PACO KELLY 4 Coyotes 0

[w30wcf]

From Paco's book AN AMERICAN HERITAGE – LEVERGUNS (1986)
I was rereading Paco's book recently and thought I'd pick a few of Paco's interesting stories and post them for those that are not fortunate enough to own his book. Here's the first....

Chapter 9 - Gone But Not Ineffective (32-20)

We were going into town one Friday in the early 1970’s during our days in the wilderness…it was a very cold April day, if I remember it right. My oldest daughter was just a girl then, all knees and pigtails …as we rolled along the bumps of the road into town, I was watching all around. More than once I picked up a few dollars with a pelt or two out there where little traffic was seen. It was cold enough that the hides would still have their thick hair…not that it would stop me from putting some varmint’s lights out. My Super .30-357 Winchester was in the gun rack….loaded with Speer 110 gr. spire points, one in the chamber and one in the tube…I had two 180 gr. 1800 f.p.s. loads in my pocket along with one silent load.

As we came to a hill, I saw the vultures circling off the road on the other side …so I stopped the truck, took the rifle and my daughter and I injin’ed up to the crest. There were at least six coyotes in the field tearing the hell out of something fairly big. They were so busy that caution was not with them…all the better for me. When I got as close as I thought I could, I decided to take a chance on nailing more than one or two.

I put the two heavy cast loads in behind the pointed varmint round…so I had the pointed round in the chamber, two blunt rounds touching primers in the tube with the last round’s point touching nothing. I sent my girl down the gully on the road side past the brush and waited till she was a good 50 yards past. Then from behind a tree, I shot the first coyote dead in the chest. The pack took off…away from me but along the fence line as I figured they might. They had likely been shot at before and were not showing themselves any more than they had to. My girl finished counting to 5 from the sound of the shot and jumped up, yelling and hollering. Those coyotes had just about gotten within 20 yards of her…then shaken at this second surprise …they skittered sideways and took off across the field with tails down and feet flying nicely broadside to my sights.

If I had seven rounds I would have gotten them all. I laid the sights under each nose as they ran and squeezed, then went to the next nose…dumping 3 more before I got a click…they never were more than seventy yards from me at the longest point. We collected up the dead coyotes, and dragged them over to what they were chewing on and the first dead coyote. It was a young steer, very young, about 50 lbs. About that time the farmer came over the pasture hill. He had been out looking for the young steer as its momma had come home balling and bloody…seems our coyotes had driven her off and killed the youngster.

It was the farmer’s field and his dead cow, so I tried to give him the hides…but he was just glad that I got some of the coyotes. We split the difference taking two each…and agreed that it would be some time before that bunch, what was left of it, would bother him again.
Both varmint bullets blew up inside, not hurting the pelts too much. The cast bullets went in with very small holes…but exited with good two inch rips. Both those dogs had been rolled hard, running much less than I thought they would. The farmer then asked…”what caliber is that there Winchester?” I didn’t want to explain the wildcat so I just said “32-20”.

Then he said, looking at the coyotes now laying in a neat row, words I’ll never forget…”darn right! It’s the only one that will get you more than two!” Well 32-20 or 30/357 makes little functional difference, it’s the rifle. The 1892 Winchester will always give you more than your share.

[Tycer]

Thanks!

[Griff]

Thanks for sharing. I keep looking, but haven't found that book in the 2nd hand shops around here...

[FWiedner]

Man, that brings back the good old days.

Some good story-telling.

[JerryB]

Thanks, great reading.

[Catshooter]

Nice story.

When I bought that book I thought I was paying way too much. Right up until I was reading. Then, and now I don't regret it at all. He shares some great stories.


Cat

[Borregos]

Enjoyed that, thanks, will keep an eye open for that book!

[Catshooter]

The book was very (and I mean very) limited production. Every now and then Amazon or Ebay will have one, but they are always in the $200 neighborhood. At least the last ones I saw were. I paid $180 for mine and it was well worth it.


Cat

[Batman1939]

Just wondering--was that 50 pound calf really a "steer"? Must cut 'em very young there.

[Nath]

Great story, thanks for posting it

N.