Nov. & Dec. 2020 hunts

Snowshoes

Well-known member
October 31 2020
Last weekend we were snow covered and seen a low of 0*F with the highs only reaching 23*F. This weekend our lows are barely going below the freezing mark and our highs are to hit 59*F to 63*F.
The snow is now all gone and it doesn’t really feel like coyote hunting weather.
Saturday morning I went out to see if I could entice a coyote to the call but brown coyotes amongst brown grasses can be tough to see.
Set up over looking a ravine and I started off with a couple howls. A mule deer buck wandered out of the draw below me and slowly worked its way up the ravine to the north but that was it for activity. I then switched to the e-caller and let cottontail distress play for 20 or 30 seconds. Cloudy skies combined with an endless landscape of brown’s required binoculars to differentiate between grass clumps and four legged furry things. On my last scan, I see a coyote at the fence line to the south of me. This coyote is also scanning the area but without the aid of binoculars and I would think we were on equal ground now.
After a minute, I once again play a short burst of the cottontail distress but the coyote doesn’t budge. Switched to pup distress a couple minutes later didn’t work either. After a half minute, my intended target was up and looking like it was about to leave the area. I took a quick range ( 264 yards) and adjusted the turrets accordingly. The shot felt good but the results didn’t match! Watched my coyote lope away! Maybe hit some grass or maybe just plain missed, I don’t know.
Shortly after the shot, I watch a decent sized whitetail buck meander along the fence line where the coyote had stood a few seconds earlier.
From there, I drove 2 miles southeast and set up on the fence line which has a large block of bush close by. Historically I’ve had good luck calling in this spot and anticipation was high for a repeat performance. I thought I did a stellar job calling but after 15 minutes, I realized I was the only one who thought so.

Sunday November 1 2020
This morning, I thought I would just do some scouting a couple miles west of home. I parked the truck in my usual spot and from there began my westward journey across the field. The field had been worked and the uneven terrain made for tough walking. First thing I would do after getting back to the truck, would be make a trail for the ease of future walks.
After setting up in my usual spot, I use the binoculars to aid in my scouting efforts. With the canola field being cultivated, it too made for tough spotting of coyotes.
I pick up movement to the northwest and see one coyote who looks to be mousing. Another coyote is soon picked up in my limited field of view of the binoculars but this one is headed north and away from the area. Five minutes later, the original coyote, starts to head south which shifts my heart rate up a gear. The excitement is short lived as I watch the coyote cut west and into the trees.
Another five minutes pass before catching movement once again to the north. This time however, its two fox. The one looks to be chasing the other and I soon lose sight of them in the rolling hills. A half minute later, I see one of the fox trotting back and it seemed to be holding its head a little higher than usual. It looked to be proud of showing that other fox, who is who in that neck to the woods!
Another 5 or so minutes pass before seeing another coyote leaving the the slough bottoms but it too was making a northerly journey.
I was a little disappointed to not have any coyotes come my direction but after all, I was here scouting. A quick glance at my watch and would give myself another ten minutes before leaving. Roughly 5 minutes passes and I then see a coyote to the west of me. Its slowly walking along a slough and with a quick range I get a reading of 204 yards. The coyote picks up my movement as I shuffle around to get into position. My target is now looking directly at me but nothing zooming up the scope won’t take care of. A touch of the trigger has my first coyote of the season.

November 7 2020
We had a decently warm week but that all changed overnight. This morning the snow had returned and the temperatures dropped a few degrees.
An east wind would really limit my options of where I could go and visibility was very limited also.
The drive on a snow covered hi-way put a reconsideration of my initial choice of destination. A change of plans and I decided to check the same area as last Sunday but this time I would go to the north of the numerous slough bottoms.
Shortly after leaving the truck I observe fresh coyote tracks on the trail and I kept a watchful eye for the culprit who made them.
On my journey towards a good lookout spot was halted when I see a coyote laying on the ice of a small slough next to the trail I was following. The snow was really coming down now reducing visibility but yet the coyote picked me out instantly. I’m not sure it knew what I was and it never moved from its resting spot. With a couple attempts to find a clear shot through tree branches and not wanting to move around too much, I did find what looked to be clear path. Cross hairs placed on the coyote and the bullet flew true to its target. From where I was, the coyote looked to be close to the far shore but that proved to not be the case. After walking over to the far shore, I could see the coyote was still 30 feet out on what would be very thin ice. There was still open water just a few feet away from where the coyote laid. The coyote looked to have poor fur quality on the back and I easily convinced myself, that to be the case.
I took a quick picture and then went back to the truck as the snowfall was getting more intense. The coyote hunting would be put on hold until the weather smartens up.


