This is topic blind as a bat sometimes in forum Predator forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by TRnCO (Member # 690) on February 09, 2019, 08:02 AM:
I guess it's just natural process for us to not be as sharp, not as strong, not as fast as we once were. I find myself still taking long walks while calling coyotes, but I don't walk nearly as fast as I used to. I also find myself struggling to see the little fur balls until they are well within killing range, more and more so. Yesterday I had one of those stands where I thought when I sat down that I will get to see it/them coming from way out yonder. Not a lot of cover and I had a nice elevated seat with the sun at my back. Nothing going to sneak in on me here, I thought.
So I had heard this coyote howl from my last stand. I cut that stand a bit short just so I could make a move on this "howler". It was my first time in this part of this ranch so when I came over the hill and saw what the "stand" looked like, I almost got a woody. A sure thing I thought. Got situated and before I started calling I noticed two antelope a good half mile out from me, about where I thought the coyote would be. Here's what my view was.
IMG_0007 by Tim Richard, on Flickr
SO I started my stand with a few lone howls from the Revolt, kind of hoping I'd get a vocal response that would help me zero in on his location, but didn't get that. So after scanning for a few minutes with my binoc I decided to bring him out of hiding with the dieing rabbit blues. 10 minutes and nothing. Making the antelope nervous but even they didn't act like they could see anything amiss either. So I went into some vocals, a bit of fighting and a little pup scream and still nothing. After about 20 minutes I had decided that I wasn't going to stir this coyote out of hiding and started wondering if he had seen me when I walked in, or was he just sitting on a far hill watching? So I stopped making noise and started glassing. I was just sure he was still here, but where. I also had been watching the antelope and now I noticed that they are now both staring at something. Staring in my direction even. What are they looking at I thought. I scanned all over the place and see nothing. But they are still statue like watching something.
Guess I had tunnel vision. I thought I knew about where the coyote should've been but apparently he had moved over to my left at some point. When I finally looked further left then I had been, there he was, not 100 yards away and still trotting to me. He got to about 75 yards and put it in park and some how I was able to get my rifle up and over and tipped him over.
I just shook my head. Had all this open space in front of me and yet this coyote was right under my nose. If it hadn't been for the antelope on alert I probably would've gotten up and spooked the coyote off without ever knowing he was right there all along.
Thankfully he was the only one that snuck up on me yesterday. Saw all the others coming well ahead of shooting time.
Just thought I'd share that story and maybe some of you all can relate. Just not what I used to be but still having a good time none-the-less.
IMG_0011 by Tim Richard, on Flickr
[ February 16, 2019, 08:57 AM: Message edited by: TRnCO ]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 09, 2019, 10:45 AM:
Good post! Thanks!
Yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes, the commanding view just sucks you in and you are looking for movement. Then again, I have had a coyote bedded down somewhere in the middle distance, and almost ignore him, even when he stands up. As with cats, suddenly, there he is and how the hell did he get there without me seeing him?
But, I'm not the type to scan those distant hills and ignore what's happening right in front of my nose. For those that can do both, my hat's off, but I'm not going to shoot him way out yonder so why elevate my observing out there a half a mile? Unless they come in, it don't matter much, unless. Unless you do see one way out there and then work him. But, you know, there are times when a coyote hears you 3/4 mile away and it doesn't matter your coaxing and all your little tricks. You never know if somebody sat right there last week and coyote barely escaped. Or, it could be a territorial issue. Lots of times, (okay, occasionally) there can be a terrain feature you can't see and the coyote knows it's there. Like a creek, and he's not going to swim, or I remember this time, he wasn't all that far away and I couldn't get him to move for a higher percentage shot. So, I quit screwing with him and he was well marked and I had all kinds of frontal area to drop the bullet in. He tipped over and I started walking out there. I got to oh, maybe a 100 yards or so and there was this huge cliff that was completely hidden. I tried to walk around but it was endless so I went down and found a trail up the other side but by that time I was lost and had to get my partner to put me where he was. Turning around and looking back where my stool was, I could see why a coyote would say, fuck this, by the time I get over there somebody else will have ate it.
Anyway, unless you are completely familiar with your ground, you will be faced with terrain features that will discourage your average coyote and don't even know it. Sometimes, they will even cross the Interstate coming to the call, but don't count on it.
I will say this, TR, that's some great looking stuff! I'd invest some time.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by Lone Howl (Member # 29) on February 09, 2019, 09:01 PM:
Nice TR!
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on February 10, 2019, 07:10 AM:
Good stuff TR.
At times, things can slip in embarrassingly close and make you feel like you are asleep at the wheel or losing your edge.
With the pile of dead stuff in the pic, I'd say your game is still on. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I find that house of rocks interesting... You know when it was built?
