A friend depending on what time of year will try to trap them IF we can find the den. Next to impossible when it could be anywhere in about 26 miles worth of canals. Normally it's a tear out the dam and then campout and wait for them to come back to fix the hole. A truly amazing animal for what they can do but a real PIA when you're in the business of keeping water moving. In flood conditions we have to patrol the levees daily to keep them and other burrowing critters from trying to make new homesteads in the side of the levees which obviously can be catastrophic.
Ramblings and Such From Hunting Coyote
- Thread starter DSheetz
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Muskrats have caused several small earthen dams and dikes to collapse as well as ditches and canals to wash out around here . More animals that need to be controlled to help with agriculture . The beaver is also an amazing animal as you say .
In the mid 80's I went up on the mountain to do some coyote work on a sheep ranch . I got into the area early while it was still dark . As I was going to the area that I wanted to call I heard a coyote barking and do a short howl so I eased my truck over to a large bolder and parked it on the far side of where the coyote was . I was about 1/2 mile over to where the coyote was . He kept up with barks and howls as I slipped over a small rock pile and worked my way toward him in the timber . I got to within a couple hundred yards of him set up and decided to just watch to see why it was doing what it was . I don't know how long it had been doing the barks and howls before I got to where I could hear it but I know that it kept doing it for over half an hour while I was there and listening and watching it . As I watched it out about 400 yards farther in the edge of some timber and beside a large boulder was another coyote setting there watching the talker . The one doing the talking was trying to draw out the other coyote and kept talking and would move around some out in the open . I finally shot the talker then crept around to some timber and moved in on the setter to where I could get closer to it . It was still setting beside the boulder when I got to 150 yards of it and shot it as well . They were both males but the one by the bolder was setting beside a hole under the bolder that had pups in it . I didn't get the female but did do some learning that morning and got some new sounds that the coyote talker taught me and have been used several times since . I still to this day think the talker was one of the parents and the setter was the intruder . At that stage in my life I didn't know enough to be able to get the female so was happy with the two adults and the pups . I knew to drive slowly with my lights off and to use a gas powered truck so it was quiet with my windows down so I could hear things . Not slam my doors and to watch where my feet went as I walked . I had already learned how to walk quietly and get set up then be observant and let the coyote teach me new things . A good pair of glass' and patience has allowed me to see so much in the field . If I could impress any thing on any one it would be to take your time and watch what the coyote or other animals are doing that you are hunting and learn from them . You will be tempted to shoot them on sight but I have learned so much by just letting them be for a while when they didn't know I was even there and they were acting naturally . If you can just wait , listen and watch then try calling them after they have shown you where , when and why they are doing what they are doing you will find it much easier to actually call them . They will give you good opportunities to shoot them with out trying to call them when you have learned about their lives , where they hang out , and why they hang out where they do , when they will be out active or laid up . When they don't know you are any where close to them you don't have to hurry a shot even a coyote that is trotting can be easily missed if you don't get the range and move with it as they come to a call in a hurry . As Reemty and others know spotting and shooting can be more rewarding then calling . I hope that you all can enjoy your summer learning more about what ever it is that you want to hunt .
Dave you ol Why-Dam-O-Ming son of a gun, great story, great lesson and your talking like a man that has lived 90% of his life and wants the younger ones to get some " Ed-gee-K- shun " while you are still on this side if the curtain?
got me a new ace or two up my sleeve for fall………. Got a carbon fiber tripod that is taller than me, light and strong, with a binoculars adapter and a gun clamp….but here is the good part, going to take a white sheet sew Velcro on it so it attaches to the tripod an take soft thick wire at the top to hold it wide there, so when I use that in the stubble for sneaking I will be totally camoed with the sheet. But…….. better yet I purchased from a great member on here some Swarovski 15 x 56 SLC binos for that tripod. Maybe pick up one or two that I miss seeing with my 8 x 56 binos. See, when you get elderly you wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning and you think of ways to give you an edge over a worthy adversary.. 
