November 2021

Snowshoes

Well-known member
With a warmer than normal fall this year, I found myself to be 3 weeks behind my usual start time for hunting coyotes.
Second week of November, I ventured out the one morning to do a bit of scouting and possibly call a spot or two. The weather was perfect for me as a hunter but not ideal for priming up coyote pelts. Almost dead calm, not a cloud in the sky and a temperature hovering at the freezing mark made for an enjoyable walk across the first field of the morning. My destination was to one of my historically proven look out spots. Shortly after getting settled into my stadium seat, I see a coyote working its way across the field and enter the trees to the northwest of my location. After sitting for an additional half hour, I decide to head north and try coaxing that coyote from cover with some calls. As I’m walking northward, I see a coyote on a slough to the northeast of me but the direction this coyote was headed it would be just a matter of time before it would scent me.
The ice on the slough was thick enough to support a coyotes weight but not mine, so I refocused on my original plan.
Where I sat to call:

Set up in front a thick stand of slough grass and with the sun at my back, I start off with some distress cries using a bite call and followed up shortly with some of the same.
Nothing shows, so I switch to a diaphragm reed and give a few yelps which gets an almost instant response. With intense challenge howls from a coyote who is set on letting me know that I am not welcome here.
I watch the coyotes progress through the scope and note that its been a fair while since I seen a coyote so worked up about another “supposedly” coyote in its area. The sun was definitely hindering the coyotes eye sight and as it stood there aggressively barking and scanning the landscape, I gave couple more yelps which upped the coyotes temper a couple levels. I now have a coyote charging down the hill and I’m finding getting it to stop is proving to be more of a challenge than anticipated. Vocal barks on my part weren’t really working but having cross-hairs on fur I sent a 64 grain Berger HP bullet on its way towards a fast approaching coyote. The bullet flew true and rolled the coyote to a stop 34 yards from the end of my rifle barrel. As my heart beat starts to settle back down to normal, I reflect back to, I could have shot it earlier but oh no, I just had to push its buttons one more time.
Big Male:

A half hour later I’m driving a mile and half to another spot to try my luck at calling in a coyote.
After parking the truck and a short walk down the fence line to a spot where I would set up, I see a scruffy coyote on the far side of the slough. Once again the sun is behind me and its obvious the coyote hadn’t picked up my presence. The coyote is slowly making its way across the ice towards the far cattails. I quickly set up and with a vocal bark, stop the coyote just before it enters the cattails. Send a bullet on it’s way which results in a coyote spinning itself into a clump of cattails before tipping over for good. With such thin ice on the slough and a scruffy specimen laying partially in the cattails, I had no desire to get up close and personal for a picture. A range of 167 yards and a quick picture would have to suffice for this go around. I could make out the downed coyote in my binoculars but the picture really doesn’t show up. A red circle marks where it lays.
 
November 20th - With some recent snow and temperature drops, I decided this weather would be better suited for coyote hunting than what I faced last week.
I had no plans on calling due to my son and grandson are planning to come up for some coyote hunting next weekend.
Shortly after leaving the truck and on my way to the intended look out location, I see a coyote directly to north of me. Its a fair ways out there, so I just keep an eye on it and note it’s route of travel.
What started out to be a morning of planned scouting, turned into the opportunity of close proximity coyotes.
I sat up on a grassy hill side to spot coyotes in the nearby lands only to have one come trotting across the field directly to my location. Temptation was to great and the cross hairs got leveled onto this newcomer. A 94 yard shot has coyote number one down. Fifteen minutes later another comes towards me following the same bearings. The second coyote was shot at 97 yards. I see two other coyotes in another field to the north and note where they looked to be headed.
The first two coyotes:

Sat for another 40 minutes but that was uneventful so I packed up and decided to head for the truck. For some reason I changed my mind on the intended route back to truck and took a different route which would be further travels. I hadn’t gone 200 yards before spotting a coyote in the field to the southeast. Using the lay of the land I stalked closer but upon cresting the last knoll, I see the coyote has left the field. I scan the trees to the east and notice something that looks like a coyote looking my direction. Sure enough the coyote is just inside the trees and staring my direction. I drop down and use the ridge line to hide my approach where I could set the rifle up for a shot. Much to my relief the coyote was still in the same spot but as I got the rifle onto the shooting sticks, it trots off to the north. It only travels a few feet before stopping to take another look. Coyote mistake! Cross hairs are on fur and 161 shot has coyote number three down.

After reaching my truck I see one more coyote in the field to the east.
 
Welcome back Snowshoes, we had snow last weekend buts its all gone. WI deer season started today and not much action around our place for hanging deer. After the 9 day deer season, the true fun begins. As for the Great Story and Pictures as always we appreciated you taking us along on the your hunts. Is this a new rifle or different stock? It looks different. A very nice looking rifle. And diffidently not worth going out on thin ice for a picture.
 
Off to a great start, excellent stories and photos as usual! Wishing you, your son and grandson good luck.
 
