# Coyote Hunting 12/30/09



## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

What a day. Left the house around 5:30 to ensure I had enough time because of all the snow. Crossing over Eureka was insane, I could barely see with all the snow and wind. I continued to head west until I got to my traditional rabbit/coyote hunting ground. When I arrived, there was a light snow falling. Walking was fairly loud with the old crusty snow underneath the new. I slowly walked out from my truck about 1 mile. I could hear three groups of dogs howling all around me. I got set up in a good spot with decent field of view and began calling. After my first call set, I heard a dog fairly close (250 yards) start to bark and howl but I was in rolling sage and I couldn't see it. After a minute I called again. A short while later I saw the dog come over a mound about 100 yards in front. I grabbed my Ruger M77 22-250 and got ready for the shot. As soon as I was ready the dog appeared 25 yards in front of me. I pulled up my rifle and my scope was fogged and covered in snow :evil: but I managed to make out the outline of the dog, centered the cross hairs and fired. The dog dropped in its tracks. I did have my Winchester 1300 next to me loaded with #2 goose loads, but I was expecting a longer shot. I also couldn't believe how fast the dog came in. Here are some pics.

Here is the first yote, a big male:










Here is the exit wound of a 50 grain V-Max pushed with 34.5 grains of 4895 at 25 yards. He was still alive when I walked up and I had to put him down with a shot from my Ruger Mark II. Every coyote I have shot in this area has required a follow-up shot, regardless of where you hit them.










I continued on and made two other stands without success. I walked back to my truck and put the shotgun away and picked up my Rossi pump .22 with the intent of just shooting a few rabbits before I headed home. So I walked back out opposite of the direction I had hunted earlier. Typically in this area, I would see 100 - 200 jack rabbits a day. I wasn't seeing hardly any. I had walked about a mile without taking a shot when I came across real fresh coyote tracks in the snow. Since I still had my rifle and my calls with me I thought what the heck. So I sat down and started calling. I had about 60 yards of shooting lane in every direction. About 2 minutes after my second call set a coyote appeared on a dead run right at me. This coyote was not even picking a lane through the sage; he was jumping and tripping over it coming right at me. I reached for my rifle and as I started to bring it up he was 5 feet from me. Of course I didn't have my shotgun with me. I shot from the hip missing and the yote skidded to a halt within arms length and turned and ran. I loaded another round and went to shoot but my scope was still on 9x so I could just make out fur moving through the sage. I shot and watched him jolt just as he crossed over the hill. I follow-up the shot and found blood. So I started tracking him. After about 3 miles of following tracks and blood, I finally gave up. It was starting snow hard now and I was a long ways from my truck so I started the trek back. On the way back I targeted their food supply. I finished with three jacks. There just weren't a lot of them. I probably saw a total of 15. That is probably why the two dogs were so aggressive to the call. All in all a great day.

Here is one of the Jacks:


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## reb8600 (Sep 8, 2007)

That is not the entrance? The lighter Vmax are known for splashing like that when hitting the shoulder bone on entrance.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Way to get 'em Flyfishn247! Sounds like an exciting time.

Hate it when the scope fogs.. :evil:


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Very good story...nice to read about good success !!!

Thanks for sharing !!!


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## bigbuck81 (Oct 10, 2007)

Great read!! Good job!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Wow, nice! I had a similar experience today except for seeing any dogs or any rabbits.


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

Nice work, exciting stuff. Do you use mouth calls or in e caller?


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## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

> That is not the entrance? The lighter Vmax are known for splashing like that when hitting the shoulder bone on entrance.


Yeah, I have had that happen in the past, but this was the exit. I hit him in the opposite shoulder. I think with the dog being so close didn't help the mess much. Should of had the shotgun on both dogs, just wasn't prepared for them to come in so quick.



> Nice work, exciting stuff. Do you use mouth calls or in e caller?


I use mouth calls. I have a cheaper e-caller but I haven't been pleased with it and I haven't been in a position to spend $400 on a good Foxpro, plus I like the ability to make my own sounds with mouth calls.

I had a chance to go out again out by Snowville, no dogs but we were able to put a small dent in their food supply. Sorry no pics.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Nice! I just got back from another trip to Nevada and there were plenty of dogs but they just wouldn't come in to the calls. Nothing is as cool as hearing 5 different packs of dogs howling at the same time all around you. We did get one dog though so not completely skunked.


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## bufflehead3 (Jan 5, 2010)

Sweet looking hunt! Good job


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

Looks like a awesome time. I would like to get back into coyote hunting a little more. I have all the sceery calls. Just gotta find some dogs. The few times I have been out it has been a blast!!!!


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