For those of you who don't know, it's winter here, but not really winter. We had a huge ice storm with over an inch of rain followed by 3 or 4 inches of snow. I know what you are thinking, Snow! Great! but not really, the snow is keeping the ground warm and there is a lot of mud underneath. If you want to go out in the field very far at all, you better do it early in the morning. Chief works for the State, he got today off, and came over to help with some chores and perhaps an coyote stand or two.

I had some chores I needed done so we got one out of the way and then we headed out for a stand. I had been seeing these two pups while I was out working and thought they might be in the area, we knew better than do go driving in and chasing them off, so we got as close as we could to the area with a pickup and then hiked over a small hill and set up in a fenceline. I told Chief i thought they would come down the draw to the Northwest of us on his side of the fence, but they would probably cross the fence and be down in the flat below my location. Either way one would get a shot if they came. During the 2nd set of calling Gus caught wind of something to the Northeast. I was off like a shot went out of sight, only to show up later coming down the draw to the Northwest, he almost got shot as we were expecting a coyote from that very location. Cheif the wispers "Got One", (he is looking to the Northeast where Gus had gone first), as I slowly turn to see, I say "Got 2", there were 2 just coming out of where Gus had appeared from, they must have been following him. They were on Chief's side of the fence and he had a bead on one that was hanging up, the other was just barely in sight and he looked like he was trying to cross the fence to my side. I told Chief to wait and we would try to get both when the one crossed. Just then Gus caught sight of them and headed straight for an encounter. I told Chief to Shoot! He shot and looked like he piled him up, but they both ran over the hill never presenting me a shot. We went to where they were standing and the one Chief missed was @ 93yds while the one hiding in the fence couldn't have been more than 60yds away. Pretty good stand anyhow. We set up one more time and got 2 more pups to come into view but they stayed out at about 800yds, I don't know if they winded us or if they were just leary of Ol' Gus. Either way we had to get back to chores, moved some pipe around and fixed some horse corrals, by 10:00am it was too muddy and slushy to be out in the pasture so here I am writing a story to you. 2 stands and 4 coyotes is not a bad way to kick off the snowy season, even if we don't have the hides to prove it.