Official 2021 Predator Thread

[xlcc]

You played the stand perfect and got your shot.Nice shot and a coyote.

[todbartell]

I started with 3 female howls spaced a minute or so apart. Then into jackrabbit distress , going from Mid volume to almost max within the first couple minutes of the distress, wanting to really reach out a ways to perk the interest of a distant coyote, With the hard packed snow, they now can cover a lot of distance in a hurry. I then back down about 60% volume, playing distress for 30-45 seconds and muting for 2-3 mins and repeat. I’m glassing around slowly, then with naked eye I see something that looks like it wasn’t there just before. Sure enough, it’s a coyote! 600 yards out to the NW, It looks really grey. It’s slowly working it’s way in and is soon out of sight behind an island of timber in the pasture. I turned volume down a bit and keep glassing my side of the island of Bush, Expecting coyote to appear 300y from me. Almost 20 mins had gone by since I first seen it, when All of a sudden the coyote is right in front of me broadside walking at around 100 yards. The field I was looking across is full of gulleys and dips. The Coyote is soon again gone . Seconds later it reappears, heading towards the muted Foxpro. I line up on it and it catches my movement and turns and walks towards me and stops frontal at 65 yards . WHOMP , 6mm Creed 105gr Amax made its legs go stiff. Nice male



The next morning I head out at first light. I hike in along a treed fenceline seperating two fields. I’m lit up with morning sun. Good spot but hard to hunt as you access from The north and you’re looking into the sun . I start again with female howls, 2-3 over a couple miniutes. Then I start the jackrabbit distress. Same routine, volume fairly high for a short burst then back down to a medium wail. Sun is blinding me, and I am cursing myself for picking this side of the fence to sit on. I am looking off to the north, thought I seen something out of place way across the field. Woof woof woof woof, my brain is slowly processing what I am hearing. Sounds like a dog wuufing softly, hmmm that's weird sounds closer than what my eyes are locked on way across the field. I look ahead, which I have been avoiding due to the low sun position ahead of me. ****! haha coyote, 75 yards and coming in. ****! I get on it , coyote looking at me and trotting In still. **** she won’t stop Now I can’t shoot left handed , tripod is jammed into hard snow and I can’t shuffle it. So I move 6mm to right shoulder and I’m forced to shoot her RH with my bad eye. She stops, I just about get reticle on her when she starts trotting broadside again at 50 yards. She’s going to wind me. I bark. Barrkkkk . She won’t stop. Then she gets my wind and turns and runs away I get on her RH and drill it quartering away just as it stops to look back at 82 yards. Huge cloud of coyote drifting in the breeze. Female



Next stand, I had a good feeling about this spot. I get in the shadows on this stand. Lone howls, then snowshoe hare distress. 14 minutes in, I heard a grouse flush behind me, so I rubberneck and see a pale coyote coming down the hill. When it went behind some trees I swung around and it came trotting down the trail right beside me It takes a few steps my way and stops frontal . ****ing close . I’m looking at it through scope, I take the second to soak it in. Both eyes open, Then squeeze frontal at 19 yards. WHOMP - Coyote starts kiyi’n loud, in spin cycle . I should of Reloaded. I kinda expected it to just fall over I lower rifle, work bolt with my right hand, somehow got it half jammed up. Got round in chamber, coyote had spun its way to the Bush across the trail. I had time to shoot again. Not sure why I didn’t, I guess I thought he was hit harder than it was . Coyote gathered itself and trucked out of sight into the bush. I gave it 15 minutes then followed the trail, for 700 yards as the crow flies. Eventually blood ran out and I lost the trail. I must of hit it low in the brisket



Sucks to lose one, first one I have drew blood on & haven't been able to recover in 18 years

[Bubbacanuck]

Good work!! Keep up the predator management!

[xlcc]

Bummer you lost one,it happens.I lost a wolf one day as it was running away from me.I think it saw me move to line up on him.I took a quartering running shot at about 225 yards or so.When I fired he jumped in the air then went down only to get up and peal'er.I followed him for half a mile then no more blood.I just nicked him low down I think.
You have a good area to hunt.Nice looking 'yotes.

[todbartell]

Clear skies at daybreak, so I tucked back in the shade of some willow. I was expecting any coyotes to come from ahead of me or my right, so not being able to shoot to the left side was the sacrifice. Being a left handed shooter, it's hard to shoot to my left side anyway. I started with female howls, then added a male howl, followed up with some breeding sounds. About 12 mins into the stand I switched to snowshoe hare distress, and within a few minutes a coyote runs out 25y to my left (behind the willow haha) , then turns and leaves quickly. I switched the Foxpro to rodent squeaks. A Few mins later the coyote comes out further in open, still screened by willow between us. It sat down about 100 yards from me, looking at the call. Then another come out. The sitting one looked distracted, so I tried to move so I could get a shot. I barely moved and they lit out of there into the Bush on far end of swamp.



40 mins of barking at me from inside the bush. I was throwing kitchen sink at them (coyote challenge, pup distress, coyote fights) Their barking seemed to escalate and get closer to me when playing coyote / dog fight. Then coyote wrestling brought them out charging in upwind of the call . The lead dog cleared the screen of willow to my left and I had the 6mm pointed that way. Third coyote in a row I've had to shoot right handed with my bad eye. That Swarovski scope looked like a blurry Tasco, but I got it done. 140y shot, anchored him in his tracks. 57 mins to kill

I'll get this one tanned for the wall





Headed out later that day with my son. And two stands the next morning with him. No luck, someday we will call one in together!



Here's the six coyotes I've given to the trapper. They look pretty awesome

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Awesome job TB!!
And yes, they sure look good!!

Renos this year have kept me at home....but we just picked up a new winter ‘thing’ for incentive to get outside....a new to us quad with tracks.
Can’t wait!

SSS

[todbartell]

Yeah that will be sweet for accessing some quiet areas during winter. I'd like to get a snowmobile someday for the same reason

[NMO]

Nice work TB!

[adriaticum]

Well, well, you are a lefty

[Arctic Lake]

That’s some good predator management Mr. Bartell ! Your little hunting buddy looks like he is having a great time with his Dad . He will have lots of good memories !
Arctic Lake