Sometimes things are just funny

Bopeye · August 04, 2007, 02:37:38 PM

This a.m. Chet and I went to a place we had never hunted. A guy had contacted us and told us how he was overrun with coyotes, so we went. You are never real sure about what a landowner is saying. Overrun with coyotes to one could mean he heard one six months ago and then the next guy........well you get the picture.

This kid told us how he witnessed a "pack" of coyotes tear a dog apart and that he was pretty sure they had killed the neighbors puppies. We listened to his stories and then asked where he was seeing or hearing them, sign he'd seen, etc.
Chet and I hadn't had the time to scout this place and the boy sounded desperate, so we decided to cold call it this morning.

We got out there and saw the layout was going to be very difficult to call. The woods were too thick to even walk in and the only other place was within view of the kids house. We saw that the wind was good for parking our butts up against a couple of the few sporadic trees he had in his field and call towards the cover trying to draw one out to the edge.

We agreed that a couple howls followed by a minute or two of silence and then crank up the foxpro on puppy distress would have a decent chance of working. We got about 100 yards from one another, let the place quiet down some and then I let my two howls rip.
I was setting there paying close attention to my left side since Chet was sitting over to my right. I figured any coyote that showed between us would get spotted by one of us, since the caller was located out in front of us and about midway between us.

Within a minute or so of howling here comes a big coyote to my right, bounding and coming in fast. I put my AR on him, but what I didn't know was Chet couldn't see him due to a blowdown being there. I was hoping Chet would shoot it, but he couldn't even see it. It had come out on my side of the blowdown. I was trying to get my shot when the foxpro cranked up.....with the coyote almost directly in front of it. It startled the coyote so bad that he practically inverted and made it to the woods before I could blink. Ya should have seen the look on his face......

Anywho, the puppy distress sound was going on and I was setting there asking myself if I had really seen what I thought I did when a smaller coyote appeared to my left, so I turned slowly to get the shot, but he decided to get back into the thick stuff before I could get my gun on him. I couldn't believe it.....two coyotes, neither had seen me, but I couldn't get the shot!!

As I was setting there contemplating the turn of events, another coyote showed up fairly close to where the first one had been. I slowly turned back again to my right and started to bring my gun up on him when he decided to get back in the thick stuff, so I just kept my gun up and started scanning the woods. I could see a leg for a minute, then I would see a quick flash of a body, then another flash of fur, but I just never could get a clean shot. This went on for several minutes while I agonized over seeing them moving around out there, but not giving me a clear shot. After a while, I couldn't see them or hear them anymore, so I decided we had actually been busted or they had just decided to leave. So I got up to check the situation out. I walked down close to the caller when Chet saw me and he got up. Just as soon as Chet stood up and turned, all heck broke loose just inside the woodline about 50 yards or so behind Chet. They were barking and yapping like crazy. That's when I realized the error of my judgement and broke into a run back to my stand. We tried for a little while to get them interested again, but busted we were and busted we would stay.

A prime example of how you can do everything right and still not get the shot here in the thick stuff.

If I could do two things over I would. First, I would have shot at that running coyote and took my chances. Two, I would have kept my butt in my seat until Chet called the stand finished.

I guess that's why we call it coyote hunting though and not coyote killing. I was so tore up afterward that I had started shaking and my stomach was doing flip flops.

That was the most coyotes that had ever come out on me in my neck of the woods and it was awesome. I can't wait to get back out there. I will KILL those coyotes!!

Bills Custom Calls · August 04, 2007, 02:46:00 PM

Well at least your doing something right and better luck next time

Stomach doing flip flops Just wondering if the ground shook :roflmao:

yanking your chain again Bop

Hawks Feather · August 04, 2007, 03:21:46 PM

Bop & Chet,

Sorry you didn't get any on the ground, but it sure sounds like a good place to go back to some other day.

Jerry

DirtyDog · August 04, 2007, 05:01:56 PM

Sounds like a blast fellas.....wish I coulda been there.

FinsnFur · August 04, 2007, 08:15:30 PM

Maybe you should have been there Newdog

he obviously couldnt follow through.

I'm actually surprised your out hunting. Talked to Mallard tonight and he said it was barely under 100 degrees down there.
Man I'd melt

But at least ya had fun and seen some fur. The stand was still a success if your were able to bring em in.

