Varmint Al's Success Story Page

Al - The attached photos are of Christian Carpenter age 10 and Tom Carpenter his grandfather both of Las Vegas, NV. Christian received a Thompson Center Encore in 223 as a Christmas present. This was Christian's first coyote hunt and we were hunting near Searchlight, NV. We called in this big male using a Randy Anderson Ki-Yi as a jackrabbit in distress, Wiley came in strong and was taken at between 80-100 yards using a 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. We have built the "El Cheapo" and will give you the results in a few weeks. You have a great web page and I want thank you so much for the information and the download of the calls for the MP3. H. T. Carter

Dear Al: I have attached a picture of my first coyote hunt. I tried to use all of the info on your web site and it works! I'm 66, and while a long time shooter and handloader, I'm new to varmint calling. Didn't want to spend a lot of $'s on a new hobby not being sure I could even do it.
Went out last year and bought a new Howa .243 Win Varminter and 4-12x40 BSA Contender scope. After many trial loads I found the rifle liked 100 gr Speer BTSP with 40.2 gr of H414 behind in neck sized cases. Groups inside a Quarter at 200 yards. Next, I purchased a Knight & Hale KH920 Game Call (cotton tail), listened to your Calls and tried to duplicate. Practiced on my standard poodle and she approved. Also drove the neighbors dogs crazy looking for that rabbit. This picture is the result one year of preparation and your teaching. Coyote came within 75 yards of my stand after 8 minutes of calling, about 2 miles from my home. Next project will be building your electronic caller. Stan in Arizona

Al, Thanks again for the great website. I check out all the rest but I always come back to yours, great job. Anyway, I wanted to send you an e-mail and a couple photos of my most recent hunt. I hope you like them and will post them on your page.

I live in the city of Fresno, CA and I have a friend with some land out in the country so that's where I go to hunt coyotes. I decided to go out on the morning of Dec. 31st, 2007 so I called Brian the night before and told him I'd be out in the early morning hours. Brian's land is surrounded by grape vineyards and orchards and he's had some problems with coyotes killing his chickens and one of them took the family pet.

I arrived at about 0600 hours while it was still dark and the morning temps were about 40 degrees. My wife bought me a Johnny Stewart Preymaster for Christmas and I wanted to give it a try. One of the vineyards behind his property was recently ripped out and there are about fifty huge piles of dying grapevines spread out over sixty or so acres and the coyotes have been hanging around right next to them. (I've shot two others there recently) I set up my first stand east of the field and set up the Preymaster. I ran through a few sets of calls changing between barks and cottontail distress. After about twenty minutes I wasn't hearing or seeing anything so I pack up the caller and moved west through the field. After walking about a 1/4 mile I made my stand right next to a pile of dead grapevines and pulled out my Knight & Hale EZ Howler Model 927. (the first call I ever bought) I made a few short yelps and a short howl and repeated that a few times but I did not get any response. I pulled out my Sceery Cottontail Distress and put forth some emotional, but short wails, I waited some more but no luck.

I moved on through the field and to the left of me and about 200 hundred yards in front I saw a coyote come out of the vineyards running. I'm not sure if it was my calling or just plain luck that put that coyote in front of me but I got excited. I was able to pull down the legs on my Harris Swivel Bi-Pod and I laid in the furrow between the two berms of the former vineyard and I located the coyote in my scope, a Simmons 6.5-20X40mm, and watched as he continued running perpendicular to me. He ran behind a pile of grapevines and as he came out from behind it he was walking. I put the crosshairs on him and blew a short breath on the Sceery and he stopped in his tracks and turned towards me. He was about 165 yards out and he was looking right towards me. He turned his head to the side and I blew another short breath on the call and he turned again. I squeezed off one round, from my 22-250 Savage FV12, using Hornady V-Max 55 grain bullets, and I could hear the distinctive "Whump" of the bullet hitting the mark. The coyote fell instantly. I waited to see if there were any other coyotes nearby but none came by so I packed up my stuff and located my kill. He was a male about 35 pounds with a nice winter coat. I've only starting hunting coyotes about a year ago and I've only been out about six or so times. This was my fourth and each one is just as exciting as the first. Thanks Varmint Al for such a fantastic website and all the great tips. One Shot! One Kill!

