- Messages
- 5,734
- Reactions
- 11,803
Out in the driveway messing with cars just now, and saw something moving in my lower orchard pasture by the creek. Yellow/gold.
Walked briskly (trying to be "casual" and not doing a very good job), to the mud porch and grabbed the rifle, shinnied down to peek around the utility trailer and saw nothing until less than a minute later out of the brush came this dog.
First thing I saw in the scope was a huge distended belly. Confirmed it was a Coyote (and it had something dark in its mouth). When the crosshairs settled on the shoulder, I touched the trigger. Down and done.
In his mouth was a baby Cottontail (Springtime and they are just about out of the nest). The big belly was probably full of the whole litter, bitten just enough to swallow alive and whole, and ready to be regurgitated at the den. I've witnessed Coyotes eating the nose off a Hereford calf halfway through the birth process. I've seen the bloody/hairy smear of what was left of a neighbor dog caught out at night. I helped a sheep rancher clean up a pen where every single sheep was killed in one event.
As I told Ethel, the Plott Hound as she sniffed and growled at the dead dog, "He won't be back." (She'd alerted yesterday when he crossed the high pasture.)
Caught in the act! Ruger Model 77/357 re-barreled to .256 Winchester Magnum by Dennis Olson of Plains, Montana with barrel by Dan Lilja. (I call it "The Wolfer"). 70 grain Sierra BlitzKing, 2650fps. Entrance at the ball of the shoulder, no exit. He's a good dog now. "Stay, Boy."
Walked briskly (trying to be "casual" and not doing a very good job), to the mud porch and grabbed the rifle, shinnied down to peek around the utility trailer and saw nothing until less than a minute later out of the brush came this dog.
First thing I saw in the scope was a huge distended belly. Confirmed it was a Coyote (and it had something dark in its mouth). When the crosshairs settled on the shoulder, I touched the trigger. Down and done.
In his mouth was a baby Cottontail (Springtime and they are just about out of the nest). The big belly was probably full of the whole litter, bitten just enough to swallow alive and whole, and ready to be regurgitated at the den. I've witnessed Coyotes eating the nose off a Hereford calf halfway through the birth process. I've seen the bloody/hairy smear of what was left of a neighbor dog caught out at night. I helped a sheep rancher clean up a pen where every single sheep was killed in one event.
As I told Ethel, the Plott Hound as she sniffed and growled at the dead dog, "He won't be back." (She'd alerted yesterday when he crossed the high pasture.)
Caught in the act! Ruger Model 77/357 re-barreled to .256 Winchester Magnum by Dennis Olson of Plains, Montana with barrel by Dan Lilja. (I call it "The Wolfer"). 70 grain Sierra BlitzKing, 2650fps. Entrance at the ball of the shoulder, no exit. He's a good dog now. "Stay, Boy."
