Ursus21
Active member
Yesterday morning a landowner told me she had coyotes wake her up that morning by her house. She was hoping I would come out and try to shut'em up. As they say, a tough job but somebody has to do it.
Anyway I set up about 800 yards North of her house and let off with a few howls. I'm expecting a reply or two to the North of where I'm set up. At first the only response were her dogs barking in her yard, then I heard what I thought was a coyote bark or two. Then sure enough a challenge howl. The dang thing was way behind me and near her house. I break out the bino's and spot the coyote on top of a large round hay bale. She's standing there howling and barking her fool head off and really raising cane with the dogs. Hmmm, I think to myself...I wonder if I can get off this open hillside un-notice while she's yapping at those dogs. I slip off the hill, and just before I drop out of sight, I check to see if she's still there with my binoculars. Yup she's still there, but has laid down. Game on! I quickly hike towards her keeping a hill between us. When I crest the hill she's still there but a long dang ways away. I get out my rangefinder and she's 400 yards. That's 4 football fields away and coyotes just aren't that big. However there is no wind and I can get a good prone rest. So I settle in. It takes me a little while to get crazy steady, but I finally get a good sight picture and squeeze the trigger.
Here is what the view looked like from the hay bale to where I was. The green dot represents where I first saw the coyote from 800+ yards. The red dot is where I was when I took the shot.
I hear the report of a hit and at the same time see the coyote fly off the hay bale. She starts spinning and then runs into the thick brush behind the bale before I can get another shot in her. So I hike back up to my truck which is near the green dot. I put all my gear away and head down to the field with the coyote. The nice thing is I'm able to drive right to the bale. I get there and sure enough there is blood. I track her and she only made it 5 feet into the bushes. I'm one happy camper. Time for a "hero" shot.
I'm not only happy about hitting her at 400 yards but the shot placement was excellent. Just before I took the shot I howled at her so she would stand up. She did and was 3/4 towards me. If you look closely at the photo below you can see where the bullet entered low on the point of her shoulder. It angled back and took out her heart. The more I shoot my .243 with Hornday's Superformance varmit loads, the more I like it! Little tiny entry and 50 cent size exit. Check out the fur on this thing. Pretty darn nice for a September coyote!
I saw the land owner at work this morning. She was very happy with the news that there is one less yappy coyote outside her window.
Here is what the view looked like from the hay bale to where I was. The green dot represents where I first saw the coyote from 800+ yards. The red dot is where I was when I took the shot.
I hear the report of a hit and at the same time see the coyote fly off the hay bale. She starts spinning and then runs into the thick brush behind the bale before I can get another shot in her. So I hike back up to my truck which is near the green dot. I put all my gear away and head down to the field with the coyote. The nice thing is I'm able to drive right to the bale. I get there and sure enough there is blood. I track her and she only made it 5 feet into the bushes. I'm one happy camper. Time for a "hero" shot.
I'm not only happy about hitting her at 400 yards but the shot placement was excellent. Just before I took the shot I howled at her so she would stand up. She did and was 3/4 towards me. If you look closely at the photo below you can see where the bullet entered low on the point of her shoulder. It angled back and took out her heart. The more I shoot my .243 with Hornday's Superformance varmit loads, the more I like it! Little tiny entry and 50 cent size exit. Check out the fur on this thing. Pretty darn nice for a September coyote!
I saw the land owner at work this morning. She was very happy with the news that there is one less yappy coyote outside her window.
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