Robert McEwen
Fresno, CA

Al,
As you may remember, I sent you a picture and story 2 years ago recalling my successful cross fox hunt here in Interior Alaska. Last month I scored again! As I said before, I work 350 miles from my Anchorage home which affords me a great opportunity to road hunt between work and home. On this trip home, I stopped just outside of town to zero my .17-.223. I knew it was off because the scope I have has no covers over the adjustment knobs. Any contact with them usually moves them out of zero. I quickly zeroed the rifle and headed down the road.
I take my time driving because I scan both sides of the road all the way home; particularly the creek crossings. I had only gone 30 miles or so when I passed over a bridge and spotted a coyote walking up the creek bed. I pulled over, shut down the truck and grabbed my rifle, bipod, and mouth calls. I quietly moved around a large rock pile to look for the coyote only to see him step into the thick brush at the tree line. I knelt down and put the crosshairs of the scope on the exact spot the
dog had entered the brush (at about 100 yards). I gave 3 or 4 soft rabbit squeals hoping to coax him back out. I was so focused on that particular point in the brush I didn't even notice that he had come out into the open not 10 feet away from the point I was aiming. When I did spot him staring me down it startled me. I didn't know how long he had been standing there or how long he'd stick around. I touched off a shot at him and honestly felt I'd rushed it and made a bad hit. He jumped
and bit at his shoulder and with one bound he was behind the only group of alders in the entire creek bottom. I jacked another round in my CZ 527 and waited for him to come out.
The three minutes seemed like hours. When he didn't appear I figured he was either down or had slipped back into the brush behind the alders. I dropped into the snow covered frozen creek bed and picked up his original tracks. I worked up to where he was standing when I shot and looked to the right; there he was stone dead 15 yards away. It was a solid chest shot and better than I had hoped for. I got him to the truck and snapped this picture from my camera propped on the tail gate. As brief as it was, this was my first successful coyote hunt using a call. -- Bill Amidon in Anchorage, AK

Dear Mister Varmint,
Its me again, Wolfe, and this time I have a hunting story for you. Well this year I went hunting for big Mulies up in Montana at my uncles ranch (11 thousand acres) for a week The first 2 days we saw nothing other than does and a 4 point that my Grandpa shot. I was getting nervous that I wasn't going to get my first buck and that I was going to leave empty handed.

But the next day we got back up at 4 o'clock at got ready when dawn broke we drove up to a ridge and got our spotting scopes out. Then 1/2 mile away a massive 4x4 comes running out of the woods chasing does. We saw how massive it was and I started down the very steep graded hill towards the monster. I crept closer and closer threw gullies and over hills. About 13 minutes later I was within 200 yards. It was still strutting about and running around. I went to the top of a near by hill and it made me about 25 yards closer to it. Just then did I realize how big It was! My heart was pounding as I lined up the cross hairs on its shoulder and waited for it to stop and turn broadside. Then it turned and looked at me. I took the shot. The deer went down and died instantly. I hit it in the neck and and the .308 from my new Remington SPS did its job. I was so excited and when my family saw the deer I brought back for them they where all proud of me.
That was the best day of my life! Wolfe N

About 2 yrs ago you had e-mailed me with some information on what to do if I get busted. I finally harvested my first PA coyote 2 weeks ago.

Here's the story. The last few days my boss has been telling me he's been seeing a coyote hanging around the barn at work and wanted to get rid of it. So I go and ask for the day off and set the alarm for 3:30am.
I arrive at work about 4:30 and get set up 50yds behind the barn on a 15ft dirt mound that covered in weeds. I just get settled in and was adjusting my shooting sticks when I get BUSTED !!! About 50yds to my left I get the warning bark and howl.. my heart sank out my hind-end, I thought the day was over. I figured I'd wait till I could see enough too shoot and start calling anyhow. 45 minutes go by and I have enough light to see and shoot. I start out lip squeaking every couple minutes wishing I had a coffee kinda daydreaming in the morning dew.
Then all of a sudden on the opposite side of the field here comes a brown lightning flash of Mr. Yote running in like it was going to be his last meal. My arms suddenly turned stiff and my heart was beating through my shirt. I couldn't get on him while he was moving so I lip sqeaked one more time and he hit the brakes, spun, and looked right at me.
By that time auto mode had taken over and I already had the crosshairs in the middle of his chest. BANG FLOP BABY !!! DRT !!!!!! .222 Rem 50grain Power-Lokt Hollow Point did its job. Small entry hole, no exit. Turns out its a male and I'm guessing its 1yr old, teeth are in good shape, weighed about 25 pounds.
I took and showed him to my boss and he was very happy. He said that doesn't look like the size of the one he's been seeing and I need to come back and do it again.
Although the fur isn't prime I'm still skinning it and getting it tanned just cuz.
I believe like you had told me about other coyotes hearing the warning and coming to investigate worked here for me. I'm still learning every time I got out. Its alot harder than deer and turkey hunting.
I just wanted to thank you for that little bit of advice, the PA coyote isn't an easy critter to out-fox !! :)

