Windy morning hunt

Snowshoes

Snowshoes

Well-known member
November 10 2018,This morning was cloudy skies, a couple degrees below the freezing mark and windy. A constant 20 mph wind with gust to 35 mph equated to a hunt in as much shelter as possible. The hills in the nearby valley fit those requirements and that is where I head.
Parked the truck behind a bush patch and from there walked into the valley using the hills as cover and the wind to cover my footsteps. The clouds looked as if they could dump snow on me at any moment but so far, none .
As I was about the crest every little hill, I would stop to glass what was on the other side. About the third stop I was rewarded with the sight of a coyote sitting on the next hill over. The stalk was on and much of it on my knees. Slowly worked my way to where I could see the coyote and a quick range showed 164 yards. The coyote was looking away from me and I take the opportunity to get the rifle onto the bi-pod. The coyote glances back my direction and then stands up. The cross hairs are already steadied on its chest and a touch of the trigger sends the bullet to its mark. Big barrel chested male.



The report of the shot kicks a couple other coyotes into high gear and they waste no time vacating the area. Both of them were roughly 400 yards away when I first saw them. Funny how quick they can make tracks when they want to. In no time they were 600 yards out.

I saw one other coyote on my morning walk but it was almost a half mile away. Never used any calls today as I will save that for some other day.
 
Originally Posted By: lockrotorVery nice, beautiful looking coyote country up there. Your starting out this season strong.
As long as I can get out to enjoy the countryside and maybe collect some fur, I'm a happy guy.
 
November 11th 2018,
Awake before the alarm clock goes off but that’s normal when I’m headed out hunting. Before leaving, I take a quick look at the weather station & it shows 17F and a 7mph NW breeze. Although cooler, it would be a much nicer day than yesterday.
Left the 223AI in the gun cabinet today and grabbed the much lighter 223 for this mornings hunt.
It’s quite light out when I pull away from the garage and after a 7 mile drive I park at a lease site. To the south, there is a ravine running southwest 500 yards before connecting with another ravine. At the fork of the ravines is where I plan on calling and was heading that way when I see 4 or 5 magpies in the field to the south. I slide in behind a tree at the edge of the ravine and glass the field to see what’s got the magpies attention. Its not long before I see a coyote that the magpies are following. There is trees on the opposite side of the ravine and I can’t get a range on the coyote as I keep getting reading off the trees. I likely couldn’t thread a bullet through the branches anyways so when the coyotes head is down, I drop into the ravine, from there I cross a beaver dam and start up the other side. Noticing a fair number of fresh coyote tracks on the beaver dam was encouraging. I check the wind before cresting the bank and confirm I should still be good. Use a fairly large poplar tree to cover my approach as I crest the bank and use that same tree to set up at. Rifle onto the b-pod as I see the coyote & the magpies in the stubble straight south of me. The coyote is actually much closer to the ravine than when I first seen it. Cross hairs on the chest and a 52 gr. Berger is sent on its way. A solid hit drops the coyote in its tracks. ( later ranged at 143 yards).

Drug the coyote off the field and hid it amongst the trees, hopefully to keep the birds off it. Continued my trek southwest into pasture land and head for a spot where I would set up in a patch of buck brush. To the west, the two ravines merge into one.

Took some ranges of various landmarks before giving some howls. Wait 3 or 4 minutes before going to jackrabbit distress which produces a pair of coyotes within less than a half minute. I get numerous glimpses of them as they worked their way through the tall grasses. Suddenly one is in an open spot and darn if doesn’t pick me out, it starts jumping up on its hind legs trying to get a better look. I figured I better shoot before they totally bust me. The coyote turns around and starts to trot away but with a bark, I stop it long enough for a shot. Send a 52 gr HP on its way and down goes coyote #2. Lucky for me the coyote stopped in a spot where I could still see it. The coyotes stayed on the other side of the taller poplar trees and never ventured into the short grass pastureland.

I give some yelps and the other coyote does a big loop but never presents me with a shot.
Followed with some more yelps but nothing else showed after a few minutes, so it was off to collect the coyote. Ranged back to where I sat ( 132 yards).
 
Originally Posted By: lockrotorGreat pics and story of the hunt. The second one doesn't look anywhere as nice as the first.

Thank you and good eye, that second coyote looked better at 150 yards
smile.gif
I ended up tossing that one.
 
Back
Top