I got an invite to Laredo for the weekend for some deer hunting and of course took my calling stuff along. Last year on the hunt I got 7 coyotes and a cat.
I left Thursday and drove down near Houston to meet my friend Brian, and then we headed on down to Laredo. We got there about 10 pm and after we got all our gear unloaded we went out to may a few stands.
On our first stand we had a coyote charge in after about a minute and a half of baybee cottontail. He stopped when he should have kept going and died right there.
A couple of stands later we had 3 coyotes come in, but I could never get a bead on them in the tall grass as they circled our position. A little later we had the same thing happen on a single. We called it a night to get some sleep and were back at camp at 2am, an up at 6 to got sit stands for deer.
Deer movement was almost nothing and I only saw one doe from the stand and started driving around he make some stands, but had no luck. I showed up at camp to eat some lunch and had Brian drive me around to get some ideas on where to call that night.
Few caught a big rattler out for an afternoon stroll. Middle of December and you need to be watching for snakes?
After we get back we get our stuff ready to go back to deer stands. I pick my stand and drive down to it. I go ahead and carry both rifles with me because I plan to go ahead and call as soon as I get to the stand. I set up to call and after just a few minutes I had a coyote coming pretty quick and I had change windows to get off the shot. Coyote #2 for the trip is down.
Again not much deer activity from the stand at dark I head back to camp and make a stand or two on the way back with no luck.
After supper I head out for some more calling with one of the other guys in camp. First stop we have another hard charger about a minute and half into baybee cottontail who just barely stops in time for me to get a shot before he is gone.
Coyote #3 for the hunt is down.
We called several more stands but only got eyes one other time and never could tell what it was. We got back in time to catch a few hours of sleep before the next mornings hunt.
I did not see much deer activity that morning from the stand, but did see one coyote cross a sendero about 8 am. This was the same deer stand where we had called the 3 that got by us the first night. By 9 am I decided to climb down and set out the caller and see if anything would show. I had my 25-06 since I was hunting deer. I set out the caller and about 1.5 minutes into Cagie cottontail I spot a coyote that had slipped in and was already leaving about 30 yards from the caller. A quick shot and he was down for the count.
I drove down to the next deer stand, switched back to my AR and set up the caller. I stuck with cagie cottontail and at the 8 minute mark I had a hard charger come flying in. He to make the mistake of stopping to look back. Coyote #2 of the morning (and #5 for the trip) was down. This was a big for south Texas 30 pound male.
I had to change batteries in my camera and when I set the date I was off a day so they still show the 12th.
After taking the pictures, I moved down to a big pipeline intersection and set up again. Cagie cottontail was working so I stuck with it. This time I had a double fly across the pipeline from right to left about 50 yards out after about 45 seconds. Once they hit the brush on the left side I hit pup distress. They didn't show, but I did hear a few whimpers in the brush to my left but I could not see anything. After 10 minutes nothing else showed and moved on. So, 3 stands in a row and I have called 4 coyotes.
I drive down the pipeline to an intersecting sendero and walk into a deer stand and set up. Cagie cottontail seems to be what they like so I see no reason to change.
At the 8 minute mark I see a coyote coming from my right and I reach to mute the caller, but ran the volume down instead. He had gone past but turned back to find it and stopped 3 feet from the bush the call was in. I am looking through my caller in the scope and he is just stopped behind the bush. I know he has to go right or left, but which way? I can't shoot through the bush and hit my caller. He goes left and I shoot. He jumps and hauls tail. I catch glimpses of him through the brush and my last sighting he is about 100 yards out near a big cedar tree. After a few minutes to see if anything else is coming I go to look. No blood near the caller or leaving it. Don't see any limbs hit. I start walking around heading for that cedar tree. Yep, there he is! I had hit him dead center in the middle, but the 60 v-max had down its job.
Coyote #3 of the morning and #6 of the weekend. I drive on down and find another spot on a another pipeline, and set the caller on the ground in the middle of the pipeline and walk back to my chair on the right side of the pipeline. I go to start cagie cotton tail (it has called coyotes 4 stands in a row, keep with what is working right?) I am sticking out a little, but if I get to far into the edge I can't see down the pipleline. At the 1 minute mark a coyote pops out on the right edge about 40 yards in front of me and immediately spots me, but my gun not pointed right at him. I freeze and he takes off across the pipeline. I should have taken a running shot, but I was hoping he would stop. He didn't, and I was left kicking myself. 5 stands in a row I had called a coyote (6 total) and had killed 3.
I headed back to camp to grab a sandwich and see what stand I was supposed to go to for the evening hunt.
I went back to the stand where I had killed the last coyote since there was a good bit of deer and hog sign. Again not much deer movement and right before dark I tried calling again, but no luck this time.
I make a stand or two on the way back to camp for supper but nothing. After steaks and fixings I headed out with one of the other guys. The night was perfect, as the wind had fallen off, but we could not get any action. Finally one a real good looking spot we had a dark shape run right up to the caller but the grass was so high I could not tell for sure what it was. I though coon, but the other guy though bobcat. I don't think cat, but we keep calling.