Thanks again for the website and advice. Vic

Al,
Thanks for all the info on your website, I love it and use it. I also constructed me a Bi-Fur-Pod too.

Below you will find photos and the story behind my first Coyote. I hope the photo come through. Well, couldn't sleep last night, something was keeping me up thinking about varmints, and hunting this weekend. Was planning on getting set up before daylight in a stand. Was taking my daughter, but she didn't want to get up, "I thought we where going tomorrow?" Nope, something told me to go today. So I left and went on my own. Parked about 6:40am. It was just starting to get light enough to see.

Started towards where I was going to make my stand, eased into the field, noticed scat everywhere, after getting where I could see into the field, started up the side of the planted pines towards half way up the tree line.

Turned on my Johnny Stewart Predator II call with remote. Looked up, and fixing to step in the tree line, and just coming in to the field on the road right in front of me at about 100yds, coming from the creek area on the road come straight at me where a pair of Coyotes.

I was moving slow and cautious anyway but they saw me, and stopped, the female stepped into the first row of pines and the male kept looking. I eased into the first row of pines myself and slowly knelt down, watching the female watch me, I fumbled around in my jacket for my remote to start the call and finally got it, turned on the distressed rabbit call.

Started raising my gun to my shoulder to be ready to shoot when the male came to the call, (the female had stepped out of view) no sooner did I get the scope up to eye level, then what did I see, the big male Coyote broadside right in front of me looking at the call, only 12 feet away. Squeezed the trigger, and pow right in the center of the front shoulder. He did the whirlygig a minute, stopped and bit at his shoulder, finished him with another shot to the shoulder.

He is a 50-55 pounder! Great for my first shot Coyote.

I thought for sure one shot from my .17 HMR and CCI Hollow points would do it that close. Should have brought my .223 Saiga, but just mounted up a scope and was going to sight it in this afternoon.

What a Great Day!

PS: Here is a shot of my Huntin' vehicle. Didn’t even have time to setup my Bi-Fur-Pod.

Thanks, Stephen Sullivan, North Augusta, SC

At about 10:00 on Friday morning, I decided to go try to call a coyote. I thought my best chance would come from a pond that is very secluded from people, and about 1 ½ miles from my house. Since it was only a short distance, I decided to walk to the pond rather than riding my 4-wheeler. I arrived at my destination around 10:40, and got set up. I loaded my .223, and set it on my Bi-Fur-Pod. I then began my calling sequence using a Sceery Jack Rabbit in distress call. After two calls of about 40 seconds with a 1 ½ minute pause in between, I spotted movement about 200 yds. away, at the opposite end of the pond. I didn't have the rifle in quite the right position, and I knew that the coyote would disappear any second, so I slowly slid down the bank of the pond and shouldered the rifle. At this point, the coyote spotted my movements and slowly trotted the other way. Discouraged, I began to call again with no luck of the previous dog returning. Suddenly, from my left, there was more movement. I spotted two coyotes closing in fast at about 150 yds. I knew that I had to shoot the farthest one, so when he stopped, and looked at the lead coyote, I put the crosshairs on his chest and fired the 55 gr. softpoint. Instantly, there was that noticeable 'Plop' that comes with all solid hits. As I watched the coyote fall, I spun the rifle, and looked for the lead dog. He was already into the dense trees, so I wasn't able to shoot him. I thank Varmint Al for his Bi-Fur-Pod idea, and the chance to tell my story. Thanks again. OregonBoy (Josh).

Big Bad Wolf Productions

New DVD "All Hogs Go To Heaven" The Quest for the 500 yard club.
I really enjoyed the video. Rich Gregorchik and Jamie Dodson make some spectacular shot on ground hogs as they progress toward the 500 yard mark. They give the viewer good advise on the rifles, optics shooting techniques that they use. And above all -- Remember -- All Hogs Go to Heaven!

