December 2021

Snowshoes

Well-known member
December 10 2021
With a couple appointments booked for late morning, I would have time for one stand before being city bound. Drove a couple miles from home and after parking the truck I hiked a quarter mile west to a spot that would give me a good view of the fields to the north and northwest.
My view to the west

After getting settled in, a quick scan of the field shows a coyote a half mile away leaving one of the slough bottoms and traveling westward to where I see two other coyotes sitting on a hill top. The single joins the others and I am about to try call them over when I see another single heading south roughly halfway between the triple and myself. The three start trotting east towards the single who looks like it wants to avoid the others. It switches to a more easterly direction which could work out fine for me. Things were looking good but once it hit the bottom of a draw it turned directly south towards the bush. That was my cue to see if some distress calls from a bite call could change its direction once again. The coyote stops briefly and looks my way but is soon on the move to the south as the other three coyotes were fast approaching. I lose sight of the single and change my attention to the threesome. A few more distress cries from the bite call stops the group as they are looking to pinpoint the direction of the sound. I catch movement directly to the west and see the single trotting directly towards me following the edge of the field. It stops at roughly 150 yards but a few lip squeaks has it on a fast trot once again. A few minor adjustments on my part has my scopes cross hairs now on coyote fur. A vocal bark stops my curious newcomer and with a 68 yard shot, I drop the coyote amongst the wheat stubble. A younger male coyote.

Quickly chamber another round before getting back on the bite call as I watch the threesome trot southward into the trees. They pay no attention to my efforts but I am hopeful they too will follow the same route as the single had. Time ticks by and my expectation of seeing these coyotes again had diminished.
Back to glassing the fields to see if there is any other coyotes still out and about but that also proved to be uneventful.
I glance to the west and here is the threesome once again. They are heading north on a leisurely pace but the sounds from the bite call stops them in their tracks. The lead coyote jumps into action which looked encouraging but within a few seconds I realize that coyote is trotting the wrong direction. I give another short burst of distress cries towards the remaining two coyotes who were still stationary. The one coyote is on the move and I confirm it to be towards me. This coyote needed no more coaxing as I watched it close the distance in short order. At what was later ranged as a 100 yards, I stop the coyote with a vocal bark and quickly send a 64 grain HP from the 223AI on its way. A fair sized older male coyote.
 
WTG Snowshoes, that first picture sure is sharp. The second one sure does look like an old dog. Great story and beautiful looking hunting grounds. Thanks
 
Thank you lockrotor and fratri for the replies and comments
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December 11: This morning would be a short hunt just like yesterday as my wife and I had places to be today.
My plan was to call an area that has proven itself to be occupied with a few coyotes and as I walked towards my intended set up spot, I reflected back on how little this area has changed over the years and how familiar I have gotten with my surroundings.
I knew where I would sit and as I approached that clump of willows, I see a coyote trot from the bush to the west and head across a field towards a nearby farmyard. I watched the coyote disappear from sight before skirting around the willow bush where I have set up numerous times before.
Once settled into my stadium seat, I clear away some tall grasses that were partially obstructing my view.
With the aid of the rangefinder binoculars I scan the area for coyotes and also to refresh my memory of yardages to certain reference points.
I had no more than lowered the binoculars when I see a coyote come into sight directly west of me. The bush it had come from was earlier ranged at 170 yards and this coyote was considerably closer. Never even pulled the call out and here is coyote standing broadside in the field. I thought, it just doesn’t get any better than this!
I place the cross-hairs on its chest and send a bullet on its way. The coyote drops straight down and then I see a second coyote heading back towards the bush. Never seen this second coyote in the field as I was focused on the first one I guess.
Chamber another round and line up on the other coyote as it lopes away. I can tell by the way its slowing down and bobbing up and down, that its looking for its partner and will likely stop. Sure enough the coyote stops and is looking back the direction of its fallen partner. Cross hairs placed on its chest and with a touch of the trigger the second coyote is down.
Not one ounce of calling skill was required in this situation but I’m OK with that
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The first coyote, a female shot at 121 yards

Looking back to where I sat ( I always appreciate the sun coming up behind me)

The second coyote, a male shot at 159 yards.
 
