Damn weather

[UphillDoc 278]

Its been an unusually warm Jan and Feb for us. We been getting rain instead of snow, and that has slowed the coyote hunting to a crawl. When the desert is wet it will swallow a truck up, so I have only been able to get out a few times in the last few weeks...

Sunday morning its 30 so I decided to go try to find one before it thaws. My wife says she wants to go to, so we load 4 and head out. First thing, Im talking to Capps on the phone when she spots one out her side. Its on the other side of a fence, in the sage, so I stop hoping the dogs will see it move. They dont see it, and it uses a small rise to duck behind and is gone.

We move on and it not long before we see more. I spot 4 way out running together across a big plow. I hustle around to the far side hoping to close the gap some. They see me coming and hit the afterburners. Three cross way ahead and I know I got no chance to catch them. One splits off and it turns parellel to the road. It has its head down and aint lookin back. I try to get even with it before dropping but it dont do any good. I drop "Reba and T" and they angle across the plow towards the coyote, but after about 400 yards I know they wont catch this one. They try for about another 800 yards but when he makes a fence they pull up. I get them loaded and havent gone 100 yards when I spot another. I try to get over to him, but he beats me to the desert and is gone. Its not the start I was hoping for...

We move to another area and I stop next to a rockpile to take a piss before pushing this section of desert. I got my pecker in my hand when I hear my wife say "look!" Not 20 yards from the truck 3 mule deer stand up and are staring at the truck... I give serious thought to pullin the rope, but that would be illegal, and Im a rule follower, soooo I just head out looking for more coyotes...

We are midway thru this desert section when I spot one a couple hundred yards away trying to sneak out the side, towards the heavy sage. "John and Hoss" have him spotted so I drop from there. They are making up ground fast, but he beats them to the sage by yards. They go into the sage a few hundred yards but cant come up with him. I get them loaded and start heading towards a hilly spot, when I see another one. It crests the hill and is not looking back. I know its open on the other side for a long ways so I decide to drop as soon as I get to the top of the hill so we can see a good race. When I get to the top of the hill I see the coyote about 150 yards out runnin hard. I angle the truck so "Reba and T" can see it. "T" starts calling for it so I send them. They are really running and we have a birds eye view. My wife calls "Reba" her dog, so she is really cheering her on. She tells me to get closer so she can see the catch. I start towards them and they are moving up on it. The coyote is feeling the pressure and starts trying to duck and dodge. "T" is running the best I have ever seen her run, and as "Reba" turns the coyote, she cuts the angle and the coyote has to turn back to "Reba" I know thats a dead coyote, and sure enough "Reba" rolls the coyote hard. "T" smashes in and they get it pinned. My wife is really praising "her dog" and I ask her if she wants to stick it like "Hanna" does...

Its starting to warm up enough that the ground is getting greasy, so I start heading for home. We are going thru some rolling hills and I spot another! I hustle over and get the coyote so "John and Hoss" can see it. Its in a good spot, and I have the coyote 100 yards from the truck, so I dont try to get closer. The dogs are calling for him, and leave the truck hard. I dont see the wash 100 yards ahead, and neither does "John" cause he goes head over heels when he hits it. "Hoss" stays upright and has the coyote in his sights. He is really gathering up the ground on this coyote, and when he gets close enough he sells out and dives on the coyote. They go rolling, but "Hoss" manages to keep ahold. He throws the coyote off its feet and is pressing it into the ground whan "John" arrives. Its not long for this world after that. I was impressed with the way the bullstags ran today...they sure enough looked like they will make coyote dogs. This weather has really put a damper on the hunting, but Im happy with what I have seen. I will keep my fingers crosses for cold, or at least dry weather, in the next few weeks, then its time to shut it down and wait and see what next year brings.

 

Take care.

[Mickey Finn 2,760]

Nice work Doc! I guess you guys are among the few without snow. Hope the weather turns for ya.

ATB

 

p.s. I think you and the pups are being called out.

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=142025

Edited February 13, 2010 by Mickey Finn

[hogs head 19]

mate i had a very good read thank,s the dogs went well for you atb

[Top Lamper 2k10 169]

nice 1 mate how big are coyotes mate

[UphillDoc 278]

Thanks fellas.

 

2k10-They generally run from 20-50lbs,(some a little smaller or bigger) but most of the ones I catch are in the 25-35lb range.

 

Take care.

Edited February 14, 2010 by UphillDoc

[Malt 379]

Nice one Doc.