Snowshoes
Well-known member
With a very light breeze out of the west and the mercury sitting at 12*F, I knew what coyote trails I would be watching this morning. Having booked the day off to take care of a few things, there would still be time for a morning hunt.
After parking the truck, I began my 600 yard stroll towards a small hilltop that would offer thick bush behind me, three different coyote trails to watch and a good vantage point overlooking the countryside. On my way to this fine spot, I see one coyote in the field to the west, two near the farmyard and one on the slough to the north.
Once settled in, I watch the two coyotes leave the farm site and head north which is the wrong direction as far as I was concerned.
Fifteen minutes later, I see a coyote directly west of me who just walked out of the same tree row as behind me. Swing the cross hairs onto coyote fur and send a 64 grain Berger hollow point on its way. The coyote does a couple quick spins, then followed with a labored dog tracking trot a few yards before going down for good. This coyote followed the term "dog tracking" to a tee! It looked as if its back legs were going to pass its front legs as it trotted almost completely sideways for 20 or so yards. Ranged where the coyote originally stood at 104 yards.
The red arrow in the picture marks where I was sitting.
The shot kicked a couple coyotes from the slough bottoms but they too went north and I figured this was likely it for coyote activity this morning.
I planned to sit for another 15 minutes and I was glad I did. After a few minutes of dropping the first coyote, I notice another coyote come out of the cattails but at least this one is working its way towards me. Its route of travel didn't include any particular trail but the direction of travel was in my favor. The southbound coyote then decided to cut west and I wasted no time getting the cross hairs onto it. I didn't even need to "bark" at the coyote as it stopped on its own. The crack of the 223AI is followed with a second coyote doing a couple spins before trotting a few yards before doing the wobbly leg lay down.
Ranged back to where I sat (174 yards). A good sized male
After parking the truck, I began my 600 yard stroll towards a small hilltop that would offer thick bush behind me, three different coyote trails to watch and a good vantage point overlooking the countryside. On my way to this fine spot, I see one coyote in the field to the west, two near the farmyard and one on the slough to the north.
Once settled in, I watch the two coyotes leave the farm site and head north which is the wrong direction as far as I was concerned.
Fifteen minutes later, I see a coyote directly west of me who just walked out of the same tree row as behind me. Swing the cross hairs onto coyote fur and send a 64 grain Berger hollow point on its way. The coyote does a couple quick spins, then followed with a labored dog tracking trot a few yards before going down for good. This coyote followed the term "dog tracking" to a tee! It looked as if its back legs were going to pass its front legs as it trotted almost completely sideways for 20 or so yards. Ranged where the coyote originally stood at 104 yards.
The red arrow in the picture marks where I was sitting.
The shot kicked a couple coyotes from the slough bottoms but they too went north and I figured this was likely it for coyote activity this morning.
I planned to sit for another 15 minutes and I was glad I did. After a few minutes of dropping the first coyote, I notice another coyote come out of the cattails but at least this one is working its way towards me. Its route of travel didn't include any particular trail but the direction of travel was in my favor. The southbound coyote then decided to cut west and I wasted no time getting the cross hairs onto it. I didn't even need to "bark" at the coyote as it stopped on its own. The crack of the 223AI is followed with a second coyote doing a couple spins before trotting a few yards before doing the wobbly leg lay down.
Ranged back to where I sat (174 yards). A good sized male
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