Last day of the season for me... Had some difficulty getting on any adult birds... Needed one more to tag out.
I hunted a slightly different area today, and once again played with some jakes. Heard some gobbling later in the morning with different birds and was hopeful... Turns out they were henned up (on the last day?)... Had some conversation with the hens for a bit and waited things out.
Round about 10 AM of doing some quiet clucks and purrs, I get a couple gobbles (guess the hens left). I reposition to a better location (as the birds had moved)... It takes some time, but they make some ground, and right as they are over the next knoll... Next thing you know I am surrounded.
Five coyotes surrounded me, cutting off any escape route (except flight). I have no idea how their communication works, but they started a well synchronized rush on me from all sides when one of them winded me and started barking (like a dog)... Setting off a chain reaction of barking and yapping, Heard and saw the turkeys take off, and knew my hunt was over.
Four of the yotes headed for the hills, but one young dog was still trying to figure me out... I took my decoy out of the bag and started moving it (I was behind a log with tall grass and the coyote could not see me). He started to rush in, then thought better of it. He was growling and barking at me like a guard dog.
I always figured I hunt for fun, and predators do it for a living... Never had much interest in shooting coyotes. But honestly, there are a lot of them on the ranches I am hunting, and even I have realized they need some thinning out... Plus I was irritated at having my last hunt of the season ruined, only needing one more bird to tag out.
So I tried reaping him... Got behind that hen decoy, and started making my way towards him... He would rush in to about 50 yards, and scurry back again. Guess he was thinking that some funny smelling bush was traveling with that turkey, and he was having the dilemma of getting away from the crazy bush or eating... (He was down wind of me, and was actually the first yote to wind me and the last to leave).
He would come in, and then back off... Finally one of his buddy's came back and started yapping at him (or maybe It was me?)... He finally decided it was not worth the risk...
I have seen pairs and singles, and I generally see them long before they are aware of me... I have often wondered how they are successful at killing any turkeys at all? Were they hunting a real bird, this strategy (of a synchronized attack) would have worked (especially with a nesting hen).