Dear Al, I am 14 years old, and in November 1998 I bought a predator call. The first time I went out, I shot a female coyote from 30 yards away, needless to say, I was hooked instantly. After I filled my whitetail tag this November, I decided to hunt over the deer guts and see if I could bag a coyote. School was gonna start in twenty minutes so I knew I had to hurry. Before I could put my squealer to my mouth, I spotted movement in the corner of my eye. I looked over and there was a coyote about 60 yards away. I raised my Browning Bar II and shot. She immediately dropped, and as you can see the 100 grain Winchester Supremes put a huge hole in her. I consider myself lucky because both of the coyotes I have killed I shot wearing a sweatshirt and stonewashed jeans. Thank you for your time and thank you for such a great page. Steven's Email Also check out Steven's Hunting Page.

Good shooting Steven. Young hunters like Steven and Josh are the reason and reward for making this web site. Varmint Al.

SUCCESS STORY WITH A NEW WEB SITE.... Visit Martin's Predators Den which is a new Predator Hunting site from Kodiak Island, Alaska. Martin is having success in the far North and has some good solid info on his hunting and calling techniques. Good Job Martin!!

Its been nice and cold here on Kodiak for about the last week with a nice dusting of snow on my favorite calling spots , so I have been trying to get out as much as possible. Started off yesterday calling a favorite spot of mine , a river bed that is surrounded by thick alders and plenty of snowshoe's for fox feed. I was with my hunting buddy who has been out calling with me a mess of times but has never had a shot yet . I sat about 20 yards to his left and settled in . After about 10 minutes I saw a bright orange glow through the thickly frosted brush and new it was on its way in, so after he sat down and gave a look around I let some low sweet squeals on the call and he just walked out into the gravel river bed like it was time to get the bunny . I didn't even bother moving for my rifle , he was about 70 yds directly in front of my buddy who is probably one of the best rifle shots I have ever seen . Whack!! he dropped in his track after a straight on chest shot with the 17 HMR. He is a good sized red. So just calling that one in for my good friend made my day , I would have been just as happy to call it a day right then . but I could just tell there was more good hunting coming our way .

Off to spot #2 about two miles up the river bed. I can tell this spot looks right so we get in and set up. The frost is about 3/4" thick on everything , looks like the sun hasn't shined here in about a month. I started calling and no takers except a magpie which I center in the Burris and think... Naaaaa this spot looks too good . Then a after about 35 minutes I am about cold and thinking about calling it quits here when I hear a red squirrel barking about 500yds ahead in the brush so I hold out and call again . Then I see what I thought was a silver slipping among the river bank and back into the brush. Now I'm stoked , in three years here I have never had a shot at a sliver. well he doesn't show himself for another 20 minutes , when I look to my left and he's slipping along through the alders about 50 yds away , I find him in the scope and lip squeak , he stops right in the brush and all I can see is his shape, so no shot , then he continues along ,I never get a shot but I get a good look . He is a smallish sized cross so I was bummed but not too bad, he wasn't my silver.

Now that's a good day for here, we have about 7-8 hrs of daylight here now , and two opportunities at these big fox is about all you could ask for in a day , most days give no chances at dogs. I am thrilled at the way the day is going , sunny clear and cold , perfect weather.

On to the last spot with it being about 3:30 now I know this is it. so we head across another river bed ,up on to a small ridge where my buddy sits looking up the stream and I am looking opposite him down into a small field that offers a 30yd wide by about 150yd shooting lane through the brush. I was sitting down with my marlin on the shooting sticks (Varmint Al's design for sticks) I call for about 20 minutes when here comes a silver , right out into the clearing , a perfect 40 yd shot , Lip squeak and he stops , safety off ...steady squeeze ..he's mine.. CLICK!!!! oh #$@! misfire!! So I jack the bolt and he comes closer, now he's headed through my little shooting land so its now or never , I let one fly through a thin little spruce hoping it'll miss everything but fox, he takes off in a dead run does a 180 and heads back the way he came, so I chamber another and lead him in the scope ..WHACK!! I can't believe it. I drilled him straight through the shoulder on a dead run about 65 yds, he didn't even twitch . The 17 HMR did a great job again, with a small exit on the far shoulder. Also it turns out when I checked him out the first shot must have hit a branch and fragmented in front of him catching him with a hunk of bullet , he had a small blood spot near his belly.