Originally Posted By: lockrotorWelcome back Snowshoes, we had snow last weekend buts its all gone. WI deer season started today and not much action around our place for hanging deer. After the 9 day deer season, the true fun begins. As for the Great Story and Pictures as always we appreciated you taking us along on the your hunts. Is this a new rifle or different stock? It looks different. A very nice looking rifle. And diffidently not worth going out on thin ice for a picture.
Thank you lockrotor, Deer season started here November 1st and ends November 30th. This does limit my location to go somewhat. Same rifle and same stock ( Cooper Montana Varminter model 51 chambered in 223AI).
Originally Posted By: P&YOff to a great start, excellent stories and photos as usual! Wishing you, your son and grandson good luck.
Thank you P&Y, I am saving some of my better spots for when my son and grandson show up. They both were here at the start of deer season and filled their tags but we didn't do any coyote hunting. The grandson always admired a Tikka model 65 Deluxe I had, so ole grandpa caved in and gave him that rifle. One shot from the 25-06 and he had his whitetail buck. He also liked the Cooper model 21 chambered in 204 R and you probably can see a pattern here, I gave that to him also. He is a good shot and likes to hunt, so why not
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Originally Posted By: ThreewolvesAs always, NICE, thanks
Thank you Threevolves

Originally Posted By: redhazeNice story and narrative.
Thank you redhaze
 
November 21st- A few days back I had an message on my phone from an elderly couple asking if I was still shooting coyotes and if so, could I come over sometime. I called them back and was anticipating multiple coyote sightings but I was told they had seen “One” in their yard.
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For the past few years, I have always shot a coyote or two from the block of bush west of their yard site and I hoped to repeat this once again.
Set up in-front a willow bush directly west of the large block of bush.

Start off with a short burst of distress cries using a bite call and within seconds after tucking the call away I have a coyote standing at the edge of the bush. I swing the rifle into position as the coyote trots into the field and with a vocal bark, I stop the coyote. A 93 yard shot from the 223AI catches the coyote square in the chest. (Female) the red arrow indicates where I was sitting.

Back on the bite call and out comes a second coyote, a bark on my part stops this one also and I send a 64gr. Berger HP on its way. Coyote #2 down which was later ranged at 104 yards. (Male)

The pair together:
 
What a great set up. Always nice when the coyotes read and followed your script for them. Nice looking coyotes. Can I become one of your lost grandsons. I too would love a new gun to shoot.
Congrats on the coyotes and good luck to the family's future coyote hunts.
 
WTG and nice stories and pics. looking forward to reading and seeing more of your stories/posts. Best of luck with the upcoming family outing.
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Originally Posted By: lockrotorWhat a great set up. Always nice when the coyotes read and followed your script for them. Nice looking coyotes. Can I become one of your lost grandsons. I too would love a new gun to shoot.
Congrats on the coyotes and good luck to the family's future coyote hunts.
As a long lost grandson, you best hurry over because the other grandson has been eyeing up a couple other guns in the cabinet.
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Originally Posted By: fratriWTG and nice stories and pics. looking forward to reading and seeing more of your stories/posts. Best of luck with the upcoming family outing.
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Thank you fratri, I hope there will be a few future hunts worthy of writing about.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSSounds like your off to a good start. Thanks for the great stories and photos.
Thank you AWS, A little late getting started but there seems to be a good population of coyotes once again.
 
Always great to see you back. I look forward to your posts every year. Looks like your off to a good start even with all this weird warm weather we are having. It feels strange to be hunting mid November and not needing snow camo yet!
 
Sure great to see you back in action. I really enjoy those great photos and your write ups. I don't think I'll ever be lucky enough to hunt up your way, but I almost feel like I'm along for the hunt when I read your posts. Keep up the good work!
 
Originally Posted By: YotarunnerAlways great to see you back. I look forward to your posts every year. Looks like your off to a good start even with all this weird warm weather we are having. It feels strange to be hunting mid November and not needing snow camo yet!
Thank you Yotarunner, With it fairly warm again last Monday we lost a fair bit of our snow and it looks like the snow camo can stay put for awhile longer.
Originally Posted By: nr123Sure great to see you back in action. I really enjoy those great photos and your write ups. I don't think I'll ever be lucky enough to hunt up your way, but I almost feel like I'm along for the hunt when I read your posts. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for the kind words nr123 and glad to hear your coming along for the hunts
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November 27th- Well plans got changed and the three generation coyote hunters would have to postpone the outings until another time.
We had heavy rain showers off and on yesterday which really raised havoc with our remaining snow cover.
My first location of the morning turned out to be uneventful as was the second location. I did see one mangy coyote in my travels but that was it.
Third location had me setting up on a fence line with a good sized bush patch and multiple slough bottoms directly to the south. A southwest breeze would work in my favor as long as there was coyotes wanting to partake in the activities. My view to the south.

Start off with 2 series of distress calls using a bite call followed by two series of yelps using a diaphragm call. A few magpies and a couple ravens flew overhead to check things out but that was all. I had the feeling I should try another series of distress calls and proceeded to do such. Tucked the call back under my jacket and scanned the edge of the bush but everything looked the same as the previous ten or fifteen scans. Glanced to my left and here is a coyote in the field looking directly at me. A slow repositioning of the rifle didn’t spook the coyote but actually caused it to trot closer for a better look. A 57 yard shot nets a decent male. The red arrow indicates where I was sitting.
 
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Nicely done Showshoes. Always enjoy stories of your hunts and pictures. Dont get much snow down my way but I do get a taste of Montana winters every November so I get a small (very small) insight into what you guys deal with weather wise.
 
Congrats Snowshoes, another great hunt, even if the first were a bust. Sorry to hear the 3 generation hunt has been put off till later. Again thanks for the pictures and stories.
 
Originally Posted By: Burnsome...Nicely done Showshoes. Always enjoy stories of your hunts and pictures. Dont get much snow down my way but I do get a taste of Montana winters every November so I get a small (very small) insight into what you guys deal with weather wise.
It wasn't our typical weather today as the truck thermometer showed 43*F when I was heading home. I'm sure the cold weather will show up eventually
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Originally Posted By: lockrotorCongrats Snowshoes, another great hunt, even if the first were a bust. Sorry to hear the 3 generation hunt has been put off till later. Again thanks for the pictures and stories.
Thank you lockrotor, I'm hopeful my son and grandson can make it up here soon.
 
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