Hot coyote action on a hot Sunday morning

[possumal]

Finally got a chance to hunt with my oldest son, Al, Jr., and Yote Yoda, forming a trio who have had lots of fun over the years. Due to undergoing 15 or more operations on his eyes for a severe detached retina problem, Al, Jr' s opportunities have been few and far between. But we had plans this Sunday morning to link up with old Yote Yoda to hunt yet another new farm we just got permission to hunt up in Montgomery County.  Yote Yoda had some business to take care of that made it impossible to meet us for the first two stands, but I felt my cellphone tickle in my chest pocket after we had finished our second stand that he was near at hand, finally.  So far, it had been one of the most uncomfortable mornings I could ever remember being out, as it was to hot and humid even at first light, but things were getting ready to change rapidly.

On our first two stands, Al, Jr. and I had just worked our way into unfamiliar territory, and on the second one, we had coyotes responding well, but they obviously came across our path we had traveled, and wouldn't commit any further, but just raised holy hell.  Since we had permission to hunt the adjoining farm, I called Yote Yoda and had him meet us over there, adjacent to the area where all the howling action had just taken place.  It was getting hotter and hotter by the minute and this old possum was really having a hard time coping with that heat and humidity.  But the knowledge that Wiley and his mates were a few hundred yards away on the adjoining farm kept me cool enough to think up a good way to approach them.  We slipped up a draw that leads to the other farm and set up on a high pasture ridge. My main concern was trying to get Al, Jr. his first coyote of the year, and that was Yote Yoda's thinking too.  So I got those two yahoos to set up at the highest vantage point, with "Little Possumal" watching what I thought the prime avenue and Yote Yoda guarding the wooded side backdoor, with yours truly about 150 yds downhill with the CS-24 and Foxjack 1 in a good spot to be seen just about anyway the coyotes would respond and my considerable butt against a huge locust by a pond with shade in my favor.  Any way that Wiley and crew would likely come would put the sun in their eyes and in our shooting lanes.

After a series of Coyote Pair howling, Female Coyote Challenge, and Coyote Challenge, I waited a couple of minutes and gave them Coyote & Fawn, mixed in with Fawn Distress.  Wouldn't you know here comes three balling the jack around the roll of the hillside closest to me. Two banked off to the left heading to the section Al, Jr. was watching and the big female continued on to a vantage point where she could see where all that racket was coming from that was messing up their Sunday morning.  I hit the squeaker on my Savage 243 at a point that I thought Al, Jr. could surely get a shot. I waited with my crosshairs dead on her shoulder at 185 yds, but no shot from Al, Jr.. She was obviously going to break in the direction the other two had banked off, even though she was locked on the Foxjack 1 doing its things.  I knew it was time for a gun to go off, so I put a 70 grain Blitz King in her boiler room, DRT.  Foxbang activated and Coyote Death Cry was screaming.  Switched back to the Coyote & Fawn, and Al, Jr., who was shooting my DPMS Prairie Panther 223, shot and man it sounded sweet to my old ears, that telltale whop bouncing around those hills.  Then almost immediately, Yote Yoda's JP AR-15 223, barked two quick shots.  It was wild & western, and somewhat confusing since I knew he was watching the back door for Al, Jr.. As it turns out, two other coyotes had come charging right at Yote Yoda, nearly running right into his lap, before doing the patented coyote reversal and heading for the woods, but Yote Yoda with his Trijicon RMR in use had smacked one with a Texas heart shot just before they reached safety. There was enough blood there to make you think a hog had been butchered, but that dadburned 100 mile electric fence prohibited any thoughts of going into the brambles and briars to recover him/her.   

All in all, it was a torrid triple on a brutally hot morning, one we will never forget.  Once again, the Foxjack 1 worked perfectly and held that coyote I shot at attention long enough for me to do the dirty deed.  Here are a few pictures of the CS-24 and Foxjack 1 in action, and two of the three coyotes we took on that stand.  Needless to say, Little Possumal is a happy hunter.

                                                 

                                                 

                                                 

[Frogman]

Sounds like an exciting hunt!  Good shooting!

Jim

[FinsnFur]

Thats a busy day. Nice job gentlemen for sure.
Looks like someone got a new truck and wanted it in the pictures too.

[HaMeR]

That was a great hunt Al!!  You're up to your old coyote foolin tricks again!! 

[Okanagan]

That was a great hunt!  Especially to bring in multiples in your part of the country.  Good shooting and told well.

I'll wait for colder weather!

[riverboss]

Good job Al!! But then who would of expected anything less.

[possumal]

Jimbo, that white Toyota belongs to Yote Yoda and it is one sweet machine.  It is not new though, as he has put 107,000 miles on it in 2 1/2 years, a lot of hunting and a lot of business.  I couldn't afford the tires and wheels, let alone the whole truck.    He can turn his lights off easily when slipping into a farm, the tailgate drops down or raises up with little pressure, and it has all the bells & whistles. The engine is a high performance racing engine and that thing will really move on.  He says he will drive it until it lays down and dies, which should be a long time if he keeps it services like he has so far.

[shaddragger]

  Great story Al!! Congrats!