Frosty hunt

Snowshoes

Well-known member
Seventeen degrees Fahrenheit this morning with the grasses & trees covered in a heavy layer of frost. It was very calm out, almost too calm, as I noisily walked on crusted snow to my first stand of the morning. Various calls were used but no coyotes! One whitetail buck went wandering through but with nose to the ground, he paid me no attention.
Second stand is one I have been saving for a day just like this as it produces coyotes more often than not. Picked a good sized tree to sit at and start off with a couple howls. A few minute pass but noticed the light breeze switched directions which was now at my back.

Packed up and walked a half mile south to different bush patch and set up at the base of a brush pile. This time I go straight to yelps and within a couple minutes I see coyote coming in from the east. It stops briefly on a hill top for a quick look, I give a couple yelps and have the coyote barreling down the hill. I wait till it goes behind a thin stand of trees before moving into a better position. The coyote bust back into the open and I try stopping it with vocal barks & howls. The coyote never slows down until it hits the ice on the slough below me. Four legs go four different directions but the coyote manages to stay upright. I give another howl and it finally stops. Crosshairs are settled on it’s chest and as I touch off the shot, I see the coyote is back on the move. Missed my 80 yard coyote! Chambered another round but the coyote cut 90 degrees to the south and was into the trees before I could get the gun lined up.
The quarter mile walk back to the truck haunted me as I kept replaying that missed golden opportunity.

Did one more stand but once again, only a deer was seen. This time it was a small mule deer buck who was bedded across the valley. At the start of my calling sequence, the deer barely glanced my direction and then basically ignored me for the remainder of my stay. Ranged the buck at 573 yards.

This afternoon the temperature had risen to 23F with a noticeable south breeze. I had a spot in mind which would have me set up at the edge of a slough bottom giving me a good view of a bush to the south and west. The 223AI was traded for the 223 for this trip as I had over a half mile walk to get to my location.

On the second series of cottontail distress, I have a single come in from the west. A couple barks stops the coyote, then a 52 gr Berger is sent down the barrel which drops the coyote at 118 yards. By the time I returned with the truck there wasn't much light left for the picture,

I go right back to calling but the next 15 minutes doesn’t produce anything. Packed up as the light was fading but did notice the walk back to the truck seemed a bit more enjoyable this time around.
 
Beautiful looking country, a missed coyote only feeds more desire to get it net time. The coyote can consider it one and only free, get out of jail pass. Congrats on the coyote and thanks for the pics and story.
 
Originally Posted By: lockrotorBeautiful looking country, a missed coyote only feeds more desire to get it net time. The coyote can consider it one and only free, get out of jail pass. Congrats on the coyote and thanks for the pics and story.
So true about feeding the desire to get the coyote next time around
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Always great to read your hunting adventures. The way you describe them really paints a clear picture of how the hunt goes. How was the fur on the coyote? It looks pretty thick in the picture.
 
Originally Posted By: YotarunnerHow funny is it that I have been reading your stories for so long that I recognize some of your spots by the pictures!
Lol, funny you mention that, I was thinking just the other day, I could almost copy & paste previous location pictures as i have a tendency to hit the same spots year after year. Typically 90% of my hunting is with 10 miles of home.


Originally Posted By: mantorvilleyoteAlways great to read your hunting adventures. The way you describe them really paints a clear picture of how the hunt goes. How was the fur on the coyote? It looks pretty thick in the picture.

Thank you for the comments. I hope that a few extra details of the hunt will add some interest to the stories.
The coyote in the picture was well furred but unfortunately the belly hair was pink (early stages of mange)
 
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