Had a great hunt on my 1st day off from work after 7 graveyard shifts--whew!!
One of the ranches has a couple dead cows that have been fermenting for a couple weeks now. There are 3 high spots to spot/call from within 3 miles at this spot so decided to just park the truck and walk some.
Went to the 1st planned ridge bordering a big basin and after glassing it thoroughly decided to howl some--saw a coyote way off that had no interest at all and another barking at me from about a mile away. So started toward the next high point and as i began the ~mile walk across a wide cactus flat i glassed around and spotted what appeared to be a couple prairie dogs about 800 yds. off on top of a single mound. Never saw a single mound prairie dog town before so i thought that was kind of odd. Glassed around a bit more and just caught a glimpse of a coyote between a couple cacti at about 800 or so, close to the "prairie dogs." He then disappeared from view.
I then started a steady walk towards them, and after cutting mybe 200 yds. glassed the "PD's" once again. Still can't tell exactly what they are, but they aren't moving so continued the "stalk" walk toward them. At about 500 yds. i can now see they're fox and figured kits. So i get a couple cactus between myself and their direct view and continue on. Get about 400 or so away and i'm still stalking the best i can bent over at the waist and getting tired. Hearts hammering to beat the band though, and glasses are fogging up, but i improvised and got 250 yds. away from them. Went down on my knees and start setting up for the shot. Got the bipod legs extended from the AR and stadium seat set up. Slide the seat so the profiled fox is just to the left of a cactus, and got into position. Zero for my load is 225 so aimed at the top of the laying fox and shot. Hit the little dog in the butt and the 60 gr. JLK Low Drag killed it outright. Great meat report too! Never saw the other fox--figured it jumped into it's hole. Got up and start toward the fox. Thought to glass around quickly for el coyote and sure enough he was where i'd last seen him over a low rise. He started moving parallel to me so i sat down and squealed a bit to try and call him. Couple minutes later and no coyote--even thru binocs. So get up and start glassing around from the higher vantage point. Sure enough 400 yds. away he's going up the hill i was gonna' glass from earlier. He was just walking away so i beat feet to the highest point i could find between he and me and assumed the sit behind the gun. Lasered the dog at 325 and as he was just walking away i checked the range sticker for my old Bushy 4-12x 3200 Ballistic Reticle (3 MOA line system) for 350 and it was right at 0.9 of the 1st 3 MOA line. Barked the dog to a broadside stop and nailed him. Man what a fun stalk guys. Made my tired butt's afternoon--tell you that!
Old Bushnell Ballistic Reticle--
One of the ranches has a couple dead cows that have been fermenting for a couple weeks now. There are 3 high spots to spot/call from within 3 miles at this spot so decided to just park the truck and walk some.
Went to the 1st planned ridge bordering a big basin and after glassing it thoroughly decided to howl some--saw a coyote way off that had no interest at all and another barking at me from about a mile away. So started toward the next high point and as i began the ~mile walk across a wide cactus flat i glassed around and spotted what appeared to be a couple prairie dogs about 800 yds. off on top of a single mound. Never saw a single mound prairie dog town before so i thought that was kind of odd. Glassed around a bit more and just caught a glimpse of a coyote between a couple cacti at about 800 or so, close to the "prairie dogs." He then disappeared from view.
I then started a steady walk towards them, and after cutting mybe 200 yds. glassed the "PD's" once again. Still can't tell exactly what they are, but they aren't moving so continued the "stalk" walk toward them. At about 500 yds. i can now see they're fox and figured kits. So i get a couple cactus between myself and their direct view and continue on. Get about 400 or so away and i'm still stalking the best i can bent over at the waist and getting tired. Hearts hammering to beat the band though, and glasses are fogging up, but i improvised and got 250 yds. away from them. Went down on my knees and start setting up for the shot. Got the bipod legs extended from the AR and stadium seat set up. Slide the seat so the profiled fox is just to the left of a cactus, and got into position. Zero for my load is 225 so aimed at the top of the laying fox and shot. Hit the little dog in the butt and the 60 gr. JLK Low Drag killed it outright. Great meat report too! Never saw the other fox--figured it jumped into it's hole. Got up and start toward the fox. Thought to glass around quickly for el coyote and sure enough he was where i'd last seen him over a low rise. He started moving parallel to me so i sat down and squealed a bit to try and call him. Couple minutes later and no coyote--even thru binocs. So get up and start glassing around from the higher vantage point. Sure enough 400 yds. away he's going up the hill i was gonna' glass from earlier. He was just walking away so i beat feet to the highest point i could find between he and me and assumed the sit behind the gun. Lasered the dog at 325 and as he was just walking away i checked the range sticker for my old Bushy 4-12x 3200 Ballistic Reticle (3 MOA line system) for 350 and it was right at 0.9 of the 1st 3 MOA line. Barked the dog to a broadside stop and nailed him. Man what a fun stalk guys. Made my tired butt's afternoon--tell you that!
Old Bushnell Ballistic Reticle--
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