October Coyote Calling

[IdahoDawgBuster]

In the middle of October, I contacted Bob Roper, and Loren, to see if they wanted to go calling. They both said yes, and seemed to be pretty excited about it. Myself included!!!!


Loren Lunsford-Founder & President of Idaho Varmint Hunters, Inc. (left) & Bob Roper-member of IVH (right)

The morning of the hunt, Loren and I drove to Nampa, to pick up Bob at the Wal-Mart parking lot. We arrived and Bob was waiting for us.

We loaded up Bob and his stuff, went and got a BIG cup of coffee and a danish (breakfast of champions), got to have the caffine kick start for my heart that early in the morning. We stood a few minutes sipping coffee and talking about the day of calling and making plans. I told the guys that I had a location that I had been in once before, but I would like to go and hunt the area and findout if it is a good calling location, so off we went.

We got to the location right as it was getting light enough to see the terrain. So I saw a long draw that looked like a good calling spot, it was about 50 yards from the road to the lip which ran parallel to the road, the only bad part was it was east of the road, so we would be looking into the sun as it rose from behind the hills, so we gave it a try anyway.

I started the stand with a jackrabbit distress for about 3-4 mins, then quiet for 3-4 mins, then repeated the sequence. Nothing showed. So I thought I would try the locator group howls, that worked to get the coyotes howling on the backside of the ridge across the draw, they were about a half mile away.

After we loaded up and was leaving, Bob said, there is a coyote running, it had come in from behind us, across the road from the truck.

On the next stand, we walked over a small rise about 150 yards from the road. On the otherside of the rise was a draw with a small wash in the bottom. We sat up perfect - the sun behind us, wind in our faces. I hung the FX3 on a fence post down the hill from our stand location about 20 yards. Sat back, waited a few minutes before turning it on. Same routine, jackrabbit on low volumn for first sequence about 3 minutes, then a pause for a couple minutes. Nothing came in. I turned it back, but at a higer volumn, that was when Bob lip sqeaked me, letting know that there was a coyote coming. So I lowered the volumn, and the coyote come to about 90 yards and stopped broad side right in front of Bob, looking for the sound, she also was looking back to the way she came in. I then hear Bob say I can't get a shot, the post is in the way. As the coyote was looking away from our stand, I moved my gun to the side, so I could shoot past the post that was right in front of me. Pushed the trigger, I hear a loud "whack" the coyote just stood there, then took a few steps, I then hear Bobs rifle report, "whack" coyote just trotted a few steps, then I hear Loren's rifle report, "whack", then the coyote spun a couple times and fell, and got up, Loren cranked another one into it, down for good.

This was also the first coyote Loren had shot in Idaho that he was able to retrieve. Congratulations Loren! I am proud to have called that dog for you. Although I am sorry that Bob didn't connect.



After the dog was down, I walked to the fence, and noticed that the barbed wire was broken right in front of me. Loren went through the hole to retrieve the dog. Bob and I looked at the ends of the wire, it had copper on the tips, so my shot broke the wire "whack" Bob's shot we don't know where it went.
After celebratory hand shakes, back slaps, and pictures, we left to hit another stand.

Again we step up in a big draw, Loren to my right, Bob to my left. Loren was running the caller this time. When we sat down, and I looked at the terrain, I noticed a small ridge about 200 yards down the hill in front of Bob, the ridge had a small saddle in the middle, I told Bob to keep his eye on the saddle. About 4 minutes into the call Bob lips squeaks again and points to a coyote sitting just below that saddle on our side of the hill, he was sitting there watching where the sound was coming from. I quietly told Bob to get on him, as Bob moved his sticks to get in line with his rifle, the coyote got up and went back the way he came, not running, just trotted off over the ridge. We didn't get a shot off, so we will go back sometime and see if we can't get that one.

We made a total of 7-8 stands, with no other takers. It was a great day of calling, spending time with a couple great guys, and sitting in the sage. It was a beautiful day, got a little warm in the afternoon, so the dogs quit responding to the call.

I hope to get to go back soon with Bob and Loren, maybe have a more successful day. This was the day of firsts for Bob and Loren. The first dog that came in front of Bob, It was his first called coyote. And for Loren, his first hands on coyote, killed in Idaho.
Next time we will get Bob to drop the hammer on his first called coyote, when he does there will be plenty of pictures to show off.



Good Hunting
Gary Mathews
Timber Butte Outdoors
Idaho Varmint Hunters
Northwest Nationals

[slagmaker]

Good pics and great wright up. Thanks for taking us along.

[FinsnFur]

That looks like it would be tough country to call without snow on the ground.  Nice work.
Thanks for sharing that with us.

[Frogman]

Thanks for the write up and pics!!

Jim

[IdahoDawgBuster]

You all are welcome! I enjoy taking hunting picture when I get the chance, and I enjoy writing the story that goes along with the hunt. Therefore there will be more to come. Maybe even some past hunts that I have chronicled for prosperity (my memory).

That looks like it would be tough country to call without snow on the ground.  Nice work.
Thanks for sharing that with us.

Mr. Champion, Actually the coyote are easier to see without the snow. I think because they are so light colored, they seem to blend in better with snow on the sagebrush and grass, escpecially on dark overcast days.

Gary

[Carolina Coyote]

Good writeup thanks for sharing, sounds like you guys had a load of fun. cc

[shaddragger]

  Great story and photos!