Last Sunday, I was joined by the Dead Down Wind for a day of calling in eastern CO. Man, it turned out to be a good day for the both of us.
We met up at 5 a.m. and drove out to what is turning out to be a honey hole for me this season. We got set up on our first stand just before shooting light. I did a few howls and shortly after we had coyotes singing back to us. I decided to reposition myself and the caller according to where the coyotes sounded off, which turned out to be the wrong move. I should've stayed put because only one coyote came and if I would've stayed put, that coyote probably wouldn't have gotten in and gotten out alive. But, them's the breaks.
The 2nd stand was over looking a large flat pasture. Once again I started with some howls and I got a quick short reponse from a single coyote. Shortly after, Kevin signaled me that he could see the coyote, plus one. A pair was 800 yards out. SO, I gave'em a few more howls and waited patiently as they began to close the distance. They were workin' to our upwind side, my side, and eventually got to about 150 yards at which point I decided to shoot one of them because the way the terrain layed, I didn't want them to get out of sight. Bang flop. #1 for the day on the ground. The 2nd coyote didn't stick around and never got shot at.
So we walked a bit further and found a little hill to set up on for the 3rd stand. the caller hadn't run for 30 seconds when I saw the 1st coyote comeing infront of Kevin. We got it stopped at about 75 yards and Kevin shot it. Back to calling and Kevin quickly signaled me that another was coming from the same direction. As it approach it came across kill #1 and stopped to sniff, BANG flop. #2 down. #2 died right next to #1. Notice the badly infected ear on the near coyote. We did it a favor.
Back to makin' noise and a few minutes later I hear Kevin mouth barkin' and shortly after I see it, BANG flop. #3 down.
Kevin's first triple is in the books, and that's #2, 3, and 4 for the morning.
We moved on and had a blank stand and then on stand #5 we called in a pair. I saw the first one coming and totally over looked the 2nd coyote. I shot #5 for the day and after I shot, the other coyote ran off, but I called it back and took a long shot at it. Missed. I didn't realize that the 2nd coyote had come with the first, until after the stand when we were comparing notes. Funny how you get locked in on one coming and over look others.
SO, onto the next spot. Man it looked good and we had an awesome vantige point. I told Kevin that if I didn't call something on the stand, I'd eat my shorts. Got lucky and at about the 6 minute mark one came rollin' in on Kevin's side and once again, BANG flop. #6 is down for the morning.
We had heard a couple of coyotes earlier in the morning that I wanted to try to call in on the way back to the truck so we set up where I thought we should be able to find them. Sure enough, Kevin spotted the first one coming about 5 minutes into the calling, and by golly, it was coming in on my side. Time to even the score. Coyote #7 died about 10' from the noise box and I went back to calling and about a minute later I spotted the 2nd coyote coming right down the same cow trail. It stopped short at about 100 yards, and Kevin had swung his gun over and was tellin' me "shoot it" and I was telling him "you better not shoot it", and about the time I was ready to shoot, my shooting sticks split and my rifle nearly dropped to the ground. Gotta love cheap shooting sticks. BUT, I recovered and took my time and settled down and dropped #8 where it stood. And if you're keeping track, we're even-steven at this point of the day. #7 and #8 were both big males with the bigger coyote pushing the upper 30# mark.
When we got back to the truck it was about 11:00 a.m. We shed some cloths, it was getting warm, and ate some lunch then drove to a ranchers place to visit for a bit, then onto the next spot.
Got back to calling around 12:30 and it was pushing 70 degrees and a stiff breeze had picked up. BUT, the coyotes didn't care. Stand #8 for the day and at about 12:00 minutes in Kevin signals that he's got one coming his way and shortly there after I spot it and then BANG flop. He dropped in and I went back to makin' noise. At about the 15 minute mark I shut the caller off and we do some glassing I spot another coyote about 600 yards out coming our way. Back to makin' noise and it was lookin' like #10 was fixin' to die, but for what ever reason, the coyote turned on us about the time things were getting juicey, and Kevin let fly and I let fly and, well, ya gotta leave one for seed every now and then right..
Kevin with #9 for the day.
Next stand was blank and then the next stand we had one get in and get out without getting a shot fired. The wind was just wrong to continue so we went back to the truck and moved locations a few miles.
First stand at the new location would be stand #11 for the day, and as luck would have it, one just showed up on my side and gave me an easy 120ish yard shot. #10 was on the ground.
And, coyotes being coyotes, after that they just quit coming to the call. We tried 4 more stands and only one had a coyote sighting, and Kevin watch it as it listened for a bit and then just walked away. But, so goes calling some times.
