Should have been posting these all along but but I've seem to hit a wall the last few weeks so I'm doing a little catch up.
10/30 This guy came in on the second set. First shot broke a leg and or half gutted him. Second one stopped him from flopping. When I got 20 feet away he got up and ran, that shot might have also contributed to some of the mess he became. The forth one through the shoulder was perfect (wish that was the first). Wasn't pretty but I'm on the board.
11/4 Had high hopes for Monday night but the bright moon and scattered clouds early had me sitting on the couch watching football. I peeked outside about 9 and the clouds had thickened and decided to forgo the football and head out. About ten minutes in a pair of eyes enter NW corner of field and they appear to take a seat and enjoy my calling sequence but the occasional blinks have me thinking predator. Still 300 yards off I continue scanning and catch another set of eyes that disappear in a dip only to clear the rise and continue in my direction. A switch to gun light confirms it's a coyote. I have to switch sticks and lose him for a second but scan back and catch him standing. He spins at the shot and is singing perfect pup distress as the second shot puts him down. Why can't they all be this easy.
Second stand I catch eyes as I'm walking in and their quick disappearance as I lip squeak has me thinking predator. I set the call down and hurry another 50 yards to a small rise. A few minutes of rabbit distress and I got eyes heading my way again, and it's another coyote. My shooting blunders on last weeks fox and the coyote 45 minutes ago have me concentrating hard on this shot. He stops I settle and all I hear after the shot is the whump at impact. Two coyotes on the ground in less than a hour I'm a little pumped. After a few cell pics and texts I gather my stuff to head back to the truck and coyotes are barking across the street. I know the area well and have permission on both adjoining properties but not where the coyotes are barking from.
I drive a few hundred yards down the road in the hopes of circling to the south of the new found coyotes setting up with an open field to the east on my down wind side. My first howl or two go unanswered but finally a response and it's not good by the sound of the barking, the wind at the back of my neck confirms my fears as it's switched to the south a little. I decide to give it right back with some challenge barks and throw in some pup distress which brings a angry howl directly to the east from where I hoped the would appear but I only catch eyes 200 yards out for an instant. Not sure what to do other than listen to the scolding as the work their way to the north east I decide I got nothing to lose and continue to challenge them which brings them back for an half hour long barking session so close at times I can't believe I couldn't catch an eye as the seem just beyond the tall grass of the drainage ditch but not in the pines less that 150 yards away. I got one more spot to hit s I concede to come back another day.
Last stand about 100 yards in the field drops off sharply and sure enough eyes are at the bottom of the slope. A couple lip squeaks has them bouncing my way. I drop to a knee and try to get the gun from my shoulder to the sticks in anticipation of eyes cresting the hill but they never appear. I get up and they are now farther to the east on adjacent property. I set up with the hopes of calling them back. It all works other than they circle to the north east towards the barn and house. I confirm it's red fox but can't take the shot. I continue towards back of the field but no takers and call it a night.
11/11 After 2 empty sets and the wind being a little more than I thought I hurried back close to home to get in one last set and be home by midnight. Parked the truck at 11:26, geared up and flipped headlamp on as as cleared front of truck and have eyes immediately less than 75 yards away. I leap squeak but it doesn't react, I think coon or opossum and keep walking but now realize it's a fox visible with my scan light. Kneeling down on sitting height sticks I'm not real steady but bang flop he's down. I gather up my scruffy male throw him in the truck and back out at 11:29. I don't think I walked 150 yards total. I still got time for one more but no takers.
11/29 My son, home from college was deer hunting and let a doe with three yearlings hustle by hoping a buck was following but this female was the one in pursuit and stopped at 30 yards.
11/30 Rain started as I walked into first set but quickly stopped. Called in a red and missed. Rain started again as I pulled up to second spot. I circled block waiting for rain to stop after a quick check on my phone. Half way back through a large field I catch eyes and setup. He slowly works in and it's a red. As I'm sizing him up through the scope a second set of eyes cross between me and the first red. It's another red and he's trying get downwind. He never made it. Rain starts again hard as I get to truck allowing for a quick pic.
