I put my gear away a few weeks ago but as has become the norm, a couple of neighbors called and needed some coyotes gone. One had a calf drug outside the pasture into an adjacent hay meadow and eaten and one had been seeing a large coyote in his cows every morning.
Many of the pastures in our country have been burned and the grass is short and green.
It's pretty hard for any critter to hide in this.
I chose to go after the single large coyote first. I popped over a hill and sat down against the only tree in a half mile of fence, on the opposite side of the creek where he'd been seen. I was looking down a long gradual hill into a creek bottom lined in heavy brush and timber. There were 3 Toms puffed up trying to impress a handful of hens when I arrived. As soon as I played a few howls their intentions changed to preservation and they quickly left. I waited 5 or 6 minutes and played another short series of howls. I expected him to come in on the downwind side of the call or up the fence line on either side of the fence (that's where my gun was pointed). He ended up showing up directly over the caller, looking at it and me. Then we had a standoff, me waiting on him to move, so I could. After several minutes he looked over his shoulder and I took the opportunity to move my gun. I had waited long enough!
I had to hurry to the next stand as the clouds were clearing from some morning showers and the sun would soon be in my face. This stand was East of my house as I had been seeing and hearing coyotes in a 20 acre woodlot there and saw a large coyote while burning this pasture. I followed a fresh set of tracks in. As soon as the first howl was played one was on the other side of the tree line moving left to right pretty fast. I got the idea that it was an intruder and was in a hurry to get back to where it came from. When it got to the opening at the end of the tree line, I barked it to a stop.
I waited until evening and made 2 more stands.
The first stand I watched one come in from a half a mile away to 75 yards then pulled a bonehead move and hesitated on the shot. Just as I squeezed it spooked sideways and I shot just exactly where it was standing a fraction of a second before.
It looked like it needed some practice on evasive maneuvers so I sent a couple more it's way helping it with zigzagging on retreat. Aargh!
The next stand was overlooking a 4O acre burned CRP field surrounded on 3 sides with trees and brush. As I was leaving the truck there were several howling from the far end. The grass was pretty tall and if I wouldn't have heard them I probably would have left without calling. I picked a spot above the end of the trees on the North side of the CRP and had a small opening 100 yards in front of me. I was hoping for a shot there before they got into the tall grass.
I started with female howls then again after 5 or 6 minutes. Nothing showed so went with cottontail a few minutes later. I saw one trot through the opening and a "shadow" in the grass about 40 yds. in front of me. The one close sat down and looked my way. The only thing I had in the scope was ears and the top half of the head. That was enough. The impact of the bullet on skull at that range was nearly as loud as the report of the rifle. I marked the spot to find this one then checked the clearing, expecting to see the other fleeing. Nothing, so I switched on coyote fight. What happened next was probably the coolest thing I have seen while calling. Three coyotes were on the one I just shot, biting and tearing and pulling, running circles and jumping over the fight. A blur of fur! One stopped broadside and I shot, sending it spinning, then head and neck outstretched and tail pointing toward the sky in a death sprint. The other two remained unphased in the fight. I shot another and the last one bugged out. I soaked it all in for a minute then went looking for the runner. I never found it but the other two were piled up within a couple of feet of each other.
I caught the neighbor in the road and he asked if I would try a couple more pastures where he was still calving before I quit. 1st was a long walk to a pond dam.
After having one respond vocally to female howls, I tried several calls. At 22 minutes I went to puppy distress and then right to coyote fight. This male crossed in front a long way out then appeared out of the ditch 50 yards out.
Next stand was more of the same. I like to sit at the top of drainages coming out of brushy or wooded creeks, using the drainages as funnels to me. This one responded within a couple minutes of a male long howl.
And finally had quit on this stand when this coyote came out at the tallest tree in the picture and walked up the burn line.
Did this one a favor as mange was taking over.
It was good to not end on a dry stand after having such a good run. Everyone was happy. Especially me!
Many of the pastures in our country have been burned and the grass is short and green.
It's pretty hard for any critter to hide in this.
I chose to go after the single large coyote first. I popped over a hill and sat down against the only tree in a half mile of fence, on the opposite side of the creek where he'd been seen. I was looking down a long gradual hill into a creek bottom lined in heavy brush and timber. There were 3 Toms puffed up trying to impress a handful of hens when I arrived. As soon as I played a few howls their intentions changed to preservation and they quickly left. I waited 5 or 6 minutes and played another short series of howls. I expected him to come in on the downwind side of the call or up the fence line on either side of the fence (that's where my gun was pointed). He ended up showing up directly over the caller, looking at it and me. Then we had a standoff, me waiting on him to move, so I could. After several minutes he looked over his shoulder and I took the opportunity to move my gun. I had waited long enough!
I had to hurry to the next stand as the clouds were clearing from some morning showers and the sun would soon be in my face. This stand was East of my house as I had been seeing and hearing coyotes in a 20 acre woodlot there and saw a large coyote while burning this pasture. I followed a fresh set of tracks in. As soon as the first howl was played one was on the other side of the tree line moving left to right pretty fast. I got the idea that it was an intruder and was in a hurry to get back to where it came from. When it got to the opening at the end of the tree line, I barked it to a stop.
I waited until evening and made 2 more stands.
The first stand I watched one come in from a half a mile away to 75 yards then pulled a bonehead move and hesitated on the shot. Just as I squeezed it spooked sideways and I shot just exactly where it was standing a fraction of a second before.
It looked like it needed some practice on evasive maneuvers so I sent a couple more it's way helping it with zigzagging on retreat. Aargh!
The next stand was overlooking a 4O acre burned CRP field surrounded on 3 sides with trees and brush. As I was leaving the truck there were several howling from the far end. The grass was pretty tall and if I wouldn't have heard them I probably would have left without calling. I picked a spot above the end of the trees on the North side of the CRP and had a small opening 100 yards in front of me. I was hoping for a shot there before they got into the tall grass.
I started with female howls then again after 5 or 6 minutes. Nothing showed so went with cottontail a few minutes later. I saw one trot through the opening and a "shadow" in the grass about 40 yds. in front of me. The one close sat down and looked my way. The only thing I had in the scope was ears and the top half of the head. That was enough. The impact of the bullet on skull at that range was nearly as loud as the report of the rifle. I marked the spot to find this one then checked the clearing, expecting to see the other fleeing. Nothing, so I switched on coyote fight. What happened next was probably the coolest thing I have seen while calling. Three coyotes were on the one I just shot, biting and tearing and pulling, running circles and jumping over the fight. A blur of fur! One stopped broadside and I shot, sending it spinning, then head and neck outstretched and tail pointing toward the sky in a death sprint. The other two remained unphased in the fight. I shot another and the last one bugged out. I soaked it all in for a minute then went looking for the runner. I never found it but the other two were piled up within a couple of feet of each other.
I caught the neighbor in the road and he asked if I would try a couple more pastures where he was still calving before I quit. 1st was a long walk to a pond dam.
After having one respond vocally to female howls, I tried several calls. At 22 minutes I went to puppy distress and then right to coyote fight. This male crossed in front a long way out then appeared out of the ditch 50 yards out.
Next stand was more of the same. I like to sit at the top of drainages coming out of brushy or wooded creeks, using the drainages as funnels to me. This one responded within a couple minutes of a male long howl.
And finally had quit on this stand when this coyote came out at the tallest tree in the picture and walked up the burn line.
Did this one a favor as mange was taking over.
It was good to not end on a dry stand after having such a good run. Everyone was happy. Especially me!
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