Been on a pretty good roll so went out again today to try and keep it going.
Set #1
This is a glorious spot. It’s public land and does see some pressure but, almost all of it is on weekends. Figured I’d beat the weekend rush and call it today. It was a beautiful morning. Wind was steady and reasonably slow. Hoar frost was stuck to every limb, leaf and blade of grass. Everywhere I looked, it could have been a postcard. With the snow being so crunchy and the wind, calm, I pulled up short of where I normally like to call from and found a hide in the shadows of a willow clump on a small rise. Just enough elevation to see over the buck brush patches surrounding me. This place always holds a large population of coyotes. Calling here is to help out the deer as much as anything. These coyotes have become real specialists in killing deer and one spot in particular on the property, is littered with deer carcasses every spring when I’m looking for sheds. I haven’t witnessed it but, they must operate together as a well oiled machine .
Well, let’s see how many are in here today. A single long howl from the caller broke the silence. First one, then another and another and more howls lit up in several directions. I counted 8 total within 1.5miles of me. The closest I figured was less than 500 yards. “Ugh…. I know how this is going to go already. I’m only killing one, or all of them”. I gave it about 10 minutes to see if anything would come to investigate. My only company in that time, being a pair of magpies that perched in the willow above me and provided me with their incessant chatter to help sell the set. I was obviously hidden well enough. Seeing as these coyotes like their venison, fawn distress is what I opted for. About 4 minutes after, a beautiful coyote showed himself immediately west of me at about 175 yards. I let him stand there for a minute of so and then gave him a coaxing sound, with some decoy flicks - he started closing at a good clip. As he got closer and closer it became more apparent with each stride, how gorgeous this coyote was. It actually would have been somewhat anticlimactic, had it not been for his stature. I knew the game was mine and it was all over but doing the deed. At 30 yards, he pulled up of his own accord and was focussed intently on the decoy. I would have settled for a camera in my hand at this point. A big male, pale, fully furred up Alberta coyote, at full attention, lit up and glowing as each lick of sunlight seemed to groom him with each passing second. It felt good to lose myself in the moment and appreciate his splendour but, as with all good things, they must come to an end. I had the shotgun shouldered and on him the whole time and this end, was finalized with one pull of the trigger. My pictures do not do him justice at all. For sure, the nicest coyote I’ve taken in the last 10 years.
I finished the set with not another responder. I was okay with that. This spot had given me the finest that it had to offer.
Set #2
I’m astounded to say, I never called a coyote here. I only acquired permission today. I’ve salivated over calling here on numerous occasions. A nice whitetail buck was all I saw. Maybe next time.
Set #3
I called in three and killed a double here about 2.5 weeks ago. Two big Tom’s. Figured I had given it enough of a rest and I needed a quick set as I had to get my old girl Lab to the vet for a shot at 16:00. With a different wind direction, I was able to utilize a different hide on the complete other side of the property. I’ve lost count of how many coyotes I’ve taken from this set up.
Getting to my usual hide and the caller set up only 25’ in front of me, I got comfortable on my cushion and melted into the small pile of deadfall and tall grass. I believe I’ve probably shotgunned more coyotes here than I ever will with the rifle. Again, starting off with a long howl, I heard a male answer to the south of me, what I figured to be about 1/2 mile away. Again, staying quiet for about 10 minutes; I only had magpies as company. These coyotes had not heard any sort of prey distress from me yet this year, so rabbit was on the menu. At the 14min mark, I caught movement on the edge of the trees about 90 yards away. Another gorgeous coyote. It had to be the male that I had heard answer me. I dialled the volume right down and started with some coaxing and decoy flicks. He got into full stalk mode upon hearing the squeaks and came low at a steady pace. Were it not for his pace, he could have been mistaken for a cat in posture. It was really neat to watch. Again, I had already shouldered the shotgun and the outcome was decided long before the trigger pulled. At 18 yards, it was over in a flash. Another big male down.
Hope you enjoy the read and pics.
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Shotgun Song Dogs. The nicest coyote I’ve got in a decade.
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