Anyhow, Thursday I decided I haven't been spending enough time with my 13 yr old son, and to take the day off work and hunt/scout with him.
We got our gear together thursday night and went to bed around 10 pm. I was just so excited (as usual) that I had a hell of a time falling asleep. I kept thinking about how I was going to set up, etc...and came to the conclusion I wouldn't make my normal setup, but instead would sit up a bit higher and more upwind than usual. I wake up and look at my watch, and it's only 11:30 pm! Anyhow, woke up Friday morning at 4 am, heading out by 4:15 am. Grabbed some coffee and got to our spot and the sun was just coming up. I have my fanny pack of hand calls, gun cleaning cord, game carrier I made of paracord (you can see in the pics), binos, and my windicator (just a plastic bottle filled with talcum powder or chalk), 4 rounds in my rifle wrapped up in some camo netting, shooting sticks made of two 3/4 dia wood poles bolted together with cut off nails in the bottom, and my son is carrying my 12 gage with 3 rounds of 3" #4 buck. I'm wearing my new "quick camo" hunting hat for it's first trip. Man, I love this new hat. It has a face mask built into it. I forget the decoy in the truck...oh well. We park in a wash, and head out for a short walk.
I come up on a lone tree below a hill, wind is in our face the whole walk to the stand (NICE!), and I set up above the tree, so I have a broad view. There's no cover around us, but we're in full camo, and we set up quietly and sit real still for about 5 minutes.
I used to just start out wailing rabbit with my open reed calls, but decide to do it a little different this time. I pull out my Johnny Stewart PC-1, and let out some slow soft cottontail sounding wails, not blowing too hard so there's not much raspiness. When you blow this call hard, it gets very raspy, and sounds like a rabbit is getting torn to pieces. I don't want that...I want it to just sound like a rabbit is a little scared. I call for about 15 seconds and stop. I wait about a minute, scanning around- don't see any movement, so I take out my Long Valley long range open reed call. I think it's called the brute? I don't know- Brett only makes two open reed calls- it's the longer one, and my favorite call. It's brought in many coyotes. Anyhow, I go right into a frantic call- quick, panicked rabbit getting attacked. I rip on it for about 30 seconds. Lately, I haven't liked to call too much, or too long. I've been doing short calling sessions, and looking around. Silence for about 1 minute, and there's a coyote approaching from my left (downwind). I really didn't expect that. I expected to see one coming from my right, or in front of me, and try to circle left and downwind, because I came in from my left and scented it all up....but this is a dumb coyote. My son just recently finished his hunters ed, and I tell him to shoot it! My son seems to be in shock....like he's watching a movie, and it isn't real...I know the feeling....my first hunt, I did the same thing and let a coyote run right past me! I tell him again, whispering- shoot it! Oh well...my boy isn't doing anything. He tells me later, he was just in shock, because he couldn't believe one showed up so quick. See, this is the first time he is hunting with me and a coyote comes in. He's come a few times, but he sleeps in and won't leave camp the other times and has always missed the action!
I have to do something, so I rotate my rifle on the sticks, line up on this running coyote (at this point about 75 yards out), take a deep breath, let it out, got the crosshairs on his nose to lead him a little, and squeeze the trigger. He goes straight down, dead hitting the ground. Entry in his right shoulder.
We sit quiet after the shot, and I let out some pup cries on the Long Valley. Try for about 5 minutes, nothing, so we check out our prize.
He's a young pup (but I'm not sure, because 25-30 pounds seems to be average out of this spot, so maybe that's the genetics here. Out of maybe 8 coyotes taken from this area, none have been any bigger- I'm starting to think they're just small here. He's also very mangy, so I'm not going to be pelting him.
Anyhow, we saw another coyote about 1000 yards out, so maybe I should have stayed on the pup cries a little longer. He busted us when we stood up and walked to the down coyote. Live and learn every time....I'll give it longer next time....got too excited....again...
After this, we decided to leave the area completely, and scout some new areas, which was great. We found a really great quail spot...A ton of quail, and beautiful terrain. Can't wait to get back in September.
Another great day father and son. I think my son knows how lucky he is. I can't remember my dad ever taking a day off work to spend with me. Not complaining about it- I just want to give my son the best memories he could ever have. He told me he's going to hunt and fish for the rest of his life. He's the best hunting and fishing buddy ever. Last weekend he caught a bigger calico bass than I ever have- a 5 pounder from his kayak. Last night he kicked my ass at the bowling alley. I, also know how lucky I am!
Hope the pictures come out.
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