He is a hyper guy and set very much in his ways, he isn’t some one you want to be stuck in a boat with trolling on Lake Huron or Saginaw Bay.
We met at the truck stop and headed out for our first sets. Along the way I was telling him about How Dean and I had been doing all day hunts and had some good luck at mid day.
He just said nope you guys were just lucky the coyotes were moving and I have things to do this afternoon.
We make the first farm the Reynolds beef farm, gather our gear and head out for a stone pile on a hill over looking the 20 acre wood lot. Set the decoys out about 25 yards from the woods then get back to the brushy stone pile and start calling. Isn’t to long and I see a coyote sneaking thru the grass at the woods edge but I wasn’t the first to see it. Brent shot and the first coyote was down in that grass. I would have let it get in the corn stubble.
Had a hard time keeping him in place for a full 20 minuses let alone a full 30 minutes.
Back at the truck I asked why he didn’t let the coyote clear the grass so it was closer and in clear view. He just said what makes you think it would have came in the clear? Best to take a shot when you see them.
I had a feeling that the morning isn’t going to be much fun for me, am starting to think I am going to be really busy the rest of the week. Arrive at the second farm Crushanks dairy operation, milk around 200 cows give or take.
Not much of any place to set up there except in a fence row with some taller grass and it is a flat farm as so many in the thumb of Michigan are. I think the chance of getting a clear view of any coyotes here is going to be a good bet since we are about 200 yards from the woods and slough.
Got the decoys set and settle in for the calling. It was 28F when we parked the truck but you could feel the sun warming things up when you were out of the bitter NE wind off Lake Huron.
At 20 Minutes nothing had showed up and I motions for Brent to set still for a bit he shakes his head no and started to get up and a coyote pops out of the slough sees him moving and switches ends and is gone.
We get back at the truck and I ask why he can’t wait for 10 minuses more to make sure there are no sneakers? He says all the books say 20 minutes and if nothing shows quit and git to another spot.
I tell him this isn’t 1900 and things and thoughts have changed, you still running deer with dogs like in the 1900’s? We are even useing decoys and Ecallers they didn't have when your old books were wrote.
He just shuts up and drives to our next farm another dairy operation. Mister Jenkins comes from the barn and meets us at the truck and says they saw 4 on Wednesday while spreading manure and they were in no hurry to leave as they spread more manure.
Said they had disappeared in the big drainage ditch in the south west corner of the place.
We get back to a brushy fence line set the decoys out about 150 yards away from us settle in and start calling. At 15 minute mark a coyote comes over the top of the ditch, I sign to Brent to wait there were supposed to be four of them. About 5 more minutes another appers and there is no holding Brent back he signs to take them. I fire and have a coyote down as does Brent.
Get back to the truck and Brent says that has been a good morning, maybe this afternoon will be as good. I tell him if he is quitting till late afternoon I am going home and do some work the rest of the day.
We get back to my truck and part ways, with a call me when you are ready for another morning.
Al
