Got my first Texas Coyote **Long Story**

CodyG1

New member
Well guys, I finally did it, shot my first coyote (both called in, and in Texas) and got to witness some decoy dogging as well! If any of you remember not long ago I was asking about finding land to hunt, since I am a college student that moved from Virginia to Texas. I managed to stumble upon 200 acres that wasn't ever hunted by accident really. While visiting the local Cabelas and picking up some bullets, I started talking to an older gentleman about nothing really. We continued talking and he gave me a business card and mentioned that he owned a ranch (this of course perked my interest) and that the ranch was full of hogs and coyotes. Fast forward a few days and I decided to give him a call, I intended to just come out and ask him in person, take it slow. Things went better than expected so we worked it out and he told me over the phone to bring a gun and be ready, lol.
I got there on friday and seen an ungodly amount of hog sign, being from Virginia I had never witnessed the damage these beasts could do!
I spent the time gawking at it all and an afternoon playing cards, doing a walk around, and getting acquainted with the land owner. It is about a 65 mile drive, which is a bummer for a broke college student like myself, but I knew this is a piece of land I really want locked down so I knew it would be wise to make a friend and not just hunt once or twice and leave. The property is really closed in, there are roads that run in the middle of it and on the edges, making about 3 or 4 spots you can see about 300 or 400 yards before the road runs out, otherwise its so thick you're lucky to see 10 yards in the bushes. From what I gather this makes great hog territory, and coyotes were there too as judged by the tracks, when I could find a track that the hogs hadn't destroyed. I left empty handed but I could come back and thats what mattered.
Fast forward to this past friday and I show up a bit more prepared for the area, I just got a Tony Tebbe hand call in the mail and I really wanted to use it. I got his new TT Green nasty production call (being all I could afford) and I was dying to try it out (screaming howls are looked down upon on college campuses, lol.) I quickly learned the technique on a short “fake” stand I made just a few hundred yards in the woods. I promptly called in the two farm dogs, and they stayed with me the remainder of the hunt. At the time I wasn't happy about this big husky and mutt tagging along because I am trying to walk up on some hogs as well and dogs have the tendency to be about 50 yards ahead at all times scaring everything around. This picture is where I made the "Fake Stand" And this is a picture of the dogs I sat down for stand two, I could see a ways here and the wind was blowing down the road, so I figured thats going to be my best bet, since anything can get down wind of me and be 15 yards away with me having no idea. I have the same problem on some stands in Virginia, and Im still learning what to do in this case. I set up under a lone tree for about 30 minutes, still experimenting with some howls and some prey distress sounds, with no takers.

