Luck of the draw

[UphillDoc 278]

The weather has been givin us fits. First froze solid and lots of ice, then a big mud hole. We cant run the desert in the mud, so Im praying for snow or a hard freeze. Sunday morning I get up and check the thermometer. A cold snap came in, and the ground is froze hard enough to go looking... Its supposed to warm up, and rain so I figure I only got a small window to go. I load the dogs at daylight and head out. The Cowboy was supposed to go, but his wife had other plans. Well plans changed, and he calls and says he is coming to.

Im just getting to the first section when Capps calls. As luck would have it I spot a coyote way out in the middle and tell Capps I will call him later. Its a hilly spot so the coyote is not always in sight as I move around trying to decide whats the best way to get the dogs to him. I circle the section hoping the dogs (John, Cookie) will spot him, but with him standing still in the yellow grass they dont see him. He is far enough out that me circling the section isnt even really makin him nervous. The Cowboy calls pissed and says his truck wont start and for me to come get him...I say "not now, Im lookin at a coyote" He is twice as pissed now...LOL I decide to circle it again in the opposite direction and see if the other dogs (Reba, Hoss, T) have any better luck spotting him. When I get to the side I think gives them the best view, I stop and honk. He looks up at me, so I honk some more and hiss the dogs. That makes him move a little and as he starts to trot away the dogs see him. I drop the dogs and then start to head around to the far side. They get out a couple hundred yards before he starts to really move out. I lose sight of all of them a few times in the hills, but the dogs are closing. When I get around the far side they dont show up. I get to a high spot and see them in a swale. Heads down, tails up...

The Cowboy arrives and isnt nearly as thrilled with my luck as I am. We head out to the desert and I feel like we are bound to get a couple races here. Neither of us has run this spot this year. We spend a couple hours lookin and dont spot a damn thing...luck of the draw I guess. We move to a new spot, and on our way out the Cowboy spots one way out. He heads for it full blast, and I sit and watch the show. He is closing but with his run of bad luck he is taking no chances on a long drop and keeps pushing. He pushes to hard and the coyote makes a big wash, and loses them. We meet up with the Cowboys cousin at the blacktop, and sit and BS for a minute. When his cousin heads out the Cowboy decides to let his dogs down to stretch. They are pretty worked up from the ride and run wide looking for the coyote they know they were after. Just then the cousin calls and says "I just had three coyotes cross into a big open section in front of me!" Well the Cowboy starts screamin and pleadin for his dogs to get loaded, but they have other things on their mind... I tell him not to worry I will go catch them coyotes and hold them til he gets there...he aint amused... We finally get his dogs loaded and go lookin for those coyotes but no luck, they are not to be found. I make sure to tell him how bad he is affecting my coyote hunting. He roars off for a new spot. We get there and he is bound and determined to find a coyote in front of me. We head into the desert and he is racin around like a man on a mission. Im lagging back and watching all the escape routes, as he pushes hard. He goes up around a big knob, and I circle downwind of it. Im about to park and wait for him to come around when a coyote jumps up right in front of me! I swear I caught it napping. Just then the Cowboy comes into sight and sees the coyote between us. He hits the gas just as I pull the rope... My dogs (Reba, Hoss, T) roll out and the coyote trys to take them over a rockpile, but they are right on him. The Cowboy pulls up to see them stretch him out. I throw the coyote in his truck for good luck and off we go. Its more of the same, with him runnin way out front of me, and me just lookin for likely spots. Pretty quick I spot one right between us, about 300 yards ahead runnin hard. I try to call the Cowboy to tell him, but no cell service there. (We need CBs in our rigs) I hit the gas hoping the Cowboy will spot me moving out and see the coyote. I try to haze the coyote for him, but its rough ground, and hard to close much. After about 1/4 mile its obvious he either dont see it, or isnt coming, so I drop (John, Cookie) They make a real nice race, keeping track of it in the rough stuff, and turning it a few times before they catch it. The Cowboy dont even come over and have a look this time...

I decide I have had enough and call it a day. We head out, and I cant help but laugh a little at my luck of the draw.

 

Take care.