One early afternoon during a Wyoming deer hunt I was stranded in camp and decided to try to call up a coyote.

I set up at the base of a small draw 1/4 mile below a spot I had twice seen a coyote. I gave my cheap plastic call - all three blows and sat back in the sage to wait with my .454 in my lap. Within 2 minutes my efforts were rewarded by the sight of a song dog trotting down the draw...it crossed to my side, a second appeared, they touched noses, then a third showed up and they began milling about. I was interested in seeing how things would develop but when one got right in front of another, the chance for a 2 for 1 shot was too tempting to pass. The range was ± 70 yds and a shot through the neck of one would hit the shoulder of the second...the trusty FA was slowly raised...heart beat increasing...darn, a couple sprigs of sage were in line...no shot (I have not had good luck shooting through sage, no matter how small!!!). A more wary (parent?) coyote approached, staying higher on the far side. Some communication seemed to be made (ear muffs prevented me hearing) as they started heading back up the draw and away. Kicking myself for getting greedy, I gave the call another blast. The wary yote headed higher, the other 3 moved to the right and out of sight from my position. Suddenly I noticed one (perhaps a 5th?) sitting across the draw. The range was getting out there...I held at the top of its shoulder...the squeeze felt good...bawoom...pleasant suprise as the 260 gr Nosler Partition smacked it to the ground. I was just beginning to compliment myself on a good shot when one of the young and/or dumb dogs ran down instead of up...gun unconcsiously raised and cocked...sights aligned and held a foot in front..bawoom...an increase of yote speed the only effect...recock...same hold...bawoom...a stumble then recovery...25 more yards and it piled up....wow, that was fun! I ranged the first at 116 yds and the second at about 95. The first was hit right above the shoulder (bullet should have dropped 3-4" at that distance so I was probably off a little on the shot) and the second was hit in the bottom of the chest, breaking the off side leg just below the shoulder...it must have just caught enough of the heart to kill it, pretty lucky.

Ted Eyre

.454 Casall Nuf' said.

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