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Posted by 2dogs (Member # 649) on October 07, 2005, 10:15 AM:
How old were you? Let's hear your story ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on October 07, 2005, 11:23 AM:
My first was a grey fox and I was around age 10.
My family has always had quite a bit of land, but none were hunters. That was foolishness, if you asked my dad or grandpa. But, we always had folks coming around asking permission to hunt various things on our property. This was a good outlet for my dad to quench my thirst for getting to go with someone who knew something about hunting, without having to learn by myself with trial and error.
A fella that I still hunt and fish with quite a bit used to come to the farm we live on to call coyotes and foxes. I happened to be around and dad told him it was ok and asked if I could tag along. As usual, he said of course and took me calling. I was shooting an old Ithica 16ga double bbl with some sort of heavy shot.
We set up in a holler up behind one of our haybarns that led into a big thick patch of woods. He blew on the call for what seemed like an eternity, probably less than 5 minutes. When he took a break, I heard something coming up from my left in the leaves in a run. He was on my right doing the calling and the fox crossed right in front of me at probably 20 yards. One shot was all it took. It all happened so fast, I didnt have time to be nervous, but I was sure shakin after the fox dumped.
I killed several foxes and coyotes with that fella over the years, but that was my first. Dad had another fella that used to come there hunting and his wife did taxidermy. He asked to have it mounted and he took it home. A few months later, before I got it back, their house burnt, so I didnt get my fox. Or pictures. But I still got somewhat of a memory....
Thanks for bringin it back Everett...
Andy
Posted by 2dogs (Member # 649) on October 07, 2005, 11:52 AM:
I can't remember whether I shot a Red Fox before my 1st coyote ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
.
The 1st coyote, I ever shot was in snowfly of 1968. Our hounds [trail & sight], caught him a few times. They'd did battle, then the coyote would break free from the pounding.
He ran into a shallow weedy creek. One of the trail hounds pounced onto his back. Coyote fought him off. Then the coyote came up out of the creek. He ran right by me. I swung & tagged him in the rump with a 20ga bolt shotgun.
He did a front-flip from the impact[slowed him down some ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
]. Then the hounds caught him again, et took him out.
[ October 07, 2005, 11:53 AM: Message edited by: 2dogs ]
Posted by Swampbird (Member # 654) on October 07, 2005, 01:05 PM:
Took my 1st Grayfox in 1958, at age 14, with a Savage M-311 12ga. Coyotes were scarce when I decided to get into predator calling as a primary sport, so I bought a Ruger M-77/22Mag and have targeted fox/bobcat; take the coyote when they showup.
Here, in SC, this is considered "open territory" with most shots under 75yds.
Creekbottom Set-up
[ October 07, 2005, 01:08 PM: Message edited by: Swampbird ]
Posted by Gerald Stewart (Member # 162) on October 07, 2005, 03:10 PM:
I can't remember my very first predator but I do remember my first coyote. I was on a trip with Dad and Howard Briscoe who was doing an article for the Houston Tempo in 1968. We called 24 that day and Dad let me shoot the only one taken for picture purposes. It was late in the afternoon. I remember shaking like a leaf. I was 14. Check out my hunting shoes.
I had to clean him up with Photoshop. I still have a problem with accuracy but at least I wear camo boots now.
The shoe does not show up well but it was white tennis shoes.
[ October 07, 2005, 03:11 PM: Message edited by: Gerald Stewart ]
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on October 07, 2005, 05:10 PM:
I can't remember the first coyote I ever was a part of killing, since I was strapped into the front seat of my dad's pickup with a length of rope alongside my older brother with the two of us smack dab between dad driving and my uncle opening gates. We chased them with trucks and greyhounds in those days (~1968),as did my granddad as far back as the late '30's. I remember the first coyote I evere saw as it crossed the road in front of our truck. He came off a high bank from the right and crossed the road right in front of us into the next section. He was gone as quick as he appeared, but the image was burned in my 4 year old brain and is still vivid today. Little did my dad know what impact that coyote would have in my own life. In fact, I can take you to the exact spot even today and I call coyotes in and around that same area every year.