10/30 This guy came in on the second set. First shot broke a leg and or half gutted him. Second one stopped him from flopping. When I got 20 feet away he got up and ran, that shot might have also contributed to some of the mess he became. The forth one through the shoulder was perfect (wish that was the first). Wasn't pretty but I'm on the board.
11/4 Had high hopes for Monday night but the bright moon and scattered clouds early had me sitting on the couch watching football. I peeked outside about 9 and the clouds had thickened and decided to forgo the football and head out. About ten minutes in a pair of eyes enter NW corner of field and they appear to take a seat and enjoy my calling sequence but the occasional blinks have me thinking predator. Still 300 yards off I continue scanning and catch another set of eyes that disappear in a dip only to clear the rise and continue in my direction. A switch to gun light confirms it's a coyote. I have to switch sticks and lose him for a second but scan back and catch him standing. He spins at the shot and is singing perfect pup distress as the second shot puts him down. Why can't they all be this easy.
Second stand I catch eyes as I'm walking in and their quick disappearance as I lip squeak has me thinking predator. I set the call down and hurry another 50 yards to a small rise. A few minutes of rabbit distress and I got eyes heading my way again, and it's another coyote. My shooting blunders on last weeks fox and the coyote 45 minutes ago have me concentrating hard on this shot. He stops I settle and all I hear after the shot is the whump at impact. Two coyotes on the ground in less than a hour I'm a little pumped. After a few cell pics and texts I gather my stuff to head back to the truck and coyotes are barking across the street. I know the area well and have permission on both adjoining properties but not where the coyotes are barking from.
I drive a few hundred yards down the road in the hopes of circling to the south of the new found coyotes setting up with an open field to the east on my down wind side. My first howl or two go unanswered but finally a response and it's not good by the sound of the barking, the wind at the back of my neck confirms my fears as it's switched to the south a little. I decide to give it right back with some challenge barks and throw in some pup distress which brings a angry howl directly to the east from where I hoped the would appear but I only catch eyes 200 yards out for an instant. Not sure what to do other than listen to the scolding as the work their way to the north east I decide I got nothing to lose and continue to challenge them which brings them back for an half hour long barking session so close at times I can't believe I couldn't catch an eye as the seem just beyond the tall grass of the drainage ditch but not in the pines less that 150 yards away. I got one more spot to hit s I concede to come back another day.
Last stand about 100 yards in the field drops off sharply and sure enough eyes are at the bottom of the slope. A couple lip squeaks has them bouncing my way. I drop to a knee and try to get the gun from my shoulder to the sticks in anticipation of eyes cresting the hill but they never appear. I get up and they are now farther to the east on adjacent property. I set up with the hopes of calling them back. It all works other than they circle to the north east towards the barn and house. I confirm it's red fox but can't take the shot. I continue towards back of the field but no takers and call it a night.
11/11 After 2 empty sets and the wind being a little more than I thought I hurried back close to home to get in one last set and be home by midnight. Parked the truck at 11:26, geared up and flipped headlamp on as as cleared front of truck and have eyes immediately less than 75 yards away. I leap squeak but it doesn't react, I think coon or opossum and keep walking but now realize it's a fox visible with my scan light. Kneeling down on sitting height sticks I'm not real steady but bang flop he's down. I gather up my scruffy male throw him in the truck and back out at 11:29. I don't think I walked 150 yards total. I still got time for one more but no takers.
11/29 My son, home from college was deer hunting and let a doe with three yearlings hustle by hoping a buck was following but this female was the one in pursuit and stopped at 30 yards.
11/30 Rain started as I walked into first set but quickly stopped. Called in a red and missed. Rain started again as I pulled up to second spot. I circled block waiting for rain to stop after a quick check on my phone. Half way back through a large field I catch eyes and setup. He slowly works in and it's a red. As I'm sizing him up through the scope a second set of eyes cross between me and the first red. It's another red and he's trying get downwind. He never made it. Rain starts again hard as I get to truck allowing for a quick pic.
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