Hard at work: Final Step Cover Scents

By John Valdez

On January 3 of this year I got up around 4 am and I stared at the ceiling and debated whether I wanted to go coyote calling. After some thought I decided to get up and get my gear together and head out the door. It was a cold morning and a few days earlier we were hit with a really bad snow storm but I knew that could be the right mix to get some dogs coming to my calls. Well I made the 35 minute drive over to Capulin where there was still a good deal of snow on the ground.

I lined up all my gear and did a once over of Final Step Cedar cover scent. I sprayed my shooting sticks, shooting bag and all my clothing. I hiked about a 1/4 mile off the road and set up on a flat with some trees for cover. I had a slight breeze coming out of the north but it was definitely under 10 mph. I set up facing north as I figured that's where any potential dogs would come from due to the wind.

I hit the call for about 8 minutes and I glanced behind me to the south. Movement caught my eye and I slowly slid over for a better look. It was a coyote was looking at me at about 90 yards. I was a little surprised as the wind was blowing right towards him. I leveled my rifle and centered him in the scope.

I took the shot as I figured if I tried to go prone for a steadier shot I would surely spook him. The rifle went off and down he went, gone before he hit the ground.

As I made my way over to him I kept thinking about the wind blowing directly to him and the fact that he was a mature male coyote made me a believer in Final Step Cover Scent. Its easy to burn a young coyote as I have in the past but the adults are really tough to fool. From here on out I will be looking down wind when I use this product as it does exactly what it says.