The first coyote I ever called was actually a pair. My dad was busy and unable to take me out, so rather than telling me I couldn't, he threw me his keys and told me to be careful. I was fourteen and no more able to drive his truck than the man on the moon. But, I got where I was going and back, with about half as much clutch as when I left. LOL Anyway, it was cold and everything was covered in snow. I walked out onto an open field overlooking a big creek and laid down just over the top of a terrace. After a while, two coyotes appeared at way the heck out there and, not knowing what I know now, I took the first hail Mary shot at about three hundred yards, scared that the coyotes might get closer. As you suspect, I missed cleanly, and again, and again as the two coyotes beat feet to the west. Didn't matter that I'd missed, though. I'd still called my first pair. Wahoo!
Not much later, I was out again, with my brand spankin' new Mini-14 in hand. I sat up on a stump with a pile of pushover trees behind me and called using a CrittrCall standard. I was watching way out yonder scanning left and right then back when I thought to myself that I probably oughtta watch out close as well. No sooner than I started looking in close when a coyote crossed from left to right about twenty yards in front of me. At about my two o'clock, he turned and walked toward me and just to my right, stopping about ten feet from me. I leveled the rifle and found him in my 4X scope, squeezed the trigger and, ... click! When I'd eased the bolt shut, I hadn't gotten it completely closed and it didn't engage properly.
The coyote did just as coyotes are want to do and got the hell outta there. Fast. I jacked the bolt on my semi-auto, found the back of his bouncing head as he made his way away from me and fired. Thru and thru with an exit wound in his forehead. When I picked him up, all he had for a tail was a tiny nubbin of a stump. It didn't matter because he was the finest pelt I'd ever seen on a coyote. My first kill of record, and again, little did I know how that coyote would influence my life. Coyotes can do that.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on October 07, 2005, 06:03 PM:
1968, again.
But, I was 25 years old, a city boy; sorta. Nice big dog coyote, shot him with my partners 220 Swift, between the eyes, very close to Beatty, Nevada. You can't forget something like that.
I still think that is good coyote country, and a 220 Swift is damned fine coyote medicine.
Good hunting. LB
edit: oops, that wasn't my first predator! That was a bobcat, same year, though.
[ October 07, 2005, 06:06 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by 2dogs (Member # 649) on October 07, 2005, 07:24 PM:
What's with all the 8's ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
spooky
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on October 07, 2005, 07:54 PM:
Hell, I was only 1yr old.....
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posted by Norm (Member # 240) on October 07, 2005, 08:10 PM:
My first predator was actually trapped... mink and coon in 1967; First fox in 1969, first coyote in 1970;
Posted by tawnoper (Member # 497) on October 07, 2005, 10:12 PM:
Around 1976 so I was 13 years old or so. Went on my first "varmint hunting" trip with my dad up around Tonopah Nevada. I ended up taking two coyotes with my 6mm Rem, one in the day and one at night. After that initial hunt we would usually go once or twice a year up in that general area. My dad and a couple of his buddies were die hard predator hunters in the early 60's, were also CVCA members for a period of time (around 63 to 67) so talking him into going hunting on a dark moon weekend was usually not a problem. Sure was nice hunting around him growing up, got a pretty good education right off the bat.
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on October 07, 2005, 10:50 PM:
First predator?
Hmmm, lemme get back to you on that.
Krusty 
Posted by Rich (Member # 112) on October 08, 2005, 05:48 AM:
Krustyklimber,
Don't forget the coyote you whacked with your bicycle on that narrow mountain trail.
Posted by Az-Hunter (Member # 17) on October 08, 2005, 11:49 AM:
I can climb up on my roof, and see the place I called my first coyote. 1968,I was 15, using and old 98K 8mm Mauser, my father brought home from WW2, I still have that rifle in my safe. I was using a white Circe jackrabbit call.
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on October 08, 2005, 03:51 PM:
I remember it like it was just yesterday. I was 11 years old.
