Curiosity killed the coyote!!!

cjdavis618

cjdavis618

New member
Got up this morning not really wanting to do anything but look out the back window. As I got more awake I made the mistake of going outside and smelling that fresh, rain smelling air. Looking at the ground, it was a little on the wet side and the more I thought about what was coming with a big front coming through, the more I wanted to suit up and go call.

About 11am, I decide to load up and head to a Local public ground to call a couple of spots I have around it. Got all the way there and realized.... OOPs, I left my Tennis shoes on and didn't bring my boots or Binocs. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif 15 minutes round trip to the house and back and I was woods wise and jumping a group of whitetail does on my way into the WMA.

With a SSE wind that was really howling, I wanted my downwind to be wide open. So I hiked in a mile and got set up in my "honey hole" that I like to hunt in this wind pattern. Here is a shot.

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This spot intersects into to a field and I have called several coyotes to me in this roadway. There is a ditch right next to it that has several denning locations on it and it has been a good place over the years, and now that I can use the AR15 there, I will use it much more. (Public ground use to be limited to Rimfire only)

After the time I hiked in, set up the call and started wailing on it, I got 20 minutes into the stand and called in the ....... Rain. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif After I got soaked and tried to get packed up quick again, I got nearly back to the truck and it quits. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif .. Moment of truth ---- Do I stay and walk back, or go try somewhere else....

Being that I had already walked by a bowhunter 2 times on my way in and out within 30 minutes, I decided to go to some private land that I got permission to hunt last Jan. I have seen coyotes on the road there before and stopped to ask one day that he was tending his cows. Never hunted the place until today though. I have kept in contact with him since then and called him to make sure that I wouldn't be interrupting his plans, then headed out. Wind was perfect and there was no way that the coyotes could get my wind, not without crossing the road behind me a 1/4 mile away. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I was promptly greeted by cows that followed me to my stand. I then set the Scorpion in the middle of a hay bale feeder ring and headed toward the tree line that was 350yds to my south. Got set down and nothing... Dang Scorpion wouldn't play. (Long story there). So I went to hand calls and continued my calling. After about 3 minutes, I hear a commotion in the bushes behind me, then total silence the rest of the entire stand. My thoughts were I had a Bobcat stalking me, but I never saw it. So, once I set there for 45 minutes, I take off low and slow back to the Scorpion to find out what the heck is going on, and head back home for another day. I surveyed the fields on my way back and found a couple of tom turkeys about 400yds out and they didn't seem to concerned with me there so I watched them and the fields for a few minutes longer.

Once I got back to my call and started "Tech support" I tried the call close up and it worked. I wasn't trying to hunt but I was still being cautious of movement and such. By accident though the call was set to "Coyote Locator" as my first sound and the remote was on the highest level when I hit the send button. Once that sound played, howls came from all over where I was just sitting. I really pissed these coyotes off, I had one that was almost growling when he barked. I wish I could have recorded it, it would have been a new Foxpro sound.

I tried some challenges and interrogations but I never could get the coyotes to come out and light was fading fast. I also didn't want to leave and educate the coyotes so I decided to sit till dark an not push the issue on this new place. I figured at that point, I would try a morning hunt and double my chances. At least that was the plan.. thinking I could leave tonight while making a bovine escorted departure. Problem is that after 10 minutes of silence, the curiosity got to one of the coyotes and it came out after me to see why that bush (Me) was making coyote sounds. This thing ran at me from 300yds out in a full bore run and stopped broad sided at 100yds to circle me. Then miraculously, the barrel got warm and there was a flash at the muzzle... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

She's down.. Curiosity killed the coyote.

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Sorry for the bad picture and late post. I had my daughter take the picture when I got home with it and my wife and I went out on a "Christmas shopping - Date thingy" I just couldn't get her to go dutch. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

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then set the Scorpion in the middle of a hay bale feeder ring and headed toward the tree line that was 350yds to my south.



Did you actually set up 350 yards from the caller?
 
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Quote:
then set the Scorpion in the middle of a hay bale feeder ring and headed toward the tree line that was 350yds to my south.



Did you actually set up 350 yards from the caller?





Yes and I will explain why. This is a unique place with the weather conditions and the layout so that was my best option. I linked to a picture that will help explain. Keep in mind that this property has never been called before.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/cjdavis618/Weatherford.jpg

The Call was on a high spot of the property and the coyotes would have crossed in front of me on the way to the call. The wind would have taken my scent directly to the call but there would have been no way for the coyote to get there without me or the cows (which I was watching also) seeing them first.

All of the trees you see on the map are cleaned out underneath and there is no scrub brush to deal with. I had a clear view of the entire area from the base of the tree I was setting at. I fully expected one to come out of the tree line behind me and go to the lowest spot just below and to the right of the small pond in the middle. That was a 100yd shot and the coyote would have thought it was concealed. I also watched the cows and every so often they would look that way as a group, so I know the coyotes were there, but they weren't committing to come out in the open during plain daylight.

In reality, when the coyote did come out later, that is exactly what it had done.


I'm sure there are other ways to set up, but that was what I thought would give me the best chance that day. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
In most cases yes. If it is hanging in a tree or something then yes. I thought that if I set it on the hay bale high enough, it would work there also. But with the metal ring around, I guess not.

My FX3 that I had before, I could easily get it to work out to 500 while on the ground. With line of sight of course.




Oh and thanks Weasel-UT.. That is cool. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Why not set up in the clump of trees between where the hay bales are and the woodsline? Just curious. Seems you could see everything just as good, have the wind in your favor, and any coyote coming to the call would be coming towards you.
 
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Why not set up in the clump of trees between where the hay bales are and the woodsline? Just curious. Seems you could see everything just as good, have the wind in your favor, and any coyote coming to the call would be coming towards you.




The sun was in my face at that time and I would have stood out like a sore thumb. By setting in the treeline behind I was in the shaded side. They would have never suspected that there was anything behind them and they would have crossed in front of me anyway on the way to the call. This was the best way to maximize my viewing area and also set up for a solid shooting position. Those trees you are talking about were cleaned out underneath and had no leaves for shading. The lowest branch would be about 15 feet up. I just didn't think I would be concealed enough without giving myself away to them when they came in. At least not while trying to watch a full 180 degrees in front of me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 
Thanks guys. I'm just trying to improve my odds. It was just a great day and even with all of the problems, my spirits were high and it was fun. Life's to short for perfection. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As soon as this front full of ice moves out, I'm going back after her boyfriend. I'll teach him to growl-howl-bark (or whatever that was) at me.

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Great story and writing style CJ. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif Sometimes shutting up and letting the silence get to them is the best option.
 
Mike, that is exactly right. I knew I was being watched and it had become a task not to ruin the area. I can say that the majority of this hunt was planned during the hunt, even though it didn't go as planned it was still a hunt to remember.

This is where the experience pays off. When I first started coyote hunting, I would have made all kinds of mistakes at this place and I see that in hindsight. But after doing this a few years and learning as much as I can from here and every Predator dvd known to man. I still think the coyotes have taught me the most. That is where it counts and makes it fun.

I just picked up a better camera for the hunts of the future, and you can bet there will be more on the way. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif I like telling the story of my hunts and maybe by putting things down in detail, I will help someone else out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
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