The 900 Mile Coyote - A day on the road with Len

[Len Backus]

Yesterday I left the house just after 2:30 AM. Nine hundred miles (and 3 ten-minute naps) later I checked in to a motel in Glendive, Montana. I quickly changed into warm weather hunting clothes and headed out another 40 miles to my deer hunting spot for this fall, coyote gear in hand.

First I hiked a couple miles while deer hunt scouting. An hour later off in the distance I heard the type of coyote yipping and howling that is common out here as the clock nears the magic hours of the evening.

I set up overlooking a herd of cattle including lots of little calves and started calling using coyote vocalizations. After about 10 minutes I heard barking just down the hill from me. An easy 250 yard shot resulted in this "900 mile coyote". A 2 mile hike in the dark and a 1 hour drive brought me back to the motel at 11:30 PM Wisconsin time, 21 hours after leaving WI.

Today I have another 700 miles to go to Idaho where I'll meet Shawn Carlock of Defensive Edge. Tomorrow I start his 4 day long range shooting class up in the mountains. I bought my Nissan Xterra SUV 13 months ago last June and It'll hit 50,000 miles before I complete my 1,600 trip home next weekend.

[zuba]

Nice shooting Len! I should have done that with all of my free time, I've been off of work all month

[MachV]

Good shootin Len! Sure would be fun to take one of Shawns classes, let us know how it goes for ya.

Zuba
If you need an invite here it is.......You could drive out and save me from myself, been workin way too many 7 day weeks this year.

[Sendero_Man]

Great job Len...

is that a BOTW rig or what ?

[Len Backus]

Only the stock

[tt35]

That's pretty hardcore, Len! I wish I was still that young and tough!

[Len Backus]

Got home at midnight from my trip to Defensive Edge's long range shooting class. More on that elsewhere, later.

Yesterday morning I had planned to hunt coyotes again. Set the alarm clock time and wake up time. Planned on 3.5 hours of sleep. Alarm didn't go off. I didn't turn on the alarm after setting it. Darn.

So I called up the 80 year old rancher I am "dating".

Dating means I am trying to establish a relationsip with him so he'll offer me deer hunting access. I met him on the road next to his ranch when I was about to go out coyote hunting on some adjacent state land. He said if I kill a coyote he'd invite me to his house for supper.

Well, I called him and told him about the kill (above) and he, his wife and grandson met me in town for breakfast at his expense. And then I drove the 900 remaining miles home.

We'll see how the dating goes.

2,700 mile trip is done. I'll hit 50,000 miles on my vehicle this week. Bought it last June, 13 months ago.