker, Spud and Purdy
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Holy Cow Man!! That last picture is just awesome. I laughed out loud. I'd have that one framed. The look on the dogs faces is priceless. They must be well trained to have them sit still for the pic with the yotes laying there. Congrats...
 
Originally Posted By: Airedale56DoubleCK hollered at me and was in Laramie with Spud's sister Tucker from the (Stryker/Sage-Dasher's) litter after Spud's. She's 9 months old and the image of their Daddy, dark-brindle, while Spud is red-brindle colored like their momma and 16 months old.

I picked him and Tucker up in Laramie at daybreak and headed out of town into the winter wonderland. Albany County had about 10" of snow so we headed toward Platte County between Wheatland and Laramie. Called a rancher buddy and he said to come on in.

While on the way we saw this bighorn sheep ewe
004.jpg


and this mule deer buck
007.jpg


Got to the ranch and set up on our first stand. Double CK used his e-caller to really get 3 different groups to howl back. Waited a while for something to show up. Spud and Tucker played around a lot chasing each other. Purdy sat it out by me as usual.

Moved toward one of the packs and got into position overlooking a creek bottom in a canyon. Worked into their territory. Sun at our backs, breeze in our face, we sat under some trees in the shade for camo. Had one large pine between me and and an unobstructed view of the far side of the canyon.

I used a Psycho Tweety call to send some high-pitched distress calls and sat back to watch the response. Spud and Tucker were doing their thing exploring below us. Purdy was sitting just in front of me and DoubleCK. One little call was all....

I was examining the far side of the canyon and saw a gyp coyote standing about 500 yards out looking at the dogs. I told DoubleCK about her, but he couldn't see her because the pine tree blocked his view.

I wondered where the rest of her pack was and figured she was hanging back. I lowered my binocs to tell DoubleCK to watch for incoming coyotes, glanced below me and to my left just in time to see FIVE (!) coyotes come boiling out of a draw and surround Spud.

HOLY SMOKES! he looked like Colonel Custer on a little knob surrounded by advancing coyoes out for his scalp! They fanned out and surrounded him, tails held high, ears back and closing. Tucker was not in sight. I think she was above and behind Spud.

Spud was all swole up, hair on end and ready to do battle. DoubleCK was on my right and swung toward them. I had to tell him to hold up and dragged Purdy out of his line-of-fire.

The Ruger .223 spoke and he hammered the one that was nose-to-nose with Spud. The coyote collapsed at the shot and the other 4 were headed back to the creek bottom at Mach 1. I swear Spud cast a grateful glance up our way.

I barked and one stopped, showing me his right side. I centered the reticle of my Leupold Vari-X III 4.5-14x40 Tactical Mil-dot on my 700VS carbine .223 on his shoulder. The Hornady 55V-max sped toward its mark and impacted behind the shoulder. He went down, looked like an instant kill, but he layed there and Ki-Yi'ed for about 5 seconds.

Meanwhile the other three headed off to an important meeting they had forgotten about. We waited about a half an hour, expecting them to show up to look for their brothers, but they never returned.

Spud and Tucker came up to us, relief on his face. The first coyote down was flagging his tail. Spud went down to investigate and Purdy went with him. They played tug of war and shake the coyote. We walked down and got Tucker to get involved. DoubleCK shook the coyote and encouraged her to grab hold and she did! She did a great job.

I got Purdy and Spud to go with me, cast them downwind of the coyote I shot, told them to find that coyote. Spud was ahead and as soon as he hit the scent he turned left and burned straight in, grabbing the chest and crunching down hard. Purdy of course had to take it away from him. She gets a bit possessive of coyotes.

We posed our coyotes and the dogs and took some hero shots to share with you guys. DoubleCK will post some more when he gets home.

Hope you enjoy these. First time out with DoubleCK. Great guy to hunt with!

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Tucker, Spud and Purdy
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Which one is Purdy?
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The Purdy dog is the Airedale. Y'all have have got to say it with an Oklahoma accent...."She shore is a Purdy dog"

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Looks like a great time. They sure look like a good team also. Love to see those pictures. She is a Purdy dog
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> Good to here from you guys. Keep it up.
 
I kept hearing about Airedales on here just never seen one so looks like the dogs done well. Good photos as well and keep after them.
 
Just got home. Many Thanks to John, Purdy & Spud! Tucker and I had a blast and we both learned a lot! Tucker is more fired up than ever. She spent most of the trip from Laramie to Sheridan scanning the country, growling at the Antelope she spotted and occasionally barking out the back window at those rascally coyotes in the back of the truck.

I will get some pics up within the half.
 
AD56 on the stand.
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The view of the tree from the stand. The snowy area to the left of the tree is where Spud was surrounded.
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A pic taken back up toward the stand from half way to the kill.
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Purdy on the first kill.
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Tucker & Spud. Dasher, does this pic look familiar?
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All just part of the view.
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An old friend of John's.
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Yup! A great time!


 
Looks like you guys had a great time, if I ever make it up there with Tug, maybe we can hook up. My parents live in Hanna, and I feel a trip coming on, he he.
 
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