Interesting morning of calling

[Tikkamike]

Yesterday morning my good buddy and I went to see if we could call in a coyote. The first stand we set up a foxpro on a great looking stand and after about 20 minutes with no activity we moved on. The second stand we found was very non traditional. it looked more like bobcat country than anything. we were a few hundred yards from a natural gas well um in the rocks calling down into something similar to the needles. This time we decided to use mouth calls. I recently bought a Dan Thompson howler that I have been trying to master so we decided to try it out. I let a few barks and squeeky puberty-esk sounding howls ( i am really horrible with it I get a few good ones out but some sound like plain garbage) Anyway nothing responded so we took turns using our rabbit squallers and I let out a few more howls from various calls and we were about to call it a stand when I looked down and say a coyote standing on a point 320 yards away, I was behind a rick that I had thought looked like a good shooting rest but I failed to try it out and it was a little bit high for a solid rest. I was trying to get situated and he was slowly coming to us then he changed his mind and wandered off. I could have taken a shot at 300 I could get him in the scope it just wasnt solid, I now kind of wish I had just flung one out there but a missed coyote would feel worse than a missed opportunity for sure! Anyway I found it interesting and slightly encouraging that you can throw a huge array of calls to a coyote and you just never know which sound will perk their interest. We threw probably 6 different sounds at him for 20 minutes then he finally poked his head out. Good learning experience I thought, I also learned I need to make sure im in a good shooting position for any possible shots rather than assuming.

[mt Al]

Originally Posted by Tikkamike

Good learning experience I thought.

And thanks for sharing it. Who'd have thunk a coyote would hang up and take all those sounds to come and take a look? Good to know.

[SBruce]

Since you didn't shoot, that coyote can probably be called in again on a different day. Especially if he just lost interest and kinda sauntered off without getting spooked. If you would've shot and missed, he would be educated to alot of sounds in just one "class session". I would guess that either he came from a long ways off (Dans' howlers are great for long range calling) or the illusion of hearing more than one coyote finally peaked his interest.

I fully know how you feel about not being steady enough for the shot. A yote is pretty damn small at 300 yds. That's about the furthest distance I feel I can shoot one from the sitting position with good backrest/support and the gun on sticks or bipod. Any further than 300 (or if I don't have a backrest) I feel the need to get prone on the bipod.

Good Luck, you still may get that coyote later on.

[Tikkamike]

Yeah Bruce I think your right. I think ill be able to Call him again.

[Magnumitis]

We'll set the Foxpro out for him next time.

[SBruce]

You guys wouldn't happen to know John Haslam would you? I believe he used (maybe still does?) live around the Basin area.

Reason I ask is that I lost his number long ago and I'd like to get in touch with him. We had a mutual friend pass away the day after Christmas (Dan Thompson of Rawlins, WY).

[Tikkamike]

No I don't know him... sorry to hear about Dan. I actually just bought one of his calls, and love it. I plan to buy more. Ill look in the phone book and see if I can find a number and pass it along.