Many times I’ve heard that if you’re going to have a gunfight be sure and “Bring Enough Gun”. I didn’t have a gunfight this past Wednesday afternoon, however I sure did need a bigger gun!

Wednesday afternoon was beautiful, no wind, the temp around fifty, with bright blue skies, so I decided to go out and sit in a tree and try to call up a red fox or ‘coon. To dispatch one of these small critters, I took along my .17 HMR, plenty of gun for one of them!

Climbing up into the tree, I was “guarding” about eighty yards of a rough track through the thick stuff. Before me, several game trails crossed this track, the nearest one was not over twenty-five yards away. Having seen both ‘coons and foxes use this area, I began my deception using a distressed rabbit call. Blowing for about twenty seconds, then waiting for three minutes, I repeated the process several times. Then I noticed movement behind the brush along the nearest game trail!

Out trotted a coyote! It was a big one, dark fur along its back shading to a lighter hue on its sides, so I didn’t even think about shooting at it with the .17HMR. In about five seconds it crossed the track and disappeared into the thick stuff on the other side. This was the first coyote that I’ve seen on my place in the seventeen years that it has been in my possession.

Keeping up my calling, with no results, I finally slipped down out of the tree and walked back to my truck. It was “neat” seeing the coyote, but for this particular, twenty-five yard shot, I needed my twelve gauge, auto, with number one, buckshot!

All the way back to my truck, I kept thinking, Always be sure and “Bring Enough Gun”!