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Snowshoe it just doesn't get better then that. 2 down and didn't even have to call them.
A great story with beautiful pictures. WTG
 
Thank you lockrotor, sometimes luck is on a guys side!
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December 12: Triple
For the past three days the weather forecast for this morning was to be a breeze out of the west. I had a spot in mind for such a breeze but awoke to a south breeze and a skiff of fresh snow. The snow was welcomed but the wind direction would mean a backup plan of where I would sit.
The place I chose would be on the edge of a treed slough bottom that historically been a bedding ground for coyotes. As I near my intended sitting location, I see numerous coyote tracks in the fresh snow which was very encouraging.
A large bowl to the southeast is what I would concentrate my attention on as it has been a fairly traveled coyote route in the past.
My view to the southeast. This area is a decent enough spot but once the sun gets above the hills, I am basically blinded and the hunt is over.

Ten minutes after getting settled in, I see a coyote crest the hill but it keeps looking back to the east. It doesn’t stand for very long before moving on but still looking back over its shoulder. The coyote goes down in a dip where I temporarily lose sight of it but it pops back into view shortly. The coyote stops to look back once again but unknown to it, there was a set of cross hairs steadied on its chest. Coyote # 1 down (Ranged at 146 yards) Male
Quickly chambered another round in anticipation of seeing what that coyote had been looking back at. A couple minutes pass and I see a coyote directly east of me on a fast pace trot heading directly north. This coyote was a long ways out and it never did slow down.
As I watched the fast disappearing coyote, a flock of roughly 25 Hungarian partridge came gliding just a few feet in-front of me which was a bit of a startle.
Shortly I see another coyote crest the hill east of where the one already laid and I let it trot to a spot that would offer me a broadside shot. The coyote brakes hard after hearing a vocal howl from me. Cross hairs on its chest and down goes coyote # 2 (Ranged at 164 yards) Female
The sun is threatening to break over the crest of the hill and I know my time is now limited. Two ravens entertained me for a minute or so as they showed their aerial acrobatic skills as they rode the early morning wind currents. Motion to the southeast broke my attention from ravens to a coyote who was peaking over the hill at the two downed coyotes. All I could see was its neck and head and I contemplated taking a shot but the coyote decided to cautiously come a bit closer. I now have a full view of the coyote but it seemed uneasy and looked like it could swap ends and leave at any second. I wasted no time getting a shot off and was rewarded with a third coyote down ( female ranged at 191 yards)
A couple minutes later the sun broke over the rise and it was now time to go get the truck and pick up the coyotes.
I thought the three coyotes would show up better in the picture but you can just make them out. The green circle is coyote # 1 shot at 146 yards. The blue circle is coyote #2 shot at 164 yards. The coyote in the foreground shot at 191 yards. The red arrow indicates where I was sitting.



 
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Originally Posted By: Burnsome...Wow, amazing job there. Looks cold!
It's always nice when coyotes cooperate with the plan. The temperature wasn't too bad yesterday morning when I was out ( 19*F) Considerably colder today and colder for the rest of the week though.

Originally Posted By: YotarunnerLooks like your having some good luck! Great to see your not having much of the real bad fur this year.

It's been good, Coyotes have been showing up on most sets and as a bonus, the majority have been sporting decent fur coats, How's your season been going?
 
Originally Posted By: SnowshoesOriginally Posted By: Burnsome...

Yotarunner said:
Looks like your having some good luck! Great to see your not having much of the real bad fur this year.

It's been good, Coyotes have been showing up on most sets and as a bonus, the majority have been sporting decent fur coats, How's your season been going?

Sadly life has been kicking my butt as far as free time goes. With the Mrs pregnant and stuck in the city I don't get many days this year to get out. I have a new 220 swift begging to be blooded but it's been so warm that my after work ventures have mostly come up empty. So far have 14 from quick stands early in the season.
 
