Hardcore coyotes

[1oldcoyote]

I hunt North central plains/or foothills. One Winter day it was bitter cold near -30 wind chill. I seen a pair of coyotes a tad over 1/2 mile out with my binocs. So in I snuck, slinking my way near for a prone shot amongst the foot hills. My last hill top. I stopped & went prone. The nearest of the pair was around 300 yrds out ( my scope was set for 300). The other coyote was around 350 yrds or so. I opted for the nearest one. After figuring wind drift. I took the shot & hit that coyote mid-ship.

Wind was a stout NorWester around 20 +/-. What interested me was when I shot. 3 other nearby coyotes that were completely buried by crust snow on that picked corn field. They all busted up out of that crust snow cover. Then took off Northbound in a tight formation. I knew sometimes during harsh bitter cold weather. A coyote will use a large culvert tube or an abandoned den hole. But at the time I did not know. Some will hunker down out in the open hills during a blizzard. I've seen this behavior 1 other time since the above hunt.

 

[1oldcoyote]

I hunt North central plains/or foothills. One Winter day it was bitter cold near -30 wind chill. I seen a pair of coyotes a tad over 1/2 mile out with my binocs. So in I snuck, slinking my way near for a prone shot amongst the foot hills. My last hill top. I stopped & went prone. The nearest of the pair was around 300 yrds out ( my scope was set for 300). The other coyote was around 350 yrds or so. I opted for the nearest one. After figuring wind drift. I took the shot & hit that coyote mid-ship.

Wind was a stout NorWester around 20 +/-. What interested me was when I shot. 3 other nearby coyotes that were completely buried by crust snow on that picked corn field. They all busted up out of that crust snow cover. Then took off Northbound in a tight formation. I knew sometimes during harsh bitter cold weather. A coyote will use a large culvert tube or an abandoned den hole. But at the time I did not know. Some will hunker down out in the open hills during a blizzard. I've seen this behavior 1 other time since the above hunt.

For those of you who are new to coyote hunting/behaviors. They will spend the vast majority of their time on the down-wind side of hills or in/adjacent to ground cover. Utilizing the up-wind mainly. For traveling from one down wind area to the next. They spend very little time on the up-wind side on hilly terrain. When bedded down. They will be facing a downwind direction. With their backside toward the prevailing wind. The higher the wind, the more in-alignment their muzzle will be facing down-wind. Use that behavior to your advantage.

 

[thefacilitator]

Hey this is some cool info thanks for sharing bud. What was the movement patterns of these coyotes. Did they spend much time in a spot? Did they revisit the same spots day after day?

Did you use a call for this? 300 yard out shot huh? Was the coyote hunkering down is that why it was still enough for the 300 yd shot?

 

[PaulBeHunting]

For those of you who are new to coyote hunting/behaviors. They will spend the vast majority of their time on the down-wind side of hills or in/adjacent to ground cover. Utilizing the up-wind mainly. For traveling from one down wind area to the next. They spend very little time on the up-wind side on hilly terrain. When bedded down. They will be facing a downwind direction. With their backside toward the prevailing wind. The higher the wind, the more in-alignment their muzzle will be facing down-wind. Use that behavior to your advantage.

Thanks for the advice