More Than One Way to Win

DSCN7864, copyright Mark Kayser

MORE THAN ONE WAY TO WIN

This past weekend I put in a valiant effort for coyotes. Yep, they won, but there’s more than one way to win in the hunting game and after I did some soul searching I patted myself on the back for winning in another arena. That arena was in the scouting department. Like many of you, I do much of my predator hunting on properties that I already know. Since you can call coyotes, bobcats and other predators from coast to coast it doesn’t matter if you’re hunting whitetails, mule deer, or elk. You’ll find predators, especially coyotes, in all of these zip codes. With that in mind I made sure to check out several of my big game haunts between coyote setups. In one area I was lucky enough to catch a herd of elk out of the timber and grazing in the morning sunshine. They hadn’t moved far since hunting season and numbers were exceptional. Right before that surprise meeting I was in a challenge fest with three coyotes that were too chicken to walk across a basin opening to face my Bergara stacked with Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor ammo. On another setup I happened into the same canyon that two mature mule deer bucks decided to use as their daytime hideout. And on the way back out I glassed up two more good bucks with my Nikons. If you’re keeping track that’s four nice bucks and at least one has the chance to balloon up in 2016! Sure I missed most of the NFL playoff highlights, but I was updated on the state of big game densities and trophy potential for the coming season. And to finish the weekend my son Cole and I took the elk recovery team out for a winter warmup. They performed like champs even without elk quarters in the panniers. Even though I didn’t take a coyote for the ride in my truck bed this past weekend, I’d have to say it was a winner-winner-chicken-dinner weekend. The scouting was satisfying and I’m already looking forward to the 2016 big game season. Cabela’s.

DSCN7866, copyright Mark Kayser

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