Trophy Black Coyote, That's One Big Dog!

It was the next to the last day of the Florida Deer season and with only a couple hunts left before the season would be just a memory, coyote’s were the last thing on my mind. That was all about to change. My deer hunt was just about to become a Coyote Hunt!

Coyote Hunting Without a Call!

That afternoon I had planned to hunt a buck I had seen during archery season on a marsh pasture. He’s one of the best Florida bucks I have seen and I was really hoping for a crack at him before it was all over. On the way into the stand I stopped by one of my camera traps to swap cards and see what had been going on in my absence. The Bushnell Trophy Cam revealed no big bucks but I was still hopeful. The moon was at ¼ phase and the feed time just about right for a late afternoon sighting.

This particular spot is one of my all time favorite hunting spots. It’s virtually un-hunted and one of my personal best Florida bucks was taken from this same stand. It has everything you could ask for. On one side is a hardwood hammock. A small creek flows thru the middle of the marsh and it is surrounded by high grass which blends into a cypress and gum swamp. Its literally a game magnet. All manor of animal call this special place home and it is a rare occasion that a hunt here does not produce a handful of deer and hogs sightings.

I scaled my way up the isolated cypress in the open grass and settled into my lock-on for the wait. Actually, things were going a little slow and I was really surprised at the lack of deer movement.

I was well heeled, carrying my Browning A-bolt chambered in .30-06. It’s short bolt throw is a joy to shoot and chambers a hot round quickly without banging your hand into the scope. I like to shoot 180 gr. Remington Core-lokts. They are extremely dependable, reasonably priced and have never let me down.

A Pair of Solid Black Coyotes Appear From the Waste High Grass!

Dark was closing in and I had just finished glassing the area with my Nikon Monarks when some movement thru the cypress limbs caught my attention about 70 yds to the right. Instantly, I recognized two black forms coming out of the high grass onto the mow. Both were black and I was thinking hog as they came into view in my binoculars. I could hardly believe my eyes, not one but two solid black coyotes! Before I knew it I was on my knees in the stand searching for a hole thru the limbs. The scope settled on the larger dog’s shoulder and I squeezed off a shot. The coyote hit the ground at the report of the shot. I immediately chambered a fresh round but the second coyote charged into the high grass before I could even ready for a second shot.

The Core-lokt had gone thru the upper, forward shoulder and exploded thru the spinal column producing an instant kill.

My first thought was to sit tight and wait out the last few minutes of light in hopes of seeing some deer but I could not stand it! I had to get a look at this thing.

This is One Big Dog and a Unique Trophy!

He was incredible! Upwards of 45 lbs. , solid black with a perfect hide. I rarely go to the woods without my camera and it was time to record the harvest so I could share this unique trophy with everyone.

A “Black Coyote” is a very rare sight. Hyper-melanistic, black, is even more rare than albinism. With all the thousands of hours I have spent afield, this was the first I had ever seen. He was truly a sight to behold and one I will never forget! I’m thinking my next hunt just might be a “coyote hunt“, for the one that got away.

Interestingly, ”Black Coyote” was the name of a Lakota Sioux who reportedly refused to give up his weapon at Wounded Knee and is believed to have unintentionally triggered the terrible massacre know as the “Battle at Wounded Knee.”

Good luck hunting!
Larry Stephens

Photo's by Larry Stephens

Coyote Hunting, A Target of Opportunity!

The Coyote is despised by many but can make for some great hunting sport while controlling the "Predator Population" at the same time. "Calling Coyotes" is the standard method of hunting but they can be a target of opportunity anytime you are in the woods hunting!

Some reasons you should consider hunting coyotes;

-Coyotes can increase your available target opportunities!
-Hunting coyotes can increase your time afield!
-Hunting coyotes will improve your hunting skills!
-Predator population control!
-A Coyotes makes a unique and beautiful trophy!

Take em when you see em!

Coyotes are one of, if not the most sought after predator in the field. Many hunters target these secretive animals exclusively, but for most, the Coyote is a target of opportunity. Every year Hunters take thousands of coyotes while hunting other species of game such as Turkeys & Deer. It‘s a lucky hunter who has been sitting in a deer stand on a slow morning and has a Coyote come loping by! Rarely do you see one of these speed demons standing still and it is extremely difficult to get a shot off at one with a bow.

A great way to get more hunting time in!

In many States Coyotes can he hunted year round. If you decide to hunt coyotes outside of the hunting season of other game animals you hunt it can greatly increase your time in the woods hunting.

Time spent chasing these cagey critters will only add
To your woodsman and hunting skills!