If the day was any indication of how the season is going to go, it's going to be a good one.
We met up at 5 a.m. and drove out to what is turning out to be a honey hole for me this season. We got set up on our first stand just before shooting light. I did a few howls and shortly after we had coyotes singing back to us. I decided to reposition myself and the caller according to where the coyotes sounded off, which turned out to be the wrong move. I should've stayed put because only one coyote came and if I would've stayed put, that coyote probably wouldn't have gotten in and gotten out alive. But, them's the breaks.
The 2nd stand was over looking a large flat pasture. Once again I started with some howls and I got a quick short reponse from a single coyote. Shortly after, Kevin signaled me that he could see the coyote, plus one. A pair was 800 yards out. SO, I gave'em a few more howls and waited patiently as they began to close the distance. They were workin' to our upwind side, my side, and eventually got to about 150 yards at which point I decided to shoot one of them because the way the terrain layed, I didn't want them to get out of sight. Bang flop. #1 for the day on the ground. The 2nd coyote didn't stick around and never got shot at.
So we walked a bit further and found a little hill to set up on for the 3rd stand. the caller hadn't run for 30 seconds when I saw the 1st coyote comeing infront of Kevin. We got it stopped at about 75 yards and Kevin shot it. Back to calling and Kevin quickly signaled me that another was coming from the same direction. As it approach it came across kill #1 and stopped to sniff, BANG flop. #2 down. #2 died right next to #1. Notice the badly infected ear on the near coyote. We did it a favor.
Back to makin' noise and a few minutes later I hear Kevin mouth barkin' and shortly after I see it, BANG flop. #3 down.
Kevin's first triple is in the books, and that's #2, 3, and 4 for the morning.
We moved on and had a blank stand and then on stand #5 we called in a pair. I saw the first one coming and totally over looked the 2nd coyote. I shot #5 for the day and after I shot, the other coyote ran off, but I called it back and took a long shot at it. Missed. I didn't realize that the 2nd coyote had come with the first, until after the stand when we were comparing notes. Funny how you get locked in on one coming and over look others.
SO, onto the next spot. Man it looked good and we had an awesome vantige point. I told Kevin that if I didn't call something on the stand, I'd eat my shorts. Got lucky and at about the 6 minute mark one came rollin' in on Kevin's side and once again, BANG flop. #6 is down for the morning.
We had heard a couple of coyotes earlier in the morning that I wanted to try to call in on the way back to the truck so we set up where I thought we should be able to find them. Sure enough, Kevin spotted the first one coming about 5 minutes into the calling, and by golly, it was coming in on my side. Time to even the score. Coyote #7 died about 10' from the noise box and I went back to calling and about a minute later I spotted the 2nd coyote coming right down the same cow trail. It stopped short at about 100 yards, and Kevin had swung his gun over and was tellin' me "shoot it" and I was telling him "you better not shoot it", and about the time I was ready to shoot, my shooting sticks split and my rifle nearly dropped to the ground. Gotta love cheap shooting sticks. BUT, I recovered and took my time and settled down and dropped #8 where it stood. And if you're keeping track, we're even-steven at this point of the day. #7 and #8 were both big males with the bigger coyote pushing the upper 30# mark.
When we got back to the truck it was about 11:00 a.m. We shed some cloths, it was getting warm, and ate some lunch then drove to a ranchers place to visit for a bit, then onto the next spot.
Got back to calling around 12:30 and it was pushing 70 degrees and a stiff breeze had picked up. BUT, the coyotes didn't care. Stand #8 for the day and at about 12:00 minutes in Kevin signals that he's got one coming his way and shortly there after I spot it and then BANG flop. He dropped in and I went back to makin' noise. At about the 15 minute mark I shut the caller off and we do some glassing I spot another coyote about 600 yards out coming our way. Back to makin' noise and it was lookin' like #10 was fixin' to die, but for what ever reason, the coyote turned on us about the time things were getting juicey, and Kevin let fly and I let fly and, well, ya gotta leave one for seed every now and then right..
Kevin with #9 for the day.
Next stand was blank and then the next stand we had one get in and get out without getting a shot fired. The wind was just wrong to continue so we went back to the truck and moved locations a few miles.
First stand at the new location would be stand #11 for the day, and as luck would have it, one just showed up on my side and gave me an easy 120ish yard shot. #10 was on the ground.
And, coyotes being coyotes, after that they just quit coming to the call. We tried 4 more stands and only one had a coyote sighting, and Kevin watch it as it listened for a bit and then just walked away. But, so goes calling some times.
If the day was any indication of how the season is going to go, it's going to be a good one.
Last edited by a moderator:
