Run coyote, run

ironramrod · Post by **ironramrod** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:08 am

Gentlemen,

I got a bang out of this one. I was out on the trapline the other day putting in some spring raccoon sets. The weather here has warmed somewhat, and raccoons are starting to get more active.

Anyway I had just put in a couple of sets at an old abandoned set of buildings, and was driving down the gravel road drinking coffee and generally just looking around. I drove over a little hill and here about 1/2 mile ahead of me stands a coyote in the middle of the road at noon. He takes off running down the road glancing back over his shoulder as coyotes always do, just to see if I'm really back there. I speeded up to get up behind him just to see what he would do. I'm about 50 feet behind him, and he is still staying on the road; probably because the footing is so bad off the road because of deep snow. Down the road we go at 30 mph past 1 farm and still going.

End of the first mile and now we're starting the 2nd mile. He's getting a little tired; slowed down to just under 30 mph. I keep wondering how long he is going to play this game; oh well, best looking target I've seen today. I could have easily just run over him, but that is kind of like cheating. So I picked up the Browning hi wall .45/70 and got a round into it keeping the action open while driving with my elbows and spilling coffee; the coyote occasionally still glances back over his shoulder hoping I had disappeared into the great junkyard in the sky or something. Here in ND there are no restrictions re: road hunting furbearers; out the window, over the hood, whatever. Anything goes.

Now we're starting into the 3rd mile. Amazing how long a coyotes tongue is after 2 miles, but he is slowing down to about 20-25 mph. I suspect he is thinking where is a car crusher when you need one. I'm thinking he has to make a break across 1 of these snowy ditches soon, because I only have about a mile of road left before it gets snowed in.

Sure enough he finally makes his break across the ditch and through the fence out into a pasture; the other side of the pickup of course. I jammed on the brakes, and out into the road. I started to close the action, but the shell had slipped part way back out of the chamber. Got that taken care of but the coyote is now about 75 yards quartering away. Fortunately, I had the peep sight set at 100 m so I got on him best I could in a 30 mph crosswind and squeezed the trigger.

I'd like to say I rolled him up in a wad; I should have because a ton of snow flew in the air directly beyond him. Amazing, but there goes a dead coyote. Oh well, easy come, easy go. Never a dull moment; just have to do better the next time. At least we gave that coyote his daily ration of exercise.

Of course, the coyote is probably thinking this is a really tough neighborhood. Gonna learn to hate roads; hate horse races, too.

Rich Siegel · Post by **Rich Siegel** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 7:49 pm

GREAT STORY!!!!!!

Ken Hartlein · Post by **Ken Hartlein** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:47 pm

That is really a fun story!!! Thanks.

pete · Post by **pete** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 5:06 pm

Good story. Since you shared that much quality time together you were probably getting a little attached to him and subconsciously pulled your shot.

I've seen antelope run down the road trying to get off the road many times but the coyotes just run off the side. With antelope I just creep along at maybe 5 mph stopping periodically till they can get off the road.

Ken Hartlein · Post by **Ken Hartlein** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 7:27 pm

He probably looked just like Willy Coyote so you just couldln't shoot him. Did you see a road runner???

powderburner · Post by **powderburner** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:24 pm

do you save your coon fat to render down for bullet lube?

ironramrod · Post by **ironramrod** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 1:09 pm

Gentlemen

I didn't see any roadrunners, but if I had I would have taken a whack at him too. I always have lots of extra ammo along. I have never seen a roadrunner in this country; must be too cold or something.

I doubt raccoon fat would make very good bullet lube, because there is to much connective tissue mixed in with it. This is even more the case in late winter raccoons. However, I have made some fairly good bullet lube using rendered deer fat off an absolutely hog fat whitetail doe. Haven't tried it yet on cast cartridge bullets, but it seems to perform reasonably well on big cast conical muzzle loader bullets. Fouling is very minimal (117 gr. FFg Goex), and I can load and shoot about 4 big conicals in succession depending on the weather without doing anything in the barrel in the way of cleaning and the bullets stay in the group. I wouldn't say the lube is great (about 1.5 moa or so), but it is serviceable and the price is certainly right.

Homemade trapping lures are fun to tinker around with too.

Regards