I was traveling today to see my aging father. He is about four hours away in drive time or 8 hours away with about three stands mixed in to the trip. So last night I decided I would hit one or two previous honey holes I've killed at before.
I left home at 330 am drove for 1 1/2 hours, parked my truck walked in the dark (30 minutes) to the predestined spot I had been to before. I got set up as I sat there it's always a high anticipation as the time passes waiting for the earth to come alive and the light fill the surrounding area. As The sounds of the morning started to increase around me I could hear sheep and lambs everywhere. I was surrounded by 1000+ sheep, it was the full blown effect complete with huge white shaggy sheep dogs. As I sat there I could hear Anthony Hopkins voice from the movie, "Silence of the Lambs" it became almost deafening. It wasn't an environment rich in coyotes. I packed up and headed onto my next honey hole with high hopes.
Drove for another 1 1/2 hours parked and walked in over a big mountain about 45 minutes. I could see a lot of range cattle in the area (which is good) I got to the spot I had killed a single and a double on two different occasions. I set up and just did my first howl with a mouth call. I heard some Cowboys in the distance whooping, hollering and such herding cows down the canyon I was sitting watching and waiting. WOW! I was in the middle of a full blown cattle drive round up deal. Felt like I was watching the old RAWHIDE series movie. The Cowboys drove the entire heard (300?) right past me like it was a cow parade. They were only about 80 yards below me as they passed. I sat there undetected as they rode buy. I packed up and walked back to the truck laughing to myself about the awesome luck I had so far today. BUT I had seen ALOT of critters, just not the kind I had hoped to see.
Drove again about 1/2 hour farther and decided not to give up yet. It was about 1030 I parked and decided to just start walking into the mountains in a place I have never been before. It looked really good where I stopped to set up. I put the call out a out 75 yards away (crosswind) howled once on a mouth call then a few minutes later started a series of different calls. I was thinking nothing was going to happen , then at about 15 minutes one came barreling in from downwind from the call like it had just heard the call. When I saw it I hit the mute button. It came to a skidding stop at about 80 yards to my right. I adjusted my shooting stix (squeeze/THWAP ) down it went.
I smacked the remote on my leg to set the kiyi off. To my suprize again about 3 minutes later here comes #2 in from downwind from the call. It shouldn't by now but it suprized me again. I could feel another double materializing! As I was fumbling with my remote it spotted me. It started trotting away. It turned just as I pulled the trigger. A miss (oh well) it was a good stand. I always learn from them.
It was an awesome Memorial Day!
