January 2021

Snowshoes

Well-known member
A couple days back I was made aware of a dead cow in some pastureland that I frequently hunt. That would be my destination for the first morning of 2021.
Before arriving, I still hadn't decided whether to make a stalk or to sit and wait.
With numerous coyote tracks weaving through a natural drainage, I decided to sit in front a large popular tree that overlooked the drainage. To the east, I could just make out the cow carcass and to the west ( behind me) was a large block of bush. I'm set up halfway between on what looks to be a good coyote travel route.

A few minutes after getting set up, I see one coyote at the carcass and it is soon joined by a couple others. Thick buck brush around the carcass could easily hide a coyote and in short order I spot a total of five coyotes in the immediate area of the carcass.
Now to just wait, as I leaned back into the stadium chair and got more comfortable.
Other than the sounds of a woodpecker tapping on a nearby tree and the guttural squawking of few ravens to the east, all was quiet.
This all changed in a matter of seconds as I suddenly could hear the sound of a side by side from the adjoining pasture. Likely just the neighbor heading to a dugout to water his cattle but the coyotes weren't about to stick around. The UTV which was to the southwest, never was in view but I noticed the coyotes were distancing themselves to the eastward rolling lands. All except for one rebel coyote, who ignores the other coyotes route of safe travels.
This coyote who's coming down the draw towards my location was probably the only scruffy coyote in the bunch but am I surprised? ( not overly)
Watching through the scope, I let this coyote get close before stopping it with a vocal bark. I didn't realize how close the coyote had gotten until after I shot it. At 34 yards, I maybe could have hit it with a rock.
 
Originally Posted By: Threewolves Nice, way to start the new year!. Raining here, preparing for when it is not and saving my energy incase of a hunting emergency.
lol, good to know we can count on you to be ready in case a hunting emergency arises.
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Originally Posted By: lockrotorCongrats Snowshoes on new year hunting adventures.
Well with one down, I know I won't be skunked in 2021
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Originally Posted By: TparrishGood job. Great read, enjoyed the pictures.

Thank Tparrish, I appreciate that.
Originally Posted By: YotarunnerNice job. I miss shooting coyotes off a good bait like that. I hit my deadpit too hard and forced em all nocturnal

lol, I know exactly what you mean. I too did the same thing. I had a good thing going at the one dead pile but went there too many consecutive times right at legal shooting light. Easy solution on the coyotes part, leave earlier
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Originally Posted By: borkonI love that pic with a vapor trail.

Something I don't see quite as often as in the past. Air traffic sure has slowed down.
 
After an uneventful morning of coyote hunting yesterday, I was hopeful to not have a repeat performance today. Oh, I seen coyotes yesterday, even had the cross hairs on one but chose to hold out for one that looked like it would pass-by much closer. Should have taken the 257 yard shot instead of waiting for the other one. I watched my supposedly “close" coyote cut 90 degrees off the trail and head to parts unknown.
This morning, warm air out of the west would make for comfortable sitting and I knew what trails I would be watching.
It was a good thing it was relatively warm out as the first coyote to come down the trail, took its sweet time showing up. I had almost given up seeing a coyote and although it was late arriving, it sure wasn’t wasting anytime getting to its bedding grounds. Looking over its shoulder as it checked its back trail, the coyote was powering forward by a blur of four paws. I find low flying coyotes are particularly hard to hit but I would give it a go anyways. With the report of the rifle shot, that coyote found a couple more gears which increasingly put the odds in it’s favour of making it to safety.
Ignoring the trail leading into the cattails the coyote picked the closest escape route and leaped deep into a wall of cattails sending a cloud of fluff to the westerly flowing air currents.

Not knowing what spooked that coyote, I could only hope any other’s would be on a much slower pace.
Ten to fifteen minutes later I see a coyote angling across the field and with it headed my general direction, I am pleased to see it’s just walking.
The coyote showed zero interest in my barks and howls as it casually continued its northerly travels but a well placed bullet shortened those travels. (Ranged the shot at 143 yards.)
And another scruffy coyote added to the list!
I turned the coyote 180 degrees for the picture.
 
Originally Posted By: lockrotorFur sure another shoulder mitt critter. Not good for anything except practice shooting. Congrats
I've been seeing good ones but shooting crappy ones lately.
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A few days back when I was waiting for coyotes to hopefully travel past my location, I noticed another trail to the west that was seeing a fair bit of coyote activity. From where I sat, I picked what looked to be a good location to set up next go around.
With no plans of going into the office for the rest of this week, I hope to get out for a short hunt each morning.
This morning was fairly windy from the northwest but the temperature was bearable being only a couple degrees below freezing.
My new planned location would suit such conditions and that’s where I would travel to this morning.
Once I reached the “new” spot, I very much disliked the location. It sloped off from a ridge more than I had anticipated which resulted in a very limited field of view. This spot looked good from afar but in reality, it sucked!
After sitting there for 15 minutes, I couldn’t take it anymore. Quickly packed up and moved northwest towards a proven location. On the way, I see one coyote down by the slough bottoms and I use the lay of the land to hide myself for the last part of my travels.
Once settled into my stadium seat and as I am pulling my face mask on, I see a coyote directly south of me. The coyote is walking east from the bush and it would be just a matter of time before it would catch my scent. Pivoting around with shuffles of my feet had me basically lined up with the unsuspecting coyote. Stopped the coyote with howl and with cross hairs on its chest, it was just a matter of sending a bullet on its way. Seventy seven yards was as far as the bullet needed to travel to put the coyote down for the count.
My view to the southeast where the coyote stopped for a permanent snow nap.

