Tonight was a good evening to call! I got done with work about 4 and decided to get ready as fast as possible to go try a couple sets. The first one I went about a half mile east of the house and busted 3 deer from some tall grass while walking in who busted a yote on their way over the hill. I don't think that yote saw me, but he didn't come back in either. Wind was about as close to calm as you can get, the windicator bottle showed a slight breeze from right to left at times, as I walked in, at times nothing. I went ahead and set up and realized I'd left the remote to my FoxPro Prairie Blaster at home in my rush. Luckily I keep a Verminator long range Tweety in my pack for when I do stupid things like that or batteries give out on me. I went ahead and set the FoxPro out about 50yds and activated the built in decoy, then got settled in and started some bird distress calls on the mouth call. After about 10 minutes I had a pair of bigger coyotes show up at 300yds. They were in some tall grass and didn't offer a shot I wanted to risk, they just never would commit and come in. They spent about 10 minutes looking toward me at times and trotting around but finally headed back off into the creek. I was using my 204 Ruger AR tonight, if I'd had the 243 or 25-06 I might have tried to shoot through all the grass but chose not to at that distance with the AR. I have had great luck with the 45gr SP Hornady factory loads. They are a tougher bullet that shoot ragged holes at 3325fps through the 1 in 9 twist upper I had Predator Technologies build for me, but a little bullet can only make it through so much grass without deflecting. Anyway I decided to switch up sounds when it looked like that pair was losing interest and started some real high pitched rabbit distress calls on the Tweety. About 2 minutes later a pair of younger coyotes came in at a trot. I planned to take the farthest one first and hope to get the front one after. At about 100yds the front coyote turned and started trotting away. He didn't act to spooked but I didn't want to take a chance, I had the back one standing still facing me in the scope at 150yds. I dropped him but unfortunately didn't get a shot at the front coyote after, he found a low spot in the big grass and I lost him just as I got him in the scope.
Having a little time left I went to a pasture south of the house where we lost a calf early this week. I grabbed the remote for the FoxPro on the way by the house. With little time I set up with less cover and visibility than I like, but where I could hopefully get set without being seen by any nearby coyotes on the carcass. I got set-up and started a woodpecker distress series I made last winter on the FoxPro and waited. After 10 minutes with light fading and no response, I switched to a loud pup distress call. Not 2 minutes later a coyote popped his head up at 80yds from a ditch. He was focused on the call and never saw me. I didn't know if he'd give me a better opportunity or not so I shot him behind the ear and he fell.
I like to let most of our ground sit undisturbed from about the beginning of November until our deer season ends, try to let the deer receive very little pressure. I seldom get much calling done until mid December when lots of coyotes are already educated. I'm always itching to get out once I can, and I hope to get a lot more calling done in the next few months.
Having a little time left I went to a pasture south of the house where we lost a calf early this week. I grabbed the remote for the FoxPro on the way by the house. With little time I set up with less cover and visibility than I like, but where I could hopefully get set without being seen by any nearby coyotes on the carcass. I got set-up and started a woodpecker distress series I made last winter on the FoxPro and waited. After 10 minutes with light fading and no response, I switched to a loud pup distress call. Not 2 minutes later a coyote popped his head up at 80yds from a ditch. He was focused on the call and never saw me. I didn't know if he'd give me a better opportunity or not so I shot him behind the ear and he fell.
I like to let most of our ground sit undisturbed from about the beginning of November until our deer season ends, try to let the deer receive very little pressure. I seldom get much calling done until mid December when lots of coyotes are already educated. I'm always itching to get out once I can, and I hope to get a lot more calling done in the next few months.
nice pic!