We packed up and went down the road about a mile and hid the truck. We walked into an small opening in the sage brush and called for a while but nothing came in for a look. We stood up and I happened to look behind us to the downwind and saw three coyotes running up a small hill trying to circle around our position. We stood still and figured they would spook when they hit our wind but they just kept going and went around us and into area we could call to them. We figured "What The Heck" and decided to sit down and try as it didn't look like they smelled us.
Started off with vocals and it wasn't long before we had them right on top of us. The first was a big old mangy one with no tail and he blew right through without stopping. I tried a running shot but missed. I didn't see the other two because of the brush. TR said they were coming good but spooked at the shot. #$%**& it.
We decided to pick up and move into the wind several hundred yards and try to call some that we heard howling earlier. We sat down in some sage with an open view and a cross wind. Used vocals again we couldn't believe it when the same three coyotes from the previous stand showed up again (The Three Stooges). They had gotten a little smarter and tried crossing much farther out. The first two made it across the open ground and into the brush but the third one had to stop for a look. TR said it was a long shot but might as well try it anyway. I turned up the scope and put the cross-hairs over her back and let one go. The coyote just disappeared and we didn't see it running away. TR said I think you hit it and since we couldn't find it with the bino's TR volunteered to go have a look. I directed and he found her stone dead right where she was standing. Guessed it at about 325 yards. Made me pretty happy after shooting poorly the last few times out. I was shooting my AR/223AI with a mild fire form load using 50gr Sierra BK's.
Made a few more blank stands and since we were close to an old favorite spot and the wind was right, decided to give it a try. We snuck in and set up with lots of cover nearby but plenty of open ground to see them coming. A few howls got an immediate answer and they were sounding a little PO'd. Sure enough after about 5 minutes we had a pair come charging over a little rise and into trouble. We had to bark to get them slowed down and when they stopped TR whacked one just as I started to squeeze the trigger. The other left at a high rate of speed and I couldn't get him to stop. We didn't get up and shortly after another dark colored coyote ran into the spot and I got a shot into him. Not long after I heard TR barking at another one that was doing a fly-by, TR shot but didn't connect. This spot always seems to produce but four coyotes was a first. We were happy to get a double, should have been a triple maybe four but we weren't complaining.
We only hunted until about noon on Saturday and my son Colton was able to go with us. He hasn't missed many opportunities on predators this season and he didn't disappoint. It was a lot warmer than yesterday and the threat of high winds has us nervous. We tried several times and never saw anything or heard any answer to our calls. We headed over to another place and ran into a rancher friend that told us where he had heard some howling that morning. Couldn't pass up on that info so off we went. This is wide open prairie with a little soapweed to break up our shape. Started with howls again and got an answer. We waited a while and didn't see anything coming so I started glassing with my bino's when I heard TR lip squeak. I knew we had a customer and slowly turned my head to see a lone coyote at the top of a small rise. He was looking but in no hurry. He even stopped to dig in an old PD hole for a while. He took his time but came into about 100 yards. He started to act a little nervous and was going to circle to the down wind when he stopped and I heard Colton shoot (the way I've been shooting I should take lessons from him). As usual he poked him just about perfect and we had our only coyote of the day.
Hero shot, maytbe the last of the season.
Thanks for looking.