To be continued
 
After shooting that coyote on the slough last Saturday, it continued snowing heavily until early Monday morning. Heavy snow combined with high winds created 4 foot drifts in my yard and worse of all, on the garage pad behind my truck.
Monday afternoon was clear but Tuesday morning was snowing again. Four inches of fresh snow by 6:30 am and it continued snowing until mid morning Wednesday. The winds kicked up around noon on Tuesday and 24 hours later, I was faced with round two of using the snowblower to rid of 3 -4 deep drifts from the yard.
Sunday afternoon was clear skies but cool ( 4° F) and I thought it would be a great time to call coyotes. I had a spot in mind but first I would break a trail with the truck into another spot.It seemed like a great idea but Mother Nature would dictate otherwise. I drove 1-1/2 miles west from home, turned north on a lease road and promptly got stuck in a low spot as I was entering the field. Speed combined with four wheel drive, what could go wrong?
Long story short, after an hour and half of shoveling and trying to get out , I was in a worse situation. Soft wet ground and 24- 30 inches of snow on top was making my attempts impossible. Finally gave into defeat and phoned a buddy from down the road to come pull me out. I'm living proof, you're never to old to do stupid things
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This last snowstorm will eliminate a lot of areas I normally access by vehicle. I don’t mind snowshoeing some distance but I usually drove as close as practical before putting the big feet on. A lot of areas would now require some long jaunts and that thought didn't thrill me much.
This is likely the worst snow conditions I’ve had to deal with in 30 years. I was also 30 years younger then and I don't recall being as concerned. Oh well, I can still get to a few areas.

Saturday November 14th, I drove back to where I got stuck last Sunday but this time I made sure to not park the truck in a 3 foot snowbank. I toyed with the idea of bringing the snowshoes with but figured the wind swept hill tops would make for easy walking.
The first two hundred yards were brutal walking with many rest stops and some self scolding for not having the snowshoes with. For the most part, the snow was above my knees which made for slow progress and I was already rethinking the sanity of my journey. Once I got to the first hilltop, the snow depth had lessened but 350 yards further west to the next hilltop was my destination. From the hilltop where I stood, I could see deep snow between me and the next hilltop which was not encouraging at all.
Suddenly the hilltop I was on, seemed to be a great spot to set up and wait. I noticed there was quite a few coyote tracks in the area which was promising. Another downside to the whole situation, I had forgotten my rangefinder binoculars at home.
I could make out 5 coyotes on a slough east of the farm site and a couple in the field to the south. I had been informed the day before of a recent addition to the “dead pile" and this likely was the big attraction of those coyotes. Ravens and magpies were too numerous to count as they too fed when the opportunity arose. Fifteen minutes later, a group of three coyotes head straight to where I had planned to be sitting. Watching those three, made me kind of wish I had kept slugging it out.
Five minute later I see one standing straight north of me but I wasn’t exactly sure how far out it was but I knew it was 300 plus yards.
Another two coyotes travel the same route as the group of three and I just sit and watch them casually work their way to the trees. The single to the north finally decides to continue its southward travels and once it gets to the edge of slough bottom I decide I better take the shot just in case it decides to disappear into the cattails. Roughly a 200 yard shot has coyote number one for the morning down.
The shot sends coyotes every direction and of course, a few more went straight to where I wanted to be set up at.
A few minutes pass before seeing another coyote directly north of me. This one is sitting down but once again uncertain of the yardage. A long ten minutes pass but now the single is joined by another coyote and together they start making there way towards me. The lead coyote heads straight into the cattails but the second one skirts along the edge and stops when it spots the coyote I previously shot. Cross hairs are on the chest and with a squeeze of the trigger, down goes coyote number two. Chamber another round but I don’t see the other coyote busting out from cover. A watchful eye of the area finally reveals the coyote slowly walking out of the cattails just a few feet from the two downed ones. I get the rifle into position but the coyote is now loping up the hill to the north. I bark and howl but it travels a fair ways before stopping. I aim a bit high on the coyotes shoulder and with a touch of the trigger the coyote jumps straight up and then tears off to the north. I see that coyote crest the next hill and then another hill and then finally out of sight.

