Coyote John

As some of you know we live in the SE Corner of Arizona and within spitting distance of the US/Mexican border.   We all are affected by the masses of illegals coming through our pourous border and with the US governments refusal to do anything substanial about it.  It has had a dramatic effect on all of us here on the border and although you don’t probably see it on a daily basis it has had an effect on all the tax paying citizens of America.  However now it is really  getting personal, and I don’t mean them turning on our water and letting it run all night, or cutting our fences, or even using our backyard as a bathroom. One highlighted sentence in the Arizona Hunting Regulations states:  “Homeland security issues along the international border may affect the quality of a person’s hunt.”   I recently purchased a new AR, developed some loads for it and got it shooting -1″ MOA at 100 yards.  Decided that this morning it would get it’s baptism under fire.  Loaded up the truck before daylight and set out for one of my favorite spots.  Pulled into the wash, hid the truck best I could and hiked a short way up a little knoll.   Set my “improvised” Whirling Woodpecker (www.outfoxedproducts.com) out about 30 yards hurried back up the knoll and turned on the FoxPro.  I couldn’t have been there for more than 5 minutes when two Border Patrol Agents came tiptoeing up the dry wash.  I stood up and wavd then started walking down to them.  They wanted to know what I was doing in the area, don’t know why I said what I did but I was kinda pissed-off that we now have to explain what we (US Citizens) are doing on the border.  I told them that as far as I was aware we still lived in a free country and I could do as I well pleased as long as I wasn’t breaking any laws, which I wasn’t.  We had a bit of a stare down and they then told me that this was a favorite passage way for illegals and I might be considered in the obstruction of them (Border Patrol) doing their duties.  I gave them a smirk and walked back to the truck and left the area.  On my next stand, about 5 miles away, I set up same as I had before.  After about 10 minutes I spotted a coyote about 500 yards out coming straight into the call.  Put the AR up and got ready, at about 300 yards he stopped and sat down.  I knew he didn’t smell me as the breeze was coming from him to me.  After a minute or two he got up and trotted back the same way he came.  It was then that I heard some sounds in the canyon below me, you guessed it — about 6 or 7 illegals making their way down the canyon.   I packed everything up and headed home.  “Homeland security issues along the international border may affect the quality of a person’s hunt.” 

Just about that time of year again, predator callingis about to get into high gear!  Time to hit the range with the new rifle and some new loads and optics on an old friend.  I recently bought a new AR, ArmaLite M15A4 (www.armalite.com)  and am anxious to see how well it shoots with my hand loads.  I had it out once and was impressed with the factory ammo but I know I can do better with hand loads, or so I hope.  I also had a rather ”cheap” scope on it and have since upgraded.  My old friend is a Sako Vixen, a gift from my wife, way back in 1981.  Both rifles are chambered in .223 and both now have new Weaver Grand Slams (www.weaveroptics.com) on them.  The Sako has accounted for itself rather admirably in the past 26 years from roe deer and chamois in Europe and from ground squirrels to mule deer here in the USofA.  Don’t know if the new kid on the block will live up to the old timer but it will be my primary weapon of choice for this forthcoming predator season.  I have worked up five different loads for the AR and will sight in the Sako using the same load I have for the past 15 years:  Winchester Brass and Primers (www.winchesterguns.com) , Nosler 55 grain Ballistic Tips (www.nosler.com) and Accurate 2230 powder (www.accuratepowder).