Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Predators West Dec. hunt

well I got off late had 3 stops to make so the first day was a bust for hunting, got in late and tried to sneek up on and old dog in a pivot I have been after for 3 months no luck got busted.
found out my friend had no water and little heat so I decided to hunt early and spend the rest of the day thawing out his pipes and propane tanks.
so I head out early get set up on a dune and start to call, 20 min. I'm cold, I look up and I see a dog sitting on rock pile 300 yards, I know it's not coming any closer, I set up try the shot, no luck I knew better I was cold and in a hurry, ok there's another around I will wait another 15 min. sure enough I look to the left another dog on top of a small dune range it 375, this guy is looking around behind him, I think another dog is close by, so I wait, he takes off, nothing shows so I head out.

When your driving around and you see tracks like this stop hide the car get out find the high spot and blow on a rabbit call.


so I did just that, turned on the e-caller had the bunny tail running and off to my right comes a dog charging in for the caller, he's 50 feet in front of me I squeak he turns and charges me full speed, now I'm in full camo and this dog never did see me,I yell with no luck I can see the twinkle in his eyes and he has his teeth and mouth open, I panic this dog is going to hit me full speed and try to eat me, I pull the gun up point the barrel at his head and pull the trigger. down he drops 8 feet in front of me, still kicking and trying to get me. WOW that got the blood going.


Man that was fast, I hear dogs howling all around me, I figure I will set here for another 30 min. no sooner than I turn the e-caller on again I look up 100 yards in front of me another dog is staring at me, no problem, squeezed another v-max off and down he goes, a double


man I could of sat there all day and shot dogs off the top of that dune, I have been out 3 hours and have called in 4 dogs and killed 2 and missed 1, but, my friend has frozen pipes frozen propane tanks and was waiting for me, so I suck it up and load up and head back, spent the rest of the day getting heat on the water lines. sorry tomz I owe this guy a few favors, so I needed to take care of business.
This was another perfect hunt, cold high pressure, no wind, snow on the ground, 15 degrees, and the moon and sun were in harmony, the moon was setting with the sunrise and rising with the sun set. As I take more time to stop and listen to coyotes communicate, I am learning more about how to talk back to them, and that always takes me back to coyote 101, the research done by Charles Shawley with my experience in the field has improved my success 100% in the last 2 years. and lets not forget the camo, I am more convinced that the m2d pattern is the best camo for all types of hunting, it's designed to diffuse your outline not trying to make you look like a tree, leaf, branch,ect. the first dog I shot had no clue I was a human it couldn't see me at 10 feet and only knew from lack of sight and the sound of a distress animal that I was food, I think the dog would have hit me if I hadn't shot

Awesome! Where do you hunt?

this hunt was off the ore. 395 airport

Congrats.

Prkgrp: Good for you on the Coyote harvests - I wish you would have gotten the first two also.
I posted about this incident back in 1994 when the 204 Ruger cartridge was new.
I had taken my brand new Ruger 77 V/T in 204 on a combination Antelope scouting trip and Varmint Safari to SE Montana in late September.
I had arrived at a distant corner of a huge ranch (57 sections) at about 11:00 P.M. and jumped into my bed in the back of my VarmintMobile anticipating the upcoming morning scouting hike.
I fell asleep immediately and by midnight there was a Coyote "out there" that began howling and literally howled ALL NIGHT keeping me awake.
I was so mad and so frustrated from lack of sleep due to this obnoxious and noisy Coyote that I was plannig how to kill him there in the dark.
I had a fairly powerful flashlight but had not brought along my NightForce multi-lense million candle power unit, I was not sure my flashlight would illuminate him enough for a kill shot.
I kept telling myself this cretin Coyote will move on soon or shut up sometime soon - but that didn't happen.
Finally after a non-restive fitfull night the dawn began to break and I had to pee.
Up I got and relieved myself then retrieved my 204.
The Harris bi-pod was already attached and the Coyote was still nearby and howling occassionally.
I got to some high ground with the sun to my back and the Coyote sat there on a dry wash bank out there at 360 Leica lasered yards.
The Coyote was on his haunches and looking right at me.
I was new to the 204 but decided to put the crosshairs (Leupold 6.5x20 du-plex) on his snout and my 200 yard zero should put the bullet into the vitals somewhere.
This shot was taken in anger - and as far as I recall it is the only one ever motivated by such out of tens of thousands I have taken.
The Coyote fell off that bank as if pole-axed!
Later when I dressed better and headed off on my scout I stopped by that Coyote and he had been struck low in the throat/high in the chest.
I often wonder why in the world that Coyote was so noisy for so long - I think maybe I had driven into and parked in his denning area and that offended him?
If you are not using a 204 Ruger then I suggest that those long shots may have been more successful had you been - this cartridge is like a laser over moderately long ranges.
Your wonderful picture of the snowy untraveled road with the Coyote tracks in them and the ridge line 60 yards distant literally gave me goose-bumps!
What a perfect calling place.
Again good for you on the "double" and thanks for the great photos and story!
Keep after them.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Nice trip. I haven't had consistent luck when they're howling or barking at me. I just move on. Every once in a while, but not often.

I like to sit as much as possible and listen to coyotes communicate, so far I have been able to pick out 2 different barks, the short hoarse raspy quick bark ( I know your there and I'm letting everyone know) then there's the more calm reg. domestic like bark( there's food in my area stay away I have it under control)
there's several more, for sure.

when a coyote barks the fun is over.

Great story Prkrgrp!! I bet that close encounter did get your adrenaline going!

I've had them run by me at 10 feet but never had one charge me straight on full run.