Clean Break
Member
The coyotes have been getting particularly bold lately, yipping and howling up a storm day and night. We've always kept a 93+ lb. Labrador Retriever in an outdoor kennel on our 4 acre place in Southwest Washington. The goats live down in back, fighting the green line (incessant plant growth), all the world is their lollipop.
About a week ago I heard a coyote yipping and barking up a storm at 10:00 in the morning. I saw him about 80 yards from my deck in the middle of the goat pen. I ran downstairs to get the 1917 Short Magazine Lee Enfield .303 British rifle out of the safe. By the time I returned upstairs, the varmint was gone.
I knew he'd be back. Once they get to showing off defiantly in broad daylight like that, they keep doing it. I kept the SMLE handier this time and shoved three of its favorite loads (factory Remington 180 gr. Core-Lokts with the blunt round, nose) down on top the old milsurp foreign stuff I keep the detachable 10 round magazine stoked with.
This morning, Gauge the chocolate lab sets off on a string of furious barks (great dog. at 10.5 years he still goose hunts with me but mainly he's a fishing dog, and he only barks when there's a good reason). I look out the sliding glass door and see the coyote right where he'd been before. I slap in the magazine, work that famous fast bolt (cocks on slamming shut), open the door quietly and assume a good rest with my forearm on the deck rail. Settle breathing, settle sights and squeeze steadily.
BOOOOM!!!! A white spray of water flies off of the fur of the coyote and wham he goes down Right Now! I watch for him to pop up again, but no, no follow up shot is needed (coyotes are generally an all or none affair).
I grabbed the camera and strapped on my S & W M & P .38 and went to go get him. Instead of bringing him up to the house I decided to have my "gun bearer" bring the rifle down to me. The goats and dogs watched interestedly.
Here's a the last thing the coyote saw, but zoomed in with the camera. Labs are at the gate. The goat barn is just out of sight to the right, inside the fence.
Here, in typical "hunting" attire. I love living in the country at 1,300' where we get snow, have black bears, deer, rabbits and bobcats visit the place, and yes, I CAN shoot off of my deck whenever I want to with my .338, .22 lr or 629 .44 magnum.
Some things are worth having around and protecting.
That rifle is probably the best $85 I ever spent (at Big 5 Sporting Goods about 17 years ago) that I stripped down and then refinished with Boiled Linseed Oil (25+ coats?). That is the third coyote it has claimed in the the same manner over the years since then. There really is life beyond black plastic stocks, magnums, laser sights and bipods.
Clean Break
About a week ago I heard a coyote yipping and barking up a storm at 10:00 in the morning. I saw him about 80 yards from my deck in the middle of the goat pen. I ran downstairs to get the 1917 Short Magazine Lee Enfield .303 British rifle out of the safe. By the time I returned upstairs, the varmint was gone.
I knew he'd be back. Once they get to showing off defiantly in broad daylight like that, they keep doing it. I kept the SMLE handier this time and shoved three of its favorite loads (factory Remington 180 gr. Core-Lokts with the blunt round, nose) down on top the old milsurp foreign stuff I keep the detachable 10 round magazine stoked with.
This morning, Gauge the chocolate lab sets off on a string of furious barks (great dog. at 10.5 years he still goose hunts with me but mainly he's a fishing dog, and he only barks when there's a good reason). I look out the sliding glass door and see the coyote right where he'd been before. I slap in the magazine, work that famous fast bolt (cocks on slamming shut), open the door quietly and assume a good rest with my forearm on the deck rail. Settle breathing, settle sights and squeeze steadily.
BOOOOM!!!! A white spray of water flies off of the fur of the coyote and wham he goes down Right Now! I watch for him to pop up again, but no, no follow up shot is needed (coyotes are generally an all or none affair).
I grabbed the camera and strapped on my S & W M & P .38 and went to go get him. Instead of bringing him up to the house I decided to have my "gun bearer" bring the rifle down to me. The goats and dogs watched interestedly.
Here's a the last thing the coyote saw, but zoomed in with the camera. Labs are at the gate. The goat barn is just out of sight to the right, inside the fence.
Here, in typical "hunting" attire. I love living in the country at 1,300' where we get snow, have black bears, deer, rabbits and bobcats visit the place, and yes, I CAN shoot off of my deck whenever I want to with my .338, .22 lr or 629 .44 magnum.
Some things are worth having around and protecting.
That rifle is probably the best $85 I ever spent (at Big 5 Sporting Goods about 17 years ago) that I stripped down and then refinished with Boiled Linseed Oil (25+ coats?). That is the third coyote it has claimed in the the same manner over the years since then. There really is life beyond black plastic stocks, magnums, laser sights and bipods.
Clean Break
The magazine is removable for cleaning purposes only, as my father was loudly reminded when he was trained on one.
