My mistake

[coyote101]

I went out yesterday morning to try for a coyote. I arrived about 30 minutes after sunrise. The temperature was about 20 degrees and the wind was from the NNE. I went in from the southeast through that narrow strip of woods that borders the river. I was going to set up at the red dot and try to call something from the bigger section of woods on the west side of the field. I laid my gun and backpack down and stepped up on a downed tree trunk to check out my field of view. Just then, two coyotes go busting through the woods about forty yards north of me, from left to right headed towards the river. The lead one actually ran down the bank and onto the ice, which I didn't think was thick enough to hold him, but it did.  The second one stopped at the bank and the first one turned around, came back up the bank and they both took off north through that strip of woods. BUSTED with my rifle laying on the ground fifteen feet away!



I decided that I would load up and move across the field to the southeast corner of those woods and try to call something in the woods. I gather up my stuff and look out into the field, and that whole area in the yellow is full of turkeys! At least forty of them and they're slowly working their way toward me. I put my stuff down again, got out my camera, grabbed my rifle (just in case) and crawled up toward the edge of the field. I tried to zoom in on some of the closer birds, and my damn camera starts flashing "Battery Low" and then shuts itself off. But it doesn't just turn quietly off, it BEEPS about a dozen times first! So I turned it back on and try again, only without zooming this time. I got a couple of pictures and then, without thinking try to zoom again. A dozen beeps later its off again. I ended up having to take a shot, turn it off, wait a few seconds and then turn it on again. I was able to get ten pictures that way, but I sure made alot more noise than I ever believed I could get away with when turkeys were that close. A few came within six yards of me, but they eventually moved off into the big field to the south.

So, once again I load up and head out across the field. Its a couple of hundred yards from where I was to where I was going. When I get there, the wind has shifted to the south and is now blowing my stink directly into the woods! Back across the field I go to my original location. I figure, what the heck, the landowner says there are alot of coyotes here, I couldn't have scared off the only two, so I'm going to give it a shot from where I first planned. I set the speaker from my Preymaster, and my decoy in the field about where the green dot is. I got the cord all stretched out, step up on that tree trunk again, and before I can turn on the e-caller, a beautiful, almost golden colored, coyote comes through the woods, from right to left almost exactly where the first two were earlier! He steps out into the field about thirty or forty yards from me headed towards the woods to the west. Quick thinking like I am I turn on the caller and give him a couple seconds of "flicker". He stops dead in his tracks and stares right at the decoy about thirty yards away, near where that gold dot is. Perfect.....except for the little tree between me and him. I can see his head and I can see his hind end, but I can't see his shoulder or chest area. I've got the crosshairs on his head for about fifteen seconds thinking to myself, "just one more step, six more inches, and I've got you". Well, there wasn't another step, at least not forward. He eventually figured out this wasn't right, turned his head and hauled ass outta there. I NEVER PULLED THE TRIGGER! I had the crosshairs on his friggin head and I NEVER PULLED THE TRIGGER, waiting on a chest shot. WTF was I thinking? I don't know, but I bet that doesn't happen again.

I tried calling for a while, but no takers. So I packed up again and went to another section of woods about a half mile south of there. Once again no takers so I'm done for the morning. I head back to the truck across a big wheat field. It had warmed up to about forty now and the sun was shining so the field is stating to get muddy. I had my AR slung on my right side on a single point sling. I normally keep a hand on it just to keep it from swinging around to much, but I let go for a second for some reason. Well apparently the sling strap had come loose from the buckle, and let loose of the swivel, cause the next thing I know the rifle drops muzzle first into the mud! Perfect ending to a beautiful day. 

Seriously though, I wish I had taken the shot, but I would have been alot more dissapointed than I am if I had called him in instead of having him just stumble upon me. Or if I had seen nothing at all. Plus, I got some pretty cool pictures of the turkeys, it never hurts to clean the rifle, and all of this was better than a good day at work!

Pat

Some of the turkeys

[KySongDog]

Great story Pat!  I like that overhead view of the field.  Helps understanding your story a lot better.   What river is that?

And I bet you don't make the mistake of not pulling the trigger again either.   You can't hit what you don't shoot at.   

[coyote101]

Semp,

What river is that?

That's the south fork of the Little River. Its about fifteen to twenty yards wide there, which is about the same as that strip of woods.

And I bet you don't make the mistake of not pulling the trigger again either.    

Not likely.

[weedwalker]

Great story Pat.  It sounds like you may have picked up a few things to remember for the next hunt.


Ed

[alscalls]

You shoulda called me if you needed a head shot...... We have all been there some way or another....dont sweat it, at least you were out......I was at work
Sounds like you got a future adventure at this place With a fur down ending
I really enjoyed your story....and I look forward to your return.

[pitw]

Super story and pic's, thank's.  If my wife had your patience to wait for the perfect one I wouldn't be married.

[Hawks Feather]

Pat,

Think of all the things you would not have been able to see if you would have gotten a shot at the first coyote. I spent over an hour watching turkeys work their way through the woods one day while I was deer hunting and went home feeling pretty good.

Jerry

[Bopeye]

Sounds like a good day to me either way. 

[Frogman]

Pat,
     Sounds like you are well on your way to becoming an expert at this.       
 
     Thanks for the great story and pics.   

Jim