1 out of 5

Snowshoes

Well-known member
First location today proved to be non existent of coyotes even though there was a pile of tracks to say otherwise. I tried calling using female yodel howls but either I was being ignored or there was no coyotes in the area.

Was driving to the next location when I see 5 coyotes on the slough where I packed a snowmobile trail yesterday. The snowmobile trail was on the north side of the trees and these coyotes were on the slough to the southwest of the trees.
Parked a half mile away and used my packed trail for a quarter mile before cutting through the trees to get to the sloughs edge. The trees were thick as hair on a dogs back and working my through was a slow- slow process. Once through the trees, I follow the edge of the trees for a couple hundred yards and set up in front of a willow bush. The coyotes should be on the other side of the point and I can see a heavily packed coyote trail on the edge of the slough. This trail runs from the point and past my location.
I once again play female yodel howls and its not long before seeing a coyote coming down the treed bank towards the slough. Its followed by 3 more and there is another one just visible in the trees showing its displeasure by giving me the gears with challenge howls.
Expecting to see coyotes on the packed trail proves negative and I’m wondering where those first 4 coyotes are located at. I see two more coyotes coming across the slough from the west which brings the total to 7 now but nothing I can get a shot at.
A half minute later I see a coyotes head peering towards me from a mere 30 yards away. I can just see its head as I pull the cross hairs onto it. Push the safety off and squeeze the trigger...................... nothing! Oh crap! The rifle bolt got bumped going through the trees. Cycled the bolt but by this time, the coyote had seen enough and turned back.
Frustrated as I watch the four coyotes make their way back into the trees and me having no clear shot. The fifth coyote followed suit and there I sat empty handed.
I then remember the other two coyotes to the west and my focus is switched to them but I can’t see them either. Get up and decide to walk to the point to see if I might spot a coyote. I walk to where the 30 yard coyote had been and I see it was on a well packed trail also. I just couldn’t see it from where I set up.
Continued to the point and as I worked past the last of the trees, I see a coyote laying down on the ice. The coyote is inline with the yard site to the northwest and my option of moving is not good.
I wiggle my way towards a small patch of buckbrush where I hoped to try call the coyote over. I was almost to where I wanted to set up, when I notice coyotes on the edge of the slough directly north of me. Its the group of five and a quick adjustment is required to get me in a spot where I could thread a bullet through the few tree branches between us. A quick range shows 204 yards but the coyotes were on the move again and I was left with just one standing in the clear. The worst looking coyote of the whole bunch would of course be the one presenting me a shot. Cross hairs placed on its chest and with a touch of the trigger, down goes coyote number 67.
I maybe could have played things different but I went with the “bird in hand” theory.
 
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Originally Posted By: lockrotorCongrats on getting something. Bird in hand is always better than nothing. Congrats to #67
On a positive note, I did get lots of exercise
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