What the...

[UphillDoc 278]

Ty and I head over to pick up the Cowboy and his son for a morning of coyote hunting. The Cowboy has talked to one of the sheepherders and gotten permission to run the dogs out where he has his sheep. He tells of a bunch of coyotes being there, but isnt real clear on how to get out to where the sheep are now. On our way out we spot a coyote out on a rise and plunge off the road after it. This coyote is not wasting any time looking over its shoulder for us. It has its head down and is running like its ass is on fire. Im driving the truck like its stolen though, and we are making up some ground. Its a rough go, and at one point we jolt the truck so hard the Cowboys side of the box opens up! What the... The dogs know we are after something but havent seen it yet, so are standing at the open door waiting to jump. We are going WAY to fast for that to turn out good, so I keep the coyote on the opposite side of the truck, until the Cowboy can lean out the window and get the door closed again... I try to swing ahead of the coyote to get the truck between him and the big sage, but its too late and he beats us there. I would have loved to see the dogs run that coyote, and Im not even sure they could have caught him.

We head out to where we think the sheep will be, and its clear pretty quick we have no idea... We are driving along the military bombing range, complete with signs saying No Trespassing, Do Not Enter, Unexploded Ordinace, etc...when the Cowboy says "It looks like someone drove around the chain barrier right there" and I say "yea, so what" he says "that must be where the sheepherder drove around to take water to the sheep, lets go around." Im like "what the... you goofy b*****d they will shoot us, or at least arrest us!" For once IM the sensible one and we dont go see if thats where the sheep are or not...LOL

I decide we are not looking for any more damn sheep and turn the truck around to go back to some new fields I got permission to run on. We arrive and circle a couple but dont see anything. We are driving between a hayfield, and a cut wheat field when the Cowboy spots one. I swing into the wheat field and see one standing broadside about 400 yards out. He isnt running and as Im barreling down on him I start to wonder if Im looking at the same coyote they seen. The coyote breaks when we are about 1/2 way to him. Im hoping he will head any way but east, (since thats the only side that has any cover for a long ways.) Sure as shit he heads east. I tell the Cowboy I want to make a long drop so I can see my two gyps roll out. He is hollering for me to get ahead, and to get closer...but I ignore him and angle a bit to the east. We have moved up parellel to the coyote and he is still about 200-250 yards out my side. The gyps start to scream for him. I slide it to a stop and Ty pulls the rope. "Emma and Cookie" put it in high gear and its a race. I start to swing the truck so the Cowboys dogs will be able to see the race, and the Cowboy is so jacked he pulls his side, but its too early and his dogs go away from the race. Now he is really pissed, and yells what the... We follow the two gyps in the truck and see them closing on the coyote. "Cookie" is just ahead of "Emma" They have gone about 300 yards and the coyote is starting to feel them bearing down on him. He makes a couple turns but cant shake them. "Cookie" rolls him and "Emma" dives right in. "Cookie" comes up with a hold on the back of the shoulders and "Emma" comes up with her head in the coyotes mouth. When she pulls her head free, "Cookie" falls backward and pulls the coyote over the top of herself. The coyote breaks free and starts to run again but the two gyps roll it again pretty quick. "Emma" tries for a throat hold, but gets caught again instead. "Cookie" grabs the coyote by the tail and is tugging for all she is worth. "Emma" gets loose again and "Cookie" and the coyote start going round and round in circles. The Cowboy wants to intervene but I wont let him. I want my two gyps to grab him right or let him get away. After a few rounds "Emma" dives in and gets the coyote by the neck just above the shoulder and drives it to the ground. "Cookie" switches right up to the head and they have it pinned. We gather the Cowboys dogs and head home.

On the way home we are driving on an old two lane highway that parellels the Interstate. The Cowboy spots one inbetween the two roads. I say "Im taking him" but the Cowboy doesnt think its a good idea. We drive by, and I notice in my mirror that the coyote is just standing there. I cant take that, and after letting a couple cars pass, turn the truck around. As I come back by the coyote Im looking for a spot to go off the road and have a go at the coyote. There is only about 150 yards of ground between the Interstate and the old highway. I decide to try to swing in front, and above him, so I will be between him and the Interstate. I get there but the coyote does NOT want to run across the old highway, he just stands there. I have the Cowboys dogs looking right at him at 60 yards, and they are screaming, but the Cowboy wont pull the rope! The coyote cant take it and breaks past the truck and is running right down the middle of the two roads. I swing the truck around to follow him and try to haze him down to the old highway. Its crazy rough, and the truck is really jumping, but I do happen to notice vehicles pulling over to watch the fiasco on both the Interstate and the old highway!!! My two gyps have spotted the coyote and are calling for him, the next thing I know they are out of the box... We are coming into a hilly section and the coyote is in and out of sight, but the two gyps press on. They have to relineout a few times as they come over each rise, but are gaining. We on the other hand are not. The gyps get close enough to him that he turns and heads down to the old highway. There is a rig parked about 200 yards each side of the race, and the coyote looks like he will split the two. I turn the truck towards the old highway and find a good spot to come down. The coyote starts to angle towards the far rig, and I wonder whats going to happen there. I come down pretty fast and as I hit the shoulder of the highway I jump up onto it, landing crosswise in the middle of the road. Just then we see the other coyote and gyps have doubled back, and they come right by the truck, 15 yards from the highway! As they pass us they are headed towards the other parked vehicle. The Cowboy cant take it anymore and pulls his rope. His dogs run right down the highway. The coyote finally crosses the highway, and the Cowboys dogs bail off to cut the corner. We dive back off the highway and head out towards the dogs. They are headed straight away and go over a rise. As we come over the rise we see they have it caught. Its a good thing, cause they were only about 100 yards from the railroad dike, and I dont want to think about how fast I would of had to go to jump the tracks ...LMFAO