Every time you step in the woods you should be learning something new. If you don’t your not paying attention! Coyotes are super shy and unbelievably sharp! If you can harvest them consistently at close range you can consider yourself at the top of your game and the coyote a good tune up. If your skills are not this advanced, hunting the coyote will really increase them. If you can get your bow drawn on a coyote a deer will be a piece of cake. The coyote can teach you volumes about hunting, like how and when to move on an approaching animal, stand placement and many other things that hunters can use when hunting other species.

Predator populations require control like any
Other game species!

Like any other species, predator populations need to be kept in balance. If their numbers are left unchecked they can quickly get out of hand. Coyotes prey on all manors of game species including turkeys, quail, small game, small hogs and deer. They are particularly hard on deer fawns. When they begin to compete with you for the same game its time lower the population.

A trophy not every Hunter has!

Coyotes come in many color phases and can make both a beautiful and unique addition to your trophy room. The most common mount is a full body mount. There are a wide variety of manikins to choose from that include; full body, half body and shoulder mounts. The cost of a full body mount varies among taxidermist and also depends on how elaborate a base and habitat you desire if any, but the average is about $450. There are other options for remembering and honoring your trophy and include skull mounts, rugs and soft tanned hides. Be sure to choose a taxidermist wisely, check references and take a close look at their work.

A solid black dog is pretty uncommon and quite a prize!

Next time your out hunting deer or sitting in a turkey blind don’t overlook an opportunity at a Coyote if you should be so fortunate. They will probably be few and far between but if your lucky you might just end up with a unique trophy and another special hunt to remember.

Good Luck Hunting!
Larry Stephens

Photo's by Larry Stephens

Potential Idaho State Record Mule Deer

This is another bit of information from the internet. I received this in an email from my buddy Brady out there. Accutate or not he's a Seed!

"Here's what's coming out of unit 45

Idaho State Record Muzzy buck Harvest Dallas Smith is no stranger when it comes to large mule deer. Over the last few years, Dallas has added three awesome mule deer to his collection each scoring over the magical 200 inch mark. However, none of them come close to the accomplishment he achieved this past week. Dallas harvested the pending new # 4 in the world mule deer with a muzzleloader and it is also the new State Record in Idaho. The unfortunate part of this story is that the buck will never be recorded in the books. Dallas has to date decided that he doesn't want to strip the velvet off the buck to have it officially scored. I can't say that I blame him. It's a once in a lifetime buck and keeping it the way it was when it was harvested is important to Dallas.

Dallas Smith with his latest monster in his collection

Dallas has watched this buck for the past five years and even tried to harvest it a time or two only to fall short in his quest. This is ok if you look at the end result which is a 265 inch gross monster. His Buck has a 204 inch frame with approximately 60 inches of trash. It has only been unofficial scored, but when I held this monster in my hands, score went completely out the window. This buck is dense, heavy, wide, nasty,and just plain old incredible. When I lifted it off the ground, I was amazed at the weight of the antlers. As shown in the picture above, these antlers felt like they would tip the scales at over 15 pounds which is a true monster in anyone's eyes.Comparing this buck to his sheds from the last few years shows this buck has grown into a true giant. Two years ago his sheds scored in at just over 207 gross inches. Last year his sheds grossed at just over the 228 inch mark. Now he has grown into the mega 265 inch giant the Dallas harvested earlier this week.

Dallas With his 265 inch giant

I'm sure you are asking yourself why is this buck in velvet in October? Well, the truth is still somewhat of a mystery to all. He did grow a fresh set of horns every year, however this buck held his velvet well into October every year. Like I said, Dallas knew this buck well. He watched the buck two years ago shed its velvet at the end of October and last year it shed it in the middle of October. At the time of harvest, the testicles of this deer were only one-fourth the size of a normal mule deer. So obviously this buck had some sort of testicular issues whether it be lack of testicles from a birth defect, some sort of trauma, or a genetic defect. This buck grew his antlers a month and half longer then normal mule deer.Is he a cactus buck? In my opinion, yes.

Anytime there is testicular malfunction that allows antlers to grow at an abnormal rate, it should be considered a cactus buck. Some cactus bucks never shed their antlers and some shed them ever few years. In the case of this buck, his deficiency was slight enough that he shed them and grew a new set every year. He had some sort of testosterone deficiency to allow him to grow his antlers for a longer time period than that of a normal mule deer which would fit the definition of a cactus buck.Dallas, my hat is off to you and your brother for keeping this buck such a secret. I don't blame you one bit! As far as I know, the only people that new this buck was alive were Dallas, his wife, his three sons, his brother Ryan and a good friend, Tony. They all kept this buck under wraps until it was on the ground. Congrats to all of you that were mentioned as you all played a part in Dallas harvesting this spectacular trophy. We can't wait for the story and field pictures!

Photo Courtesy of Ryan Smith

Congratulations Dallas on such a fine trophy and a spectacular last few years of hunting these awesome animals. You brothers have done it again, I'm jealous...Steve Alderman "