# Thursdays Trampings.



## alleyyooper (Jan 31, 2020)

Was out working on sharpening some chain saw chain, Kare came out with my cell and said to call Dean.


I called Dean, he said he would be free the rest of the day after 11:00 AM. I should grab my gear and meet him in the east end of the Walmart parking lot.


I said was going to take me a little bit as I really needed a shower as I stunk so bad I could even smell myself and go PEUE.

I thought It now being 10:45 I might still be able to make it by 11:00 AM.

Wait for me as I am on my way.


I made it at 11:05 and had a neutral smell, had all my gear and ammo even.

Dean said to put my stuff in his truck and we would start where we had left off in St. Charlies. He asked if I had ate dinner and I told him no not yet as it was about 2 hours before my normal dinner time.


We chose to do a grab and go at a Culvers. Have to laugh, we park go inside and place our order to go . We got our order and walked out just as the car ahead of us in the drive way coming in was finally getting to the order window. Man I like those Butter Burgers with out lettuce of course, refuse to eat that stuff any way shape or form. Their Onion rings are good to.


Finally we are passing thru St Charlies just a Mile West and then the turn off to the south for a few miles and we are at the Dairy farm of the Ritters.

Been in the family for over 80 years and 3 generations are working the place that started out as a 160 acre farm, to nearly 3000 owned now and least several thousands more leased. 


We work our way back across the old corn stubble and nearly at the creek walk to a high hill over looking a good size sloth, small brushy and wood around it.


We had decided to give the mating calls a try this time. Let loose with a challenge howl and I swear there were made a buzillon coyotes howling back we howled back a couple more times then cut loose with a long lonely horney male howl. We could hear one clearly coming our way barking as it was moving. Took 20 minutes of calling back and forth to get it to come into view my zone.

I let it stop and go as we played the calls hoping to draw more since we had heard so many. Finally it was getting close to the decoys so I took the 90 yard shot. One coyote down but we are going to wait another 10 minutes just the same. Good thing as 2 more come out of the brush in Deans zone this time.

Signs I should see if I could get around and take out the tailing coyote.

Deans gives me his sign and I fire second coyote down.


Now we wait another 10 minutes, this time nothing showed. 


Gather the callers and decoys and go look at our coyotes a single female decent fur and a female and a male. Also fairly decent fur.

Wrap them and drag them to the truck.


On the road again a short 5 mile drive to another dairy farm. This one not as old nor as big. But they do have a nice sized wood lot they have some how managed to keep different years of growth going.

We set up in a fence line corner. 


Nice thing about dairy and beef farms for the most part here in Michigan, they let the cattle pasture so there are fence lines. Yes there are exceptions and dairy cattle are kept in holding barns with feed bunks to auger the silage and such to them. Same with a few beef operations too.


We spend the full 30 minutes on a dry hole nothing at all. 

We are working back south but have to make a several mile jog west to find a bridge across a river, can’t remember which one


We had just gotten across the bridge when I broke out in a cold sweat and had the shakes bad. Had Dean pull over and got in my gear bag. Tested my blood sugar which was low at 64. Got my Glucose tabs from my pocket chewed 2 of them waited 15 minutes and checked my blood again, was still sweating. I was up to 74 so I chewed two more tablets waited another 15 tested again was up to 95.

Told Dean to stop at the next fuel stop coming up. I went in and bought a ice tea with sugar. I didn’t lace my tea in the thermos with honey like I do during deer season.

I carry the tube of tablets ever since 2 years ago when they put me on a different insulin, pen injected and I would crash 3 hours after eating. Tried adjusting that stuff down and even at 40 Units of insulin I would crash.


Dean asked if I wanted to call it a day and I said no I would be fine now that I had gotten to 95 and drank a sweet drink. Did one more test and I had jumped to 157 a bit higher than I wanted to be but can live with it.


Took us a hour to make it to the next farm a sheep farm River runs thru it with a big wet land sloth with brush. We have had good luck her in the past.

Worked for us again today and took 3 coyotes all females that came up along the river on the ice edge to climb the low bank for our decoys.


Next place has us on a easterly route now more toward the center of the valley crop farms and flat small wood lots deep drainage ditches.


We did two more stops with dry holes, Not sure of why we were not pulling any coyotes from the area. It is now 5:30 PM and nearly back to my truck. Dean has been watching me close but I assure him I am now fine shakes are gone and so are the cold sweats.


We made arrangements to go out together Friday afternoon again.


 Al


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## esshup (Feb 3, 2020)

Good trip!! Any idea what they are bringing this year? I had one on the trail cam Sat night but it walked upwind of the traps. Will go out in a bit to check them, I'm stuck in the office waiting for a phone call - cell service is bad where the sets are.


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## alleyyooper (Feb 3, 2020)

Tom, our fur buyer is sure they will bring about $90.00 this year for the light blond colored ones. thinks about every thing else will go for about $75.00 but that is the Russians doing the buying of those.

The blond ones go to American and Canadian parka maker s

 Al


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## esshup (Feb 5, 2020)

Way more than we are getting hear, I will stop at the fur buyer later this week an check.


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## esshup (Feb 5, 2020)

Well, poopie. A mole tunneled right in front of the trap at one dirt hole set, from L to R then turned away. There is a single clean coyote track just outside the jaw of the trap to the right of the trap and the dirt hole set was worked a bit. I think the coyote was interrupted, as the bait was still in the hole and it may only have pawed once or twice at the hole. The quest continues!


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