Figuring that was likely it for action I pack up to go fetch the two coyotes but wouldn’t you know it, another coyote strolls across the field towards the spot where I hoped to be set up at.
I walked down to the two coyotes and as I was taking a picture of them, I see another coyote to the west heading south to where I should have been. Seeing all these coyotes to the west were both encouraging and frustrating to say the least.
I knew then, I would be back with the snowmobile to pack a walking trail for my next hunt.

An hour later, I am back to this area with the snowmobile packing a walking trail. Numerous heavily used coyote trails enter the bush near the hilltop where I planned to sit and I just knew this spot should be magic come tomorrow morning.

Sunday November 15 2020
This morning had ton’s of potential for coyote activity. With a good packed trail to walk on, lots of coyotes in the area but then there is that one major factor that can screw up the best laid plans..... wind direction!
A southeast breeze was the absolute worst possible direction and all my dreams of coyotes stacked high in the truck box was shattered.
A change of plans sent me “feedlot” bound instead but with it being my first trip this season there, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew the cattle numbers would be down as the owners had sold all the calves and feeders but I was happy to see there was a few cows still there.
A quarter mile walk from the truck has me at the west end of the corrals and I can see two coyotes feeding at the dead pile to the west. Using a long row of round bales as cover, I work my south towards the creek valley and the plan was to make a stalk on the coyotes at the dead pile. A very dark ( almost black scruffy looking coyote) jumps off the bales ahead of me and enters the corrals but its soon lost amongst the cattle. I continue south and just before reaching the end of the bale row, I see a coyote to the south who is heading east along the fence line. I drop down to my knees but from my lower elevation, I can no longer see the coyote. I started to stand up but the coyote was now coming north on the tractor trail. Back down on my knees, get the rifle lined up and now to wait for the coyote to walk into a clear spot. The coyote appears and a simple 64 yard shot to the chest had it down. Later when I returned and upon closer inspection, I could see this coyote wasn’t worth taking home.


A quick check of the dead pile revealed one coyote still there and when its head was down, I made a quick dash from the end of the bales to the fence line. Once to the fence, I see a total of 4 coyotes in various spots on the far side of the creek valley but non looked concerned about the shot from earlier.
I watch a couple of coyotes head west and the other two head for the bush to the south. The stalk is back on, and once I get to within 137 yards of the dead pile ( yes, I remembered the rangefinder binoculars today) I use a clump of weeds as cover to make my final approach. I get set up for a shot but notice a dark neck and shoulders on this coyote indicating shoulder mites. I sit back and wait to see if any other coyotes will show up, hopefully with decent fur but nothing else does. The single coyote finally wanders off and I take the opportunity to cut down into the valley. I set up on a north/south fence and from here I would try calling. Before I pull any calls out, I glass the valley floor and see a coyote sitting to the southwest ( ranged at 683 yards). This coyote is looking to the northwest and paying me no attention.
My view to the west. The coyote is further south than what is shown in the picture.


I can see that the coyote is a fine looking specimen and hope it will come to the call.
I start off with some distress calls using a bite call but all that does is get a glance my direction. After the second series of distress I see another fine looking coyote trotting across the valley but it just meets up with the other one. Now I have two coyotes sitting on a hilltop listening to my calls and looking my way but not committing.
A third series of distress doesn’t budge the two but I do see another coyote coming my direction from the west but it too hangs up. I switch to a diaphragm reed and give some coyote yelps which brings the single to the willow trees ( left of my gun barrel in the picture). The other two are still stationary.
Range the trees at 202 yards and after a couple minute wait, I see the coyote clear the trees. Dang! Its that same coyote that I passed up at the dead pile.
Well this coyote got one chance but its not getting two as I swing the cross hairs onto it and proceed to send a bullet harmlessly on its way. The coyote trots off and enters the creek channel before I could get the cross hairs lined up again. I get glimpses of the coyote as it trots down the channel but offers no clear shots. It finally stops and is sniffing around which gives me time to take a quick range on the nearby creek bank. The rangefinder showed 356 yards and a quick adjustment on the scope is made. On cue, the coyote trots up the bank and stops to look back which proved to be a big mistake on its part!
The shot hits the coyote and it gives multiple yelps as it falls down the bank and onto the creek channel. Its yelps didn’t bring any coyotes either but I was hopeful. The other two coyotes were no longer around which didn’t surprise me but I really questioned why I would walk an additional 350 yards ( 700 yards round trip) just for a photo of a scruffy coyote. I question my sanity at times!
May not have been a good coyote but the shot was satisfying to say the least!
 
