The one that got away.

HaMeR · January 10, 2011, 08:20:36 PM

I was setting in the deer stand yesterday with my trusty Winchester 50cal on a chilly 11* day with a light ever changing wind. I knew the deer would be by soon as the sun was making it's way around the hill at a purdy good clip. I had 3 shooting lanes to stop a deer in. Left right & center. It was about 4:20PM when I caught movement just to the right of the center lane. I thought it was a deers tail or ear. Then I caught a better look. It was a coyote trotting towards me about 120yds out. It hit an old logging trail & turned right & headed for the shooting lane. I dropped my glove cocked the Winchester & laid the crosshairs in the center shooting lane. Just as the coyote came into my field of view "WOOF"!! He bounded to a stop in the shooting lane. My mind processed that the twigs would be no match for a 240gr CheapShot thundering along somewhere in the 1800-1850fps range so I dropped the hammer of Winchester. As the smoke cleared I seen the coyote running to my left & biting at it's side. Up the hill & into the thick stuff. I waited for it to cross the 4 wheeler trail hard to my left but it never did. After 2-3 very long minutes I climbed down out of the stand & went to get the Ranger. I stopped at the stand & loaded my gear in the back & walked out to where the coyote was standing when I shot. This was when I got that sickening sinking feeling in my gut.

Under a dead fall I seen this. I knew right away I hit it.

But why was that coyote running & biting at it's side?? Well here's why.

Kinda makes you go hhmmmm. Then I seen where the bullet impacted the Earth and looked back towards the stand I shot from.

Low & behold all of my questions were answered with a mighty DANGNABBIT!!!!!!!!!!

I still got a good piece of this coyote. I trailed him & found 7 very bloody spots where he laid down to rest. After the 1st two beds that were only a couple feet apart I called my Brother over & sat & waited for him & let the coyote rest. I was hoping it would stiffen up. That was not the case. Darkness fell before we found him.

I went back out this afternoon & hit the trail once again. It bled off & on lightly. I found another bed where it appeared he spent good deal of time. Huge blood spot. But again he got up & headed on. I made a phone call to my Brother to see if he thought he knew where it was heading. After giving him the coordinates & direction of travel he told me to look here.

I believe he made it home.

Hawks Feather · January 10, 2011, 08:31:52 PM

Glen,

Good shooting. Not everyone can get a tree and also hit a coyote with one shot.

Jerry

weedwalker · January 10, 2011, 08:46:43 PM

You didn't go in after it?

securpro · January 10, 2011, 09:02:35 PM

Well go get him, it's just a dark deep hole with a wounded coyote in it....

We'll wait for ya out here

HaMeR · January 10, 2011, 10:06:44 PM

That might be true Jerry!!

Uuhhmmmm lemme see now. Did I go in after it??

(L) NO!!!!

I wouldn't fit. That hole is only about a foot wide.

Thanks for standing behind me securpro!!

No I mean BEHIND me!!

topdawg · January 10, 2011, 10:57:54 PM

get you a saw brier and yank his azz out of there lol

FinsnFur · January 10, 2011, 11:16:31 PM

Thats a scary looking place to be digging around. I'm thinking smoke bombs

weedwalker · January 10, 2011, 11:17:34 PM

A piece of barbed wire works good too. Just stick it in there and start turning it. It'll wrap up in his fur and you can pull him out. You might even get more than one outta there.

Okanagan · January 10, 2011, 11:59:40 PM

Kudos for a tale well told!

Ditto on the barbed wire. It works well to twist several strands together to make a bristly fur grabber long enough and stiff enough to maneuver and reach way back into the den.

vvarmitr · January 11, 2011, 05:16:27 AM

When you get him coming out be ready w/ your pitchfork!

golfertrout · January 11, 2011, 05:57:25 AM

come on Glen get in there and try it

HuntnCarve · January 11, 2011, 07:17:40 AM

Glen, this is where all Diane's training comes in handy. Give her a handgun, a flashlight, and tell her to have a look around in there.

Of course she would get the credit for the coyote. Only fair...

Dave

HuntnCarve · January 11, 2011, 07:21:10 AM

Not to highjack the post..But after 5 years I finally hit 800 posts. Guess I need to quit flappin my gums so much.

Dave

pitw · January 11, 2011, 07:27:11 AM

I like the way the old time guns will punch their way through the bush to get at their target

. HaMeR you got to get the barbed wire going

, if for no other reason than we will get another excellent story

.

Dave · January 11, 2011, 08:23:50 AM

If you do go in there and Securpro is still behind you, have him video it for us. That way we'll know what to do if it happens to us.

pitw · January 11, 2011, 08:34:09 AM

Quote from: Dave on January 11, 2011, 08:23:50 AM
If you do go in there and Securpro is still behind you, have him video it for us. That way we'll know what to do if it happens to us.

If memory serves me correctly, every time is new and requires new moves but I like the video idea

securpro · January 11, 2011, 08:50:47 AM

I'm behind ya 100% glen go for it buddy

I dont know about the whole barbed wire thang though, I tried that once on ground hog and got a fox out instead

needless to say I wasn't ready for him

tad bit more than I expected... Use one of those fishin camera's on a pole so you can see what your gittin yourself into.

HaMeR · January 11, 2011, 09:36:32 AM

Man you guys are just FULL of,,,,,

,,,,, great ideas when it comes to MY well being. Thanks for the support & votes of confidence.

BTW-- Diane will fit.

Yeah there are ways to get in there but I aint heard the one I'm actually going to try yet tho.

I'm gonna set the FP on the lower trail,, walk downwind on said trail til I can walk up the trail I took the pic from. Then when something comes crawling out of that crevice I'm gonna shoot at it!!

HuntnCarve-- Quit running your suck already!!

HuntnCarve · January 11, 2011, 12:18:07 PM

Quote from: HaMeR on January 11, 2011, 09:36:32 AM

HuntnCarve-- Quit running your suck already!!

And to think, I used my milestone post to divy out helpfull advice! Just no pleasing those 9000 plus post guys!

Okanagan · January 11, 2011, 12:30:51 PM

Go for it! Crawl in there! We all think that's a good idea... for you to do.

FWIW one time when hunting elk in an inch of new snow I came on fresh tracks of a fox that had obviously watched me approach and then ducked into a den hole burrowed under the downhill side of a big stump. With my arms in front I crawled in about to my knees and then waited, lying there letting my eyes adjust to the dim light. Then I got to thinking about what if's, and since I couldn't see any fox within grabbing distance, I backed out. As an older person now, I am still wondering what logic had me crawl into that hole!

But the consensus here among your friends who only have your good in mind, and not merely the good story that could result, is that you need to crawl into that hole after the coyote. You can be a hero and a star!