Do coyote hunters tend to be over-scoped?

I think some of it is how we view the firearm in discussion, as in intended use. If I primarily hunted pdogs I think my opinions would be different, but I primarily shoot for personal protection, 3 gun, carbine courses, and hunting (from predator to deer, hogs, etc).

On a AR15 in 5.56X45 I really prefer a good 1-4 optic or an Aimpoint but I am most concerned with up close out to 200 yards and I shoot to 300 some. 400 yards is rare for me with my 5.56X45 ARs. I'm much more concerned with being fast up close than I am with a lot of magnification on my AR15s though.

I have a 308 AR that makes the decision more difficult for me. I currently have a variable scope on it that's a 6-24x on it and so far I like it for paper and I'm going to try it for deer soon. I also have a 1-4 optic for it, but I have taken this firearm to 500 yards now and I personally prefer the magnification at that distance so I think the 1-4 would limit me in that way. I may go on out to 600 yards and possibly 700 just for fun.

For this 308 set up I am really considering a mid range scope and then adding something like a Burris Fastfire or JPoint on a offset side mount. I've been using a friends that is set up this way and it is really fast up close and still has great capabilities out far. This could be a set up that would work for a lot of folks that use their AR15s in the same way I use the 308 AR.

Anyway, I think it's mostly personal preference and some of it has to do with the area as well. Where I live we have a lot of wide open country and then a couple of the areas I hunt around here actually have some hills and mesas and one place even has big trees
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I get to hunt up in the mountains from time to time and then I'm almost always covered up by trees.
 
I use a 3-9 on my calling rifle, and i havent had any problems with that magnification range, also the places i hunt the farthest shot would be about 350yds..

Originally Posted By: utah_1911I believe it is different for every person. If I had the funds Id have a Barrett or McMillan TAC-50 and Id shoot prarie dogs with it.....to each their own, thats my 2cts.
I'd love to see a PD hit with a .50 cal... haha
 
I am over scoped on my 22-250. Its topped with a 6x24. My 30.06 has a 4x12 and my .243 has a 3x9. I use the .243 as my go to calling rifle now. The 22-250 doesnt make it to the field too much any more.
 
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Also I am curious if many buy a scope that will fulfill 99% of their shooting or if they make a sacrifice so that it will work on the 1% exceptions?


Example: If 99% of your shots are < 250 yards and you would be better served by a low to mid range power scope yet you buy a high power range scope just in case you have one hang up farther out and end up not being as efficient on the closer range coyotes.

Like I said I am curious and love hearing what everybody does.
 
Originally Posted By: frankrI appreciate your comments and views
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The reason I ask what you guys think is to get a better idea of what works or doesn't work and why people do the things that they do. I realize that I don't know everything and seeing as I am not made of money I would rather learn from others peoples experiences and hopefully help others with mine (or at least they can learn from my mistakes).

Also while we all hunt coyotes many of us hunt them differently and I enjoy learning about how others hunt coyotes
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I think that many times people associate more magnification with greater ease of precision which then would then equal more success while coyote hunting and in my experience the FOV has been more important than the magnification for me to be successful.

Having said that I have never shot a coyote past 400 yards ...... I have made a few run faster but they were just Hail Mary shots and no amount of magnification would fix poor shots
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I made many of the same mistakes when i first started out. Having been a long range precision competition shooter, I naturally was confortable with the high power scopes, looking for incredibly small targets ate long long ranges. So it came as a surprise to have my first coyote pop up within 25 yards within a few minutes of calling. I was not even close to being ready for that. Over the years I have been able to thin out the amount of gear that I have and have increased my success rate. I find that I mainly use my higher end magnification as binoculars for spotting, when I see something interesting that I cannot make out with my naked eye. Reduces the amount of movement rather than using binoculars. I still find it very useful to use a mil-dot reticle or a BDC reticle for ranging, but my magnification has come way down.
 
i kinda posted this in a previous thread.

i consider myself overscoped by most peoples standards BUT i almost always have a shotgun in my lap that i feel comfortable with to 60yds. (the recoil isnt comfortable but the effectiveness is) I'm still curious why people choose a rifle for close up work. if you know that you arent going to shoot farther than 60 yds the shotgun is much more effective, expensive and painful.
 
Originally Posted By: nightcaller I'm still curious why people choose a rifle for close up work. if you know that you arent going to shoot farther than 60 yds the shotgun is much more effective, expensive and painful.

Therein lies MY dilemma. I never know.

There's times I choose a rifle because I don't know if a coyote may get within shotgun range.

There's times I choose a shotgun because I hope and think I can get a coyote within shotgun range.