After the disappointment of not getting to go where I planned this morning, I decided to head there late this afternoon. The wind direction was terrible this morning but with those coyotes now likely bedded in the bushes to the south, I would take advantage of the packed trail and change my set up.
The walk westward on the snowmobile trail was relaxing compared to Saturday mornings trek of trudging through deep drifted snow.
Instead of sitting with trees at my back, I would be setting up at the edge of a slough using bull rushes and reeds to break up my silhouette. Once settled in, I ranged the trees where the coyote trail entered and got a feedback of 168 yards.
I had to wait a few minutes until the trees blocked the sun rays from my eyes and once my location was in the shadows, I started the e-caller with Mrs. Cottontail. I only let it play for 20 or 30 seconds before muting. A scan of the area showed no signs of life so I played another short burst. Once again scan the area after muting the caller but this time I see a coyote sitting at the edge of the trees right where I expected. The naked eye didn’t pick out the coyote but the help of the binoculars sure did.
Zoomed the scope up, then placed the cross hairs on its chest and the bullet flew true netting the third coyote of the day.
I waited a couple minutes to see if any other coyotes would show but nothing did. I never bothered calling anymore as I really didn’t care for my location and having harvested one coyote here was good enough for this go around.
 
Saturday November 21 2020
After work yesterday, I made a quick run with the snowmobile to repack the trail west of home. There was more snow mid week and I needed to keep my walking trail in tip top shape. Once there packing coyote avenue , I noticed quite a few fresh coyote tracks crisscrossing the field which sparked my interest

This morning as I walked on my packed snowmobile trail, I noticed coyotes had taken advantage of the trail also.
Traveled to the second hilltop this time and once there and setup, I take a scan of the area. Three coyotes are observed by the barns but they all slowly make their way north. Twenty minutes later a group of five coyotes trot out the bush and head to the slough bottom. Not one of those coyotes looked good and I wasn’t disappointed when they left the direction they had come from.

Fifteen minutes later a single comes from the slough bottoms and this one is headed my direction. I watch it leisurely stroll along and it takes a long time to get within range. Its to the east of me and with some shuffling I get lined up. A quick range shows, 211 yards and I raise the turret one inch. A well place bullet to the chest has the coyote down for the count.


The shot kicks two coyotes from the slough bottoms and I can see one is definitely headed my way. It cautiously heads my direction but keeps checking its back trail.
Things looked to be coming together, but then the second coyotes comes into view and puts the chase on the other. Two high speed coyotes weren’t in the plans and that second coyote sure raised havoc with what looked to be a golden opportunity.

Called it a morning and on the walk over to collect the coyote, I see 3 sitting on the edge of the bush to the west. They gleamed in the sunlight and look worthy of a stalk but they have me pegged, so a sneak would have been futile.
 