After we call the stand and start back to truck we top a little draw and I see two coons run off into the brush. I set up my sticks and put the caller on the ground at my feet and turn on young coon distress. Immediately they charge in, and I mute the call to keep them from running under our feet. They run off in the grass and up a little hill. I turn the call back on and here they come again. I mute the call and lip squeak and they made a fatal mistake, they lined up and raised up on their hind feet. A single shot killed both of them.
We called several more spots, but as hot as it had been during the day, the calling was cold now and we headed back for about 3 hours of sleep before there last morning hunt of the trip.
I was back in the stand where I had shot the coyote the morning before I was looking for doe to have some meat for the return trip. The 25-06 was true, and she didn't make it more than 10 yards. I called from the stand again while waiting to be picked up and since I had a doe to clean and gear to pack that was the end of the calling for this trip.
So the total for the trip was 6 coyote, 2 coons and doe.
We pulled out for home about 11:30 for the 5.5 hour drive back to Brian's house, and then 2 hours more to my house. When we got to Houston at the 59/610 interchange it was just after dark and 5 lanes of 70-80 mile bumper to bumper traffic had me on my guard as I had just heard about my friend his daughter who were killed Friday night on I-10 in an 11 car pile up.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/12/13/5966714_eastbound-lanes-closed-on-interstate.html?rh=1
My friend was in the ford explorer seen in the video. A tragic accident for a great family, but fortunately they were both Christians. Pray for the family.
A truck hauling a trailer full of 4-wheelers was ahead of me in the 2nd from left lane of the 5 lane traffic.
Sure enough a 4 wheeler comes off the trailer and starts flipping side over side straight at me with no where to go. I was able to keep slowed down but was bracing for the rear end collision I knew was coming. I managed to slip past it on the right, fearing hitting a car to my right. I only grazed it, and it put a bid dent in my driver side door. The guy had no clue he had just lost a 4 wheeler. He must have been hauling to a dealer so something because there must have been 8 or 10 on the trailer. Other drivers flagged him and he pulled into the left had shoulder, but stopping in that high speed traffic was too dangerous so we just keep on going. I was not until we got to Brian's house 30 minutes up the road I realized my door was dented in. I have no idea what kind of wrecks might have happed behind me with a 4 wheeler in the middle of 5 lanes of 70 mph traffic.
I thanked the Lord we escaped injury and I stayed on my guard for the rest of the trip.
I left Thursday and drove down near Houston to meet my friend Brian, and then we headed on down to Laredo. We got there about 10 pm and after we got all our gear unloaded we went out to may a few stands.
On our first stand we had a coyote charge in after about a minute and a half of baybee cottontail. He stopped when he should have kept going and died right there.
A couple of stands later we had 3 coyotes come in, but I could never get a bead on them in the tall grass as they circled our position. A little later we had the same thing happen on a single. We called it a night to get some sleep and were back at camp at 2am, an up at 6 to got sit stands for deer.
Deer movement was almost nothing and I only saw one doe from the stand and started driving around he make some stands, but had no luck. I showed up at camp to eat some lunch and had Brian drive me around to get some ideas on where to call that night.
Few caught a big rattler out for an afternoon stroll. Middle of December and you need to be watching for snakes?
After we get back we get our stuff ready to go back to deer stands. I pick my stand and drive down to it. I go ahead and carry both rifles with me because I plan to go ahead and call as soon as I get to the stand. I set up to call and after just a few minutes I had a coyote coming pretty quick and I had change windows to get off the shot. Coyote #2 for the trip is down.
Again not much deer activity from the stand at dark I head back to camp and make a stand or two on the way back with no luck.
After supper I head out for some more calling with one of the other guys in camp. First stop we have another hard charger about a minute and half into baybee cottontail who just barely stops in time for me to get a shot before he is gone.
Coyote #3 for the hunt is down.
We called several more stands but only got eyes one other time and never could tell what it was. We got back in time to catch a few hours of sleep before the next mornings hunt.
I did not see much deer activity that morning from the stand, but did see one coyote cross a sendero about 8 am. This was the same deer stand where we had called the 3 that got by us the first night. By 9 am I decided to climb down and set out the caller and see if anything would show. I had my 25-06 since I was hunting deer. I set out the caller and about 1.5 minutes into Cagie cottontail I spot a coyote that had slipped in and was already leaving about 30 yards from the caller. A quick shot and he was down for the count.
I drove down to the next deer stand, switched back to my AR and set up the caller. I stuck with cagie cottontail and at the 8 minute mark I had a hard charger come flying in. He to make the mistake of stopping to look back. Coyote #2 of the morning (and #5 for the trip) was down. This was a big for south Texas 30 pound male.
I had to change batteries in my camera and when I set the date I was off a day so they still show the 12th.