So on the way home , we detour to the taxidermist , and he is on his way to a life size mount. The best day of calling with one of my best friends , a great day for sure.

Both dogs were shot with Marlin 17VS in, and this makes three for the HMR's. I am loving the little rifles. I grew up shooting a Marlin 25n in 22LR, I could probably fill a dump truck with all the empty 22's I have shot through that little rifle, which makes the 17VS feel so familiar to me. I doubt if I could have pulled the shot off with anything else. Here's a pic. See ya... Mike Simone Kodiak, AK

Dear Al,
I just wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed your site. I am 18 and live in Virginia and became interested in coyote hunting about 6 months ago. Because I live in Virginia, I was not able to find anyone with any experience in this field, and as with many of my other hobbies I turned to the internet for information. Luckily I found your site which I visit frequently because of your information on coyote hunting and reloading primarily.
I love to hunt but hate to kill, which limits my hunting greatly. Therefore I have to have a good reason for killing to avoid a guilt trip, and the destruction I have seen as a result of our large coyote population makes this sport nothing less than a necessity. As a result of your information and willingness to share it, I have taken two coyotes from our farm and I can honestly say that I'm hooked.
I love shooting sports, reloading, challenges and adrenaline rushes, making my new-found sport one of the best I've come across yet. I followed your instructions in making a bi-fur-pod and now I can't imagine hunting without it. I'm attempting to send a picture of my first kill in a separate email.
Once again, thank you for your generosity and God bless. -Stuart

Hey Al, I've been reading you website and I must say that it is really awesome. I Googled ".17 HMR" and found your website, with all the testing and trials that were done on the cartridge and I must say it sold me on the rifle. I ended up going with the 93R17-F Model Savage and put a NcStar scope on it. I went to the range and got her sighted dead in at 100 yards. That night my friends and I went hunting and right off the bat I was taking down jackrabbits with a powerful "whoomp" sound. But just as we made are way back, we saw the reflection of some eyes and stopped to see what it was, my friend was using my rifle and he got what he thought was a desert fox in the scope, he squeezed we heard the "whoomp" and the fox went down. As we walked up on it we found out that it was in fact a Bobcat!! We were so excited and couldn't wait to go calling the next day.
A little before sunrise we set out to the Southwest Texas desert of El Paso, and tried a few spots using an electronic call. About 4 or 5 spots later my friend spots one coming over the hill about 100 yards out. He stops the call and the coyote stops dead in its tracks, the coyote is looking straight at us and I steady the cross hairs directly between his shoulders. I squeeze and the .17 HMR gives its report, we hear the hit and the coyote actually does a rotating flip in the air! He then takes off over the hill with his tail up so I know I hit him. We walk up and find him down and dead as a door nail about 6 feet from where he stood. The 17 grain CCI TNT Hollowpoint had struck him right in between the shoulders and that's all it took. That was it, my first coyote...I'm hooked!! Thanks for the great website and keep up the good work. Sincerely, Blaine Pacillas

TIM'S FIRST FOX.... The fox hunt came after a long hard morning of coyote hunting through deep snow that produced nothing. So we decided to switch prey a little and go to an area known for having fox, and we had a good wind for that area. We sat up about 200 yards off a cedar swamp and began calling.
I first used the Verminator's Tweety. I just wasn't getting the sound I wanted so the second rep was with the Dan Thompson's Weems Wild (cottontail version) and he came right in running. He stopped about 80 yards out and I pulled out the old "kiss of death" trick which coaxed him into an opening about 75 yards out.
With the steadiness provided by my bi-fur pod I was able to deliver a fatal blow from my .223 (Winchester Silvertip Ballistics, 50 grain) and the rest is history, attached is the picture. The hunt lasted about 3 minutes, 1 minute on Tweety, 1 minute of silence, and 45-50 seconds on Dan Thompson's Weems Wild. I guess when things are right they are right. Keep up the good work and Thanks for all the good tips! Tim Campbell