Now if I could only figure out with 100% certainty when to carry which......(and no, I ain't packin both!)
 
Originally Posted By: doggin coyotesOriginally Posted By: nightcaller I'm still curious why people choose a rifle for close up work. if you know that you arent going to shoot farther than 60 yds the shotgun is much more effective, expensive and painful.

Therein lies MY dilemma. I never know.

There's times I choose a rifle because I don't know if a coyote may get within shotgun range.

There's times I choose a shotgun because I hope and think I can get a coyote within shotgun range.

Now if I could only figure out with 100% certainty when to carry which......(and no, I ain't packin both!)

I have the same problem, that's why I just ordered a .17 Rem from Scott at Specialized Dynamics. From all that I have read it is a fur friendly cartridge at closer ranges, but still gives you the long range capapbility. I hope that it proves to be true.
 
Quote: I find that I mainly use my higher end magnification as binoculars for spotting, when I see something interesting that I cannot make out with my naked eye. Reduces the amount of movement rather than using binoculars.

LOL, Just the other day I was called, I think the exact words were, "a reckless heathen" for admitting I did this with a scope.

Maybe we can start a new gang. Call it the reckless heathen gang?

Seriously, I realize it's not a laughing matter. But I laughed anyway.
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About coyote hunters tending to be over scoped. I dunno what others do. I have 2 *calling* rifles that sport 3x9's and a 4x14 on another. They all stay at 6 for calling stands.
 
Originally Posted By: doggin coyotesQuote: I find that I mainly use my higher end magnification as binoculars for spotting, when I see something interesting that I cannot make out with my naked eye. Reduces the amount of movement rather than using binoculars.

Maybe we can start a new gang. Call it the reckless heathen gang?

.
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Hear that homies....Theres a new gang in town
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Originally Posted By: doggin coyotesQuote: I find that I mainly use my higher end magnification as binoculars for spotting, when I see something interesting that I cannot make out with my naked eye. Reduces the amount of movement rather than using binoculars.

LOL, Just the other day I was called, I think the exact words were, "a reckless heathen" for admitting I did this with a scope.

Maybe we can start a new gang. Call it the reckless heathen gang?

Seriously, I realize it's not a laughing matter. But I laughed anyway.
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I am good with that, watch out for us Heathens. I would say that firing a round at a target that I did NOT identify would be reckless. I think that most people think that we are always using the scope for binoculars, but on stand, looking down range, I spot something that is predator size and shape, I will take a look. In other situations I will use my binoculars.

I know that accidents happen, and they are tragic, so safety is critical. Situations will come up no matter what we plan or what we do, and how we deal with them determines the outcome. I am sure that all of us have done things that violated some safety rule somewhere.

So I agree, it's not a laughing matter, but we heathens don't listen.
 
Originally Posted By: GC
Did ya miss that part in bold in my post? Honestly - really...
sure didn't buddy...


Originally Posted By: GCI don't worry about what you use so SPECTACULARLY. Bang away and good hunting...
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sounds good, likewise.
 
I think it's all relative to your situation. If in heavy brush you may want no scope. If your on a open SD prairie then bigger power may be what you need.

Most I have start in the 3 to 4 power range and are variable up to 18 or so depending on the scope. I like low for close but want to reach out and touch them if I need to.
 
i dont think so... thing is with a 2-7 you can only go to 7x, most the time it is all you need but when you have to take a shot at a longer distance it nice to be able to turn you power up to 20. weather you need the power or not its always nice to have when you need it...
 
I have made shots to 450 on 9 power. I feel I was not under scoped. I dont feel that anything over 12 power is needed for coyotes. If you need 20 power, the coyote is probably to far away to be shooting at.
 
Originally Posted By: reb8600 If you need 20 power, the coyote is probably to far away to be shooting at.
"need" 20X??? or want 20X??? is up to the end user to decide... "probably" to far away for a shot??? is again up to the end user's ability...i have some nice HD footage of a free hand shot @ 380yds, using a NXS @ 20X, why??? because i have the scope, and its what I use... over scoped??? never.
 
When a lot of us start out we think coyotes are a long range target, and as we get more experience at calling we are getting shots closer and closer. As the experience grows and confidense increases we start hunting in tighter cover as it is easier to call coyotes in there.

Moved this from another post as it fits here.

I'm a big fan of the 1.5x6 and have three. I have a couple of 1x4's and ran them for years until I got my first 1.5x6, still have a couple on specialty rigs.

O/U 12ga/5.6x50R Mag. Leupold 1x4
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22-204 in winter camo 1.5x6 Sightron II
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