I pulled into my parking spot around 2am. It was beautiful, quiet, and clear. I listened for howls for a few minutes before settling in across my seats to take a little nap before sunrise. As I lay there I noticed the big dipper was sitting just above the mountain tops. It was enormous! It stretched the entire length of my windshield... Kind of hard to explain, but to a space and science nerd like myself, the sight alone was worth the trip, er my awesome!!
I wake up from my nap and gather my things. I drive the short mile to my first stand and get set up around 530am and a bit breezy. It was still a tad dark so I waited for 15 minutes before i started calling. I was set up on a hill side looking west down over a nice valley. At the bottom of the hill there was a little creek draw about 2 foot deep running parallel to the hill that I didn't notice coming in to the set. As it got lighter I thought to myself, shoot I cant see the bottom of that creek but started calling anyway.
Started with snowshoe #2 for about 4 minutes when I noticed 2 coyotes to my left 300 yards out coming in! They are coming straight at me so I cant move, I'm not facing them so no shot yet. As they get to 150 yards they disappear into that creek draw! The caller is out to my front right 50 yards away. As I'm waiting they come tearing out 25 yards from the caller and are running dead way from me. They weren't more then 20 yards from me when they took off! I just couldn't see them in that darn draw!! As they were running away I got turned toward them. I caught a branch and made some noise so they knew something was there. I lost them in the brush but heard them barking. I played Vole squeak, DSG cottontail, and snowshoe #2 again and saw a bit of movement! They were constantly barking at me so I didn't expect much from this point on. after maybe a minute I went right to coyote growling and then pup dis# 3. BINGO!! Big Daddy Male came CHARGING down the hill about 300 yards away barking the whole time... It was pretty awesome watching this! He got to 150 and I let out a WOOF and he came to a stop broadside facing to my right. I let one go BOOM SLAP, I see it through the scope, DRT! I go to move my sticks and a leg broke! So now I'm using a quazi mono pod! The 2nd coyote came over the ridge at 300+ and was going NUTS!! I was watching her through the scope pacing back and forth, howling and barking looking down at the one I just crumbled. I tried Ki-KY and pup diss for about 20 more minutes before I took a shot. I missed the shot just low. No big deal, it was a tough one with the wind and junk sticks! 6:05am
I made my way to my second stand about a mile away. I pulled up and started walking up the trail. I got about 1/4 mile away from the truck and as I crested the hill there was a BLACK BEAR in the middle of the trail about 100 yards away!! Black with a tan back! I stopped and backed away as I was going back down the bear turned and went crashing into the trees! I went back to the truck and called that stand good!!!
Then a couple more blank stands.
My 5th stand I was on my quad when i came to a nice opening about 300 yards by 300 yards or so. I set up with the wind blowing at an angle from behind and to the right to front left. it was really the only set I had without disturbing everything. I called shoeshoe #2 for 8 minutes and a coyote came from my left 200 yards away. Before I could move I was winded and he turned and ran out to the edge of the clearing. It stopped before entering the trees so I fired a shot. Another miss. I couldn't stay still at all an my stick with the wind blowing the way it was.
With my sticks broke and another 7 blanks I called it a day and headed back down the hill. I could have stayed another nigh but I was beat and not having a partner there to push through for more stands made it easier to decide to come home.
I'll be back up there before the year is over!!
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