PAT'S FIRST COYOTE WITH A RIFLE.... I took Pat coyote hunting up near Mt Diablo in CA. On the first stand, Pat was about 200 yards to the west on the north slope of a ridge. We were both watching down the slope. I started with three greeting howls using the Dan Thompson Red Desert Howler. After about two minutes, I switched to the Dan Thompson PC-3 with the raspy sound for a one minute series and two minutes of silence. For about 10 minutes nothing. Another three coyote howls and coyote music everywhere. The whole coyote pack answered. The pack were on the west side of Pat and one or two were east of me. I started talking to them using greeting howls and then challenge barks. We talked together for about 10 minutes and then they went quiet. During this time, Pat saw a coyote above me over the crest that I could not see. I followed with a series of hurt pup calls and could see Pat looking my way. Over to the east, a young pup was standing under a Buckeye Ball tree and I nailed him. I kept calling with the hurt pup call. Pat saw a large male down the hill to the east and made a nice neck shot using his new Ruger 223, with the blued shiny barrel! He is going to camo that rifle before we go out again. ;-) Pat saw another coyote after he shot, but couldn't get a shot at it. It sure was an exciting 30 minutes and Pat is hooked on coyote hunting. We tried a couple more stands without results, so finished off the day working on the ground squirrels on the upper pond. Ground squirrels drill holes in the pond's dam and the rancher wants them thinned out. Pat is shooting very well with the Ruger and factory ammo. He is saving all the brass for reloading.

DUELING COYOTE HOWLS.... I took Pat on another coyote hunting trip and he has purchased a Johnny Steward PC-6 Coyote Howl call. Pat has practiced with it and we were having success with it. We sat about 75 to 100 yards apart and started the calling with dueling coyote howls. I would howl and Pat would answer. We would repeat this 3 or 4 times then just be quiet for about 5 minutes and then add another series of dueling coyote howls. Then I would start with the PC-3 with a raspy hurt rabbit. It really works. We brought in a medium sized male and he stopped where Pat couldn't see it, but I could and that coyote won't eat anymore calves or chickens. Pat is really getting good on the coyote howler. He is back in school now and we can only go hunting on weekends.

DAVID'S SUCCESS IN NEVADA.... Dear Al, My name is David. I live in Reno Nevada. I wanted to send you a couple of photos (David in the snow suit with a nice coyote) of some Coyotes that I have taken using many of your techniques. Including a pair of homemade shooting sticks. Thanks for all the helpful information.
David
Reno Nevada.
P.S. I love your site, and have turned many of my friends onto it.

FROM A PRO WHO KNOWS HIS CALLS.... Dear Al: Sorry to be so slow in getting the enclosed clipping and pictures to you, but my work truck was in the shop for over 2 weeks, and this slowed down all aspects of my life.

The newspaper article features my biggest coyote ever, a 58 lb. Male I howled in Jan. 26, 2002, in Woodford County, Ky. I shot him at 185 yards., let everything go quiet for about 5 minutes, howled in another big male, who entered the field from a spot about 150 yards beyond where the big one was laying dead. I just about had him where I wanted to stop him for the shot, and he saw that rascal down there, and de-assed that field quicker than your imagination will work. I know he could smell him, as the wind was coming from the dead one to him; maybe the blood got him. I am only certain it was one of the quickest responses I have ever seen out of any animal.

I am constantly amazed at the intelligence of these coyotes who interact with people so much, farmers, dove hunters, rabbit hunters, squirrel hunters, groundhog hunters, deer hunters, turkey hunters, on and on.

My approach to hunting them may be extreme by some people's standards, but I try to outsmart what I believe to be by far the smartest thing in the woods, including me! I try to use the right scent, the right wind, the right decoy, and anything else right I can be sure of. Even then, you can't outsmart them all. As Gerry Blair said, they are "PhD's."

Al Prather uses a couple of coyote fawn decoys to get the coyote's attention. It worked with this 42 lb male.	Two 52 and 48 lb males shot at 120 and 65 yards. These responded to coyote howls and a fawn distress call. Al used coyote scent and deer scent and the two fawn decoys..
Here Al is holding his largest coyote, a 58 lb male, that was written up in a local newspaper article.

The other picture is a 52 lb. Male and a 48 lb. Male that I called in and shot 2-14-02 along with a big female that weighed about 40 lbs. I say about, as I lost her off the ATV somewhere between my stand and the truck (about I mile total), and could not find her when I went back. They about ran over me, the decoy, and the caller, but I managed to react right and killed all three at 15 yards, 65 yards, and 120 yards. It was "Hairy and Scary" for a time.