got me a new ace or two up my sleeve for fall………. Got a carbon fiber tripod that is taller than me, light and strong, with a binoculars adapter and a gun clamp….but here is the good part, going to take a white sheet sew Velcro on it so it attaches to the tripod an take soft thick wire at the top to hold it wide there, so when I use that in the stubble for sneaking I will be totally camoed with the sheet. But…….. better yet I purchased from a great member on here some Swarovski 15 x 56 SLC binos for that tripod. Maybe pick up one or two that I miss seeing with my 8 x 56 binos. See, when you get elderly you wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning and you think of ways to give you an edge over a worthy adversary.. not at 90% yet but been around awhile and I do want the younger then me to learn and enjoy it as much as I have been able to . I liked my 10x50's well but also had a spotting scope from 15 to 35 . But I liked the 8.5 x25 rifle scope that I made an adapter for so it mounted on my truck window or my tripod it gave me eye relief and not so much eye strain when it was used for extended amounts of time . I like the camo idea you have . Setting on frozen ground can really make your roids act up so a good pad helped me . .
So often it's not the amount of years on a person as much as it is the type of miles you have put on yourself . We tend to abuse ourselves , not eating right , not sleeping enough . I smoked a lot for a lot of years before I gave it up . At one time I drank a lot as well . It was all self inflicted my own doing not anybody else's . I have enjoyed life and hunting was the best part of what I've done and still is . I enjoy sharing my experiences and hope that others enjoy me sharing them with them as well as being able to learn something and save themselves from taking a large amount of time to do so , so they can have more time enjoying it .
When you live and work at higher altitudes even in the summer you can get exposed to cold temperatures . Even when the rain doesn't have hail in it it's cold coming out of clouds that are 25000 feet and higher . Today we got one of those rains that dump 1/2 to 1 inch in just a few minutes and the temperature went for 73 to 55 in less then 10 minutes . If you are up in the mountains at over 8000 feet you can die in that condition if you get caught out in it away from your truck or cover . I have literally had every thing on me get wet when I was hiding under an over hanging rock from the lighting in winds that were gusting to over 50 mph during a fast micro burst , even my fire starter wouldn't work . I had dry clothes and every thing in my truck but had to walk a mile farther to it . You can see a cloud build up in the distance and head back but they can move faster then you or even a horse can . I worked with a guy in the mountains one time we were horse back and saw one building so headed back . He got hit by lightening and knocked unconscious . His horse went down flopped around some then got up and ran .When I got to him and he was breathing and moaning had a burn on his head . I kept with him till he came around good and was making sense then gathered up his horse and we went home . He wouldn't go to the Dr. but lived and was always afraid of storms after that and I can't blame him . I haven't seen him in 30 or so years and wonder if he's still kicking some times .
I think that would haunt me everytime I heard thunder. Sure wish I could pump some of this water we've been getting out west to all you guys right now. WAAAYYY too much rain in my area last few days. That and temps in thd 90's, humidity in the 80's, and dewpoints in the 70's. I hate summer lol.
Honker please………send some rain to Mondamtana
LORD knows I wish I could Reemty! In my district between 5 to 6" since Thursday but don't have to go far in any direction from here and the totals go up to 10" or more. Fun fact, 1" of rain on 1 acre of land equals 27154 gallons of water. Do the math on that over a large area and you end up with a LOT of zeros and commas in that number lol. Now you know why sometimes I have to pump for so long without a break! Mythbusters proved you can function on short power naps for quite awhile lol.
My area is very lucky we got spring snows and some good moisture so had green up this year . Most of the country around us didn't and some didn't get enough moisture for the grass to sprout . We got an inch and a quarter over a couple of days of good soaking rains here but got down pours yesterday . At our altitude the rains are always cold rains but much appreciated when you average 14 - 16 inch's a year you enjoy what you get when you get it . We were starting to dry out and the grass was turning brown till then .
Just find it and cut its head off, that takes the **** and vinegar out of them 
