'Yotes, late this afternoon....

[Big Muddy]

My new Primos remote caller(it's made by FoxPro) paid for itself, late this afternoon....these yotes just can't resist that rabbit distress call....a female and huge male yote came in to the caller, right before dark-thirty, looking for an easy evening meal.

The small female was reddish-colored, almost looked like a red fox....beside her was the beautiful furry male, with a jet-black tip on his tail, and as big as any german shepherd I've ever seen.

They approached within 75 yards of the caller, but stayed somewhat hidden in some saplings beside a turnrow, and didn't offer a good kill shot....suddenly, they looked at each other, as if they had a plan....sure enough, the female hunkered down in the saplings, while the male trotted off at 90 degrees....he skirted the entire field, which I was over-looking, and never broke stride....he was circling, and was going to come in to the call from the opposite direction of the female.

When he got straight across the field from me, he was at his closest range to me at about 200 yards, and broad-side, but never broke stride....he continued his pace, and just as he was about to enter the woodline, he stopped....I ranged him at a little over 350 yards....I seldom take shots over 300 yards, but I knew it would be too dark, by the time he made his turn, and head in for the ambush with the female.

I turned my Burris Predator scope up to 14x, got a good steady rest, and let the Rem. 700 .30-06 do her thing....he went 4 paws up, and never took another step....I assume the female hauled butt outta her hiding spot.

Just as I was headed across the muddy field to the dead yote, my wife called my cell, and informed me of a last minute supper date with kinfolks....it's going to be in the upper 30's tonite, so I'll retrieve the yote in the morning, and post some pics.

[Nandy]

I let those things where they lay......

[Big Muddy]

This one is just too pretty, Nandy....at least, that's how he looked thru the binocs....I'll know more, in the morning....if his fur is as pretty as I think, I'll be skinning him out and tanning the hide.

[Big Muddy]

Well, here he is, right where he dropped, yesterday afternoon....the yotes are getting ready to breed, down here, and he absolutely stunk to high heaven....I could smell him 50 yards away, as I approached him....it's a god-awful rancid odor!!!....not like a rotten odor, more of a glandular odor, and it's putrid.

Between the odor, and the 150 gr. ballistic tip, blowing out his left side, I'm gonna forego any tanning plans, and just leave him there....maybe his female mate will get curious, and come looking for him.

For size comparison, he's laying in between two 40 inch rows of cropland....so, stretched out, he would extend, nose to tail-tip, well beyond 40 inches long.


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[BarryBobPosthole]

Wow, that's a fantastic shot wth an 06. I don't thnk I've shot the 150 grains through mine. What's the drop at that distance? I think a 180 will drop close to 30 inches at 400.

BKB

[Big Muddy]

Postie, I wouldn't call it a "fantastic" shot....more like a "sheeit-house lucky" shot....if it hadn't been for the dwindling daylight, and it being just a yote, I wouldn't have even taken the shot....I would never take a 350 yard shot at a deer....I've never been that confident in my shooting ability.

I simply ranged the yote, and placed the proper scope reticle on his shoulder, and let the Rem. 700 do the rest.

I keep referring to my ammo., as a "ballistic tip", but actually, it is a 150 gr. ballistic "silvertip"....most stores down here don't normally carry them, but ordering them is not a problem.


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[Big Skyz]

Nice coyote. I'm surprised they mate that early down there. They don't even think about it here until mid to late February.

[Big Muddy]

Sky, that doesn't surprise me for your area....you are located waaaaaay north of us....however, they are only getting ready to mate, down here....sorta like a pre-rut....they'll actually start breeding in another 4-6 weeks, and it'll last over into late January....that's when our hunting gets really good.

You been doing any good with them, lately???

[BarryBobPosthole]

Silvertips is about all I buy any more.

BKB

[Big Muddy]

Yep, good ammo choice....I wish they were made in a 90 or 100 gr. for the .30-06.

I keep thinking about trying the 55 gr. Accelerator in my .30-06....that thing will scream at about 4,000 fps.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I've shot those and they're fun as hell to shoot. I'll bet they'd roll up a coyote. My 742 kind of slung them so it wasn't as accurate as I'd like. I wonder do they make that load in 270? Now that'd be something.

BKB

[Big Muddy]

Not that I know of....at least, I've never seen one in a 270.

These are the only ones that I know of..... .30-06 - .308 - .30-30

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[Big Skyz]

Big Muddy, most of the ground I have permission to hunt coyotes on is leased up during big game season. So I can't set foot on 90% of what I enjoy hunting coyotes on until the big game season ends on Nov 29th. I did go make a quick stand this morning, but I was also deer hunting at the same time. I passed up 4 bucks and didn't see or hear a single coyote. I can't decide if it's a blessing or a curse to be my age with a garage full of deer antlers. It really takes a good mule deer buck to get my attention anymore, and there aren't many that do. My bar for a whitetail is set MUCH lower but the whitetail population around here is still very low after winter kills and EHD outbreaks. With that said I just don't have the energy or drive to go every spare minute I have like I used to. Knowing that the kind of buck that would cause me to trip the trigger is so tough to find tends to lower my motivation. That and I'd rather hunt coyotes or fish anymore anydangway. I had kind of a crappy morning so maybe I'm just feeling negative. I managed to bust two pasture gates (on accident of course). The first gate just surprised me by popping loose from some of the gates posts while trying to close the gate. The second gate was super tight so I grabbed the top wire to pull on it to loosen it a little and the stinking top barbed wire snapped right in two in my hands! Telling land owners I messed up their gates is not my favorite thing to do. So I decided to say screw it to hunting this morning and went fishing. Didn't get a single bite on a fishing hole that always produces. So I'm sitting inside right now licking my wounds and debating going out this evening and giving it another try for deer...or is that more abuse...Weather forecast is for 20-28mph winds and 61 degrees by this evening. Totally sucky conditions, but I expect my odds will be better out in that wind and heat than home on the couch feeling sorry for myself. Although not significantly better odds. Strange one's luck can change from day to day. Yesterday was one of the best days I've had all year and today is in the crapper so far. Wish life didn't always feel obligated to cancel itself out sometimes.

[Big Muddy]

Sky, I feel like that, occasionally....nothing like some time in the woods or on the water to clear out the cobwebs from the ole noggin. ;)

[Big Skyz]

Well I went out and hiked 6 miles with my youngest son. We saw over 50 deer but only 6 bucks. The biggest was a fairly good sized forkhorn. I just can't bring myself to shoot a forky unless he was exceptionally huge.

[Big Muddy]

Sounds like a good and successful hunt, whether ya'll killed anything or not. ;)

[Nandy]

Muddy, I use the same pill you do on silvertip out of my 06. Accurate and deadly. Congrats on the yote, I leave them where they lay even if they are smelling like roses!!! lol!