First off, I would like to say thank-you for the comments
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Sunday November 22 2020
Well this morning was one of those days where I would scare coyotes but nothing more. (Actually, I'm not sure I even scared them)
First went to the feedlot and was basically following my steps from last Sunday morning. Once again used the long row of round bales as cover and I paused to take a look around when I got to the end of the bales. There I kicked up that black mangy coyote again. An ugly coyote to say the least and I never got the chance for a shot. I was within 10 feet of it when I kicked it out of its bed. I had cows just a few yards to the east of me ( in the corral) and I guess the coyote never heard me walk up to it. It lives for another day but it does need to be put down.
Never seen any other coyotes there so I walked back to the truck and then headed for a spot north of the large poultry farm. I drove the truck down a blind road as far as I dare and as I was parking, I see a coyote in the field to the east. The coyote didn’t seem to have noticed me and was traveling on what turned out to be a heavily used trail towards the poultry farm.
After parking the truck, I journeyed to a spot where I sat numerous times last season. Got set up and within 15 minutes I have a coyote crest the hill to the southeast I give a vocal bark which stops the coyote at roughly 145 yards. The scope was still zoomed down from trying to get a shot at the mangy feedlot coyote earlier. I notice a second coyote behind the lead coyote and I paused briefly to decide which coyote to shoot. Picked the lead coyote who now was facing me and sent a bullet to unknown parts of the hillside. The coyote looked very small in the scope! The second coyote starts trotting back the way it came and I sent a bullet harmlessly its way.
Five minutes later a really nice looking coyotes comes down the trail and I also stop it with a vocal howl. Rushed the shot and watched that coyote run to the safety of the trees.
A couple minutes later comes another coyote and once again it stops in basically the same spot as the others, Not sure why I pulled the trigger as I noticed the cross hairs were just off the coyote as I shot. Another missed opportunity.
Sat for a few minutes and I see a coyote loping towards the bush to the west of me. This coyote is between me and my truck and the coyotes focus is on the truck. No chance for a shot as the coyote was into the trees in a matter of seconds.
After 4 shots at 4 coyotes and nothing to show for my efforts, I decided to call it quits and head back to the truck. As I reached the truck, I see another coyote cresting the hill to the west and it picks out the truck, turns around and makes tracks back over the hill where it came from. This last coyote would have been less than 200 yards out!
I had chances but didn’t close the deal. The rifle was on a “time out” until it got a thorough cleaning. Pretty sure it's shooter error and not a gun issue but not taking any chances 😊 I can’t remember the last time I missed 4 coyotes in a row but maybe I just block those deep dark memories from every being replayed in the ole noggin.
Disclaimer: No coyotes were injured during this episode
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I had a lack of faith of my shooting abilities now, so a trip to the gun range was required. As I thought, the rifle shot just fine!
With the rest of the week booked off, Monday and Tuesday netted a total of 4 coyotes with a gun I once again had faith in. For some reason I didn't bother with any notes or pictures. So we will just skip over those ones. The four were results of sniper shooting them as they traveled on trails.
 
Wednesday Nov. 25 2020
With the Covid numbers once again increasing, I thought, what better way to isolate than sitting alone by a bush patch watching well traveled coyote trails.
This morning I was a bit late getting to the spot where I sat two days prior. It had been very foggy last night and the forecast was to be the same this morning. I didn’t hold a whole lot of hope for this morning but was surprised to see clear skies after I reluctantly got up. This would require some mad scrambling to now get ready.
Parked in the same spot as Monday and was setting a fast pace to get to my location but there was already one coyote heading for the bush. Legal shooting light was 15 minutes prior to my arrival and I should have been here earlier.
Once I reach and get settled into my spot, I glass the area and see one coyote sitting on far off hilltop. A few minutes pass and here comes a single down the trail. I bark and howl at it but it just keeps walking and pays me zero attention. With a slight lead in the scope, I touch off a shot which drops the coyote. A few minutes pass before seeing a group of three coming down the same trail. A vocal howl on my part gets them to stop but I proceed to shoot and miss. Not broadside shots, more of a straight on shot at that point of the trail but one thing for sure, coyotes in that location seem to be safe from me.
A few minutes pass and numerous magpies have discovered the downed coyote and waste no time trying to get a quick lunch. A golden eagle glides over twice but doesn’t land amongst the magpies. I made a quick recovery of the coyote before the magpies wrecked the pelt. After dragging the coyote to safety from the magpies. I sit for another half hour but no other coyotes ventured by. Packed up and began the journey back to the truck but at the halfway point, I realized I hadn’t once again taken a picture. After a quick picture, I continued to the truck with coyote in tow.
 
Snowshoes, thank you for the great stories and picture of your hunts. For us that do not have a coyote rich area as your, we dearly appreciated the time you spend writing about your journeys. So far it seems that you have a lot of not so good looking coyotes this year running around. But I'm confident you will remove some of those undesired ones. As for the 4 misses, you are human after all. HaHa Again Congrats.
 
Thank you guys for the comments!

