Some good some bad

[UphillDoc 278]

Got to go for a short hunt with The Cowboy and the kids on Sunday morning. The wind was really whippin so we didnt stay out long, but we did manage to get one up and running. We head into a section of sage expecting to find one layed up. The Cowboy is out to my right when my boy says "they're after one" They are headed right at us so we stop and wait for the show. I spot the coyote flying thru the sage in front of us. Its headed for a big canal, so I whip around and head out of the section, hoping to be on the other side if it comes all the way thru before the Cowboy can get the dogs on the ground. As I get out of the field I turn up the road to get to the next section, but Im only half way there when my boy says "theres one running behind us!" I skid to stop and see one flying towards the road behind me. I spin the truck around and head back. The coyote sees us coming and is really layin it down. Its trying to get across the road to the rocks and hills. It beats us across, but as it heads up the first hill the dogs spot it and I drop them. (John, T and Cookie) The coyote goes over the top and Im not sure if the dogs will be able to stay on him, but I spot the coyote coming up the next hill and the dogs are closing. He makes another hill but the dogs are right on him. They make the catch just over the next hill, out of our sight, but Im sure it was "Johns" catch as he was running in the front. Its a big dog, and I let the dogs have the coyote until the Cowboy shows up. He says they never got the dogs down and wonders if this is the coyote he was after, even though its way away from where he was headed. His boys asks if he can have the hide and I say sure, and just as Im about to grab the dogs off, they decide to give a big tug and peel the hide right in half... The Cowboys son doesnt think its near as funny as I do.

The next day I wake to a beautiful new blanket of snow. Capps is supposed to be here at first light but calls and says they (Him, Hayhound, and Jasso) will be late. I tell him not to bother coming as Im going to go catch them all on the new snow, before he can get here... A few hours later when he calls and says they are about half way here I load my dogs and go out behind the house to let them clean out. When he calls and says he is almost here, I tell him to meet me at the gas station. I load the dogs and start heading towards town. I dont go far when I spot a pair of coyotes moving out ahead of me. Now Im torn, do I try for the double or do I wait for the boys to show? Aww hell I will find them some other coyotes to chase...LOL I want to split the pair as I have "Hoss and Reba" on one side and "John and T" on the other. They are headed for a bunch of cattle, so it might get dicey I figure. The one on my right heads right thru the middle of the cows, so I decide to drop my side first and then try to get the right side down on the back side of the cows. I slide to a stop and drop "Hoss and Reba" they have a couple hundred to go before they hit the sage. Just as Im about to roar after the other coyote I hear my front tire hissing and I know Im not going anywhere. I limp towards where I saw "Hoss and Reba" go in the sage, and find them with the coyote just inside the sage. They have it stretched out. "John and T" are none to happy about that. My rim is on the ground, so I decide to let them go have a tug as well while I change my tire. I call CC and tell him what happened and he dont think its near as funny as I do... Im sure the flat is my Karma for not being as hospitable as I should have been. CC calls when he gets to my house and says their truck is wont start. My lug wrench wont fit two of my lugnuts so Im stuck until they can get their truck running and come rescue me...the day is not off to a smooth start. They finally get there and we get loaded and head out. Jasso with me and Hayhound and CC in HHs rig. (While I was waiting I opened my box divider so all the dogs are together, mistake... )

As we get to the first fields I spot one way out sitting under a pivot tower. HH pulls up and I tell them to sit tight I will go around and see if I can make the coyote move their way for a drop. We get around and are watching the coyote so intently that we dont notice one off to our left...LOL I spot him, but just let him run as I want to try to get the Capps boys a race. The coyote cant stand it any longer and makes a break. HH drops the dogs and the race is on. There is a rise between us, so we cant see the race until they have closed to about 50 yards. Its a pretty picture though. CCs "Blue" dog makes the catch and the other 3 wade right in. I call and tell them its caught and tell them to come around to our side, while we go looking for the other coyote. Jasso and I go another mile down the road and then cut back into the pivots. He spots 3 coyotes running way out, so we head that way. When we get to where we can see them again its only 2. One is too far and one looks catchable. I drop the dogs but they run past the close one and head for the far one. I know we dont have a chance in hell to catch it, so now its a get the dogs back mission...if only I hadnt opened the box I would still have two dogs left to catch a coyote!!! They bring the coyote across 3 pivots and somehow add another coyote to the race, but they wont catch either one. We cut them off and send HH around to the next road to give em a go. When they get around to the other side they spot a couple coyotes and drop. I didnt see the race but they said one of HHs dogs turned it and CCs "Hog" dog made the catch. We all get loaded and head for some desert running. As we start in HHs truck quits him. He goes McGaever on it and is running again. Jasso spots a coyote running in the sage and we are in hot pursuit. I slide the truck and drop the dogs. Its looking like they will catch it in the rolling hills, until about 30 head of Antelope come running up next to the dogs and the dogs switch to them... Its another get the dogs back mission. We get the dogs back and Ive had enough and split the box again. As we start to head over towards HH another coyote jumps up. I pull the rope and send "Hoss and Reba" They take it thru a small section of sage. "Reba" moves up and turns it, but misses the catch, then "Hoss" pushes up and turns it the other way. "Reba" cuts the angle and sends it rolling. They pin the coyote and Jasso lets his Jagd pup out have a tug to. HH pulls up and we move to another field. We spot a coyote way out ahead, but it makes it to the canyon edge before we can drop the dogs. HH has a buck out in front of their truck, but the dogs never get to give it a go. We loop back to town and decide to hit one last desert section. Its pretty rough in some spots and I dont think HH enjoys it near as much as the pivots...LOL We make it most the way thru and dont see anything. Im pretty surprised as thats not usually the case in this spot. As we are heading out of the final section, a coyote pops up in front of HH. Its heading right down a fence line, so they pull up and drop the dogs over the fence. The coyote turns and heads for a big rock wash. The dogs loose him over a rise when he cuts one way and they keep heading in the direction they last saw him. We call it a day, and dont even remember to get a tailgate shot this time.

2 coyotes in each truck, both trucks have broken down today and both have gotten out run. It wasnt all good but it wasnt all bad...

 

Take care.

[blackpack 70]

excellent write up as usual. How long does a typical hunt last and how many miles can you cover in a hunt

[UphillDoc 278]

blackpack-Thanks. We usually hunt 3-4 hours, but it can range from 1/2 hour to all day. I hunt different areas in a loop. Most my loops are about 10 miles square. The distance we hunt is usually the same, but varies in how far I have to go to get to the loop. Most my loops are within 30 miles of my house.

 

Take care.

[ArchieHood 3,692]

Good read Doc,First day without rain here in 6 weeks,Snow would be very nice for a change

[marky r 25]

do farmers welcome you on the land to hunt? or can you hunt of the road side?

[Mickey Finn 3,012]

Sounds like a good day out. Breakdowns and all. Thanks for sharing Doc.

 

 

[UphillDoc 278]

marky r-Most the ranches I hunt are cattle operations and they have no love for coyotes. I can hunt from the roadside as well, especially when hunting around plowed or new planted pivot fields, where I dont want to take the truck into the field itself.

 

Take care.

[suffolkpoacher 219]

GOOD READ MATE STILL SOUNDS A GOOD DAY TO ME ,KEEP THEM COMING