Snowshoes
Well-known member
With some holiday’s yet to burn, I figured today would be a good day to take off and do some hunting.
It was very calm this morning and in the hour before venturing out, I watched the wind direction change 4 or 5 times. My weather station showed northeast to east, then southeast and so on, an east breeze is not common for these parts.
Due to the wind direction, I would have to park a full half mile away from where I wanted to call.
Shortly after leaving the truck, I stopped to take a picture of the morning sky which had a calming pinkish glow to it.
I continued my half mile eastward journey to the north/south fence line where I planned to set up and call from. Once to my destination and set up, I range yardages of trees on the edge of the valley rim.
I start off with a couple howls which is answered by a deep gruff sounding howl from the flats below. Watching the treeline for any movement proved to be fruitless after ten minutes so I switch to cottontail distress. This only brings some cows from the adjoining pasture to check things out.
With 35 or 40 Black Angus cows now standing right behind me, I decide to pack up and head down to the bottom of the valley. After reaching the bottom, I notice a couple coyotes In the hills on the far side of the lake. I glass them for a couple minutes and once they disappear into a patch of trees, I quickly work my way across the flats using a clump of trees as cover. Once I pass through the trees, I work my way through 4 foot tall grasses to the shoreline where I would set up. Twenty yards to my left is an abandoned beaver house which shows numerous coyote tracks in the snow.
I let fly with a few challenge howls and within a half minute I see the coyote pair again. They don’t howl back but they are definitely working their way to the bottom. I can feel my heart rate increase as I watch the events unfold but when almost to the bottom, they suddenly stop.
With the aid of the binoculars, it looks like they are staring off to the north of my location. I lower the binoculars and glance to the north and see what halted the pair.
A coyote is coming in on as fast trot from the north and with some quick repositioning, I get the rifle into position. The coyote stops as I’m sure it seen me move. Cross hairs are placed on its chest and the crack of the 223AI is sent down the valley and through the hills. The 64 gr Berger bullet flies true, dropping coyote 31. ( Big Male – biggest coyote so far this season).
Walked over to collect the coyote, which then was drug to a spot where I could drive the truck to. I was truly grateful to not be dragging that coyote the full mile back to the truck.
It was very calm this morning and in the hour before venturing out, I watched the wind direction change 4 or 5 times. My weather station showed northeast to east, then southeast and so on, an east breeze is not common for these parts.
Due to the wind direction, I would have to park a full half mile away from where I wanted to call.
Shortly after leaving the truck, I stopped to take a picture of the morning sky which had a calming pinkish glow to it.
I continued my half mile eastward journey to the north/south fence line where I planned to set up and call from. Once to my destination and set up, I range yardages of trees on the edge of the valley rim.
I start off with a couple howls which is answered by a deep gruff sounding howl from the flats below. Watching the treeline for any movement proved to be fruitless after ten minutes so I switch to cottontail distress. This only brings some cows from the adjoining pasture to check things out.
With 35 or 40 Black Angus cows now standing right behind me, I decide to pack up and head down to the bottom of the valley. After reaching the bottom, I notice a couple coyotes In the hills on the far side of the lake. I glass them for a couple minutes and once they disappear into a patch of trees, I quickly work my way across the flats using a clump of trees as cover. Once I pass through the trees, I work my way through 4 foot tall grasses to the shoreline where I would set up. Twenty yards to my left is an abandoned beaver house which shows numerous coyote tracks in the snow.
I let fly with a few challenge howls and within a half minute I see the coyote pair again. They don’t howl back but they are definitely working their way to the bottom. I can feel my heart rate increase as I watch the events unfold but when almost to the bottom, they suddenly stop.
With the aid of the binoculars, it looks like they are staring off to the north of my location. I lower the binoculars and glance to the north and see what halted the pair.
A coyote is coming in on as fast trot from the north and with some quick repositioning, I get the rifle into position. The coyote stops as I’m sure it seen me move. Cross hairs are placed on its chest and the crack of the 223AI is sent down the valley and through the hills. The 64 gr Berger bullet flies true, dropping coyote 31. ( Big Male – biggest coyote so far this season).
Walked over to collect the coyote, which then was drug to a spot where I could drive the truck to. I was truly grateful to not be dragging that coyote the full mile back to the truck.