Wednesday afternoon (November 25th)
Went out this afternoon to an area south of home where I have heard coyotes howling in the evenings. Managed to get into the field with the truck which shortened the walk by almost a half mile.
Set up on the south end of a small bush patch that borders a fair size slough.
Started off with coyote howls and after a 3 minute wait, I switched to cottontail distress. I glass the thick bush across the slough to the southeast but see nothing. I do see a coyote a half mile away that is having no part of this fiasco and traveling to parts unknown.
A minute or two later, I play some pup distress and almost instantly a coyote bust out of the cattails on the far side of the slough. It travels across the slough and stops on the ice directly east of my location. It started to head for the shoreline which would give me a 50 – 60 yard shot but then swings to the north and continues its journey to get downwind of me. I watch the coyote get further and further away but luck was on my side when I see it cut into the cattails. I take that opportunity to get in a better shooting position and take a quick range of the cattails where the coyote was last seen. I get a reading of 159 yards and as I lower the binoculars, the coyote pops out of the cattails and heads for the shoreline. It stops to take a look and I have the cross hairs steadied on its chest. The 64 grain Berger bullet from the .223AI does it job by dropping the coyote in its tracks.
Not trusting the ice yet, I had to wait until this coyote came to the shoreline.
 
Thanks for the posts, Snowshoes. I am enjoying your adventures and secretly wishing coyote numbers were that high in my neck of the woods.

Merry Christmas
 
Originally Posted By: crazyyoteCentral Alberta is loaded with coyotes until Snowshoes gets ahold of them!!
I'm up to the challenge but at times its seems I'm losing the battle
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Originally Posted By: borkonHow many you have killed this season?

This has been my most dismal year in the past 15?

Funny you ask, I counted them up the other day from the pictures on my phone. There was twenty but I forgot about the four I didn't have pictures of. An additional one was added yesterday, so my total to date is twenty five.
Originally Posted By: GrigsbyThanks for the posts, Snowshoes. I am enjoying your adventures and secretly wishing coyote numbers were that high in my neck of the woods.

Merry Christmas

Thank you Gribsby and a Merry Christmas to you also!
 
November 27 2020
To start this story, we need to go back a few months. Over the course of the past few years, the odd ejected 223AI brass has been lost in the grasses and/or snow.
So last spring I fire formed twenty Lapua 223 brass into 223AI brass using the pistol powder and cornmeal method. All my previous 223AI brass had started out as 223 Nosler brass and was fire formed the exact same way. The Nosler brass has always worked flawlessly through my rifle.

This fall I had a couple of the Lapua brass slightly stick in the chamber. The first time was a couple weeks ago and it took roughly five tries before it ejected. Then a week ago, I had another Lapua brass stick but this time it only took 3 tries to eject. Loaded exactly the same as all previous hunting loads but yet the odd one was finicky. Not all the Lapua gave issues but the odd one. No pressure signs so I wasn't concerned as the the odd newly formed brass was more of an inconvenience than anything else. Second time loaded Lapua brass gave zero issues but of course I had a few more first time loads to use up.

With 3 inches of fresh snow Wednesday morning, then another inch during the evening, combined with wind, this would further limit where I could get the truck into. The first order of business yesterday was to pack a walking trails with the snowmobile. The area where I missed 4 coyotes, looked very promising by the overwhelming amount of new tracks and I knew that would be my destination Friday morning.
Friday morning, I head for the “coyote central” area but I couldn’t get the truck down the blind road as far as I did a few days ago. A snowmobile trail to walk on was good but I would have preferred driving. It was 15 minutes before legal shooting light when I left the truck to make the half mile trek to my setup location. A hundred yards into my hike, I see a pair of coyotes standing on a cut line to the east of me. They know I’m there but don’t bust for cover of the trees and within a few seconds they are joined by 2 others. The four slowly head into the trees to the north and I also continue my northerly hike. With the moonlight shining off the snow, I could see them well enough but still too early for a shot.
Once I reached my destination, I set out a coyote decoy just off the main coyote trail and then hike back to my shooting spot. I have barked and howled at these coyotes to get them to stop previously and figured I would try the decoy to get them to stop this time around. A check of my watch showed it was now legal shooting light and within a few minutes, I have a single coming down the trail. There was also another one on a hilltop further to the south. The lead coyote keeps getting closer and closer before spotting the decoy, it briefly hits the brakes to investigate but then throws the paws into high gear. Following the coyote running flat out in the scope, I place the cross hairs well ahead of its chest and send a bullet its way. Even though the coyote was hit hard, it managed to run at full speed a few more yards before veering off the trail and cartwheeling into the deep snow.
I pull the bolt back and the brass doesn’t follow. You got to be kidding me!
I cycle the bolt numerous times without success and then notice a group of three coyotes coming down the trail. They all stop exactly where I hoped but I had no firepower. I watched them skirt around the decoy as they made their way to the cattail. I frantically cycled the bolt in hopes of the extractor pulling the brass out of the chamber but with no avail. I glanced up and see another single coming down the trail and of course, it too stops in the perfect spot. I kept cycling the bolts but the brass wasn’t budging. It was decided then and there that the rest of the Lapua first time loaded brass will be used at the gun range.
Frustrated to say the least, I get up and walk out to collect the coyote in what should be prime time for coyote travels.
I took a picture of the coyote exactly how I found it laying. A good looking coyote that had some gymnastic skill to boot! A fine cartwheel, following with an impressive landing!

