Last ones of 2017.

JTPinTX

Custom Call Maker
I had a four days off in a row lined up this past weekend, but the weather forecast was looking to be really crappy for 3 of those days. Friday morning looked like my only shot at calling some coyotes, since I had promised my daughter I would take her deer hunting that evening.

When the alarm went off, I nearly didn't get out of bed. The wind was kind of sketchy but I knew it was gonna be my only chance. So I drug my carcass into the shower and got going. I was plenty early so I decided to drive to the furthest place I have to call. I got there early and not pressed for time at all. Plenty of time to get set up right.

I opened the door and stepped out of the truck. Crap. Wind was blowing way harder than it had been back at the house. Borderline on being too much. I got back in the truck and just sat there a few minutes, thinking about it. Do I risk burning a stand in less than prime conditions and head home, or do I just call it anyways? After a minute or two I laughed at myself. Seriously thinking about not calling on my last chance this year, after I had already got up and drove out? "Jethro, I said, you are crazy if you don't at least give it a shot."

So I got out of the truck, grabbed my rifle and caller, and hopped the fence from the county road into the pasture I was going to call. I slipped down the fence line 150 yards or so to the other side of the hill. I got the machine out and got set up at my position. Except it wasn't right. The machine needed to be 40 yards west of where it was in case a coyote came blowing through the fence next to me. It still lacked at least 5 minutes or so being light enough to call, so I got up and moved it. Just about the time I sat down and got all settled in the coyotes lit up. 2 separate groups back to the SW, perfect direction, and not too far off. Easily in calling range.

I would have preferred a few more minutes for it to get lighter, but it was workable. I fired back with coyote pair yip howls, and let that run 20-25 seconds, and shut it off. No response. Hoping that was a good thing, I gave it a minute or so and then hit red fox pup distress. I wasn't even through the opening series when the first coyote came ripping across the field headed my way.

I know you should always be ready, but I wasn't. She was already at 100 and closing fast when I saw her. I threw my rifle up but had my thick gloves on and couldn't get my finger through the trigger guard. I dropped the rifle down, yanked off the glove and threw the rifle back up. By that time she is about 50 yards from me, and 25 yards downwind of the caller. She is bouncing around and won't really stop, but isn't leaving either. I try barking at her, but the machine is still running and it has her confused. She is looking back and forth from me barking, and the machine screaming. She don't know whether to crap or go blind, and won't stop for either. Finally I just shoot her moving. The 243 knocks her down but I hit her a touch far back. I scan the field real fast to make sure I am not missing a second coyote but don't see anything. Looking back at her, she is trying to drag herself away using her front legs so I bust her again putting her down for good.

Once again I scan the field, seeing nothing. Automatically I reach to my pocket to grab some more cartridges to top off my rifle. That is when I realize I forgot to put 5 extras in my coat pocket like I always do. Luckily I had filled the mag and then dropped one in the chamber before I closed the bolt, so I had started with 5 instead of the 4 I normally do. I have 3 shots left. That should be plenty I tell myself...

I drop the two empties in my pocket and fire up the CS-24 again, still on red fox pup distress. One series, a minute break, and then the second series is playing when I see a pair coming across the field the same way as the first one did, and they are coming in hot. One is very noticeably darker than the other. Probably the closest thing I have ever seen or heard of to a melanistic coyote around here. I decide I want to shoot that one.

But, that isn't how it works. They are really amped up, coming in hot, bouncing around and not stopping. The dark one gets into a little crease in the field. I can see it, but it isn't offering a good shot. The other one is between the machine and the first coyote when it finally stops. I always take the gimme shot if I have one, so I swing over and bust it. It goes down hard.

I throw the bolt and catch up to the dark coyote which is out of the crease and running now. The first shot goes just behind, and I throw the bolt again. Last round. Can't shoot behind it. Nearly impossible to lead a running coyote too much, I tell myself. I swing even more in front. And.........miss to the front. Too much lead. Barely, barely. Gun empty, coyote gone over the hill. Still, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. One less than I wanted for sure, but not bad. Obviously the stand is over since I am out of bullets. I walk down to the machine to turn it off. I look at my remote to turn it off as well, it had only been 7:37 since i turned it on to howl.

Dang glad I decided to go ahead and call that stand!

I ease on down the road to another place 8 miles away that is right for the conditions I have. Park on the county road, hop the fence, and creep over into the mesquite pasture 200 yards or so. I sit on a small hill overlooking a mesquite filled valley about 200 yards across. It is the same spot I took my daughter to the very first time she ever went calling with me. She was 5, and I killed a double there with her watching. She has been hooked ever since. Maybe it will be good to me again today.

I use the same sequence again. 9 minutes in a single comes from back behind me. Lucky there is an east component to the south wind, or it probably would have busted me. It seems confused on the direction of the sound, which is odd for a coyote. It stops behind a tree about 100 yards out, and I shoot it through a hole in the branches. Clean kill, bang flop. I keep calling 6-8 more minutes but nothing shows.

I have a commitment at 10, so I pack up and head back to town. Called 4 on 2 stands, and killed 3. Not a bad way to close out the year.

IMG_3723 by [/url], on Flickr


[url=https://flic.kr/p/21LLPb2 t=_blank]IMG_3725 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/156517515@N04/, on Flickr


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This post is nominated for Hunter of the Month. Sorry, the nifty little .gif isn't rotating, so all you see is "Nominated" for now.
 
Good read, JT! Too funny, running out of ammo. I never carry extra ammo and have gotten away with it so far, but I hunt pretty near the truck most of the time.
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Good problem to have.

Regards,
hm
 
Real good read JT, sounds like an old timer story teller. I need to get over there and hear them around a camp fire lol! Good write up
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Originally Posted By: thoms715Real good read JT, sounds like an old timer story teller. I need to get over there and hear them around a camp fire lol! Good write up
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Ha Ha, now don't be making me out older than I am! I won't be 50 until later this year. I'm in my prime. (in my best Val Kilmer "Doc Holliday" voice)
 
I could feel the excitement in your words, well told. You don't go out as often as me but when you do, you always to have the best luck. I'm gonna go out this weekend and throw some of that red fox, I brought some cats in with juv_redfox_dist. What are those sticks you use? I like bogpod but they get wore out after a few months and I find myself monkeying around with them to re-engage the screws inside the tube.
 
Those sticks are a Bass Pro Shops knockoff of the Bog Pods I think. Pretty sure they are that house brand, Redhead or something? Anyways they were about half the cost of the Bog Pods and have lasted me real well for 3-4 seasons now. I think they were like $35 or so. You need to chunk the strap that comes with them though and do the paracord mod I did to mine.
 
last time I was out I could not get one of the legs fixed, bout threw them in the creek! Takes me a bit to get used to new equipment. Creature of habit I guess.
 
Over the years I have tried bipods, home made sticks, commercial sticks, tripods, you name it. For me this is the most simple and effective thing I have come up with. They are light, stable, very adaptable, and have not given me any trouble in the field. And I don't baby them.
 
Great story. I looked at those red head stixs on basspro, and for 35.00 a guy could not go wrong with them... they look durable. But just for question's sake... why did you change out the leg spreader strap... I know there must be a good reason?
 
Because I can't just leave things alone, probably.

Nah, IDK. Just the way the strap goes on there it didn't seem easily adjustable, and appeared to be a material that was gonna collect grassburrs real bad, and in general make me cuss. I thought the paracord with loops and a dog leash snap was much quicker and easier to adjust, and more foolproof.
 
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