What a morning this one turned out to be in so many ways. I got to go make a few stands with my favorite young hunter, my son Drew. In the past few years he was a die hard deer hunter and myself I can't stand it. Just to boring for me, but I indulged a little bit this year and went with him a few days. Since he has been out of school for the Christmas holidays, he and I have got to coyote hunt a couple of mornings together.
When I got ready to go to work last night I threw all of my hunting gear in the truck, I never expected Drew to want to go this morning. But when I called home last night he told me he wanted to go with me. Needless to say I was tickled to go by and pick him up. When I got off work this morning at 7 am I ran by the house to pick up Drew, by the time we got to our first stand it was almost 8 am.
We got setup on a farm that I called last week and killed a coyote off of. First stand of the morning, I had Drew sitting to my right about 15 yards and facing north. I totally expected him to be the one that got the shot if we got one. I had my rabbit fur decoy out in front of me hoping to divert any attention off of Drew and on to the decoy. I started out the stand with some crack pipe rabbit. Most of ya ll know the call I am talking about, if not it is a call our own Arky Yoter made for me. After about 5 minutes of the rabbit I see a coyote pop up in front of me. He was even with me but almost down wind of the decoy. Once he seen the decoy it was over. She came running at Mach 5 headed for that thing. I finally barked and stopped her about 15 yards from Drew. I think she must have caught him moving his gun to get set up on her. I had him facing the wrong way for this shot, but then again I never expected a coyote to come from this direction.
When she seen him move she was leaving town in a hurry but she ran into a load of #4 buck on her way. She piled up DRT. Here is a picture of the setup. The red arrows are the place the coyote came in from and the red X is where I rolled her up at. The blue dot is where I had my decoy hanging in the tree. Drew was sitting out of the picture to the right about 15 yards.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/RalphStand1.jpg)
This coyote was a super light colored female. It looks like she was either rubbing or is getting the mange. Anyone have any ideas? Or can you tell from the picture.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/Ralphcoyote.jpg)
Here is the hero picture of my best friend, my best hunting partner and myself. I was hoping to get Drew's first coyote but it didn't pan out that way on this stand anyway.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/Ralphcoyote2.jpg)
While we were doing the photo thing the wind changed directions on us. So instead of educating any coyotes on this farm we decided to change farms. So we moved to another farm I have about 10 miles away. The wind was perfect for calling this one.
We park the truck and walk across a wide open pasture and setup out in the open about 100 yards from the tree line. I was just hoping to pull one out to the edge of these trees. I was a little bit weary of this stand, I have called it several times but never have gotten a response. The main highway is only about 100 yards away to my left. I had Drew sitting right beside me. He was the designated shooter.
I start the stand off with some more of that crack smoking rabbit. It only took about 3 minutes of this and I seen some movement coming out of the hollow in front of us. I told Drew to get ready he was right in front of us. We got lucky and he was stopped behind a tree, this allowed Drew to get his gun positioned for the shot. About the time Drew got ready I lip squeaked and her she came trotting right out into this open pasture. I think she would have come and got in our laps if I hadn't stopped her. I had to bark at her 3 times and then howl at her to get her to stop. When she did Drew drilled her right in the chest. He made a good 100 yard shot, I was so proud of him. We finally got him his first coyote.
Here is a picture of the setup and what it looked like. The red arrow once again is where the coyote was first seen and where it was finally killed.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/Mathisstand.jpg)
Here is my partner with his first coyote.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/Drewcoyote.jpg)
Notice the difference in the colors of these two coyotes. Also you may be able to see what I was talking about on the blonde colored coyote, is that rubbing or the start of mange?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/100_0217.jpg)
An last but not least, the tailgate shot, with me showing off my Arky Yoter crack pipe.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/Tailgateshot.jpg)
Two stands and two coyotes, it doesn't get any better than that. Thanks for taking the time to read our story and look at our recap of our hunt.
