Predator Hunting Unpredictability

Beyond the challenge of predator hunting there seems to always be the element of unpredictability. Many times a day's success predator hunting has a twist to it that goes beyond stand selection, stealth, scent control and favoring the wind. So it was with me last Friday morning. The previous morning I had returned to a favorite stand of mine in the Flint Hills of Kansas. That morning's wind was favorable coming from the SSE as I approached the stand from the north up the slope to a hilltop covered with rocks and cedar trees. It was a laborous approach carrying my rifle and a shotgun, as well. I set up in front of a rock pile facing the east looking down at a treeline about 450 yards away. I had a view of a large expanse of pasture land with a few scattered small cedars. I broke the silence of the morning with a few lonesome coyote howls leading into several sequences of distress calls. After nearly 30 minutes I noticed a large coyote emerge from the woods and just sit there looking in the direction of my call. He sat there the longest time without moving while I sat frozen in my stand. I spent the next 10 minutes trying to coax him into coming further in my direction allowing me to take a shot. He eventually came maybe 75 yards or so further in my direction but refused to come any further and eventually just moved off out of sight never to emerge again. He was either not hungry, call shy or not curious enough to investigate further. At the time my rifle was my AR 223 and I opted not to take a shot in the 350 -375 range which I felt was too iffy and decided to save him for another day and quietly left the stand to return to my truck.
That evening I sat thinking about a new strategy for hunting that stand or area again the next morning. The wind was due to shift from the SSE to the NW the next day. I got up around 5AM and drove to the area of the previous morning's stand arriving a good half hour before daybreak and sat there shivering in my truck devising a plan of approach. My plan was to switch to my 22-250 rifle and position myself in a spot about 200 yards from the tree line to the east as I was thinking that should a coyote emerge from the woods I could easily dispatch him at that distance especially with that rifle.
I started my approach when there was barely enough light to see in front of me using the terrain to my advantage, crossing a meandering creek bed to reach a spot I thought would be an ideal stand. I opted to use my e-caller that morning and nestled it into a thorn bush about 50 yards from me on a 45 degree angle to my left and set up under a large lone cedar tree with a good view and shooting lane to the woods about 200 yards in front of me. There were a few scattered cedars to my far right, but things looked good and my anticipation and adrenaline level was high. I expected good things to happen.
But, as I often say about coyote hunting...always expect the unexpected. And so it was to be this morning. As I seldom do, I left my shotgun loaded with 5 hevishot T loads in the truck. My plan, I thought didn't call for it so why take on the burden of carrying another gun to the stand? After sitting there for awhile getting my thoughts together I hit the remote button on my foxpro set at mid volume and began a distress call while continually remaining frozen and scanning the tree line. I let it finish a first sequence of about 60 to 90 seconds and paused for around 5 minutes and began a second sequence which I let play for another minute or so while scanning the area in front of me and paused again. When I was about 30 seconds into the third sequence 3 coyotes (yes, three coyotes) came charging into the caller from my right side directly at the caller hidden in the thorn bush...not sneaking in or loping in, but at full speed directly right up to the bush. I was in adrenaline shock! When they reached the bush they realized it was not an animal in distress and broke into a run in several directions. I barked and howled but none of them would stop long enough for a rifle shot before disappearing. Had I taken my shotgun with me I could have easily doubled and had a good chance at my first shotgun triple about the time they reached the caller before breaking up. It would have been a dream coyote ambush of all time! How true it is...always expect the unpredictable and so it was this morning. The tendency in such situations is usually to be upset, curse one's luck and second guess oneself. I had to laugh to myself to override these normal feelings resulting from that kind of situation. I had done everything right getting to and setting up the stand and came away with two facts to ponder....the coyotes are still together in this area as a pack and they are responding! As Arnold would say....I'll be back!