This morning I really wasn't going to go on the morning patrol for coyotes..Since it was a special day, I thought I might spend it with my significant other....It was cloudy here in town, and cold, 12 degrees as I finished my morning walk down town...As I neared the coffee shop where I usually, get a second cup of coffee for my trip home, my pal pulled up in his old two tone Chev. pickup....He works up north now that the mines hav e closed here, and only gets home on three day breaks, except once a mth. he has a week off..since he has a new flame, our hunting has been nil this year, but he explained his gal had to do some chores, and he was free, did I want to go....Well, while he gased up, I got a cup of coffee, we swung by the house, and my sweetheart was talking with her daughter in some far off foreign land called Mississippi.....She was happy to visit her, and told me hunt my heart out...So we were off...
The Chief had a 7mm Mag. and 6mm in the pickup...I looked over my varmiters sitting by the gun safe, and picked up my old .22-250 Improved...Grabbed a 44 4" and 45 auto, just for spares...Out the door I went and we were off...The Chief wanted to hunt north of town...on some old 2 tracks...Since it was very cold, I didn't take my electic calls....Just 6 miles north, the clouds began to break and gave us one of the prettiest sunrises I have seen in several weeks...
As we headed north we were watching the antelope scattered along the road peacefully feeding...As we turned off on the two track, we spotted a group, huddled together, a sure sign....The Chief said there he is just beyond the antelope...I got a solid rest and put the crosshairs of the 14 power Burris on his ribs and sent one of Serria's Blitzkings to say hello...thecoyote dropped at the shot, and went over the hill. A quick check found it dead, 30 yards away. The 50 grainer hit a bit far back, but did not exit that we could see..it turned out to be a female.....On our way, the next one was very far, The Chief tried a long shot with the 7, but it was just too far...Moving on we spotted some buck deer. then a couple bull elk...a still cold morning...we crossed a small ridge and spotted two coyotes heading up a small draw out of sight in a second....the we started running into elk....elk... and more elk. We must have seen 400...Lined up on the ridges in the winter sun, the steam poured from their noses...they looked like the Souix on the ridges at the Little Bighorn...Mixed in with them were antelope....Then two more coyotes darted among the elk to safety.....later The Chief got another pretty long shot with his .243 but didn't connect....Usually he is right on target...All totaled we spotted nine different coyotes before we hit the next country road and began to circle home...We also spotted several bald and golden eagles...We caught another 2 track to cut back to our side of the mountain...While there were jackrabbit tracks everywhere, the coyotes were hanging around the big game herds on the north end of the mt...Interesting....While it was a beautiful sunny morning for our return trip...the only game we saw was a big flock of sage grouse as we neared the next county road...It was getting late, and The Chief said he needed a nap. so we headed home...Just out side of town in a big old pasture filled with cows, we spotted five more coyotes headed for the river.....the cattle made shooting impossible...All in all it had been a fun hunt that took maybe 3 hours...we sure are lucky to live where this is all so close...hope you had a wonderful Valentines Day also...WCH
