I am now the Road Runner's new best friend

[WV Sawmiller]

   As you can see I am now the RoadRunner's new best friend. Rifle season opened this morning and I went to a climbing stand on the back corner of our property. About 0845 a yearling doe came busting out just hitting the ground in the high points. Right behind her was a big doe. She stopped about 40 yards from me and I seriously debated shooting her but was hoping she was a hot doe and a big buck was right behind her. If he was he never came out. The two does headed on down the ridge probably to my feeder there. I stayed till about 1000 and got down. It was in the 20's and high wind and not a lot of fun up in a tree swaying in the wind.

   I went back about 1400 or so, sat and read a book till the sun got behind the mountain top and the wind died a little. Right at sundown I heard and saw what I thought was a young doe on the next ridge as it went down into the holler headed towards me. Then to my right I saw a young coyote coming down my ridge  It got about 60 yards from me and I figured it had ruined any chance of the deer coming out so I busted her. A 150 grain softpoint from a 30-06 is overkill for a coyote this size. Turns out was a young female that weighed 23 lbs. She or others could be what had spooked the deer this morning. Thinking back the little doe I was waiting on may have actually been another coyote as I never got a good look at it. I've seen them while driving but this is the first one that ever came out while I was hunting. I may have to start using my predator call more often.

   When Becky took the pictures Sampson was barking at it and when I weighed it and told her it weighed 23 lbs Molly was watching and piped in "Just like my last catfish". I got to thinking about it and she was right - the last time she came fishing with me and Mama last month we did catch a 23 lb flathead catfish on that trip.

    I skinned the coyote and will either sell the hide to my hide buyer or tan it. I realized they are not a lot of fun to skin - too much like skinning somebody's poodle (Wait, Wait, I have never actually skinned anyone's poodle yet) or how I imagine that would be.


  My rosy red cheeks are from all afternoon in cold weather and high wind

[newoodguy78]

Nice job on the coyote. I've sent my share of lead at them but never actually put my hands on one I've fired at. For some reason they always seemed so much harder to hit than deer to me.

[fishpharmer]

Well done, they are destructive predators of deer, turkeys and all other smaller game.

[Chuck White]

Good job!    8)

We need a lot less of them!

I usually shoot 2-3 right from my back door through the course of a year!

[Seaman]

Good job!

[LaneC]

   Good shot.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Good shot.

   Easy shot. Was only about 60 yards on a standing target.

[sawguy21]

A local lady was on FB wanting somebody to shoot the coyotes that were getting her chickens. Either pen the chickens or get a guard dog that won't kill them. They have their place in the grand scheme of things, without them we would be over run with deer as has happened in south east B.C.