Just about four hours ago, about 5:30 p.m. here in Colorado; being the good husband I had just pulled my F-150 truck up to the horse corral; I would feed the horses and then my wife Karen would join me for our Friday afternoon grocery trip.

As I walked toward the corral, my big gelding Bojo nickered; but suddenly his soft greeting was overwhelmed by a coyote howling off in the distance. I froze in my tracks; the coyotes had been around a dozen evenings the past several weeks after dark, grouping together and howling about two hundred yards below the corral. In fact, last evening I had gone and set up in the little valley below and tried calling; I had a big 'yote show himself at about 400 yards and circle into the wind, but he disappeared behind a hill and I never saw him again.

I instantly reversed direction, got back to my truck and reached in. From behind the seat I grabbed my Savage .223 and in the console my fingers wrapped around my Terminator Thumper mouth call.

I turned and headed out behind the corral, crossing onto the ranch and immediately bogged down in 18" to 2 feet of old but soft snow, the kind where you sink in and it is a struggle to walk in. My heart was already pounding, but my heavy breathing picked up even more due to the physical labor of moving through the snow.

After about a quarter of a mile, already sweating and way out of breath, I reached a spot that looked good, considering where the howling had come from and analyzing the available cover ahead. Normally when I set up for a coyote stand, I pick a more suitable spot, but here I had to take what I could get considering the location of the howl. Standing, I rested the rifle on a branch of a pine tree, and gulped huge amounts of air into my lungs to try and slow down my thumping heart and regain some body control.

Not wanting to wait too long, I placed my plastic mouth call to my lips, and started a slow but raspy yipping, not unlike an older puppy dog.

Pause, do it again, pause, catch my breath, slow down heart PLEASE! Do it again. Pause, do it once more.

After about 4 or 5 minutes, which seemed much longer, my breathing had slowed and I felt somewhat under control. But no coyote had showed. I waited another several minutes and called a couple more times. No deal, I thought, and took the rifle off the branch, turning back toward the corral and barn some 400 yards uphill.

Right then a coyote topped the hill about 160 yards distant, and was heading my way. Caught in an "OOPS" position, I waited a few seconds until he passed behind a tree then hurriedly got the rifle back up and got ready. He came in another 40 yards, then disappeared again behind a little swale. I knew that when he reappeared, if he kept in the same direction, he would be almost in my lap; and my scope was set on nine power, my preference for calling the high prairies here. I debated re-setting the scope power, but did not want to move, knowing he would be there as soon as I moved and I didn't want to blow this one!

Well, time passed, and I knew something had happened; he had stopped or changed direction. Again I debated; should I call again or not? My experience said NO because when he reappeared I wanted him to still be confused, rather than honing in on me at such a short distance.

After another eon of time, I saw him heading back up the little hill from where he had come. His body language told me he was not spooked; apparently he had just lost interest. Pursing my lips, I made my kissing sound and stopped him, but LO! he was partially obscured by tree branches! I carefully picked my spot and squeezed.

CLICK!!!

Oh my gosh! I had forgotten to chamber a round in all the excitement of the hurried stalk and set up and all...???

I carefully and as quietly as possible opened the bolt and ejected a live round (?) of .223 ammo: Black Hills 40 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. It fell quietly in the snow as I jacked in another round of the same.

The coyote, hearing the sounds but not really putting two and two together, bounded up the hill another 25 yards; nearing the top, he stopped for that last look.

Coyote fever had finally gotten it's grip on me. All these circumstances: the snow trekking, the labored breathing, the adrenalin heart pounding rush as he finally showed himself even after I had given up, the waiting while he disappeared, then the trigger pull when he came back into view and I stopped him with a kiss, and hearing that cold heart-stopping "click," and then him taking off but yet stopping to give me another chance; it all came crashing in on me and I was shaking like a leaf.

I COULD NOT STEADY THOSE CROSSHAIRS ON HIS SHOULDER!

My heart was again in my throat and my lungs were gasping for air! The gun would not settle in! I do not remember this happening in recent years...

Somehow, that coyote paused just long enough for me to sort of get it together and squeeze the trigger at the appropriate second; just as he took off he tumbled down the hill and lay still.

I am proud to say that yes, after only killing somewhere between 400 and 500 coyotes, they still rip my beat! (or get my beat to ripping... or?) I hope u know what I am trying to say...

As Craig Boddington said in a recent article, something like: "IF THEY DON'T STILL GET YOU EXCITED, THEN QUIT DOING IT."

That, my friends, was one adrenalin rush that I won't soon forget!

And oh yeah, I used a RIFLE. And I wouldn't trade this experience for at least ten other of my handgun kills.

