More lessons from Jerry

[ivarhusa]

Jerry Malbeck and I had a successful hunt yesterday, calling up 6 yotes, scaring a few and only putting down one. Lessons were learned, which was the point of the trip, however.

Jerry thought we ought to "beard those Warden coyote-shooting competitors in their own den". I thought bringing in six to the call was a pretty good showing, after all their pressure. (We hunted in the Lind-Warden area.)

At our first calling site, we called unsuccessfully (so we thought) for about 25 minutes. Jerry walked down to the call, and as he returned, I had to motion him to stop.  I was watching a coyote approach from maybe 600+ yards out. What was so outstanding was the utter whiteness of this coyote. He really stood out against the dark sage.  He got to 400 yards or so, and presented me with a broadside shot, which I took. And missed.  Jer suggested we could have done better had I let him do a bit more calling. I agree (allowing as how I missed!)

Our next stand was from an open grassy slope that faded down into a broad coyote-holding draw that went forever.  Jerry jacked up the caller volume gradually to quite high levels.  We bailed from their, and as we drove away, I spotted a coyote that was coming in to our call, still 1/2 mile from where we'd sat.  The 'yote saw the vehicle as we passed.  We parked out of sight and tried to call him back to our new location, to no avail.

The moral here is, if you are going to use lots of volume, then allow lots of time for critters to make the hike.  Our first two stands made that point!

I was spotted moving my rifle with a pair galloping in to the call. When they froze, Jer took one down.  He then ki-yi'd the mate back to within 100 yds (after we watched it moving about in the distance, deciding what to do)- Jerry with an empty magazine (long story). I took the shot at a moving (exiting) critter, and missed. I wish I'd have thunk to bark at him to get him to stop. It takes a few times for that idea to sink in well enough to pull it off.  Lesson #2.

Thanks, Jer!

[tlbradford]

Ivar.  One thing I no longer try to do is bark an exiting coyote to a stop if it is truly high tailing it out of there.  I'm not talking about ones that are trotting away, or doing the bounce thing.  I mean the ones that have their belly a few inches from the ground and are moving.  You are much better off trying to take a steady running shot, than hope to stop them.  If they ever do stop they are usually a couple of hundred yards further than when you could have taken a running shot.  If you never do get a chance at a good running shot, then just get back on the call and you may pull them back in a few minutes later.  Anytime you start barking, whistling, whatever, you will almost never bring that coyote back to a call on that stand.

If you are tracking it smoothly with the cross hairs and not barking, you can hit a running coyote.  I don't know anyone in the world that can bark and shoot a runner at the same time.   

[VarmintVentilator]

   
John Wayne could bark and shoot a runner, and if he missed they would just do a retake.   

[tlbradford]

I liked when they shot the gaps while the windmill was spinning.  I can't remember if it was a John Wayne flick or a different western, though.   

[Jerry malbeck]

I enjoyed the day as well . Thank you Ivar .
Volume on those two wide open sets had nothing to do with the late arrival .
just un- intrested coyotes.  
A coyote can run 35 M.P.H. as you saw when the pair was coming in  
The first im sure was the big male that was howling from the distance. I wish i had seen him a lil sooner , before i quit the stand and walked down to get the caller . Im sure i could have brought him close enough for a shot.
that second coyote the one down the road ? I dont think he was coming at all after the way he bugged out when we relocated . Both times he was able to see the F J . Im gonna have to get a camo net to cover that danged thing .
I pulled a total idiot move and left my xtra mag and bullets in the truck , didnt think i would need more then two rounds on the stand BUT that coyote just kept coming back to the pup distress . I called that coyote back to 100 yrds or less and a miss sent her running again got back on the distress and she kept coming back to about 200 300 yrds , this went on for at least 10 minutes .
Still was quite intresting to call that many dogs in that area just 3 days after the derby , we could see warden where we were calling from . guess they dont do much calling in that area . it was private ground but im sure the locals would have access to it .
all in all a good day of calling but it was my least productive day in a long time as far as coyotes called - coyotes killed .Ivar remember the first one? I went back out this morning before the wind came up , went in up at the top and howled this pair in . PAY BACK

[ivarhusa]

Nice, Jerry! I accept the suggestion to not bark at an exiting dog.  There was, probably, an appropriate time to bark as he was approaching and was still under 100 yards.  He never "just paused" to take a bullet.  I waited too long.

I was given lots to see in coyote behavior in my "travels with Jerry". Very good stuff. I promise you, I will be back to the range soon to build up confidence in my marksmanship.

[Jerry malbeck]

Oh hell Ivar all you need is more stands with coyotes coming in .
You know when it just gets to be another day at the office  
Your doing just fine, Its all still very new to you at this point , more time on the stand and it will start to click , every thing will just become habit and you wont even have to think about it . you have to remember i have been doing this for going on 14 years now so its all just habit and i still make mistakes , dont beat yourself up about it , it will all come your way . You have a great desire and much enthusiasm you were born to be a caller .
I think the one on the left was the one you saw , really light colored male .

[Lowedog]

Thanks for the post guys! 

[Sidewinder]

Way to go guys, 6 dogs in one day is great in my book! They coyotes give me new lessons every time I go out. If I could only find that play book!