Small Game, Predator and TrappingFrom shooting squirrels in your backyard to calling coyotes in Arizona. This forum now contains trapping information..
Well it finally happened. I'd been out 7 times before and nothing. I've been trying for a while but just must have been in the wrong spot. Well I got out a bit late this morning and made my first stand around 6:50 A.M. I was using a Johnny Stewart e-caller with various cottontail sounds. I even through in a few crow calls and some coyote pup distress. I sat for about 25 minutes and nothing. I thought here I go again. Well I got in the car and drove about 3/4 mile away to another spot and set up again. Same type of scenario. I had been on stand for about 10 minutes (it was now 7:45 A.M) when I decided to use the coyote pup distress and all of a sudden I caught some movement out of the corner of my right eye. Sure enough I had a double. I was sitting on the ground using shooting sticks that were pointed 90 degrees to where the yotes were. I SLOWLY took the rifle out of the shooting sticks and moved it in their direction. My heart was pounding like crazy and I held steady and took the shot. The yote took about 4-5 spins around and that was it. Needless to say the other one one long gone in not time flat. Mine was a male. I'm not sure how much he weighed, but he felt pretty heavy. I took him with my (now don't laugh) Savage 10ML-II muzzleloader .50 cal. with a 300gr. Hornady SST. This is a new rifle and my first kill with it. I really wanted to see how it would do. Of course at 21 yds. away needless to say the pelt was not good when I was finished. No one here in my area buys pelts anyway, so I suppose it's not much loss. I would like to thin the population by a few so I can enjoy the rabbit hunting in the fall. The yotes have really put a hurt on the bunnies. Anyway I'll post a few pictures. Enjoy. I know I sure did.
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Shooting with altitude.
Finadidct, CO
Great hunt and kills. Now, you will enter the fever of predation hunting. Good luck in the future and defiantely use those furs if you can, unless they are mangy and mite infested....
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I am reminded everyday that life is too precious by my best friend, Lt. Ken Ballard, who lost his life while serving in Iraq. He fought for our freedom, to do what we do, and how we do it. Hunt till you drop!
I've already got the fever for preadators. As far as those furs go, just what can I do with them. Being somewhat new I don't know how to tan or preserve the hides so I'm at a loss. Even if I did get them tanned what are they good for. I'm always open to some new ideas.
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Shooting with altitude.
Finadidct, CO
Great story buddy. I love to shoot yotes too. As soon as they get their pups weaned, I'm ready to hit it up here in a couple of weeks before the heat and humidity kick in.
First Yote
