This last weekend I made the trip north up to WY to hunt a day with my good buddy a.k.a. Knaper. In order to fully understand the significance of my story we must first venture back a couple years to a calling story often told by Knaper.
A few years back Knaper was out calling with his cousin. They were in an area I know and had hunted in the past with Knaper. In this area there is one stand that seems to regularly produce coyotes and as a result it is a must to call if your close. The stand location is on a little narrow but really steep badlands ridge. The ridge actually lays at the top of 2 larger valleys and when called right the caller has the advantage of seeing 2 huge areas. The stand is best called with 2 partners, one person overlooking each valley. The valley to the south is pretty deep, and steep, but still allows a yote the opportunity to "get up to the call". It is better suited for the non caller as it does not allow for the sound to travel into both valleys as well. The caller sits overlooking the northern valley. His sitting location is right on top of the little ridge. The northern valley is a little deeper and a lot steeper. It is all rimmed out and there is no real way at the stand for a yote to get up to the call. Luckily the distance from top to bottom is only about 40 yards.
Now that we have the stand layout explained onto the calling. A few years back Knaper called this stand with his cousin. He sat up looking into the north canyon on top the ridge. His cousin of course looking south into the smaller canyon. A yote comes into about 100 yards and present Knaper a broadside shot in the north canyon. The shot hits right behind the sholder and through the ribs. The yote takes off like a shot running full bore for the badlands ridge. Knowing the yote was as good as dead, Knaper watched as the yote ran into a hole at the bottom of the ridge. As the story progresses Knaper talks about his attempt to retrieve the yote. He goes in detail about sneaking up to the hole and listening for breathing, growling etc. Then explains how the hole was quite large and the only option was to go in guns a blazin. He literly draws his pistol, and climbs in after the yote. His story ends up with out a successful yote recovery, but a very honest attempt.
This last weekend I ended up in WY hunting with Knaper on Sunday in the same stand. It was my turn to call. So I of course sat up looking into the north valley. I began the stand as usual. Light squeaks and coaxing. A few crows showed up. I then hit the rabbit call. Shortly after my 2nd round on the rabbit call I notice movement near the "Hole" from the story. I look over to see a yote looking for a way up the badlands. It is with in 10 yards of the hole. I coax a bit and the yote does not move any closer. Instead in an attempt to get up to the call he goes up the hill above the hole. At this point he is about 20 yards from the hole opening. I decide that was good enough for the shot.
I let the 223 off. I hit the yote seeing it jump straight up in the air and spraying blood everywhere. Once he hit the ground he of course took off on a death run. He came down the hill about 8 yards and seemed to pile up just as I lost sight of him. Figuring he was dead I gathered up my things and made my way around the rim to retrieve my yote. As I went around rim to where I should have seen the yote I instead see a blood trail leading right into a hole.
No way was the same thing happening. I Proceed to make my way down to the spot. As I near the hole I listen for breathing growling etc. as I have a pistol at hand. Once I confirm no noise I then have to get down to the hole opening. This was a pretty unnerving feeling. Especially since the only way for me to get out was over the hole which meant through the yote.
I peak into the hole and do not see the yote. I then scoot in closer. After my eyes adjust to the dark I make out the tip of a tail about 6 feet in the hole. I can not see anything else. So I grab my shooting sticks and do a little poking while being fully prepared to run. No response, a major relief.
But now I have to get my yote. I try to reach him but the hole opening is just too small/I am too fat. At this point Knaper has had a few good laughs and was up above at a safe distance with the camera. Being on top the rim he was only 20 yards from the jeep. I holler up for the shovel. He gets the shovel and sends it down. Impact of course left the handle a few feet shorter, but it was still usable. I excavate the hole best I can and get enough room to fit my upper body. I reach and stretch but the yote is just at my finger tips. So I push a little harder exhale and manage to get the tip of the tail. After an hour ordeal I finally had my yote in hand.
Looking things over, the hole my yote went into was the top end of the hole Knaper fought. Luckily I had better luck.
Here I am approaching the hole.
Next I am looking for any signs of the yote and using my sticks to prode around.
Found the yote, now trying to reach the yote. I was too fat...
Finally the hole was opened up. and in I went.