Bedsides, this was BUSINESS!

I feel as though I was there, thanks for sharing and congrat's ;-)

Contrats Gregg! Thats a great story, thanks for sharing!

WOOOHOOO!!!! One down, 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 to go!

good job buddy, you getting bounty's for them or selling the hides?

Great story, I felt like I was sitting next to you.

Congrats, Gregg!! I think I would rather call predators than hunt deer or elk for the pure 'rush' I get every time one responds. Can't beat it!
BTW, I, too, am an equal opportunity hunter, I use the tool in hand, handgun, rifle, or shotgun. Use to use a bow, too, but 'uncle arther' set in in the neck and shoulders.

Makes me want grab my Savage and head out the door now!

Thanks for sharing

Great shot,Gregg. Thanks for sharing your yote hunt.

Gregg,

Great story, as I can see the hills where this took place. ON my last deer I had a major moment of excitement and confusion because I was so rattled. I started to chatise myself for having a rookie moment, but stopped, thought about it, and told myself this is part of why I like to do what I do. When those feelings leave me, it will be time to hang it up.

Craig

Congrats Gregg! Sounds like a hunt you won't soon forget. Congrats and may you have many more impromptu successes.

PH

One at a time; trying to do my share.

Thanks to all of you for the nice comments!!!

Here is an interesting follow-up: Today I spent an hour getting all my equipment ready for a hike-in to one of my favorite coyote hunting spots; it is almost out of reach due to the snow without some hiking.

I had the perfect set-up: the wind was negligent, even so I was wearing Cover Scent (SKUNK, and BTW when I got home Karen rushed me straight to the shower! LOL)

I was wearing winter camo coveralls, camo face mask and gloves, and heavy snow boots; I was sitting on a camo foam pad, I had my 10X Zeiss binoculars strapped on, and was set up overlooking a beautiful little valley with a willow choked stream going through it. My 22-250 coyote rifle (painted camo with a Leupold scope) with my special handloads was set up on my favorite shooting sticks; I had my electronic Fox Pro caller out at about 75 yards PLUS a moving electronic decoy; man it was so ideal, I should of just SLAYED 'em...

Yup, you guessed it: not ONE coyote was sighted the whole trip!

LOL LOL

Plus it cost me gas money!

That is an easy one. You were probably wearing that fancy straw hat, and any self-respecting coyote knows that we are still in felt hat season. No white shoes after Labor Day, and no straw hats until Spring........;^)

Craig

LOL!!!

Nope, no hat at all, less bulk for the 'yote to spot. Full camo face mask covering my whole head except for my eyes.

I will wear my straw hats wherever and whenever I please!

LOL!!

I have several felt cowboy hats but later in life I developed Grave's Disease and I sweat too much; they are usually too hot for me.









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I found this photo while searching my horse pics and want to share:

Great story and photos Gregg - thanks for sharing!!!

Gregg,

Wow, sorry about the situation with Graves. I have not a clue what it is, but I will do a little research. I have the same issue with heat and felt hats, and it bugs me as I really like them. If you ever see a half naked guy climbing a Colorado mountain at first light with a bow in his hand, it is probably me. Put it all on to get up, cook etc. Take it all off to climb the mountain. Put it all back on again at the top :^) My buddy and I have been known to hike back to camp at mid-day, pretty much in our skivvies after washing up in a mountain streams. I dig scaring the hikers :^)

I hope you have that last photo framed. What a great picture.

Craig

Another one bites the dust!!

Thanks for sharing..

Again, thank you all.

BTW, if you like the exchange about the hats, check this one out!

http://www.handgunhunt.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=103922&page=0#Post103922

LOL!!!

Oh, I liked the part of you walking into the house reeking of cover scent. That made me chuckle.

Tonight, right at dark, as I was finishing up chores, the coyotes were howling again right below the corral, only further west; I figure maybe 500 yards off.

What did I do? I came in the house, grabbed a beer, cuddled up to my wife and said, "Hi Honey."

Tomorrow is another day.

Great story Gregg. Yep those yotes have a way of getting the adrenalin to flowing. Speaking of cover scent, my first semester at CSU i became friends with a native CO boy who put himself through college bytrapping. I learned more then I can remember from Jay. He was a wildlife biologist major. Well one indian summer day after class I walked into the dorm and the smell of skunk was so strong everyone had their windows and doors open. Come to find out Jay had ordered skunk cover scent and it broke inside the box. It took 2 weeks before the smell left. The looks jay got everyday at breakfast was hillarious.

Great Story Gregg...as if I was there it was Awesome...and your Right if it don't "getca going anymore"...quit do something else!