We gather the dogs, and get back to the highway. The parked rigs are gone, but as we drive back to the ranch we laugh our asses off about what just happened, and decide the folks that saw the show have to be thinkin WHAT THE...

 

Take care.

Edited November 29, 2008 by UphillDoc

[val 0]

great read though I was there looking at it must be great crack running them coyotes

[darrell jnr 16]

bloody good read lads ..wish we had that sort of hunting over here..all the best for ya next do out ..

[UphillDoc 278]

Thanks fellas, glad you liked it. We are still laughing about it today...

 

Take care.

[skycat 6,172]

Heart in mouth stuff there! Great read: lets have some more pics please: though I appreciate that you can't actually take photos when you're driving along at that pace LOL

[Brimmer 220]

Tremendous read fellas. Keep it coming, nice to hear of hunting more than rabbits!

[Meerihunter 7]

Excellent read!!

 

Keep them coming, it'd be great to see some pics of the dogs aswell.

[Dan Edwards 1,134]

Some pics for yall.

[Dan Edwards 1,134]

This is how you make extra hard dogs. You breed two dogs together that can single hand a coyote without a problem.

[Tyla 3,179]

is that from a bite or did you finish that one with a knife? Great stories you put up, keep them coming

 

Edited to add, your dogs are impressively unmarked, they must really know what they are doing. See alot of fox dogs over here more scarred up and they are only working fox. i only work rabbit so im no expert but it i suppose it means they have good very good technique on the kill. Good work!

Edited December 2, 2008 by Tyla

[Dan Edwards 1,134]

Them are not my dogs but I am sure Scott will let you know what that neck wound is from. Some of these stags are so intense that they will tear the throat out of a coyote or eat a hole right through the chest. They are extremely aggresive dogs.

[UphillDoc 278]

Tyla-The throat damage was done by one gyp, "Emma". (She isnt pictured, but was the one that got caught by the coyote twice in the story) She can really put her mouth down. Your partially right about the dogs not being too nicked up. The real good kill dogs can often times get to the throat without too much stick. Often times, it seems the dogs that arent fully committed to the task, are the ones that wear the most scars. Those dogs in the pics have all bled for the cause, but I dont normally take pics of them banged up, and when they do get caught, Im real handy with a thread and needle...

 

edit; The dogs in the pics are Lua, Rufus, Zorro and Grace. Zorro and Grace are the ones being bred. The pic of the 4 dogs does not go with this story but folks wanted to see some of the dogs. I will try to get some more dog pics up later, and maybe even one of them not looking their best.

 

Take care.

Edited December 2, 2008 by UphillDoc

[Rocks 77]

I would say that the dogs that get all scarred up hesitate at the catch or do not go to the throat. I believe the buckskin dog is a natural born killer and she has not that many scars the white dog looks very fast and I find they get torn up by running to far in front and catching then getting bit on the head and when the others catch up they tear the coyote off the dog and that is were the damage is done. Is that close to what happens Doc?

[Rocks 77]

I went out last nite to get some action photos. The neighbor phoned he had a coyote kill and I went to get the culprit. I saw the yote in a low spot laying next to a old den. He heard the old chevy roar and was up over a hill in a instant. Seeing as my hunting truck is in pieces at the moment I was driving my wifes going to town truck with the dogs loose in the box. I drove over the hill slowed up for the dogs to jump and we were off. I got the camera out the window to take a pick hit a bump and it was gone. The yote jumped a page wire fence my dogs hit it like a trampoline and were shot backwards any way the yote got into a big slew and was gone. I went home after a hour looking for the camera. I will try again tonight at dusk but this time I will wrap the camera strap on my wrist

[UphillDoc 278]

I would say that the dogs that get all scarred up hesitate at the catch or do not go to the throat. I believe the buckskin dog is a natural born killer and she has not that many scars the white dog looks very fast and I find they get torn up by running to far in front and catching then getting bit on the head and when the others catch up they tear the coyote off the dog and that is were the damage is done. Is that close to what happens Doc?

 

 

Rocks-That pretty much sums it up. Yesterday "Cookie" got bit thru the muzzle, clear thru into her mouth, but kept trying hard. The two dogs being bred are as rough as I have ever seen, yet usually are the least marked...

Also, a dog that catches by the ass, usually has a head full of holes...the white dog is an ass grabber and is thin skinned as well. She helps the least, but almost always looks the worst...LOL

 

Take care.