goofynewfie
New member
I'm very new to predator hunting and calling, but have taken an interest to it over the winter. I've been out calling a handful of times, and while I haven't connected to a coyote coming into my calls, I've seen enough to make me feel like I'm on the right track. It seems that I see yotes or get some kind of response once every 4-5 stands on average. Of those times, I've had them either a. come in but hold up 600-700 yards out, or b. make a show at a distance, glance my way, but otherwise not change their original course. The last time this happened, we had some new snow (~1 foot) and all of the coyotes I saw were at least 1km out, so maybe maybe my calls weren't worth the effort for them.
Well I went out to a new spot this weekend and did a couple of stands. We had some more fresh snow but I only saw one set of fresh tracks. I decided to pack it up and head to another spot where I have seen lots of coyotes for the evening hunt. I tried to take a short-cut on a county road but found the road impassable after a few miles, so had to backtrack past the spot where I had hunted earlier that day. As I was driving by that spot, I look out and, sure as shit, there is a coyote out there. I pulled off the road, parked, hastily ranged, grabbed my rifle and slipped out of the driver's seat. By this point, the coyote is casually trotting away from me. Knowing that it was now or never, I dialed the elevation on my turret, rested my rifle's bipod on my truck bed cover, howled to make it stop, and loosed a round.
She was DRT. I later ranged back to the truck from where she lay - 435 yards. I was shooting a 150gr Hornady American Whitetail in .30-06, my only hunting rifle. It was a complete passthrough with ~1" exit hole. I don't know what surprised me more: that I killed her after rushing that shot, or that the round didn't completely obliterate the hide. Regardless, I was pretty pleased and plan to tan the hide at home. Of course I wish I could have taken my first coyote over a call, but this will do for now. To say that I am hooked is an understatement!
Well I went out to a new spot this weekend and did a couple of stands. We had some more fresh snow but I only saw one set of fresh tracks. I decided to pack it up and head to another spot where I have seen lots of coyotes for the evening hunt. I tried to take a short-cut on a county road but found the road impassable after a few miles, so had to backtrack past the spot where I had hunted earlier that day. As I was driving by that spot, I look out and, sure as shit, there is a coyote out there. I pulled off the road, parked, hastily ranged, grabbed my rifle and slipped out of the driver's seat. By this point, the coyote is casually trotting away from me. Knowing that it was now or never, I dialed the elevation on my turret, rested my rifle's bipod on my truck bed cover, howled to make it stop, and loosed a round.
She was DRT. I later ranged back to the truck from where she lay - 435 yards. I was shooting a 150gr Hornady American Whitetail in .30-06, my only hunting rifle. It was a complete passthrough with ~1" exit hole. I don't know what surprised me more: that I killed her after rushing that shot, or that the round didn't completely obliterate the hide. Regardless, I was pretty pleased and plan to tan the hide at home. Of course I wish I could have taken my first coyote over a call, but this will do for now. To say that I am hooked is an understatement!