And my reward:
All in all what are the odds? Same stand, same area, same hole... And after further inspection, the fresh snow indicated that the yote actually was in the hole when I began calling and I managed to got him to come out...
A few years back Knaper was out calling with his cousin. They were in an area I know and had hunted in the past with Knaper. In this area there is one stand that seems to regularly produce coyotes and as a result it is a must to call if your close. The stand location is on a little narrow but really steep badlands ridge. The ridge actually lays at the top of 2 larger valleys and when called right the caller has the advantage of seeing 2 huge areas. The stand is best called with 2 partners, one person overlooking each valley. The valley to the south is pretty deep, and steep, but still allows a yote the opportunity to "get up to the call". It is better suited for the non caller as it does not allow for the sound to travel into both valleys as well. The caller sits overlooking the northern valley. His sitting location is right on top of the little ridge. The northern valley is a little deeper and a lot steeper. It is all rimmed out and there is no real way at the stand for a yote to get up to the call. Luckily the distance from top to bottom is only about 40 yards.
Now that we have the stand layout explained onto the calling. A few years back Knaper called this stand with his cousin. He sat up looking into the north canyon on top the ridge. His cousin of course looking south into the smaller canyon. A yote comes into about 100 yards and present Knaper a broadside shot in the north canyon. The shot hits right behind the sholder and through the ribs. The yote takes off like a shot running full bore for the badlands ridge. Knowing the yote was as good as dead, Knaper watched as the yote ran into a hole at the bottom of the ridge. As the story progresses Knaper talks about his attempt to retrieve the yote. He goes in detail about sneaking up to the hole and listening for breathing, growling etc. Then explains how the hole was quite large and the only option was to go in guns a blazin. He literly draws his pistol, and climbs in after the yote. His story ends up with out a successful yote recovery, but a very honest attempt.
This last weekend I ended up in WY hunting with Knaper on Sunday in the same stand. It was my turn to call. So I of course sat up looking into the north valley. I began the stand as usual. Light squeaks and coaxing. A few crows showed up. I then hit the rabbit call. Shortly after my 2nd round on the rabbit call I notice movement near the "Hole" from the story. I look over to see a yote looking for a way up the badlands. It is with in 10 yards of the hole. I coax a bit and the yote does not move any closer. Instead in an attempt to get up to the call he goes up the hill above the hole. At this point he is about 20 yards from the hole opening. I decide that was good enough for the shot.
I let the 223 off. I hit the yote seeing it jump straight up in the air and spraying blood everywhere. Once he hit the ground he of course took off on a death run. He came down the hill about 8 yards and seemed to pile up just as I lost sight of him. Figuring he was dead I gathered up my things and made my way around the rim to retrieve my yote. As I went around rim to where I should have seen the yote I instead see a blood trail leading right into a hole.
No way was the same thing happening. I Proceed to make my way down to the spot. As I near the hole I listen for breathing growling etc. as I have a pistol at hand. Once I confirm no noise I then have to get down to the hole opening. This was a pretty unnerving feeling. Especially since the only way for me to get out was over the hole which meant through the yote.
I peak into the hole and do not see the yote. I then scoot in closer. After my eyes adjust to the dark I make out the tip of a tail about 6 feet in the hole. I can not see anything else. So I grab my shooting sticks and do a little poking while being fully prepared to run. No response, a major relief.
But now I have to get my yote. I try to reach him but the hole opening is just too small/I am too fat. At this point Knaper has had a few good laughs and was up above at a safe distance with the camera. Being on top the rim he was only 20 yards from the jeep. I holler up for the shovel. He gets the shovel and sends it down. Impact of course left the handle a few feet shorter, but it was still usable. I excavate the hole best I can and get enough room to fit my upper body. I reach and stretch but the yote is just at my finger tips. So I push a little harder exhale and manage to get the tip of the tail. After an hour ordeal I finally had my yote in hand.
Looking things over, the hole my yote went into was the top end of the hole Knaper fought. Luckily I had better luck.
Here I am approaching the hole.
Next I am looking for any signs of the yote and using my sticks to prode around.
Found the yote, now trying to reach the yote. I was too fat...
Finally the hole was opened up. and in I went.
And my reward:
All in all what are the odds? Same stand, same area, same hole... And after further inspection, the fresh snow indicated that the yote actually was in the hole when I began calling and I managed to got him to come out...
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