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Spot & Stalk Coyotes November 20, 2007
I Love The Snow!!!!!!! Today was the first snow of the year and I couldn't resist being out in it. I'm out checking cows and it is really coming down but suddenly it stops and I'm thinking.................the coyotes should really be out about now. So now I'm looking for tracks, any tracks would have to be fresh so the coyotes would be close. After looking for a while I decide to head for home, on the way crossing my path are 2 fresh sets of coyote tracks. I immediately get out of the pickup and glass the area, nothing, so I drive slowly along following them when I can and glassing where there is an opportunity. I finally spot them about 900 yards away and they spotted me. Knowing I'm not much of a threat from that distance the slowly headed away I then remembered an article I read on Hunting.net about spotting and stalking coyotes. Now this isn't exactly how the guy in the article did it but here is what happened next. I drove away from the coyotes, the opposite direction from where they were heading. I made a huge circle and ended up where I thought they might eventually go. I then parked the pickup because nothing says run to a coyote more than the sound of a motorized vehicle going through a pasture. I start walking towards what I think will be their target area, they were hunting so I knew they wouldn't get there too fast. My theory was this, I would walk until I saw them or I got to the end of my pasture (about 3/4 of a mile) and then I would start calling. I walked along a fence line next to my neighbors CRP after about 1/2 mile I saw them, they were about 800 yards west of me messing around on a side hill, they really stuck out in the snow. I wasn't in the best of positions as there was a blind spot between me and them but I knew if I went any closer they would bust me and my walk would be for not. I sat down with my back to a railroad tie post and turned on the FX3. My idiot dog was playing between me and them, and then he went to the blind spot, I knew that would get me busted but I watched, my prey spotted Gus and heard the call, they were curious but didn't really want to tangle with this dog so they sat down and watched, pretty soon they come running, I was shocked then I saw Gus come out of the blind spot headed to my North. The coyotes saw him leaving as their chance to check out what was making the racket. I kept them in my sights until they hit the blind spot. I waited for what seemed like forever, I had the CRP to my South and I was hoping I could see a coyote in that tall grass. Gus never knew they were in the area, he was sticking his nose in holes and acting like an idiot, I got distracted from my goal because I was watching them. Suddenly just 80 yards to my left (South in the CRP) they were sitting on a hill skylining themselves. I decide to move my gun and take a shot. Just then Gus comes to me, he sees me lift the gun and then he sees the Coyotes. I know my opportunity is gone so I shoot once and both coyotes dissapear in the grass. Gus dissapears over the ridge in hot pursuit, I thought I might have missed as I'm walking through the tall grass and wet snow Gus re-appears and is shaking a fresh kill. My shot was good, to bad I didn't get a 2nd shot, then I'd have 2 coyotes for the picture. They were mangy anyway but it was a productive morning. Did I mention that I love the snow?????
2007-11-20 19:22:53 GMT
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