Snowshoes
Well-known member
I honestly didn’t think I would be posting about coyote hunting adventures in mid April but here it is.
Spring has been very slow coming this year and with a temperature of 15*F this morning, it seemed more like December than April.
How this coyote hunting opportunity came about, was a courteous phone call to a farmer about hunting gophers once again on his property ( after the snow disappears). I was told “absolutely but would appreciate if I came out and shoot some coyotes as he lost 3 newborn calves in the last week”.
With details of where the cows were situated and where he was seeing the coyotes at, I had a plan in place
All my coyote hunting gear had been put away, so that was the first order of business. Usually white snow camo wouldn’t be the choice of colors in April but that’s what would be required this go around.
Up early and on the road to get me to the feedlot at first light would have me pulling out of the yard at 5:45 am.
Made the drive in good time and parked well away from the cows bedding grounds. Walked on various tractor trails and used the bush patches to get me to my destination undetected. Once I was at a location where I could see the cattle, I stopped to glass the surround landscapes. There was no coyotes among the cattle but the landowner told be about seeing coyotes to the east and west. After covering another hundred yards, I spot a coyote in the stubble field to the east. A quick range shows it to be 254 yards away. Contemplating how I would play this out was short lived as I see a much closer coyote come into sight. This coyote had followed a draw from the valley floor and was now walking into the same field. I sit down and get the 223AI onto the shooting sticks. A vocal bark to stop the coyote is followed with a 64 gr. Berger bullet headed on it’s way. The bullet catches the coyote square in the chest and I just may have one of the problem coyotes on the ground. Ranged the shot at 174 yards. The other coyote ran further east but stopped on a ridge to look back. I passed on taking a long shot in favor of checking the area to the west for other possible coyotes.
From there it was a slow walk westward but the journey was halted when I see a coyote who was headed south towards the bush. I quickly set up on an east/west fence line and its not long before seeing two more coyotes following the same route as the first one. I played calf distress on the Foxpro but that and various other sounds never captured the interest of those three or any other coyotes.
All in all it was a rewarding morning for myself and hopefully for any future new born calves. (Coyote #72)
Spring has been very slow coming this year and with a temperature of 15*F this morning, it seemed more like December than April.
How this coyote hunting opportunity came about, was a courteous phone call to a farmer about hunting gophers once again on his property ( after the snow disappears). I was told “absolutely but would appreciate if I came out and shoot some coyotes as he lost 3 newborn calves in the last week”.
With details of where the cows were situated and where he was seeing the coyotes at, I had a plan in place
All my coyote hunting gear had been put away, so that was the first order of business. Usually white snow camo wouldn’t be the choice of colors in April but that’s what would be required this go around.
Up early and on the road to get me to the feedlot at first light would have me pulling out of the yard at 5:45 am.
Made the drive in good time and parked well away from the cows bedding grounds. Walked on various tractor trails and used the bush patches to get me to my destination undetected. Once I was at a location where I could see the cattle, I stopped to glass the surround landscapes. There was no coyotes among the cattle but the landowner told be about seeing coyotes to the east and west. After covering another hundred yards, I spot a coyote in the stubble field to the east. A quick range shows it to be 254 yards away. Contemplating how I would play this out was short lived as I see a much closer coyote come into sight. This coyote had followed a draw from the valley floor and was now walking into the same field. I sit down and get the 223AI onto the shooting sticks. A vocal bark to stop the coyote is followed with a 64 gr. Berger bullet headed on it’s way. The bullet catches the coyote square in the chest and I just may have one of the problem coyotes on the ground. Ranged the shot at 174 yards. The other coyote ran further east but stopped on a ridge to look back. I passed on taking a long shot in favor of checking the area to the west for other possible coyotes.
From there it was a slow walk westward but the journey was halted when I see a coyote who was headed south towards the bush. I quickly set up on an east/west fence line and its not long before seeing two more coyotes following the same route as the first one. I played calf distress on the Foxpro but that and various other sounds never captured the interest of those three or any other coyotes.
All in all it was a rewarding morning for myself and hopefully for any future new born calves. (Coyote #72)
