Best hunt yet. Son gets his first!

[GAJoe]

A little background info first; I wish I could give my son Jake a dollar for every hour that he's deer or turkey hunted ... even squirrel hunting with me or my Dad and not killed anything. And it's not that he's a bad hunter, just bad luck I guess. It's not the guys he's hunting with. :D
About a month ago I got permission to hunt on some land that has lots of good coyote sign. The only problem is, it's small pines so thick you can't see anywhere but down the old loggin' roads. I've tried a couple of times with no success, heard critters movin' around me though. About ten days ago I got permission to hunt the big pastures just to the west. The only problem there is that the wind usually blows west to east, right into the thick stuff and coyotes.
I had asked Jake to go in my early days of coyote hunting but after a few dry runs he would gently decline my invites. I couldn't blame him. It's been about a month since my last kill, so I was over due. Today the wind was blowin' out of the northeast, perfect. I explained the potential to my son and asked if he wanted to go. He accepted. The cattle farmer stacks his big round haye bales in rows against the fence next to the thick pines. I had found a couple of low spots where the coyotes slip under the woven wire fence down the hill from the bales.
  We set up using the bales as perfect gun rests about ten yards from the fence. I gave my son (15 yrs old, 145 lbs) the 835 Mossy with 3.5' Hevi-Shot "Dead Coyote" and told him to watch the fence line. I covered on down the hill with my Savage .204. I proceeded to start out with Female invite on the FX5. Did a little Babby Cottontail, some Canine Puppy Distress and then tried Lightnin' Jack. It was getting late and light was fading fast. I decided to finish with Male Challenge followed by some coaxer. I saw my son start slowly swinging the shotgun left. I whispered "Do you see something?" "yea" He whispered back. I saw him slide the safety foward and then it seemed forever till he pulled the trigger. I saw a large pine take the brunt of the load. I said "Boy you killed that pine tree! Is that where you saw it?" He said "Yea; it was going back and forth behind that fence." He also said he had a hard time distinguishing it in the low light. But it looked toward him and he knew for sure it was a coyote. We crossed the fence and half way there I let him know I saw his coyote! It was a Bang Flop!


That's what it's all about! 38.5lb male. He did good!
GAJoe

[Bopeye]

Outstanding........

[fuzz624]

 :highclap:Thats great.I bet that he is hooked now.

[Hawks Feather]

Looks like you both had a great time.  Congrats!

Jerry

[FinsnFur]

  Tell him congrats for us too Joe.

Oh and tell him I jis love his ball cap 

[Mallardsr]

Great story! Thanks for the pics.   RP

[Bopeye]

Oh and tell him I jis love his ball cap 

Who would have thought that you were a Georgia fan Jimbo.........

[FinsnFur]

[keekee]

Very, very COOL! Congrads!

Brent

[canine]

Congrats Joe, Shouldn't be to hard to get him to go now!! 


JD

[Jrbhunter]

Looks like another calling addict in the making- congradulations.  The shameful truth is I don't remember my first coyote- probably because I hunted alone and found success early.  Had I shared the experience with family or friends, or pushed for years and years to get him, I'd have a fonder recollection of that moment.  Your son is a lucky man;

[GAJoe]

I consider myself a very blessed Dad to have this young man for my son. Thanks
GAJoe

[desert dog]

That is Awesome Joe.

Loren