The preparation and hunt for Coyote#7

[max115]

This video shows the journey I took to monitor the coyote's activities thru my trail cam and the moment I finally got the chance to tag it. It was long and challenging to wait for the right moment to be able to successfully tag this coyote of three.

I had gathered a lot of trail cam footages that showed when these coyotes were coming and going. Very valuable data collected that gave me a timeline when they would most likely to return. But it still took me a few nights of failed attempts as the coyote(s) didn't come as I had hoped for. Many long hours sitting and waiting in the dark and cold nights. I even pulled an all nighter and still failed miserably as my cover was blown. That was the night when I waited inside my truck, parked 40 yards away from the compose pit. The coyote probably saw or smelled me sitting in the driver seat with the window down. I never saw any that night when I setup from 9pm to 5am. Yup, that was a brutal night.

I realized ambushing from my vehicle in the opening was not a good idea so I started to look around to see where I could have setup and have a clear view to the pit area. There is a barn next to the pit with a window on the second floor. I asked the farmer for the permission to look around and he gave me the thumbs up. This was a perfect spot as I could hide behind the window and shoot downwards. The only drawback was, the target area was only 17-20 yards and I thought that was too close and the coyote(s) could see me. But I didn't have any other better shooting spot that I could think of. Well, it turned out this was a prime spot to do the ambush.

I set up my tripod/gun behind the window just enough for me to see the compose area that was surrounded by large concrete blocks stacked together 5 or 6 foot high. Luckily the compose was piled high enough during this hunt as I was able to see the full profile of this coyote. Unlike my coyote#8 hunt where I couldn't see the full body because the compose was low.

So I positioned myself behind the window and did some test shots at some bone fragments on the top of the compose. My zero checked out and my Impact MK2 shooting the 25gr H&N slugs was on target. I left the tripod in position and packed up my gun and went home that morning. My plan was to return that evening and see if I would get lucky.

I took an afternoon nap that day, well rested and imagined multiple scenarios of how this hunt would play out. I was excited and anxious at the same time. I arrived just before 9pm to setup and double check my night vision scope Pard007S to make sure everything was working fine. I didn't take any test shots because I didn't want to risk making any noise. My Impact was mounted on the tripod with a slug chambered inside, ready to go.

Nothing else to do, but to just sit and watch the area below. I had to sit about 5 feet back from the window so I don't expose myself other than my head. I sit back just enough for me to see the trail cam I had set up 20 feet, facing me, from the target area. I was going to use this trail cam as an indicator where it would/should lit up when it detects motion. This was the method I have used in the past and it worked flawlessly. However, the camera never came on this night nor the night of the Coyote#8 hunt. A strange and unexplained glitch that still puzzles me.

I periodically stood uo and stretched out as my back and shoulders were getting tired and discomfort. Time passed by very slowly and it was getting colder by the minute. But I pushed on as I am crazy that way. I have enough patience and I didn't want to quit, not just yet.

Finally, at around 1:55am I saw movement in the field below. I sprung to the window without making any noise and got behind my Impact. I simultaneously pressed on the Pard007s and the external 850nm IR light torch. The scope lit up blinding my eye and within seconds (mili seconds) I saw the coyote in my scope view. My heart jumped started like a bolt of lighting had hit me. Everything happened so fast that I didn't have time to think (which was a good thing). I followed my cross hair on the coyote which it had just finished urinating over the rats. A behaviour still confusing to me. It moved to the left, stopped and my finger engaged on the trigger with a gentle pull.

The 25gr slug was propelling thru the 600mm Slug A liner, traveling at 984fps and carrying 54 ft.lb of raw energy. There was no stopping this slug as it found its target and crushed thru the back skull of this unsuspecting coyote. I would imagine the slug explored violently inside the skull as it was designed to mushroom up upon impact. The coyote didn't stand a chance. It simply dropped down, twitched a bit and expired almost immediately. My job was done.

Anyway, hope you will enjoy this long video where I got lucky to not encounter with this creature of the night and managed to tag it for the farmer.

[Sqrl Klr]

Nice congrats! Maybe scent marking so no other critters would want to eat them.

[max115]

@Sqrl Klr.  Thanks, that makes sense.

[only1harry]

Nice shooting and great job on the preparation and data gathering!

[max115]

@only1harry.  Thank you for watching.  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

[Tater]

Great shot and very nice video.

[max115]

@Tater.  Thank you for watching.  Merry Christmas.