After taking a picture, I grabbed a leg and drug it back to collect the decoy and my gear. When I left to collect the coyote, the rifle was cradled in the shooting bi pod but on my return, the rifle was laying in the snow along with the bi pod. Well if that isn’t just insult to injury!!!!!
Brushed the snow off the rifle as best as I could and cycled the action again just in case. As I am fiddling around with the gun, I see another coyote coming down the trail. I’m standing up and the coyote trots closer and closer as if I were invisible. It finally spots me and tears off to safety.
I pull the deer drag harness out of my backpack and in the middle of putting it on, I see yet another coyote in the field. This one isn’t on the trail but its only a 100 yards from me and heading east. I squat down and watch it merge onto the heavily used trail and watch it take the same route as the others had earlier. It even stopped to look things over which just put my frustrations up another level. With coyote in tow, and a snowmobile trail to follow I made haste across the field and onto the old road. Once on the road, it was a matter of a 600 yard walk to my truck. At the half way point, I hear something breaking branches in the bush just ahead of me. Figuring it to be a deer, I paid it no attention and continued my journey. A hundred yards further, I come to a slough that border the east side of the road and what is standing there but another coyote! It looks at me for a few seconds before walking into the cattail and then the trees. Its starting to seem these coyotes know full well that I am no danger to them! I just continue south and as I come to the cut line, I think, surely not but of course that rotten coyote is standing there. Not sure I could have actually gotten a shot off but it really didn’t matter at this point anyways.
Once home, I separate the last of my first time loaded Lapua brass and with the aid of a cleaning rod, freed the empty brass from the chamber.
 
Saturday November 28 2020
This morning was windy but relatively warm as long as you could be in the shelter of trees. A long walk (almost ¾ mile) but I would be out of the wind for one thing and also its where I have been seeing some coyotes enter the bush south of the poultry farm. Normally I sit further south where I have a good view point but today would be in a spot with a hill blocking any view of approaching coyotes. When they do appear, they would be close, so a guy has to be at full attention. A previously packed snowmobile trail made the walk much more enjoyable even if the wind was covering the trail with snow. Once to my spot, I kick out a spot in the snow to sit. As I am doing so, I glance up and see a coyote at the crest of the hill. Its not quite legal shooting light and combined with the dark gloomy skies, the coyote knew something was up but it wasn’t scared. The binoculars revealed a crappy looking dark wire haired coyote and I wasn’t disappointed when it decided to turn around and go back the way it had come. I figured I would likely see this coyote again later on.
My view from where I sat

Right at legal shooting light, I have a coyote step out of the bush to the north of me. I lip squeak a few times to get its attention and you could tell instantly when it heard the squeaks. The coyote swings around and comes trotting towards me. When it stops, I send a bullet its way, dropping coyote number one for the morning. ( Later ranged at 82 yards).
Ten minutes later another coyote comes out of the bush and is heading up the hill. A vocal bark on my part stops the coyote and a 116 yard shot has it down. I was a bit surprised that the last two coyotes came from the bush.

Ten minutes or so later, here comes the wire haired coyote I had seen earlier. It crest the hill and looks at the downed one. The coyote swings south and stops to look at its fallen buddy. I send a bullet its way and know the coyote is hit hard but it labors its way into the trees.
I sat for another 20 minutes but nothing else ventured by. I walked out and drug the two good coyotes off the field which I hid in the trees to hopefully keep the ravens & magpies off them. I would return with the snowmobile to fetch them later.

After taking a picture of the pair, I walk into the bush a few yards where I find the wire haired coyote piled up on the trail.


It always amazes me how the walk back to the truck seems so much more enjoyable when the hunt was successful.
 
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