# Last coyote hunt of 2016.



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Is going to be my last coyote hunt of 2016, I have a job to do for a friend Friday and we will be doing some cooking and helping John get everything set up for his party. Arrived at Johns at 1:30 PM and met Lee and John all loaded up in Lees suv. Today we are going to start nearby at a Christmas tree farm. It is a new place we were invited to by the owner just after Thanks Giving but the owner had not wanted us hunting till after the Christmas season as they have people show up about every day to do a cut your own. John, Eric and Dean had went and talked to the owner about important things like where to park and be out of the way, property lines and distances to neighboring buildings. They had also did the hay ride around the place to look at likely areas for sets.



It was a short 8 mile drive to the place and we got there just before 2:00 PM, John had filled us in on what he felt was the most likely area a bit of a hill with a cross trail so there were 4 avenues the coyotes could be seen, and an area they had cut over for this year&#8217;s trees for those who didn&#8217;t want to cut their own and for semi sales to other states tree dealers.
All the snow has pretty much left and it has gotten cold so the ground is frozen is a easy walk in about 350 yards from where we parked. Set up other than the decoy was simple set the call at the base of a tree 75 yards out and wiring the weasel ball to a stump so it would stand up, I need to make a base for when the ground is frozen. 

Back where we are going to make our stand John points out who is covering what trail and angles. Is only right since he had scoped the place out with the owner who had explained the howling at night and area he thought it was coming from, and remains of a deer also. 

About 10 minutes in to the calling a coyote peeks out from under a pine, quickly pulling his head back under as the branches were low to the ground. I keep watch on that area and sure enough it poked it&#8217;s head out again. I had brought my Ruger 77 - 243 because we had a good steady 8 MPH wind when I left home with gust to 18 MPH. Pretty soon it steps fully out and looks at the decoy I figured the range at 120 yds slide the safety off center the cross hairs right between its eyes and squeeze.
 It is down at once and just did a couple kicks. We wait another 10 minutes and nothing showed so we shut the caller off and waited another 10 minutes then packed it in. Walked up to the coyote and that Sierra 85gr. HPBT had entered at the bridge of the nose taking the back of the head off. Nice fur on it and hide not damaged badly where it counts. Lee says he will go get his ride and pick the coyote up so the cripple doesn&#8217;t have to carry it out. 

Lee is in fine form again and makes me feel good. 
We leave there at 2:25 and drive to the Androplouis farm A sheep farm about 30 miles from Johns place. They raise several breeds of sheep; one breed supply&#8217;s a lot of meat to the Greek community in and around Detroit. They have their own butcher facilities, they also shear sheep and sell the raw wool, Yarn and even wool cloth. It is a good size farm about 540 acres, there is a small lake on the place so wood lot about 40 acres and a county drain thru the place, One area over grown with brush to wet to farm most years but sheep can graze there. We are all set at 3:15 and start the call. We think we should see a few as we have not hunted there for a good two months. We decided to do a double call, a squealing rabbit and a pack of coyotes sound like they are after the rabbit. We believe that the area coyotes thing there is an interloper pack so they come to investigate and come as a pack. Many times there will be at least 4 coyotes show during this type of calling. About 15 minutes elapsed and here came 5 coyotes all in Lees zone but he signaled He would take # 3 John # 2 and I should take #4 then who even could maybe get a shot at #1 At 75 yards Lee closed his hand and fired. When the smoke and dust had settled I had my second coyote and John had one and Lee had 2. If we hustle we can do one more set at another farm.



We drove another 25 miles to a dairy farm, their place is a small 160 acres where the home is but lease a lot of farms in the area where other farmers have retired or just quit. We were going to hunt the home place; there were several small wood lots in the area around the farm. As we parked at 4:30Pm it was starting to get darker. We trek back to the edge of a hay field fence that has a wood lot on one side and another wood lot on the end. Set up the decoy just out from the corner of the wood lots. Then set up along the fence across the hay field. Any shots will be close to 200 yds. The wind is starting to calm down as the callers start going. After 20 minutes and not seeing any thing we set for an additional 10 minutes waiting in case a slow poke shows up. None did so we pack up and leave. 


Lee volunteers to skin the coyotes for us as we are driving to johns and help set up the tables for the party. 
Get back to Johns and Dean drives in right after us. He has 6 lamb chops From the Elrick family given to our group for keeping coyotes away from their sheep. John says that will go good with his steaks.


