Post by majestictreehound on Apr 9, 2006 12:24:25 GMT -5
The Great Coyote Chase
By Steve Morrow
Well, this all started one morning when I needed to make a quick 3 mile run into New Market, Va. I was getting into my truck to leave when two of my dogs ( a large Golden Retriever "Moe" and my Majestic Tree Hound "Di") begged with such sad faces to go with me, I had to load them up. We began riding down our gravel "Piney Woods Road" when I neared a corner where the previous night I had seen a coon sitting on a pile of brush to my right, I paused for just a moment there thinking I would let out my hound "Di" to check the old coon scent. As the thought went thru my mind, something shot out of the brush pile and was running straight down the road in front of me. What exactly was in front of me as I sped up wasn't clear? As "COYOTE" came slamming into my head my foot went into auto drive clean to the floor. I was getting closer to his tail with my bumper when he went to the right off the road and bounced right onto the hog wire fence along the road and then back into my path. I guess we were going about 35 mph at this time. As I came closer the second time the coyote went to the left that had hog wire fencing also. (My dogs in the truck by this time were barking and crying at this sight in front of them, besides flying from side to side in the back seat.) When the coyote hit the left side fence he stopped and began running down the road in the opposite direction behind us, this road being one lane wide forced me to stop and slam the truck into park. I jumped out, opened the rear door, and released the dogs. Not really knowing if they would give the chase, I ran with them back down the road. To my surprise my dogs caught up to the coyote and were biting at his heels and were headed for the brush pile where this whole thing started. The coyote jumped into the pile with both dogs on him. When I finally got there (after running ¼ mile) I found that the coyote had bayed up under the pile of brush. My two dogs were taking turns from both sides biting his flanks. I was in a real pickle now, my truck with my .22 was a ¼ mile back up the road, I was stuck in thought, I finally decided, I needed my gun! So up the road I ran back to truck, jumped in and backed down to the on going fight.
When I got there I found this brush pile to be 6 feet deep by 12 feet wide by 80 feet long, the road on one side and hog wire fence behind it. As I climbed into the pile I could hear the fight but not see to much of it. I finely saw the rear haunch of the coyote and had a clear shot, so three shots went into the brush, how many hits, who knows? Anyway the coyote took off down thru the pile rolling with two dogs on him with no signs of being injured. Well, I was in a pickle again! I only had three .22 rounds in the clip and they were gone. This means sticks and stones now because I'm worried about my dogs. I have never heard such growling and howling out of an animal in my life! I found a large stick and began hollering and poking at this fight trying to kill this thing before it kills my dogs. The fight had gone on for twenty minutes now and my dogs were tired, I was tired and I'm sure the coyote was tired, but he didn't show it. I began to think what a big mistake it was to start this chase. My dogs weren't going to stop fighting. This is when I remembered that my coat pocket had a small hole in it and once before I've had to go into this secret reserve ammo supply, and yes! There is two .22 s hidden there. I fished them out, got my gun and returned to the fight which at this time had turn into a stalemate with coyote and dogs against the fence and brush pile. This time I had a clear shot that finally finished this large male coyote. After checking both dogs, neither one had any bites or marks, which I couldn't believe after such a fight.
By Steve Morrow
Well, this all started one morning when I needed to make a quick 3 mile run into New Market, Va. I was getting into my truck to leave when two of my dogs ( a large Golden Retriever "Moe" and my Majestic Tree Hound "Di") begged with such sad faces to go with me, I had to load them up. We began riding down our gravel "Piney Woods Road" when I neared a corner where the previous night I had seen a coon sitting on a pile of brush to my right, I paused for just a moment there thinking I would let out my hound "Di" to check the old coon scent. As the thought went thru my mind, something shot out of the brush pile and was running straight down the road in front of me. What exactly was in front of me as I sped up wasn't clear? As "COYOTE" came slamming into my head my foot went into auto drive clean to the floor. I was getting closer to his tail with my bumper when he went to the right off the road and bounced right onto the hog wire fence along the road and then back into my path. I guess we were going about 35 mph at this time. As I came closer the second time the coyote went to the left that had hog wire fencing also. (My dogs in the truck by this time were barking and crying at this sight in front of them, besides flying from side to side in the back seat.) When the coyote hit the left side fence he stopped and began running down the road in the opposite direction behind us, this road being one lane wide forced me to stop and slam the truck into park. I jumped out, opened the rear door, and released the dogs. Not really knowing if they would give the chase, I ran with them back down the road. To my surprise my dogs caught up to the coyote and were biting at his heels and were headed for the brush pile where this whole thing started. The coyote jumped into the pile with both dogs on him. When I finally got there (after running ¼ mile) I found that the coyote had bayed up under the pile of brush. My two dogs were taking turns from both sides biting his flanks. I was in a real pickle now, my truck with my .22 was a ¼ mile back up the road, I was stuck in thought, I finally decided, I needed my gun! So up the road I ran back to truck, jumped in and backed down to the on going fight.
When I got there I found this brush pile to be 6 feet deep by 12 feet wide by 80 feet long, the road on one side and hog wire fence behind it. As I climbed into the pile I could hear the fight but not see to much of it. I finely saw the rear haunch of the coyote and had a clear shot, so three shots went into the brush, how many hits, who knows? Anyway the coyote took off down thru the pile rolling with two dogs on him with no signs of being injured. Well, I was in a pickle again! I only had three .22 rounds in the clip and they were gone. This means sticks and stones now because I'm worried about my dogs. I have never heard such growling and howling out of an animal in my life! I found a large stick and began hollering and poking at this fight trying to kill this thing before it kills my dogs. The fight had gone on for twenty minutes now and my dogs were tired, I was tired and I'm sure the coyote was tired, but he didn't show it. I began to think what a big mistake it was to start this chase. My dogs weren't going to stop fighting. This is when I remembered that my coat pocket had a small hole in it and once before I've had to go into this secret reserve ammo supply, and yes! There is two .22 s hidden there. I fished them out, got my gun and returned to the fight which at this time had turn into a stalemate with coyote and dogs against the fence and brush pile. This time I had a clear shot that finally finished this large male coyote. After checking both dogs, neither one had any bites or marks, which I couldn't believe after such a fight.