Meeting a coyote in middle of a field

B

Bradsbirds

Member
So I stayed almost a half hour after my first set last night as I had extra time and wanted to see if anything might show up after my typical 10-15 minute wait times. Nothing did so I picked up and headed back to the truck. I walked about 100 yards and stopped to look through the thermal scanner to see if there were any deer. The wind was blowing @ 20 mph straight in my face. I looked to my left and right there, no more than 30 yards was a coyote walking toward where I was coming from. We were in an open fall-plowed field. Closest treeline was over 500 yards away and probably the same distance from the truck/road where he was coming from. I watched him for a couple seconds and he had his head down to the ground just walking along. It looked like I was watching my dog in the back yard....never seen one that close with my thermal. Anyway, I knelt down, un-slung my gun while still looking through the scanner and he bolted at that point.....too quick to get him in the scope and take a shot. So, I don't know if he was poking along to see what my calling had been all about (should have stayed 5 more minutes I guess), or just cruising the field, but can't figure out why he did not see me. The sky was clear and we had a half moon. He came a long way across that field toward me as I was walking toward him.
 
Welcome to coyote hunting, lol ! They will teach you many things ! Try barking or howling next time and be ready for the shot because they will only stop for a brief moment !
Happy hunting !
 
They've taught me I need to scan constantly in all directions as they can come out of nowhere.. I keep trying to convince my hunting buddy of this, but he's always on a Bataan death march going to/from a stand..
 
It happens more times than a person probably realizes. A good reason to stay quiet and not talk if hunting with a partner until back in a vehicle. I always do a full 360 search before getting the call and before walking back to the truck, and then usually at least one more time on the way back just in case.

One of my pet peeves when watching coyote hunting shows is guys making a ton of noise after killing a coyote. Yes, I get excited as well, but they may have just killed their chance at multiples and educated other coyotes coming in.
 
I'm usually guilty of having the scanner up to my face while trying to walk which made it even more surprising to put it up and have one right there. Any ideas why he did not see me? Like I said, it's a big wide open field and we nearly crossed paths....
 
Here in the east, coyotes take advantage of every depression or slight rise. Where I am the land is very flat but the coyotes use anything in the terrain to their advantage. Several times we've had them come down field ditches and pop up right on top of us. I've watched them cross fields and even use what are known as toe-drains which are only about 6 inches deep and cut across the fields to drain water off to the main ditches.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleUpHere in the east, coyotes take advantage of every depression or slight rise. Where I am the land is very flat but the coyotes use anything in the terrain to their advantage. Several times we've had them come down field ditches and pop up right on top of us. I've watched them cross fields and even use what are known as toe-drains which are only about 6 inches deep and cut across the fields to drain water off to the main ditches. I agree with Double Up and it is the same in the West. Also coyotes get distracted as well as they are hunting.
 
It's really hard to say how he got that close without seeing you. A plowed field with no snow cover doesn't reflect much light, so that would help. If you walked 100 yards without scanning, he could have come from any direction before you saw him. IF the wind was in your face, I doubt that he was walking in with the wind at his back the whole time. I would highly suspect he traveled perpendicular to the wind for at least some of the distance he covered. And if you were quiet he probably wasn't paying attention to where you were. If there is not much terrain and there are trees in the background (even if they are 500 yards away ) it's hard to make an outline of an object in a black field at night.
 
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Had something close to that happen a couple nights ago. Buddy and I just got done calling around a 25 minute set , I stood up my buddy stood up , I shut off my scope ,buddy shut off his scanner started picking up my seat and my bud goes something just came out of that draw. The draw was only 40 yds or so do I got the gun turned back on , saw it was a coyote and proceeded to fire off 7-8 rounds at him. He even helped me out bu doing a u-turn at @ 100yds and coming back at us before going down another draw . A personal best at shots fired at one coyote.
 
I was sitting on the ground calling and scanning, looked to my right an one walked right by us at 30 yards like we weren't even there. Went down wind 200 yards and promptly was killed. Didn't dare move and try to get on him when he was so close. I don't think they recognize you as a person if you aren't standing up. That's why during the day they will come even if your sitting out in the open as long as movement is minimal. I only had one in all my years come around a corner see me sitting on the ground and immediately run. Very clear he knew what I was, he had been there and done that.
 
It's impossible to say way he didn't see you or hear you but the lesson is always be scanning.

Last year I shot one 30 yards from my truck. This year I got one less than 100 yards from my truck both as I was walking out.
 
I set up in a cow pasture a couple of months ago. I howled and had one answer me from maybe 3-400 yards to my left. After calling for about 20 minutes with nothing showing up except the cows, which had by his time worked there way pretty much in front of me, I walked out and picked up the call. When I got back to my rifle I took one last look through the scope and the coyote was right in front of me, maybe 50 yards. I never saw him coming and apparently he never saw me. The only thing that I can think of is that he could not pick me out through all of the cows. I killed him right there.
 
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