Having the day off of work, I went out to make a couple of stands. I thought I would go out to the 80 acres I got pemission to hunt from my boss. The wind was blowing from the east so I thought I would go hunt the back ( southwest) corner. I have only hunted this property one other time back in mid November ( no takers) . I set up on a rise looking down 65 yards to a clump of Douglas Fir /brush .I placed the bunny and the JS speaker about 20 yards from the clump. I set myself up tight against a tree and started with highpitch cottontail. I had a Redtailed hawk fly over in the first few min, thought it was going to whack the bunnie. After about 10-15 min of intermitent cottontail, I pulled out the white lil dog. I gave two quick barks and a howl with the HP cottontail still playing. Yup, you knew it, animal steps out right where I figgured from the clump of DougFir. Thought at first it was a cat by the way in was crouched down in the grass and focused on the bunny. I muted the call and realized it was a funny looking coyote. I has holding the 870 in my lap for the hard chargers, but slowly put it down to get the XP100. The coyote looked my direction, I thought I was busted, then it took a couple of steps towards the decoy. I got it in the scope ( 2X leupold ) and touched one off! It jumped straight up and started a left legged spin and took a step back the way it came. It didn't make it more than 2 steps and was down. A quick reload and then I hit the pup distress hoping ( greedy me! ) for another to show. I waited for 5-6 min then went get my prize. Wow was I mistaken!! No prize for me. Yup it was there, but remember when I said it was a funny looking coyote?? The thing had the mange so bad I didn't even want to stand by it. The tail was already stripped, looked like an opposum tail ( gag ) . The mange went up from the rear to the middle of his belly and another big patch on his face. I didn't even want to take a pic of him with my phone. I had a pair of rubber gloves in my pack for skinning but even with gloves on I wasn't going to pick him up ( man, Im a baby). Good thing there was DougFir branches down from the wind. I pushed him into a small brush pile and tossed the branch away.
The shot was 45 yards and the placement was mid body ( hi to low) right behind the front left leg, he was 3/4 facing me. 221 fireball with 52 gr Speer HP ( not TNT) over 4198. 22 cal entrance hole and no exit. I really like this round,the gun has been in the family for 35 plus years. If things were different it would have made a nice pelt.
On a side note, this coyote had blue eyes.
I gathered up and went over to the middle of the west side of the property and made another stand. No takers and it started raining so I headed home.
Thanks for reading my long winded dribble but it is my first coyote of '10 and even with the mange I am a proud man!