Posted by TRnCO (Member # 690) on February 10, 2019, 06:09 PM:
you know Lonny I should've asked the rancher about that old stone shack, but I forgot to. This is the first time hunting this ranch, and I'm about done for the season, but for sure next season when I go back down I will be asking about it.
Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on February 11, 2019, 06:10 AM:
Funny, TR! Shared a stand like that with Jimzy that I'll never live down...
Had been a slow morning in West Texas & middle of the day now. Yet another beautiful panoramic stand to take in, and I somehow got focused on some distant bluffs...just wondering if maybe a lion might come crawling down to check us out?
As I was daydreaming, a coyote had snuck in from the wash below me, and apparently just stood there waiting to be shot! After a minute or two, it just kinda loafed off...
Course, Jimzy described it in a somewhat more colorful fashion, on the walk back to the truck...LOL. That one still stings, a lesson I don't forget when hunkering down in those vast western expanses...
Live and learn!!!
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 11, 2019, 07:00 AM:
That's not so uncommon, Fred. In the US Army "Trainfire" when we were transitioning from KD, (known distance) bullseye targets to shapes, it was always the close in popups that popped up and back down without a shot fired while we were too focused on looking for those flat gray silhouettes way out there. It's kinda human nature. Besides that, the motion of the pop up was even slowed down, kinda sneaky.
Anyway, those were the ones everybody missed, or I should say, overlooked. Exact same situation. Coyotes hunt while looking for movement, just like humans or any predator. Totally different than those turkey vultures that scan for shapes, and completely ignore any movement they see. And yet, a falcon, on perch or soaring will see a mouse's movement in a wire cage from a mile away and doesn't notice the snags that will ensnare his claws as he tries to snatch the darting mouse. That capture technique always fascinated me.
In any case, you don't notice that motionless Diamondback as you sit down, until you notice him! I'm also a little better on looking down when I step out of the truck than I used to be.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by NVWalt (Member # 375) on February 11, 2019, 05:29 PM:
Amazing how they just sometimes just pop up out of the ground in front of you isn't it.
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on February 16, 2019, 06:51 AM:
My eyesight has just gone to shit the last dozen years. I wear bifocals to hunt and just plain do not see anything as good as I used to. Especially in low or flat light. Costs me coyotes, I'm quite positive.
Could be worse though. My partner Tim has gotten so bad about seeing coyotes, that in his own words "they have to serve themselves up on a silver platter". Have had situations like Fred's quite a few times with him in recent years.
And hunting with him, gets me to thinking I still see pretty good. But then I go calling with someone that really does see good, and realize, I can't see for shit anymore.
- DAA
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 16, 2019, 07:54 AM:
Welcome to middle age, Dave. Everybody said so and nobody believes it until it happens....your best days are behind you. Now, ask Paul where he gets those little blue pills. That's another thing that visits men, some sooner than others, I think they call it "ED"?
Good hunting. El Bee
PS Screw bifocals. What you want is blended transition progressive polypropylene lenses in titanium frames. About $600 worth.
[ February 16, 2019, 07:56 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by TRnCO (Member # 690) on February 16, 2019, 08:59 AM:
I've also noticed, speaking of going downhill as we age, even though my ears ring non-stop, I can still hear a coyote howl a heck of a lot better then a few guys that I hunt with. I suppose that's also a sign of things to come.
Posted by Paul Melching (Member # 885) on February 16, 2019, 10:32 AM:
Leo I'm a good motorbike I always awake with a kickstand maybe someday but not yet cant see or hear but still got the wood !
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 16, 2019, 11:02 AM:
That's good to know, Paul. ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Everybody's been concerned about that.
How many times do I have to tell you, calling me Leo is ANNOYING! STOP IT!
Posted by Paul Melching (Member # 885) on February 17, 2019, 05:20 AM:
With my keyboarding skills its a lot easier Leonard but I will endure to persevere !
Its a struggle but what the fuck ! LOL
Posted by Dave Allen (Member # 3102) on February 17, 2019, 01:58 PM:
Paul, quit calling Leonard. Leo ![[Mad]](mad.gif)
I have sent Lonny & Lone howl a private message in this regard.
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on February 17, 2019, 03:24 PM:
Got it Dave...
So glad Leonard enabled this feature.
Nothing better than to talk shit about others without them knowing.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 17, 2019, 04:12 PM:
What? Lonny and Lone Howl are two different people?
Good luck with the private messaging, I'm still working on it.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by Dave Allen (Member # 3102) on February 17, 2019, 06:24 PM:
I received a 'READ" notification from them. Guess what ? it said "read" @ the same time !!
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 18, 2019, 08:26 AM:
Memo to Paul:
Since it's such a struggle to type "Leonard" and Leo is so much easier, I have a solution.
Try LB. It's almost 50% easier than Leo. (which is a disgusting name)
Good hunting. El Bee
[ February 18, 2019, 08:27 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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