Last week, my sister and I had an opportunity to hunt together. We decided to go to the hay bale blind I set up on a hilltop overlooking a 14 acre hay field. Considering we've been seeing far less deer movement this year, especially in the food plots, we figured it would be our best bet for seeing anything. Shortly after shooting light, Summer spotted movement near the opposite treeline, over 300 yards away. As I glassed the area, I saw that it was a coyote. I positioned my 300 Win Mag Encore on one hay bale while she readied her 270 chambered Weatherby Vanguard on the other bale. I attempted to make a distress call, but the coyote didn't act as if he heard it. Eventually, he wandered somewhat closer and I ranged him. Due to the difficulty of getting a reading on a small target in an open field, I got readings from 230 to 270 yards. I directed her where to aim at what I thought was the distance and readied my Encore, watching him through the scope.
Following her gunshot, I saw through the scope a puff of dust blow upward from behind the coyote, and it took off running. I guess I thought it was hit and didn't attempt to take a shot. However, my sister tracked it with her rifle and fired a second round before it vanished into the woods. We searched the woods but didn't find it, or any blood. I think he was further than I thought, and Summer shot just under him as a result.
That's the fourth coyote we've seen while hunting this year alone: one during muzzleloader season, the one I killed, the one I saw the next day, and now this one. I've had dozens of trail camera pictures of them over the past few months. Additionally, after talking with one of them last week, I've learned several of the neighbors have reported seeing them far more often this year, as well, so I know it's not just me.
It's been a while since I've hunted coyotes during deer season, but I'm thinking I'm going to have to start carrying my AR and coyote call with me when I go.