Ronnie
Ronnie and Drew...........that is awesome!!!!
I loved the story, pictures, everything...........what a day!!
This story will stay with you forever........can't wait for my boy to get old enough to go.
Well...........I can wait, he's growing up too fast anyway, but you know what I mean.
Congratulations to both of you......... :congrats: :congrats: :highclap:
Drew - Way to go! :highclap: Tell your hunting buddie that he is O.K. too.
Jerry
Glad to see your bringing him up right Ronnie. WAAAAAAY TO GO DREW! :yoyo:
Your coyote has the beginings of mange Ronnie. It goes well down on th sides and shows most where the animal can scratch the itch behind the shoulders and on hte neck. Jimmie
Great story and great partner you got there. I sure miss my partner enjoy him as much as you can. My hunting partner done went and grown up on me and live 400miles away.
Once again GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!
Way to go you two! Drew does your dad work? :biggrin: Awsome job.
Way to go guys!!!!! Glad Drew got his first one!! Great story/pics...thanks for sharing!!
Joe
Way2GO!!
Excellent story and pics :wink:
I love the way you guys map out your hunts after the fact, in pictures like that. It adds a whole new element to reading these for everybody. Keep it up.
I dont know who's luckier to have who. You Ronnie, or Drew :wink:
Way to go guys.That was an AWSOME story and pics.I bet Drew is hooked for life now.
A dead critter for myself,worth every penny.
A dead critter for a kid,priceless
Good job Drew and Ronnie !!! :yoyo: :yoyo: Loved the story and pics. This is one I'll never forgot, Congrats guys! :congrats:
Jim
Way to cool! Way to go Ronnie and Dew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eyebrownod:
Awesome!
Brent
:congrats: :highclap: :congrats: :highclap: :congrats: :highclap: :congrats: :highclap: :congrats: :highclap: :congrats:
Congrads to both Ronnie and Drew..... Excellent!!!
Way to go guys!!! :highclap: :highclap: :highclap: I bet he is hooked for life now.
GOOD JOB
i can't wait to get my first one,,and then i can't wait to get my 2 boys a coyote,,deer season is over and i have about 2 more trips out for Goose and Duck
me and bnccont are STILL trying for our first one and i have a feeling 1 of us are gonna connect here real soon !!!!!!
but once again good job and tell your son good job
Bob
Another great write up of your hunt Ronnie. The smile on Drews face indicates he is hooked. I am kind of new to this site, but I am going to search for more of your reports. The terrain you are hunting appears similar to what I have here in WV. Thanks again for the great report.
Frogman what part of WV are you from? My inlaws live in WV also. I was up there this past Thanksgiving and got a chance to make a couple of stands with WV_yoter. We had a great time but no animals to show for it.
I have a TON of relatives in the Elkins and Bowen Area in W. VA. Spruce MT. I know they have a Bunch of Bobcats there also
Bob
frogman lives in parkersburg
centerfire,
Sorry I missed this post. :doh2: Golfertrout has me located correctly. :yoyo: I am in Parkersburg. I have hooked up with wv-yoter and been hunting with him quite a bit. He speaks very highly of you. He was dissapointed that you were not at LBL. If you make it up this way to visit relatives be sure to let us know. Maybe we could arrange to get in a few stands. This forum is great. I just recently hooked up with golfertrout and alscalls who are also local coyote hunters. I'm a retired school teacher so I can get in a hunt just about anytime. All these other guys seem to have to work for a living?? :wo: Sometimes I can't get any of them to go out with me. :rolleye:
Great story above. Those kids grow up fast!
Jim
Frogman I will keep you in mind the next time I get up that way. Though I don't get to go up there very often with the way my work schedule is now. But I will definitely give you a shout before I come up there.
:highclap: :highclap: :highclap: :highclap:
http://www.geocities.com/alscalls/coyote.html (http://www.geocities.com/alscalls/coyote.html)
Nice pictrues. I like seeing the kids getting out.