Bopeye · August 04, 2007, 08:18:34 PM

We were melting, but we got on stand at 6:30 a.m. It was still tolerable. By the time we left at around 8:00 it was already miserable.

We don't normally start our season this early, but this kid sounded desperate. He has two little kids and three little dogs......he is convinced these coyotes will harm them and I didn't say any differently.

DirtyDog · August 04, 2007, 08:35:25 PM

You'll have to let me know when you go back.

Bob D · August 04, 2007, 08:46:48 PM

Quote from: bnccont on August 04, 2007, 02:46:00 PM

Stomach doing flip flops Just wondering if the ground shook :roflmao:

Dang, I thought we were having an earthquake down here in Alabama this morning, heck it was just Ole Bopeye having a stomach ache. LOL

KySongDog · August 04, 2007, 09:48:05 PM

Great story Bop! Those howls that you made......were you using KeeKee's howler that you had at LBL? It sure sounded good to me.

Semp

Bopeye · August 05, 2007, 07:41:40 AM

Y'all are lucky my belly was just mildly flipping. It was barely a 5.0 on the Richter Scale......

Joe, this is one of those stands where it's tough for two hunters. It's tight and thick. We are gonna call you when we go after those goat killers down around Spencer on the back side of Fall Creek Falls. That lady lost almost all but one of this years baby goats and she is ticked.

Semp, I was using Kee's Custom Howler. I still blow on that thing almost every single day. I still can't play the Star Spangled Banner, but I haven't tried either.....

I am getting a decent feel for coyote vocalizations on it though. I'm nowhere near a Rich Cronk, Rich Higgins, Brad Holtzer, Brent Saxton or some others, but give me time. I haven't been using a howler even a year yet. I can say this with absolutely no reservations whatsoever. I have seen a lot more coyotes since I started using a howler. Now maybe it's just coincidence and maybe not, but I know my confidence in a howler being used differently year 'round is steadily growing.

That kid called me last night to make sure we were coming back. I assured him we would, but we're going to try and catch it when it's somewhat cooler. He thanked me and said that his wife was even more terrified now that she knew we made contact with coyotes that quick. He must have asked me 50 questions before I could get off of the phone, but he did give us exclusive hunting rights to his place and is going to try and secure hunting rights for us from the neighboring farms. It could turn into a real sweet deal since it's only about a five minute drive from my house.

Jeb · August 06, 2007, 06:05:33 PM

Bop you sound a hell of alot better

than you give yourself credit for on that Kee's howler ! Now theres a time and a place for them AR's , for me thick stuff aint one of them. You almost described one of my hunts to the tee. If there is two of us , one WILL have a shotgun. If I'm by myself I WILL have a shotgun . Goodluck Bop , I'm sure that AR will get first blood soon !!
Jeb

ohiobob · August 06, 2007, 08:58:07 PM

Sounds like you 2 had a great time down there,,WHEN you kill 1 of those Coyotes on that farm take a Pic of the Guys face when you slap the coyote on the ground to let him see it,,that Pic WILL be worth a 1,000 words
Bob

coyotehunter_1 · August 06, 2007, 09:48:17 PM

Coyotes? What coyotes? I didn't see no stinking coyotes....

Ain't none of those things around here!

keekee · August 07, 2007, 08:15:34 AM

Sounds like you all had a good trip! Thanks! I enjoyed the story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bop,

You were doing well with that howler at the LBL if you been blowing that thing every day, by next year, I will just leave my howler at home and hunt with you!

Brent

Bopeye · August 07, 2007, 07:52:16 PM

Quote from: keekee on August 07, 2007, 08:15:34 AM
Sounds like you all had a good trip! Thanks! I enjoyed the story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bop,

You were doing well with that howler at the LBL if you been blowing that thing every day, by next year, I will just leave my howler at home and hunt with you!

Brent

Thank you, but not hardly Brent. You are still far better than I am and besides, I'm still trying to figure out what to say next. You already know what they want to hear next.

Jerry Hunsley · August 10, 2007, 04:01:33 PM

Bop, That's where the dog would have been helpful. Where you at on the dog? Nice story and I can relate to that.