With the wind out of the Northwest this morning I choose a spot that worked and headed out!
This property is a large cattle ranch about a half mile from the Red River with a portion of the property dedicated to waterfowl by Ducks Unlimited and another portion leased as a deer lease. Then there are 100s and 100s of head of cattle all over!
Coyote signs are heavy here but the amount of traffic I think has had them on edge. I also think some of them may have been calling some as well. I once found a dead coyote that had been shot that was attributed to the lease members.
As I was gearing up at the truck I heard some coyotes sound off. They were straight up wind (NW) from me and weren't far at all!
I chose to walk about a 1000 yards North to achieve a crosswind from where I thought they were.
The set up was perfect, the Northwest wind was right to left at about 7-10 mph. I was sitting against a large tree and the rising sun would be at my back. In front of me was one of the clearest pastures that butted up to the woods that I believed the howls came from.
I set the MOJO critter and the Turbo Dogg about 30 yards out and got settled in. I started off with a female howl on the Turbo Dogg and answered back with a young high pitched howl on my MFK diaphragm. After a few minutes I repeated the above sequence a couple of times. Nothing.
After another pause I switched to the Cardinal Death Cry and let it play for a few minutes. After still nothing and another pause scanning the field for movement I was now close the 20 minute mark in the stand and getting a bit concerned.
I switched to a great sounding call on the Turbo Dogg called Coyote Pup Frenzy and they could not resist it!
About 400 yards straight in front of me I catch movement! I take a peek through the scope and it's a coyote! As I focus with my eyes back to the coyote I see another 30 yards or so behind the first one. They stop on top of a knoll to try to find out what is going on.
Another low volume blast of the frenzy gets them to continue my way but they are now circling downwind and checking every little scent on the way.
As they start getting close to my scent cone I line up the scope on the trailing coyote (thinking I may be able to get some lead launched at the closer one before it disappeared) and let out a bark on my diaphragm and, just as scripted in my head, the coyote in my scope stops broad side at just over 150 yards and looks my way!
BANG! THWACK! FUR CYCLONE!
I quickly work the action as I find the other coyote heading straight away with tail tucked in fur rock mode! BUT, some quick ki-yis on my MFK diaphragm convinces this feller that he could not leave his girl! I think the fur cyclone he saw when he looked back may have helped my cause but none the less, he continued running but started to loop back around.
He made a couple of half circles around her as she finally ran out of gas and another loud bark caught his attention again and he stopped for the picture perfect broad side shot!
BANG! THWACK! FLOP!
Thank you Lord!
They were both of average size with the male tipping the scale at 35lbs 2oz and the female slightly smaller at 34lbs 7oz.
Thanks for looking!
This property is a large cattle ranch about a half mile from the Red River with a portion of the property dedicated to waterfowl by Ducks Unlimited and another portion leased as a deer lease. Then there are 100s and 100s of head of cattle all over!
Coyote signs are heavy here but the amount of traffic I think has had them on edge. I also think some of them may have been calling some as well. I once found a dead coyote that had been shot that was attributed to the lease members.
As I was gearing up at the truck I heard some coyotes sound off. They were straight up wind (NW) from me and weren't far at all!
I chose to walk about a 1000 yards North to achieve a crosswind from where I thought they were.
The set up was perfect, the Northwest wind was right to left at about 7-10 mph. I was sitting against a large tree and the rising sun would be at my back. In front of me was one of the clearest pastures that butted up to the woods that I believed the howls came from.
I set the MOJO critter and the Turbo Dogg about 30 yards out and got settled in. I started off with a female howl on the Turbo Dogg and answered back with a young high pitched howl on my MFK diaphragm. After a few minutes I repeated the above sequence a couple of times. Nothing.
After another pause I switched to the Cardinal Death Cry and let it play for a few minutes. After still nothing and another pause scanning the field for movement I was now close the 20 minute mark in the stand and getting a bit concerned.
I switched to a great sounding call on the Turbo Dogg called Coyote Pup Frenzy and they could not resist it!
About 400 yards straight in front of me I catch movement! I take a peek through the scope and it's a coyote! As I focus with my eyes back to the coyote I see another 30 yards or so behind the first one. They stop on top of a knoll to try to find out what is going on.
Another low volume blast of the frenzy gets them to continue my way but they are now circling downwind and checking every little scent on the way.
As they start getting close to my scent cone I line up the scope on the trailing coyote (thinking I may be able to get some lead launched at the closer one before it disappeared) and let out a bark on my diaphragm and, just as scripted in my head, the coyote in my scope stops broad side at just over 150 yards and looks my way!
BANG! THWACK! FUR CYCLONE!
I quickly work the action as I find the other coyote heading straight away with tail tucked in fur rock mode! BUT, some quick ki-yis on my MFK diaphragm convinces this feller that he could not leave his girl! I think the fur cyclone he saw when he looked back may have helped my cause but none the less, he continued running but started to loop back around.
He made a couple of half circles around her as she finally ran out of gas and another loud bark caught his attention again and he stopped for the picture perfect broad side shot!
BANG! THWACK! FLOP!
Thank you Lord!
They were both of average size with the male tipping the scale at 35lbs 2oz and the female slightly smaller at 34lbs 7oz.
Thanks for looking!