Better to be lucky than good some times.
Ramblings and Such From Hunting Coyote
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1894C
Well-Known Member
I am relatively new to coyote hunting (3-4years) but have been white tails hunting for about 17 years. (Since I was old enough to hold a rifle). What kind of rifles are you all shooting these coyotes with?
I built a 6.5x284 on a savage action for long range . I wanted to kill one at 1000 . I normally use a model 70 in 223 or my model 70 in 30-06 . I did run a 22-250 in 700 rem and a 22-250 as well as a 25-06 in ruger m77 's that were tuned and trued . I have timney , jewel or rifle basix triggers set at 2.5 - 3 lbs . They are all pillar bedded and free floated except the 22-250 they are bedded at the end of the foe stock . I gave my grandson all of them except the 223 and30-06 . I have a few ar's that I got so I could see how accurate I could get them to shoot , one in 6.72x39 , a couple in 223 rem one in 223 wyld with a 20 inch AR Stoner barrel I built an AR 10 in 308 from an 80% lower trued the upper put a 20 inch AR Stoner barrel on it . With all the little things I did for accuracy and hand loads it runs .450 groups at 100 yards . I use a moseburg maverick 12 ga. I wanted something that if I dropped it from an aircraft and couldn't find it I wasn't out a lot. I do ok with Leupold glass . I know there is better out there but it works for me and my budget
I have shot them over the past 37 years with dam near anything, .270, 270 WM, 30-378, 6XC, 6.5 creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 22-250's, right now use a serious fur rifle (i think anyway) in the .204 CZ Varmint. Longest one killed was 1030 yards with the 30-378, one 860 yards with 6.5 creedmoor, one at 880 with 6XC and 105 berger. Coyotes, especially calling them, still get me going, raises that heart beat and makes me smile....even the "drive by's" elevate heart beat, just always practice staying calm and closing the deal (like Tim in Colorado, now there is a cool calm deal closer) coyotes are addicting 
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Relatively new to this also but have been known to shoot them with whatever was either already in my hands at the time or closest to grab when I've seen one out the house window. If I'm calling I have a nice AR that I handload for with either 55gr SBKs or 55gr Nosler BTs. If I'm sniping long range the 7mag gets the call.
Reemty , yes sir they are an addiction . I did for awhile use a Smith and Wesson M&P chambered in 40 S&W when calling and they came in close just so I could say I had as well as I was testing a few different bullets for carry rounds . I ended up with the HST being the ones I liked the best for that . You sir are correct you need to remain calm and collected no buck fever and bad shot placement .
Straight Shooter
Well-Known Member
Dave, when we met and talked you said we had to keep this thread going and I need to write some of my experiences. I hate to type, but here goes. I will give it a try.
The next year I went to the same spot and set up and here he comes again. He does the same thing and I don't shoot. Lesson learned, again. I am a slow learner. Two years ago went back and set up in the same spot. However, he changed up on me. Instead or running around the knob which is only about 40 feet tall, he climbed it and also up came his girlfriend. There he was sky-lined, broadside, and looking down on me from about 80 yards away. I don't know how I could have missed, but I don't take shots on sky-lined animals especially when I am pointed directly at a farm. I was hoping he would step down below the skyline, but he didn't. He and his girlfriend bailed off the backside and took off. I called for a few minutes hoping I might entice a different coyote in, but no such luck. Strike three. That coyote is living a charmed life. Before I packed up I looked off to my right and about 600 yards away was his head stuck up just over the hill looking at me.
Now you might ask how do I know it is the same coyote. Lucky is a very big coyote. I have never seen a coyote that is as long from his hips to his shoulders. Looks like his mom putting on a stretching machine when he was younger. His length definitely sets him apart.
Well, last year the first morning at the farm I got up and decided to try the coulee next to the house as they have coyotes in the yard about every night. Walked up about a half a mile and set up at the head of the main coulee which is the result of three smaller coulees coming together off the flat. I sat with my back against some buckbrush and had a great view of everything. However, there was a short 30 yard long side coulee right at the top off to my left that if a coyote came down that he would go out of sight below a little rise off to my left and I wouldn't see it again until it was right on top of me and I hadn't brought the shotgun. You guessed it. After calling for about ten minutes a coyote comes out of that side coulee and stops on the hillside. When he charges down the hill toward me I can see it is Lucky. I notice his length right away. He goes out of sight and I scoot up a little to shoot around a piece of sagebrush. I can see his ears as he is trotting through the tall grass. My gun is up on my sticks. All of a sudden there his head is filling up my whole scope at 20 yards. I say to myself, "don't shoot him in the head you will make a bloody mess when you skin him. He will take a step up to get a better look and then I can just shoot him in the chest. You better shoot he is getting antsy". He was starting to look to his right and then his left and I knew he was going to take off. "You had better shoot. No don't make a mess". And then he was gone. I watched him run back across the skyline and by his length knew it was Lucky. Is there such a thing as strike four?
