I was in moose camp with family and friends way out in the bush. Due to a brand new pair of hunting boots that I had not taken the time to properly break in I had crippled myself (both achilles tendons) and so was unable to hunt after the second day. Lesson learned.
I was content to be the Campee and Cook but I would usually take a casual walk during the day with my rifle down an old logging trail that we had originally drove in on our ATV's. Easy walking and dry enough for my running shoes and the moose are usually exactly where you find them...lol...as my Pa used to say.
At one point the trail did a big ole switch back going down a ravine to cross the creek then switch back again coming up the other side. Looking straight across the ravine I could see a coyote trotting down the trail coming my direction investigating smells as he went. It crossed my mind that it would follow the trail all the way down and then up the switch backs and would come up the trail right in front of me.
I didn't want to shoot and maybe disrupt my family and friends moose hunting but I thought it might be amusing to have some fun with Mr Yote' at his expense so I stepped behind a big old poplar tree and waited.
It took a while but eventually Mr Yote' eventually came trotting right up the trail just as I had figured. I stood up tight to the tree and without moving at all I said out loud.
"BANG BANG ! YOU'RE DEAD!
The look on it's face was priceless and it swapped ends and took off in hyper drive. I laughed out loud and shouted after it "Gotcha ya dirty bugger!"
It then proceeded to parallel me in the bush just far enough back that I could not see it but it howled, and yipped, and yapped and made every noise known to the coyote world. I walked for another hour and it stayed with me the entire way, making all kinds of noise. When I turned around and headed back to camp I figured it would break off and consider itself happy with revenge but it stayed with me. Always far enough back to remain unseen so I couldn't shoot it.
When I eventually got back to camp I was hoping the crew would be there so we could try to think of a way to trick the coyote and one of us could get a shot at it but it was much too early for anyone to return. That damn coyote stayed back in the bush and continued to make noise until the first of the crew made it back.
Of course the first words out of their mouths was "Wow, did you hear that coyote howling? Real close I would say!!"
Eating supper they all said you should have shot it. Yeah...right...
Regards,
Dave
That about sums it up.
