My DIL took this photo in their backyard in Colorado Springs this afternoon. She couldn't coax it close enough to plug the lights in! I've seen some big bucks in the yard but this is the granddaddy!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10872/IMG_2357.JPEG?easyrotate_cache=1545874394)
COOL!!!
He ain't the brightest one in the herd. :D I would dare to say he is actually a bit light headed. ;D
Nice four point Muley.
Nice buck, made it through Hunting Season!
When he sheds, it's pretty likely both sides will be found in one spot! ;)
Those bucks are perfectly safe from hunting. There is no place to hunt within miles. Those deer live out their lives in peace with people. I was in the yard one day watching a herd of 10 or 15 when they all threw up their tails and took off. Moments later a pack of 5 beautiful coyotes ran through the yard in hot pursuit. My grandsons find many sheds every year.
Quote from: florida on December 27, 2018, 08:11:20 AM5 beautiful coyotes
I am sure it's because I run livestock and our poultry, but I would not use those words together in a sentence.
Now if she could just pin a red nose on him......
If you ask me, that's an award winning photo there!
I agree! Love it!
Quote from: Southside logger on December 27, 2018, 08:57:36 AM
Quote from: florida on December 27, 2018, 08:11:20 AM5 beautiful coyotes
I am sure it's because I run livestock and our poultry, but I would not use those words together in a sentence.
Yep I'm with you. Coyotes are why I now carry a .223 everywhere on the farm, lost 5 calves one winter to them. Takes some getting used to working with a rifle on your back but you can only take so many losses before having to do something.
How about "cosmetically beautiful coyotes?" The coyotes we have here are the most down trodden, sad, emaciated looking animals you can imagine. The ones we saw in Colorodo were fat and had a long coat and looked like show dogs to me. I'm sure if they were eating my livestock I'd feel different.
Coalsmok
You need a contender with a 223 barrel
That's my coyote go to.
Quote from: Southside logger on December 27, 2018, 08:57:36 AM
Quote from: florida on December 27, 2018, 08:11:20 AM5 beautiful coyotes
I am sure it's because I run livestock and our poultry, but I would not use those words together in a sentence.
Coyotes are not native here. Some migrated in, others were brought by fox hunters and escaped their pens. My HMR .17 does the trick for all I see outside of deer season. During deer season it's bows, muzzleloaders and my trusty .270/.308/30-30 (whichever I happen to carry that day).
We've not lost calves to coyotes yet but I've lost at least two deer to them. One was the biggest I ever harvested but was completely eaten by coyotes in about 6 hours.
I had one this summer that was constantly coming up to the house during the day and stealing chickens, never had a rifle close enough. I would be running the saw or the moulder and he just didn't care. One time I was moving fence with my FIL and the buggar came in, chased him down, threw anything I could grab at him, got to within 5 feet of him as he kept trying to grab a bird and ignored me, I turned north when I should have turned south or I would have had him with my bare hands that time.
Late August or early September about 0500 everything exploded in the hen house so I grabbed my slippers and 12ga - all I can say is it's a good thing we have no neighbors within 1/4 mile, because that was ALL I had :o - by the time I covered the 75 yards to the coop 8 birds were dead, he had squeezed through a 4" gap in the gate posts. A 3.5" round of extra full choke BB from 7 yards finally ended that fiasco. The .223 has taken several others but for sure I have no affinity for them at all.
Quote from: Bruno of NH on December 27, 2018, 04:51:22 PM
Coalsmok
You need a contender with a 223 barrel
That's my coyote go to.
Bruno I'm not much of a pistol shot and I rarely see one inside 100yds as I'm working around the farm.
I bought a Contender in 223 Rem. with a 10" barrel and a 4-power pistol scope, way back in the 80's!
It is good out to and including the 100 yard mark!
I've taken deer with it, out at 75 yards, no problem, the 223 is not JUST a varmint caliber.
My son now possesses the Contender. ::)
Yes, that is a great photo, irregardless of his size. What are the chances of it and what might be even more interesting, what were the circumstances? ;)
But that being said, I do think mule deer do tend to have larger antlers than white tails. I lived on the north coast and we had Sitka deer, they are tiny deer compared to a healthy white tail. :)
Swampdonkey
I expect that because these deer live in an urban setting with lots of good groceries, no hunting pressure at all, and not many predators they can live to a ripe old age. I have another photo of what may be the same deer from 3 or 4 years ago. From what I've read antlers get bigger every year to about age 7 or 8 then get smaller as the bucks age and lose herd position. Muleys do get bigger than white tails.
S&W governor is a good cowboy gun. Its a large frame short barrel revolver that shoots .410 shotshells and 45 long colt. It'll take 45ACP with moonclips in a pinch but thats not practical and theyre weak out of a revolver. Its 6 shots so you can have some 410slug, buckshot, birdshot, PDX defender, etc in there. Basically whether its a snake, gopher, hawk, coyote, bear or a bad guy youve got the right round in your holster. Long colts have good accuracy to about 100yds and the .410 buckshot defense loads will fan out just enough to maybe hit 2 coyotes over a pile of guts or gnawing on a block of ice with meat froze inside.
Would need a good outside holster and belt, its light but large. I think of it as a pocket 12gauge that can silently switch ammo in blink of an eye, just roll the cylinder. Trigger job is pretty easy to DIY like all the sw revolvers.
Watch some MFK game calls youtube vids of just how hard coyotes come charging in to the right sounds in the right season. If you can tolerate a mouth diaphragm caller then you can learn to speak coyote. And turkey.. Great cover sounds for trying to stalk up on deer when the leaves are crunchy. Just rake leaves and occasional soft cluck/purr every few steps. I get within 50yds to bedding pretty often this way before they scent bust me and smash off.