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I walked for another two hours trying to get on a hog with no luck, when the dogs took off after what I assumed would be a rabbit, but when I heard barking I got to wondering if they were on some hogs, which had me pretty excited since I’ve never even seen a hog. This picture was where I was at, with thick brush on both sides of me.
I heard the barking staying put, and heard rustling running towards about 20 yards down the road. Gun up, ready to take a hog making a dash for it, one of the dogs runs out, disinterested in whatever was going on. Hmm, thats weird I think, when rustling comes in front of me, same story, gun up and ready. I heard barking still, so I knew it wasn't the dog, so imagine my surprise when the other dog runs out, lol. At this point every piece of me should've been screaming COYOTE COYOTE COYOTE, but absentminded of me, I was just p’oed at this dog, but confused as to why the dogs with me weren't interested. Curiosity gets me, so I walk up the road and down a smaller road looking for the source, and then I see a medium sized dog running away on the right side of the road in the thicket, In my defense now it was pretty thick so I couldn't make out it was a coyote… (I really have been predator hunting for a few years now, just in Virginia, where it is completely different.) I sat on the road just taking a break, when more furious barking comes from the other side of the road. At this point, Im wondering how in the world that dog made it over there when I watched the road and seen no dog cross, I still had no clue, not a single part of me screamed coyote. I can only see 10 yards or so, in the best spots, when I hear running and barking coming straight towards me, I’m talking 40 yards and closing. I decided I was gonna just watch the scene unfold, I had no clue what was about to happen. This is the mess I heard barking coming from:
Out of the thicket and into my lap comes this husky, and about two feet behind comes two very angry coyotes, both less than 5 yards. Let me now say, I could all but smell the coyotes, I could see every hair that was standing on their backs, it was something to admire. This entire event has unfolded in about 10 seconds since the barking started, and I felt a rush of excitement like never before. The dog about knocks me over, and I get the gun up, and miss a running coyote at 10 yards. Now, Im not the only one that knows thats not the easiest of shots, but I should have had him. I say it was horrible because I was so flustered that for some reason, I jerked the rifle, missing by at least two foot, a horrible flinch and I still cant figure it out (Must have been the coyote in my lap caught me off guard). It was really exciting, and so fast that it blew me away. I get up to check on the coyote, wondering if by some chance I got him, so I go in the thicket looking around and decide to have a seat. I grabbed my hand call, and attempt my first kiyi, or pup in distress, something, It sounded like something. At some point now the dog must have grown a pair, because when I heard the coyote running back he goes after it. Again this coyote stops at 5 yards and hauls it away from me, again I miss the shot. At this point Im beyond mad at myself, crazy excited, and in complete dismay this coyote came back in. I was so flustered I had no idea what to think, other than I wish I had a red dot or maybe a shotgun instead of the standard A2 style front sight on my AR (thats coming off this summer, and being replaced with something a bit more hunter friendly). The best part up to now is watching the dog turn around and chase that coyote as it ran off, just like you see gunner do on youtube. (I really learned a lot about coyotes out here from Tony Tebbe, thats why I got his call, it hurt to hear of gunners untimely passing.)
I decided now to let it rest, thinking Im never going to call this coyote in again, so I sat still for a few moments, and I hear the coyote barking, about 75 yards in the woods. The dog wants no part of this coyote now, and promptly lies down about 5 yards to my side. I imitate these barks on my call, and then go into a pup in distress, kiyi, something call. I let it all go silent, and about 5 minutes later I hear the coyote coming back, this time I have the gun rested, pointed, safety off, ready. I see the coyote come out at about 10 yards and get behind some brush. The dog wont even raise his head, and acts like he doesn't even see the coyote. I knew the coyote seen the dog, but I needed a clear shot. I began lip squeaking, and he wont move. Switch up to some aggressive barks on the call, nothing. Finally I think back to an old Tony Tebbe video, when he starts growling at a coyote to keep it there for the shot. I began a low quiet growl, and that pulls his face right out into the open, I took the shot and he dropped right there, FINALLY! I call some more with my kiyi, pup in distress, something call and nothing else shows. I couldn't pose with my coyote since I was alone, but it was a good sized male. I am guessing around 30 pounds, but don't hold me to that now. I also have a few pictures with the husky, I'm definitely bringing him along on hunts with me more often now!
Let me say, I had my doubts about coyote hunting here, and this mouth call in general, since nothing I make sounds as amazing as Tony Tebbe’s instructional videos or any other video for that matter, but it made a believer out of me. I was truly amazed I killed a coyote I had shot at twice already. Giving credit where credit is due: Tony Tebbe’s hand call did an amazing job, and as soon as I can get some money Im going to be needing more! I made a last stand on a barking coyote right at dark in a clearing, I heard him in there, so I lone howled and did some rabbit in distress but he wasn't biting. I don't know what he was barking at, maybe it was because I had just jumped three deer and they went his way. Im not quite sure what I should've done in that situation, I also am trying to figure out how to manage wind when this property is so closed in. (Not to mention I need to figure out some hog hunting strategy as well, but for now these coyotes come first!) In general, I have SO much more to learn about this, but I am sure on my way. Thanks guys for reading along with me, and thanks to everyone that takes the time to do write ups and give their advice: It has really helped me as I lurk through these pages. Sorry for the long write up, also my pictures I did the best with but they're all over the place, just hang in there with me, my next write up will be a bit more organized
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Cody

 
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Congratulations on your first "Texas" coyote and welcome to PM & Texas, Cody. Ya done good.
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Regards,
hm
 
right on! you might try Baiting the hogs with some corn or a timed 5 gallon feeder 200 acers in not much and you can put a lot of pressure on the coyotes and hogs pushing them off, so try and keep your hunts spaced apart a few weeks
 
Thanks guys! I am attending Baylor University, in Waco. I sure had a blast! I will only go back once more at the end of this week and then I'll be out of there until next fall when I come back to school. I think I'm going to get some corn on the property next fall and try to bait in a few hogs. 200 acres isn't much, but the good news is now that my foot is in the door it opens up all kinds of neighboring ranches and opportunities to find more places. Maybe if I am lucky I will get one more dog to come in when I head back at the end of this week!

Cody
 
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