First coyote w/new rifle, Moses Coulee

[cdriver]

I bought a new rifle last spring, 22-250, after using my .22, shotgun and deer rifle for coyote hunting in the past. Got my first coyote with it finally this weekend. It's nice when everything comes together just right on a hunting trip. I went over to Ephrata for the weekend, was at the trailhead early Sunday morning, 0530 and was it cold! 32 on my thermometer in the truck. Hiked in about two miles, set up a pretty good stand near a burned area. Not  well hidden but blended in fairly well with the low scrub. Using one of Rick's sweet howlers, admiring the view and the sunrise and there comes one, straight in, I have to remind myself always to be patient, I let her come some more, when she got to a series of draws she would have ducked into to come closer to me she stopped for a second. I shot then rather than losing her in the draw and having her suddenly popping up 40 ft from me. 145 yard shot, I measured it afterwards. I didn't see her drop but she did. Couldn't find the entry or exit hole, that 22-250 is deadly on coyotes. A young female, decent looking coat. A very satisfying day, it broke a long slump for me If someone will pm me with an e-mail address and is willing to post up pics, I have a few of them. A big thank you to Rick for his great calls and this site for a lot of useful information.

[bearmanric]

Awsome. Thank you. Rick

[fast1]

Glad to hear ur out of ur rut!! 250 is a hot round.

[cdriver]

I was shooting a 40 grain bullet, light and fast I am thinking. And I spent about ten minutes trying to find where I hit her, couldn't find it, supposed I should have skinned it, might have figured it out that way. Maybe it scared her to death!  Going to come over and hunt Petaros next week. Have been staying away since the fires, will be glad to spend some hunting dollars over there, help out the local economy and see what kind of fire damage the areas I hunt have sustained.

[cdriver]

Had a second good weekend. Missed my shot on a coyote, my fault, shooting uphill and was kind of twisted around, couldn't move since he already was suspicious. But he came in to a howl and distress combo of calling. He seemed bigger/older and more wary than the one I shot last week near Ephrata. This was near Pateros where I haven't hunted since the fires. Two weeks in a row I have called in coyotes over fire damaged ground.

[Heredoggydoggy]

I'm getting the itch to do some coyote hunting now that we are getting into fall weather.  The deer on my game camera look like they are shedding the summer coat and are losing the velvet on their antlers.  SOON! 

[KenPCPilot]

22-250 is my favorite rifle.  I found Hornady 50gr Superperformance 22-250 ammo shoots 1 inch groups.  Missed a coyote last weekend up in Capital Forest.  I guess 60 yards is out of my range for my  .45 Auto.   

[cdriver]

The fall is such a great time of year. I am going to get one more coyote hunt in near Quincy just before deer season starts, then spend some time closer to home, get some local blacktail action.

[cdriver]

Just got back from my Quincy trip. Found a fresh gut pile this morning, watched/called over that for a while this morning. Was sorry the coyotes weren't interested. The birds sure were, figured that would clue in the yotes. Did not see much sign in an area I usually see a lot in. Did find some of the area burned, maybe that has changed their patterns.

[Threewolves]

Cool. how much do you think you will get for that coyote or are you going to keep it for yourself?

[Heredoggydoggy]

Just got back from my Quincy trip. Found a fresh gut pile this morning, watched/called over that for a while this morning. Was sorry the coyotes weren't interested. The birds sure were, figured that would clue in the yotes. Did not see much sign in an area I usually see a lot in. Did find some of the area burned, maybe that has changed their patterns.

Sounds like you hunted the Baird Springs Road area.  2 fires there this year.

[cdriver]

I was just a bit north of there. I sure like that area. I want to get up, recon more in Douglas Creek area.

[Heredoggydoggy]

I was just a bit north of there. I sure like that area. I want to get up, recon more in Douglas Creek area.

Good areas.  My cousin farms the fields just north of DC.  lots of CRP sections up there.

[cdriver]

Thanks for the information, I am going to try to get out there the later part of this month, modern deer season ends there on the 19th I believe. Do you go in from the north, near Waterville or come up from the Palisades Rd? From the map it looks like either way works. I started up from the south last year but wasn't sure how good the road was climbing up from the valley floor.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Thanks for the information, I am going to try to get out there the later part of this month, modern deer season ends there on the 19th I believe. Do you go in from the north, near Waterville or come up from the Palisades Rd? From the map it looks like either way works. I started up from the south last year but wasn't sure how good the road was climbing up from the valley floor.

I don't know how the road up from Palisades is now.  Years ago the wall of the old railroad tunnel caved in, and a big pothole on the road above the tunnel formed, and made the road impassable by vehicle.  The last time I was up there, I didn't go all the way down to the canyon.  Road "H" off of Hwy 2, east of Waterville and Douglas goes down to the Douglas Creek Canyon and will cover more of the canyon.  I went down Road H for two miles and turned left, and there is a lot of "Walk in Hunting Only" area, and lots of coyote sign there.  Lots of coyotes around the Waterville area too!