It was a Sunday morning in mid-July. Dad and I were getting ready to go rake and bale hay. We spotted a coyote a half mile away out in a field near the house. Dad put the haying mission on hold while I made the sneak on the coyote. I was able to get close enough to put an 80 grain Speer thru the coyote using Dad's M700 ADL in .243. After we got back to haying we happened to talk to several neighbors over the course of the day. Every time we stopped to chat for a minute with one of the neighbors Dad would say to me, "Tell them what you got this morning!" Man, I felt like had just completed the Grand Slam on sheep or slayed the Big Five in Africa. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on October 08, 2005, 10:35 PM:
Shot a couple coyotes as targets of opportunity ealier, but my first called coyote, I was 12 years old. Had saved up my lawn mowing money all summer and bought me my very own Model 70 chambered in .270 Win. that fall before my 12th birthday. Dad gave me a press and some RCBS dies, plus a coffee can full of 4831 for my 12th birthday in November. A couple weeks later we went calling. Don't remember any other stands that day, just "the one". Never forget seeing that coyote pop his head up above the grass over a slight rise about 70 yards out. Dad always said he thought I was NEVER going to shoot and so he was taking up slack on his trigger when I knocked that coyote ass over tea kettle.
Man that was cool...
- DAA
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on October 09, 2005, 04:50 AM:
Good stories all.
DAA, that brings back recent memories. Two years ago, my son was 10, I had called in several coytoes with him on stand and he was always lookin the wrong way or something happened. Finally, a coyote came in on his side, stood broadside for a long time. I couldnt look to see if he saw it or nothing like that, so I was just about to kill it before it ran, when he shot. I was just about as excited as he was.
Those are things that make memories.
Andy
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on October 15, 2005, 09:20 AM:
I think I was about 25 - 26. I have wanted to hunt predators since I was a kid. I'd never heard of anyone actually hunting them around Colorado. I know it was done, but I didn't know anyone. My sister bought me a Sceery howler (about 18 yrs. ago I think) This cool long black thing that came in a generic plastic baggie. That was when i was about 16 - 17. I never once got so much as a squeek out of it for years, i simply didn't know how. Then one day at the book store, I was looking for books on how to improve my shotgunning. I found Gerry's book and another predator hunting book by Wilf Pyle from Canada. I thoroghly enjoyed both. I then bought a green 3 sound Circe and started practicing. The first time I went out, I took a neighbor that knew nothing about hunting. I spotted a coyote from the highway and went down the road another 1/4 mile or so. I hid the truck and myself and started calling. All I brought was a .22. I called a coyote the very first time but not the same one I was targeting. I never shot because the coyote stayed about 100 yds. out.
A few weeks later I took a friend to a new area where I called and got duped really bad by 3 coyotes. A couple of weeks later, I was all by myself and called and shot my very first coyote in the sandhills of CO. Thank God. I fell in love immediately thereafter!!!!!
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on October 15, 2005, 09:27 AM:
edit: I had no idea there was even a real industry. I'd never heard of predator hunting videos, nor internet boards. I was gonna state that I taught myself. Actually, it was Gerry Blair and Wilf Pyle. How many of you can say that you were taught by a legend?
Did I ever say, Thank you, Gerry? If not here it is. Thank you bro'!!!!!!
Posted by Fehler (Member # 713) on October 15, 2005, 11:05 PM:
Well guys, I'm gonna preface this with "I gotta lot to learn". My very first called in Coyote kill was earlier this year. (I'm 31) It was my 3rd trip out night calling w/ a friend that has been doing it for a while. (Seeing yotes on the first hunt & missing a grey fox on that same hunt hooked me.) The kill came on the second stand. We called for less than 5 min before seeing eyes. He worked his way to 78 paces before sitting to take his medicne. That came in early May & don't think it was easy to wait out the summer. Now, I'm gonna end this with "I gotta lot to learn", (Gerald where are 'ya?) But doggone I'm having a heck of a good time taking it all in.
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