Kind of like hog hunting in the heat, I dont get to do much predator hunting this time of year either. While this might not be the most sporting hunt ever, it sure was interesting.
I was out tonite putting up my trail cameras on my in-laws property, and headed back to the house when I saw a coyote laying in the shade of a round bale on the neighbors pasture about 4-500yds out. So just for gits and shiggles I roll down the window and grab some hand calls located conveniently located in the center console and start to blowing on a rabbit call. Coyote pops up and comes dead running for about 100 yds then stops. I figure he'd bug out but I kept blowing and he slowly started coming closer. he gets to roughly 250-300 yds and turns to walk away from me. So he goes behind a tree line running through the pasture, and I reach back and grab my .17hmr truck gun, my little puppy I had in the truck, and sneak out as quietly as I can and lay down in the tall grass along the fenceline and keep blowing on the calls. I lost him for a while, but he popped out roughly 100 yds in front of me, but slowly walking away. I wanted to shoot then, but neighbors house was directly behind him across the pasture so I had to wait. By this time my little pup is about 25 yds in front of me between the coyote, so I switch calls to a primos ki-yi and start letting out some little yelps. The coyote was kind of circling around, not quite sure what to make of it all. When I finally had a clear background to shoot, I guessed him to be about 150yds. I know my .17 is dead nuts on at 100, but I have never shot it farther than that. While I didnt have a lot of faith in the shot, I steadied the gun on the bottom string of barb wire, held a little over his head, squeezed the trigger and watched him fall right there in the scope. I paced it off at 162 and the shot landed just in front of the ear.
Now before anyone starts, I know a 17 isnt a great predator gun, especially at that range, but it was all I had so I made do and it did the job. I dont really like carrying the AR around at all times hoping for just such an occasion.
Best I can figure is that coyote was real dumb, real young, real hungry, or all of the above. Here I am in a bright red truck in the middle of a pasture and he doesn't take off. Total time from seeing it to shooting it was at least 20 minutes.
Here I am in my full camo gear, behind the stealthy red truck at the spot where I shot from.
And here is a pic of a spot on the dogs back. Is this mange? Did he get attacked by something. Doesnt look like any mangy spots I have seen, and it was kind of bloody.
