Parent/Youth
A Fantastic Coyote Hunt: by Ed and Eddy Belka
“We set up by a very old jeep,” said Eddy Belka, winner with his father Ed of this year’s annual Barnes/Coyote Jakes youth-parent coyote hunt. “We’d just started to use the Foxpro call when a coyote came running in. It was about 50 yards away when I shot him. The bullet pierced his heart. He made a 90-degree turn, then plopped on the ground. All together we saw five coyotes. We got a long shot on one, but didn’t get it.”
Eddy Belka – Getting ready to shoot
and Jeff Rheborg (Varmint Hunter Magazine and Coyote Guide)
“We were up at six a.m., and on the road within 30 minutes,” Ed related. By 6:45 we’d seen our first coyote. The lone dog stood in the cold yellow prairie some 350 yards out, watching the Ford pickup progress south. We took it as a good sign.
“Not long afterward, we were at our second stand,” Ed said. “We’d been busted at our first stakeout when the coyote that had been coming up the draw swung around the hill and saw the pickup parked behind it. This time we parked several hundred yards away and walked to the site.
“Jeff Rheborg of Varmint Magazine had scouted out an old homestead. Vacated for decades, it consisted of a worn-out, dilapidated house, a few out buildings and various discarded vehicles and farming implements.
“I was uphill sitting against the back wheel of an old tractor,” Ed continued. “Down the hill a ways, Jeff and Eddy had positioned themselves against the rusted-out body of an old military jeep. David Krien of Coyote Jakes was still farther away, where he could survey the flats.”
The Foxpro Electric caller placed ten yards in front of the jeep had been squealing for less than two minutes when a coyote bounded over the crest of the hill and down towards the call. He stopped fifty yards out, looking in the direction of the call. He was trying to figure out why he could hear dinner, but couldn’t see it. Then he looked up at Jeff and Eddy.
Eddy, his Mini-14 resting on a pair of Predator Sniper Styx, was ready. He pulled the trigger just as it dawned on the coyote that he was in trouble. The 22 – 53 gr. Triple Shock smashed through its right shoulder. The coyote made a half turn and rolled over dead.
Dave Krein (Coyote Jakes) Ed Belka and Eddy Belka
The first father son coyote hunt – South Dakota
“Nobody moved,” Ed recalled. “Everything had happened so fast we thought we’d continue to call just in case another coyote was close by. Twenty minutes later we walked up at to the dog, congratulated Eddy and began taking pictures.
“Back at the lodge we skinned the coyote, curious to see what happened to the bullet since we didn’t see the normal three-inch exit wound.” Ed said. “In fact, we couldn’t see where the bullet came out. Even though it didn’t make sense, we wondered if the bullet had exited at all, since all the trauma seemed to be at the entrance wound. Once the skin was off it was evident the bullet had entered the right shoulder, passed through the body and gone out on the left side just in front of the hind leg. In my opinion, when you’re hunting coyotes for the fur, the Triple-Shock bullet is the only way to go.
“All in all it was a fantastic trip,” Ed remembered. “We were treated like old friends, ate like kings, and hunted like crazy.”
Jeff Rheborg(Varmint Hunter Magazine), Eddy Belka, and
Dave Krein(Coyote Jakes) with Eddy’s first coyote – South Dakota
Coni Brooks’ story:
“Although we didn’t hunt or shoot, we were there at the father-son coyote shoot to provide morale support,” Coni Brooks related. “We thought we’d get a little sporting clays shooting in at the Willow Creek Lodge we stayed at in Ft. Pierre, So. Dakota while everyone else was hunting yodel dogs. Unfortunately the wind was so strong and the temperature was so cold we decided on a little rest and relaxation and a tour of the town.
“The hunting lodge we stayed in had wonderful accommodations for whitetail, mule deer and antelope hunters,” she said. “Hunters could also go after pheasant, sharptail grouse, prairie chicken and geese. There was also a wonderful sporting clays range right there by the lodge.
“It was awesome to have Ed and Eddy as winners of our first hunt,” Coni said. “It was just by luck that someone from our home state of Utah won it. We flew to South Dakota on Friday together, then back home on Sunday evening. When we arrived in Pierre, the people from Varmint Hunter Magazine were at the airport to pick us up. They took us back to their headquarters for some snacks and a tour of their facility–then off to the lodge we went. After having some great conversation and pizza, we all went to bed.
“Eddy was excited to get started, and I think he had a great time,” she noted. “I was happy Eddy was able to shoot a coyote and travel to a different state with way different scenery than we have here in Utah. Eddy, his dad and the two guides saw lots of other game, as well, while hunting coyote. The experience is a rare opportunity for a 12 year old.
“All in all it was a great success,” Coni added. “I’m glad Barnes could be a part of it.”
Willow Creek Lodge – Randy and Coni Brooks (Barnes Bullets), Ed and Eddy Belka,
Jeff and Jackie Rheborg (Varmint Hunter Magazine) and Dave Krein (Coyote Jakes).
Total Prize Package included:
- Hunting coyotes with Dave and Jeff, compliments of Barnes Bullets.
- A camouflage cover-up suit.
- A 1-year family membership to The VARMINT HUNTER Magazine.
- A Shootin’ Buddy shooting rest from Coyote Jakes, Inc.
- A FoxPro game caller, compliments of FOXPRO, Inc.
- Travel expenses provided by Barnes Bullets.
- Accommodations provided by Willow Creek Wildlife Inc.
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