I don't visit this forum much nowadays but when I do, this is the first sub_forum I check.

Snowshoes and those that follow/respond are good people!
Hope it keeps active (all of you)!
 
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Sadly life has been kicking my butt as far as free time goes. With the Mrs pregnant and stuck in the city I don't get many days this year to get out. I have a new 220 swift begging to be blooded but it's been so warm that my after work ventures have mostly come up empty. So far have 14 from quick stands early in the season.

Life does have a way of changing our schedules and plans doesn't it
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I'm sure the Swift will get a chance to warm up its barrel in the near future.
 
Originally Posted By: borkonI don't visit this forum much nowadays but when I do, this is the first sub_forum I check.

Snowshoes and those that follow/respond are good people!
Hope it keeps active (all of you)!

Its always good to see you stopping in and taking part. I think Youtube has pulled a lot of members their way. I too am guilty of spending a lot of time following numerous channels on the "tube".
I feel like I'm packing too much gear as it is, without cameras and what not. I appreciate the ones that do though.
 
Congrats on your Triple Snowshoes, everything seemed to work out beautiful at that spot. Again thanks for sharing your hunts with us.
 
Originally Posted By: lockrotorCongrats on your Triple Snowshoes, everything seemed to work out beautiful at that spot. Again thanks for sharing your hunts with us.
I'll likely be back to that spot a few times over the next few weeks. I have had good luck there in the past.
 
A quick look at the weather station this morning confirmed I would be dressing warmer than on my past hunts. With a wind-chill of -31*C (-24*F) the heated socks, heated vest, heated kidney belt and heated gloves would be part of the morning wardrobe.
First area had me sitting in the same spot as last Sunday where I got the triple. I had made a quick trip into this spot yesterday afternoon right after work to check for activity. There was enough fresh coyote tracks to get me back this morning.
I set up in the same spot as last week and with everything “powered up” I sat comfortably for the next 20 minutes before seeing anything of interest. Two coyotes, both heading for the slough bottom and traveling about a 100 yards apart. With one in full view and the other partially hid by a ridge, it was easy to decide which one to settle the cross hairs on. A a 139 yard shot nets coyote # 1 for the morning. The red arrow once again indicates where I was sitting.

After sitting for an additional 15 minutes, I decided that was enough for this area and would move on after picking the coyote up.
The next spot was one that I had visited back in November and shot a single at 57 yards.
Set up a little further west on the same fence line as last time.

Kicked things off with a couple howls which were then followed with some distress cries a couple minutes later. Once again, I just got the call tucked back under my jacket and I see a coyote standing in the field. I have to reposition somewhat which causes the coyote to turn around and trot back towards the bush. I swing the cross hairs onto fur just as the coyote decides to stop and take another look. A 104 yard shot has the second one down. The red arrow in the above picture is where the coyote was standing.

 
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December 19
With the wind blowing out of the NW at 16 mph gusting to 23 mph, it was windier than I care for but I had a spot in mind for such a morning.
After getting settled into my stadium seat, its a couple howls which is followed a couple minutes later with some distress calls.
Snow steadily swirled across the non sheltered areas of the field but it seemed there was no such thing as sheltered areas when the gust would hit. I found myself squinting to try focus on the bush to the west as the ice crystals pelted my face. Nothing was venturing from the bush and I can’t say I really blame them. As a last effort, I send off some yelps towards the bush area using a diaphragm reed. That was the sound of choice I guess, as I now have a coyote on a dead run towards me. Trying to get this coyote to stop was challenging but it did finally hit the brakes and a 29 yard shot drops this decent sized male.


 
Originally Posted By: lockrotorAt 29yds you must of had all fur in the scope. Very nice looking coyote, looks like you hit him in the face. Congrats

I had the scope set at 5.5X , so not too bad for those close range critters.

I actually shot that coyote in the chest, I did however drag it a couple feet from the "red snow" for the picture and its face may have picked up some "color" in the process.
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