More later,
Al Prather

Due to circumstances beyond my control, the first coyote hunt I could get time for was Thanksgiving Morning. I had been anxious to go ever since we started having colder weather, but had to wait until deer gun season was over.

I planned the hunt out extra careful since I had so much time to do so. I was in the field, as I usually am, at least 30 minutes prior to first light, and set up at one of my favorite ambush points. I was using a combination of my Primos Mini Mag Howler and a Johnny Stewart caller placed in a thick bunch of weeds about 75 yds. away from my stand, with Superjack tape on the ready. At first light I gave a long old locator howl, and got immediate response from at least two coyotes, maybe more. I waited about 1 minute, gave them a challenge howl, and they gave it back in spades!! I waited about another minute, got to yipping real excited on the Mini Mag, and went right into old Superjack, and they came in highballing for hell, ears laid back, hackles up, ready to whip that coyote who had the gall to invade their territory and get their rabbit. One short howl by mouth put the breaks on the lead coyote at 140 yds., and I immediately ended her fawn killing days with a 80 gr. Blitz Varminter dead center through her shoulder. Here is the picture of her, and you can edit it to suit yourself. She weighed 32 lbs, and had never had pups.

Good hunting! Al Prather (CoyotePossum)

Hey Varmint Al!!!

Thanks so much for all your help!!! Wanna see my first coyote?? I'm afraid the pic is a bit icky.. the coyote is lying with the exit wound up.. oh well.. suit yourself J .. also a pic of the coyote moons.. two moons!!!.. now where was I hunting after all?? The Wilds of West Texas Hahaha.. last time I went dove hunting.. night before last.. out at the ranch ..I had set up my dove blind by a little lake.. west of a large alfalfa field.. really just a camo tarp I hang in the mesquite trees to give me some cover.. I was practicing my coyote greeting calls while I was waiting on the little grey rockets.. I heard answering howls coming from the alfalfa field.. where the cows are!!! So last night I went out with my 308.. I've been working very hard to get it to shoot correctly.. I've been thru a bad scope .. and a loose barrel.. lol.. I bought it used.. saved lots of money.. but I've spent it all at the gunsmith.. "BETTER HUNTING THRU BETTER GUNSMITHING" .. amen J

Anyway.. I noticed for the first time that the new calves where with the cows in the field!! Yickes!! as I was coming out to my blind I heard a coyote challenge bark.. followed by a very angry cow.. the cow was NOT MOOING .. I set up my blind as quick as I could.. this particu

SUCCESS IN THE SWEETWATERS.... Here is a pic of the coyote I got up at the Sweetwater Mtns at the end of summer. It was an interesting calling session. I was about 300 yards from Nevada, but still in CA. I had setup the sleeping bag for the night and had about an hour of daylight left. I went to a stand about 300 yards from camp where I could see downhill with good visibility, but to my left, I could only see a rise at about 150 yards. Behind the rise, the far hill was 600 yards away. I had Bart with me and on a short leash tied to my belt so he couldn't charge and get in front of the muzzle. I started calling with the Custom WildCall by Ladobe and nothing responded. I then did a few greeting howls with a new Primos howler. It sounds pretty good. About this time Bart got tired of looking around and laid down. Still no response. Finally I got out the "sick seagull" call and gave a series on it.

By now, Bart was sound asleep and I unleashed him. I knew there were coyotes in the area because of the tracks. So I sat there for another 10 minutes or so just watching. Finally, I got out the Johnny Stewart PC-1 variable call. I started doing a hurt coyote series. It took about 1 minute and this coyote appeared on the rise. He was about 150 yards away, standing and looking straight at me. I repositioned my Bi-Fur-Pod and took the shot with the scope at 4x because I didn't have time to change the power setting on the scope. I heard the bang, plop! At the shot, Bart took off running downrange, but stopped at about 20 yards. He really gets excited when the gun goes off. Bart thinks "where is the bird" when he hears gunfire.

The .243 90 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip entered in the center of the coyote's chest and there was no exit. When we got to it, Bart was ready to attack. I had to hold him. After a few minutes, Bart calmed down and sat off to the side about 10 yards away from the coyote. Later that night, there were about 5 or 6 coyotes howling and yipping all over the area. I tried calling again in the morning, but nothing would come into the call a second time. I have that area marked on the map. Good Hunting... from Varmint Al