 Al


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Good report Crip. Glad you are in the hunt. Fun to follow. I have been off this week. When I chored earlier this week, I caught up a few things around the barn while the calves bawled for a little bit. Lit a fire in the shack and headed back to the barn. Saw a dark figure crossing the corn stubble working it's way from the thicket in a cow path in the snow. Thought it was a large cat then decided it dog trotted and stopped quickly like a coyote. As I watched and studied it, it stopped and sat every few feet. Maybe a hundred yards. With the barn cover, I went to the truck and fumbled through keys to open the gun safe to get the Mark 7 that I had since high school. Fumble more to put loose long HP's back in there box. Worked my way back to the calves and cows for cover next to the barn. Moved slowly to the corner of barn hoping to see where it was. Nowhere in sight. I was not prepared this time. Still a fun micro hunt. Think I will chore and call with a mini 14 soon.


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

Great story Al.....I have to admit that I never ate lamb in my whole life. Never had it at home when a child growing up, and prefer venzun to any other red meat...someday maybe I'll try it to find out what it's like.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

If you have no small children about it isn't a bad idea to have a coyote gitter close at hand in the barn.

Brown egg Kare just asked me last night if Venison was considered red meat. Wasn't sure if it was in tat class or not. So I told her it was considered lean wild game LOL.
I like Lamb chops and use to at one time eat at a Greek Restaurant about once a month and order them. My wife would never eat them I can get her to under stand they have to market full grown sheep meat as lamb, EWE would not market to well I think. 

 Al


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Good idea Al. I have thought the same thing. I have the 22 for up close pest management. What would be a good barn gun that could reach out and touch without being babied. A multi tool. Don't mean to hijack this thread. It can wait. I would still keep in a locker with a key of it's own near by.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

If the Idea was a coyote, whistle pig, possum or **** gun I would shop for a 22 center fire from a 22 hornet, 223, 222, 222mag up to a 22-250, 220 swift. bolt action and that should do the trick
Used 22 hornets are hard to come by in this area, The 223 is all over the place in good supply. Ammo for the 223 is easiest to come by now also.
22lr is fine for all but the Coyote out to 50 yards a 22mag out to 75 yards.

Other people have other Ideas but that is mine. What I have is the 22 hornet can be down loaded if you hand load and be used for squirrel hunting like a 22LR. The 220 swift is great for coyotes out to 300 hundred yards and if you practice enough 400 yards.

 Al


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Thank you. I don't reload. You have given some needed ideas. I will focus on a bolt action. I already have a mini 14 from my youth but it is priceless, as my dad shot and had fun with it too, when I got it. There will never be another. Having a barn gun with a scope and the same caliber may make sense. All the best sir.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

alleyyooper said:


> If you have no small children about it isn't a bad idea to have a coyote gitter close at hand in the barn.
> 
> Brown egg Kare just asked me last night if Venison was considered red meat. Wasn't sure if it was in tat class or not. So I told her it was considered lean wild game LOL.
> I like Lamb chops and use to at one time eat at a Greek Restaurant about once a month and order them. My wife would never eat them I can get her to under stand they have to market full grown sheep meat as lamb, EWE would not market to well I think.
> ...


Lamb is a very young sheep and is light like chicken and mild flavored. Meat from a full grown sheep is mutton, very greasy and heavy taste. This is what you get in a grocery labeled as lamb. 

Lamb is a favorite. I don"t eat mutton.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Nimrod, you raise sheep? Just wondered why you would sell lambs for dog food when you could sell an old sheep past its prime for that?
We know the  Androplouis family fairly well and have went thru their operation.
We also know the Elrick family who donated the lamb chops to us.

 Al


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I was agreeing with you that what the grocery sells as lamb is really mutton. 

Real lamb is my favorite meat. Add mint jelly or mint sauce from the garden, yum.

Don't know where the idea of dog food came from.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

The dog food thing came from a lot of what you see is Lamb and Rice of course they sell chicken and rice and other stuff too. But My Kare refuses to buy it in the brand we use even on sale, because I just can't get it thru to her they would not put lamb in dog food. That is where the old sheep go is in dog food but EWE nor mutton sells in the USA.

 Al


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