After taking the pictures, I moved down to a big pipeline intersection and set up again. Cagie cottontail was working so I stuck with it. This time I had a double fly across the pipeline from right to left about 50 yards out after about 45 seconds. Once they hit the brush on the left side I hit pup distress. They didn't show, but I did hear a few whimpers in the brush to my left but I could not see anything. After 10 minutes nothing else showed and moved on. So, 3 stands in a row and I have called 4 coyotes.
I drive down the pipeline to an intersecting sendero and walk into a deer stand and set up. Cagie cottontail seems to be what they like so I see no reason to change.
At the 8 minute mark I see a coyote coming from my right and I reach to mute the caller, but ran the volume down instead. He had gone past but turned back to find it and stopped 3 feet from the bush the call was in. I am looking through my caller in the scope and he is just stopped behind the bush. I know he has to go right or left, but which way? I can't shoot through the bush and hit my caller. He goes left and I shoot. He jumps and hauls tail. I catch glimpses of him through the brush and my last sighting he is about 100 yards out near a big cedar tree. After a few minutes to see if anything else is coming I go to look. No blood near the caller or leaving it. Don't see any limbs hit. I start walking around heading for that cedar tree. Yep, there he is! I had hit him dead center in the middle, but the 60 v-max had down its job.
Coyote #3 of the morning and #6 of the weekend. I drive on down and find another spot on a another pipeline, and set the caller on the ground in the middle of the pipeline and walk back to my chair on the right side of the pipeline. I go to start cagie cotton tail (it has called coyotes 4 stands in a row, keep with what is working right?) I am sticking out a little, but if I get to far into the edge I can't see down the pipleline. At the 1 minute mark a coyote pops out on the right edge about 40 yards in front of me and immediately spots me, but my gun not pointed right at him. I freeze and he takes off across the pipeline. I should have taken a running shot, but I was hoping he would stop. He didn't, and I was left kicking myself. 5 stands in a row I had called a coyote (6 total) and had killed 3.
I headed back to camp to grab a sandwich and see what stand I was supposed to go to for the evening hunt.
I went back to the stand where I had killed the last coyote since there was a good bit of deer and hog sign. Again not much deer movement and right before dark I tried calling again, but no luck this time.
I make a stand or two on the way back to camp for supper but nothing. After steaks and fixings I headed out with one of the other guys. The night was perfect, as the wind had fallen off, but we could not get any action. Finally one a real good looking spot we had a dark shape run right up to the caller but the grass was so high I could not tell for sure what it was. I though coon, but the other guy though bobcat. I don't think cat, but we keep calling.
After we call the stand and start back to truck we top a little draw and I see two coons run off into the brush. I set up my sticks and put the caller on the ground at my feet and turn on young coon distress. Immediately they charge in, and I mute the call to keep them from running under our feet. They run off in the grass and up a little hill. I turn the call back on and here they come again. I mute the call and lip squeak and they made a fatal mistake, they lined up and raised up on their hind feet. A single shot killed both of them.
We called several more spots, but as hot as it had been during the day, the calling was cold now and we headed back for about 3 hours of sleep before there last morning hunt of the trip.
I was back in the stand where I had shot the coyote the morning before I was looking for doe to have some meat for the return trip. The 25-06 was true, and she didn't make it more than 10 yards. I called from the stand again while waiting to be picked up and since I had a doe to clean and gear to pack that was the end of the calling for this trip.
So the total for the trip was 6 coyote, 2 coons and doe.
We pulled out for home about 11:30 for the 5.5 hour drive back to Brian's house, and then 2 hours more to my house. When we got to Houston at the 59/610 interchange it was just after dark and 5 lanes of 70-80 mile bumper to bumper traffic had me on my guard as I had just heard about my friend his daughter who were killed Friday night on I-10 in an 11 car pile up.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/12/13/5966714_eastbound-lanes-closed-on-interstate.html?rh=1
My friend was in the ford explorer seen in the video. A tragic accident for a great family, but fortunately they were both Christians. Pray for the family.
A truck hauling a trailer full of 4-wheelers was ahead of me in the 2nd from left lane of the 5 lane traffic.
Sure enough a 4 wheeler comes off the trailer and starts flipping side over side straight at me with no where to go. I was able to keep slowed down but was bracing for the rear end collision I knew was coming. I managed to slip past it on the right, fearing hitting a car to my right. I only grazed it, and it put a bid dent in my driver side door. The guy had no clue he had just lost a 4 wheeler. He must have been hauling to a dealer so something because there must have been 8 or 10 on the trailer. Other drivers flagged him and he pulled into the left had shoulder, but stopping in that high speed traffic was too dangerous so we just keep on going. I was not until we got to Brian's house 30 minutes up the road I realized my door was dented in. I have no idea what kind of wrecks might have happed behind me with a 4 wheeler in the middle of 5 lanes of 70 mph traffic.
I thanked the Lord we escaped injury and I stayed on my guard for the rest of the trip.
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