Well, I am headed back up there in a couple of weeks to see if Lucky and I can renew our relationship. I hope he is still alive and hasn't been run over, shot, trapped, or died of a disease. I sure look forward to another encounter. The saga of Lucky continues. Wish me luck.
The Story of a Coyote Named "Lucky"
The story of Lucky began four years ago. I was calling a sagebrush flat just off the Missouri River where the sagebrush met some badlands like hills that ran for a couple of miles. Once you got up on top of the badland hills it was rolling pasture again. The coyotes like to bed and den in those badland type hills. I had tucked myself back against a clay bank on the hillside and started squealing. After a couple minutes here he came around the base of a knob that didn't quite jut out into the sagebrush. He was coming so hard I could hear his feet slapping the ground as he ran. He ran right at me and without even breaking stride or changing his speed he did an about face and ran away as I was barking trying to get him to stop. He ran around the knob into the next coulee and proceeded to bark at me. Should have taken him on the run. Lesson learned.
The next year I went to the same spot and set up and here he comes again. He does the same thing and I don't shoot. Lesson learned, again. I am a slow learner. Two years ago went back and set up in the same spot. However, he changed up on me. Instead or running around the knob which is only about 40 feet tall, he climbed it and also up came his girlfriend. There he was sky-lined, broadside, and looking down on me from about 80 yards away. I don't know how I could have missed, but I don't take shots on sky-lined animals especially when I am pointed directly at a farm. I was hoping he would step down below the skyline, but he didn't. He and his girlfriend bailed off the backside and took off. I called for a few minutes hoping I might entice a different coyote in, but no such luck. Strike three. That coyote is living a charmed life. Before I packed up I looked off to my right and about 600 yards away was his head stuck up just over the hill looking at me.
Now you might ask how do I know it is the same coyote. Lucky is a very big coyote. I have never seen a coyote that is as long from his hips to his shoulders. Looks like his mom putting on a stretching machine when he was younger. His length definitely sets him apart.
Well, last year the first morning at the farm I got up and decided to try the coulee next to the house as they have coyotes in the yard about every night. Walked up about a half a mile and set up at the head of the main coulee which is the result of three smaller coulees coming together off the flat. I sat with my back against some buckbrush and had a great view of everything. However, there was a short 30 yard long side coulee right at the top off to my left that if a coyote came down that he would go out of sight below a little rise off to my left and I wouldn't see it again until it was right on top of me and I hadn't brought the shotgun. You guessed it. After calling for about ten minutes a coyote comes out of that side coulee and stops on the hillside. When he charges down the hill toward me I can see it is Lucky. I notice his length right away. He goes out of sight and I scoot up a little to shoot around a piece of sagebrush. I can see his ears as he is trotting through the tall grass. My gun is up on my sticks. All of a sudden there his head is filling up my whole scope at 20 yards. I say to myself, "don't shoot him in the head you will make a bloody mess when you skin him. He will take a step up to get a better look and then I can just shoot him in the chest. You better shoot he is getting antsy". He was starting to look to his right and then his left and I knew he was going to take off. "You had better shoot. No don't make a mess". And then he was gone. I watched him run back across the skyline and by his length knew it was Lucky. Is there such a thing as strike four?
Well, I am headed back up there in a couple of weeks to see if Lucky and I can renew our relationship. I hope he is still alive and hasn't been run over, shot, trapped, or died of a disease. I sure look forward to another encounter. The saga of Lucky continues. Wish me luck.
Great story StraightShooter. Good luck and SHOOT this time lol. If you pay good attention to any animal deer, coyote, etc you will most always be able to tell them apart from one another. Obviously this one is old and smart. I too have a 2 or 3 around here that I've watched/tried to kill over the past couple years and know them individually by size, shape, coat color and markings. They too have been smarter than me....so far.
ha ha ha, that is one darn lucky Coyote.........thanks for the story Z.
I am surprized he keeps coming in to a call, especially that close....obviously you remember what sound you used and are switching it up. When I have one that wont come in, I like to spot them a long ways off over snow and figure out how to sneak in, if not will try to snipe them off at long range with a 6.5 caliber............
Straight Shooter
Well-Known Member
Reempty, a couple of days later I set up about a mile from there. As soon as I started squalling I had a coyote barking at me from about a half mile away. Had to be him. I think if you give them a year in between calls they might still come. Plus it was early in the season on private ground so he probably hadn't been stirred up yet.
hit him with something he has never heard, or coyote vocalizations, or the ace in the hole, spot at a distance and stalk.............man just reading the story gets the mind thinking on how to get that unique shaped fellow.
Straight Shooter
Well-Known Member
I have a sound in mind that just be the cat's meow.
DMP25-06
Well-Known Member
1894C ,
Fine looking rifle , and even better looking group on your target !!!
You have the stock full-length bedded , contacting the barrel , no free-floating ?
What is the barrel diameter at the muzzle ?
Thank You ,
DMP25-06
