Well here goes, I've never run my own line before but I've always wanted to give it a shot. As of right now, I'll be running two lines, one close to my house and one further out where I bait bears in the spring. Near my house the primary target will be lynx and coyote with some martin sets mixed in that I can check twice a week. The line further out I'll check once a week and I'd really like to get into wolves and wolverine. This will be a learning experience for sure and I may decide it isn't for me after a season but I plan on making an honest effort to get it done. I'll also throw up any predator hunting that I get into this winter as well.
This past weekend, I loaded the kids up and went out to Grandma's place to do some line scouting. Also, I wanted to nail at least one of the coyotes that has been killing all the rabbits hanging out around her place. After the kids got their fill riding the snowmachines, I left the house on foot and walked a short ways up towards the hills. Finding a large spruce tree, I hunkered down below the bottom branches and began calling. Using a mouth call, I would call for about a minute and break for five. On my third round of calling, I was beginning to lose drive and was about to head home when I noticed two ears poking up just above a small rise. Dusk was beginning to set in and it was hard to see the coyote very well. It stepped out of the willows, into plain sight and gave me a great broadside look. I brought my gun up and just as the crosshairs settled, it started moving. I rushed a shot and honestly thought I had missed because the dog disappeared. I stood up to look for a follow up shot and to my surprise, it lay there dead as nails. One round from my .270 through the dome and it was all over.
This past weekend, I loaded the kids up and went out to Grandma's place to do some line scouting. Also, I wanted to nail at least one of the coyotes that has been killing all the rabbits hanging out around her place. After the kids got their fill riding the snowmachines, I left the house on foot and walked a short ways up towards the hills. Finding a large spruce tree, I hunkered down below the bottom branches and began calling. Using a mouth call, I would call for about a minute and break for five. On my third round of calling, I was beginning to lose drive and was about to head home when I noticed two ears poking up just above a small rise. Dusk was beginning to set in and it was hard to see the coyote very well. It stepped out of the willows, into plain sight and gave me a great broadside look. I brought my gun up and just as the crosshairs settled, it started moving. I rushed a shot and honestly thought I had missed because the dog disappeared. I stood up to look for a follow up shot and to my surprise, it lay there dead as nails. One round from my .270 through the dome and it was all over.