The view to the northwest where I was sitting.
 
you must be invisible?

I see LOTS of coyotes but it seems I can rarely sneak up on them anymore.
Heads are on a swivel!

Good work man...., keep it up.
 
Congrats Snowshoes on getting what looks to be a keeper. The saying, the grass is greener on the other side doesn't always pan out.
 
Originally Posted By: borkonyou must be invisible?

I see LOTS of coyotes but it seems I can rarely sneak up on them anymore.
Heads are on a swivel!

Good work man...., keep it up.

With a coyote in the slough bottom and this one coming out of the bush, everything came up smelling roses for a change
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Originally Posted By: lockrotorCongrats Snowshoes on getting what looks to be a keeper. The saying, the grass is greener on the other side doesn't always pan out.
finally a decent coyote. I usually physically go and check a new spot out but ignored past experiences and went with, "It looks like a good spot". It bit me in the butt!
 
After coming across another potentially good spot to sit and wait for coyotes, I hoped to put theory into fact this morning.
A slough bottom with numerous coyote trails interwoven through the trees and an exciting amount of beds had been observed requiring further investigation and planning. Noted coyote trails coming across the field, as were good spots for me to sit, were filed in the ole memory bank. Ideally a morning with a south breeze best suited this spot and this morning met those requirements.
Following last weeks truck tracks through the snow had me walking heel to toe for a fair ways. Walking heel to toe is best suited for a model on the runway and not some old coyote hunter trying to get to his early morning destination.
Managing to stay in an upright position from the truck to a clump of weeds where I planned to sit, would be an accomplishment just in itself. Those thoughts of staying vertical lingered in the back of my mind as I trudged along.
Nearing the slough bottom, I kick two coyotes out of their beds who waste no time vacating the area. As I watched them navigate the continuation of my truck tracks with ease, it just confirmed who was better suited for this environment.
Once settled into my spot, I take a couple pictures of my surroundings.
To the east, where coyote trails funneled towards the slough bottom.

The bedding area behind me (West/Southwest)

Fifteen minutes of relentless squawking of magpies to the southwest was starting to get on my nerves but where there is coyotes, there is usually magpies so maybe they were just relaying information to me.
Sounds of the magpies were all forgotten when I see a coyote skirting the cattails to the southeast. The coyote follows the perimeter of the slough and once it was directly east of me, it stops long enough for me to get a shot off.
I knew the coyote was hit hard but it still managed to run up the far slope a fair distance before tipping over.

Sat for another 20 minutes but never seen any other coyotes.
After collecting the coyote, I ranged back from where it stood. ( 56 yards).
 
Originally Posted By: YotarunnerNice ! Looks like your finally getting into some decent fur.
I felt I was due
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Originally Posted By: crazyyoteThanks for taking us on your hunts!!
Thanks for taking the time to join
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Not having been back to the cow carcass for over a week and notified of an additional carcass added, I knew where I would be going this morning. My weather station showed a breeze from the southeast which would be well suited for this spot.
Parked almost a half mile away and followed a well packed cow path south to the drainage. Walking east along the bottom of the drainage would hide my approach for as close as I dared before cutting upward to the a small clump of willow trees. From this spot I had a clear shooting lane to the cow carcasses which had been ranged on my last visit at 191 yards. Looking somewhat like a cat stalking a mouse, my last few yards of progress was very slow. Each footstep was carefully placed trying to avoid stepping on crunchy snow and unexpected twigs that may alert any nearby keen ears . As I approached the willow bush, I couldn’t see any coyotes but with a limited view of the area, I was still optimistic.
After getting set up, I had only been sitting for a few minutes before seeing all the magpies lift off the cow carcasses and fly into the nearby trees. I was expecting to see a coyote appear but a half minute later, all the magpies glide back down to the carcasses. Another minute or two passes and once again the magpies lift off but this time I see the reason for their departure. A coyote who is now standing on top a carcass quickly disappears on the far side before I could settle the cross hairs on fur. I was getting glimpses of the coyote who was soon joined by a few magpies for breakfast but really had no clear shot.
Suddenly the coyote jumps onto a carcass again but it isn’t there long enough for me to get a shot off.
Roughly 3 minutes later, patience pays off as I see the coyote jump atop the carcass once again. I slide the safety off, and following the crack of the 223 AI, a 64 gr. Berger bullet finds its mark. (191 yards)

Magpies flew up at the report of the rifle but I also caught glimpses of a coyote skirting the ridge to the northeast. This coyote keeps glancing behind it as it distances itself from the cow carcasses but unknown to it, it’s actually coming closer to me. The coyote looked uncertain which way it should run and I knew it couldn’t travel much further west before it would catch my scent. A vocal howl on my part stops the coyote and once again a 64 gr Berger is sent on its way. A 121 yard shot has coyote number two down for the morning.

I never seen this coyote earlier but it must have been close-by when I shot the first one.
 
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Congrats on getting a double from the dead pile. The first one looks better then the second one. But it's great that you are getting something. Yes walking on those truck tracks is not for quick walking. Easy too slip and fall. Congrats
 
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