To Shoot Or Not To Shoot

DoubleUp

Well-known member
That is the question! I am hunting a field where I have killed many coyotes over the years. I reach my setup place about 8:30, so I am early and still in some daylight. I wait to start calling for it to get darker. Humidity is over 90% with rain imminent and thermal is not nearly as good as usual. About 5 minutes before I plan to start calling I see a pair coming across the field. They are getting closer all the time and I’m trying to get as much darkness as possible.

I begin calling using a favorite rabbit sound to which they pay no attention whatsoever. They are now abreast of me and within 200 yds. where I know that I can make a kill. I switch to another prey sound, nothing. I switch to a coyote vocal and still they pay no attention, but keep paralleling me. The question is what would you do? The video shows that I did not shoot.



 
Obviously they for what ever reason can't be called. I would have shot them. With that being said I don't hunt now till after end of June, because of pups. My choice only. The back one acts like last years pup, to me. If they are coyotes. I can't be sure looking at that video.
 
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By not shooting, you may have a closer shot in the future. Again if comfortable for the shot, then shoot. Neither way is wrong. They may not like how it turns out next time. Good luck.
 
I question the tail position (at the 2:00 mark and again at the 2:30 mark), it doesn't look right. With the lack of response to the call, I would not have shot.
 

Easy to 2nd guess after the fact, but still a productive night, despite not firing a shot.

Best part is not educating them, leaving them vulnerable the next time.
 
Owen, l am in the pet or feral group. Just didn’t move right and aa stated—tail position. Also they seemed to carry their heads “differently “. Good call.
Like stated above in so many words, instant replay helps bunches.
 
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Thanks to all of you who offered an opinion on whether to shoot or not to shoot. I of course have somewhat of an advantage over folks watching the video. First, although I've killed a lot of coyotes in that field over the years, I also encountered domestic dogs there once before and that tail saved them that time as well. The lead dog also didn't have ears as erect as a coyote should have although they could have been damaged from fighting. Plus, the gait was a little off. Coyotes seem to just sort of flow over the ground while these dogs were more herky jerky. ID would have been easier if they had been closer of course.

I also knew there was a double-wide trailer half a mile to my right that has several dogs running free in the yard. The fact that none of the sounds caused either of those two dogs to even pause to listen was another indicator. Perhaps though the most important fact was hm 1996's question to me in a PM the day before on ID'ing coyotes with thermal. That had my mind focused a lot more than it might have been, and I thank him for that fact. It was like the Lord knew that I needed to be reminded.

I don't know how many times over the years that Vic (TNVC) reminded us of the difficulties of ID'ing with thermal rather than NV. That tail above the back is always a tell"tail" if we pay attention. The only times I've ever seen coyotes carry their tails above their backs is when they are running mortally wounded. Sometimes the tail will then come above the back. I remember one other time that I didn't shoot because I noticed a bandana around the lead dog's neck. I could see it pretty well. To all of us experienced or inexperienced hunting at night with thermal or lights be very very careful before you pull the trigger.

One thing that was troubling is I watched this pair of dogs come from nearly a mile away and neither of them had collars, so they are allowed to hunt/roam free range by the owners. That is probably going to get them shot at some point by someone. I don't ever want to shoot someone's dog. When owners allow dogs to run free and hunt free they become next to useless in my opinion. I don't even want to shoot a useless dog unless they threaten me or try to attack. Then, the situation changes!
 
Thanks for the lesson DU. I could have made a bad mistake in that situation. Hopefully I have learned from your insight.
 
The tail position of the second dog and the fact that they had no interest in the call would have created enough doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t have shot. Great example and reminder.
 

Looking at the video I would say those are dogs. The telling feature to me was the shape of the head on the lead dog in the left to right sequence at the 2 minute mark. His snout was round and not the pointed shape of the second animal or the shape of a coyote snout.

I say you made a good call. It's always better to err to the side of safety and good judgment.
 
Well I cheated and read all the comments before I watched the video. But, this is how I would say it. When they teach people at the treasury how to spot counterfeit money, they don't study the fake stuff. They study the real stuff over and over and over. At least that is what I have been told. They don't have to know if it matches fake bills, they just have to know it isn't real, if that makes sense. Spending a ton of time behind a thermal watching coyotes, pigs, whatever is the same. And I agree with what most of the others have said about it not looking right. Looks and mannerisms, they just are not looking and acting like coyotes. They are acting like dogs who know where they are going and what they are doing. Just my opinion.
 
Thanks for the comments and added insights guys. I am including a short video and still picture of a coyote that was heart shot. The only time I have ever personally seen a coyote's tail go above it's back is when they are mortally wounded.

High Tail by Double Up, on Flickr
 
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