How do you shoot running coyotes?

i'm not suggesting bringing a calculator to the field!! Like Robb suggests, you set up some general numbers in your head to get you in the ballpark, and go from there-- and take some pokes, get some practice. Boy, i'm sure not suggesting real-world experience isn't the most valuable thing here!!

But for what it is worth, if a coyote moves 4 feet in 0.12 seconds, it doesn't matter which direction he's going. You have to shoot 4 feet IN FRONT OF HIM IN HIS DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, whichever direction that may be. Right??


i'm sure you all out there are better shots at running game than i am, and it's NOT because i pull my calculator out when the bullets should be flying. The more you practice, the better you're going to get.
 
If you dont let "doing math" scare you,
youll find its much easier than that.

Im surprised you guys dont close your eyes while your "using the force"...

haha...

Robb

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"Happiness... is a Target-Rich Environment"

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Robb & Encore,
I really didn't mean to offend you. Just having a little fun is all. Heck I miss my share of coyotes too.
Call em in close
 
Years ago, my Club had a campout with a bunch of shooting contests. Most were the usual; one shot, two hundred for score, five shots for group, that type of thing. But one event was the running fox, a plywood cutout of an archery target, with two eye bolts screwed into the top. The operator was up on the hill, out of sight and you had some warning, and a specific window of opportunity between two large pine trees. Two shots, IF you could get them off; and only a few did. Many of the guys were casual about it, and when that target came sliding down the wire, they weren't as ready as they thought they were. You could see that everybody was hitting behind it. Didn't matter to know that, they still missed behind. At the end of the day, about fifty contestants, there where TWO holes in that board, and these guys were all experienced predator hunters? I (quite modestly) mention this to illustrate the difficulty, in general, and the fact that I still have that second place trophy in my closet. If my shot had been an inch further back, I'd have missed too! The winner was dead nuts; I choose to think he was just lucky.
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But, I like what Craig has to say, because you can't be intimidated by it, or you are going to just let them ride on out of there. If you are really sloppy, and fear the bad hit, I suggest jackrabbits as worthy practice. But, if the fear, or self doubt, or whatever label you put on it, is overwhelming, don't do it. If you don't have a stationary shot, and you can't, or don't know how to stop him; forget about it, and move on to the next stand.

I will say this. I know a couple knowledgeable shooters, (who shall be nameless, to protect.....me!) all the technical gear known to the free world, and they are both remarkably poor field shots. I think it's intimidation, they choke on fur, every time. One can't hit nuthin' and the other guy drives you nuts, he can't pull the string.
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Good hunting. LB
 
Encore I was done with this deal but you bring up one question that i think is the real crux of the matter for you, and perhaps I can help clarify it.

You asked something about if a coyote covers so much distance in .12 seconds that you still need to lead him 4 feet no matter what direction he is traveling.

This is the real question and I can see where it could be tricky ,so perhaps I can help clear it up for you.

No you don't hold 4 feet no matter what direction he is traveling.

For several reasons.

#1 is that we do or should know how fast our bullet is traveling , we don't know for a fact how fast any given critter is moving.

That is just one area where " feel " has to come into play.

#2 Distance to said critter, is he 75 yards or 125? now combined with the uncertain speed we have an uncertain distance.

#3 the main issue on your figures that must be taken into account, how much to lead?

Well we have a few constants here that we can take into consideration regarding the "math " of the lead.

One is that we do know that if a critter is at a specific distance moving a specific speed in a 90 degree angle across in front of you then yes you should be able to lead him a specific distance to achieve a hit.

However here is where it gets tricky.
Lets assume that you have a varmint traveling at oh lets say 32 mph do we lead him 4 feet? well now this guy is running straight at you! or straight away.
How much do we lead him? why none at all.

So now we have this same critter doing the same thing only at a 45 degree angle relative to our position, how much do we lead? well he is still for the sake of argument traveling at 32 mph, do we lead him 4 feet? no we don't.
Reason is that his speed may be 32 mph but his speed in relation to a right angle has changed because for every 10 feet he travels foward his crossing distance would only be half of that if he were leaving you at a 45 degree angle.

So if you assumed he is traveling at 32 mph and at that speed at approx his distance it would require a 4 foot hold if he were crossing at a 90, at a 45degree departure the hold would be 2 feet in front.

So I guess yes there is some math that can be done, but there is nothign like seeing dust fly behind one to bring it all home.
 
Craig,

Your disconnect with Encore lies in that youre thinking 2D and he's talking 3D. Im sure that others may be in the same mind set.

you are correct in that aiming 4 ft in front of coyote in 3D, in the angle that you suggest, will likely appear as 2 ft hold in 2D.

later,

Robb



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"Happiness... is a Target-Rich Environment"

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Hey you know your right! I have been shooting things as they appear, silly me.

I think that your comment about closing my eyes is probably the best one I have heard.

Sometimes after watching a coyote lope off laughing over his shoulder at me I swear I would do better with my eyes closed!

Feeel the coyote,, beee the bullet,, ooops was that a cow I just whacked?
 
Rich--- i didn't even see your post before mine went thru -- you sneaked in underneath me. Figuratively, of course.

Offended?? Oh, boy, someone's gonna have to try a lot harder than that to offend ME!!


Robb, i think you got it--- 2D VS 3D-- i guess the correct wording would be, "Aim in such a manner as to cause your bullet to intersect said coyote's path of travel at distance traveled of 4 feet."

Sorta like when you shoot an animal with an arrow (i guess a bullet, for that matter, to), you have to visualize that orange-sized vitals target inside the animal, and shoot for IT, not a specific part of the outside of an animal.


Anyway, Craig, i sure hope you don't think i'm questioning your shooting skills.
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[This message has been edited by Encore223 (edited 07-25-2001).]
 
Lonnie"

I have to agree with jeep.Rolling a tire down the hill sound's great.With a piece of plywood in the middle.Good hill will get it going probley at least 20mph.My self I never gave that a thought.I'll have to try it.But I much rather have a standing shot but the odd's are not good for that,lol
Every one has great info on this though.

HC..
 
Tell ya about something Robb talked me into and seems to work pretty well:

Get a garbage can or something similar, turn it upside down and strap it into the back of a pickup. Bolt or screw an old basketball or something like it onto the top of this, that's your target.
We'd go to a riverbottom and have at it. The driver was limited to 1st and 2nd gear only in my Toyota.
 
Prior to our first excursion though, we decided it would be a good idea to protect the gas tank with some armor plating, y'know, for safety reasons.

But in order to maintatin good gas mileage and driveability, we had to have a light weight application yet still remain in the $526 budget...

Encore did the math...

still got those figures laying around Encore ?

Robb

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"Happiness... is a Target-Rich Environment"

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I've got a better way to get practice on moving targets. On a windy day, blow up some balloons and let them go then try to shoot them. When you get good at the close shots. let the balloons get further out before starting to shoot. Sure I know that the desert can be very hard on balloons but you can get some excellent cheap practice using this method.

Micahel

[This message has been edited by Michael J. McCasland (edited 07-25-2001).]
 
Heh-heh... Yeah, without disabling my truck with excessive weight, the best way to armour was with a kevlar-like substance, SpectraShield (better than Kevlar). Even with my company discount, it was way outta line. Several thousand dollars.

So, we ended up gluing carpet samples to the side of the bed. That was Robb's idea, he thought it'd be cool if my truck looked like the van in Dumb & Dumber.
i seriously don't think it will do much to stop a bullet, but it might help control the flames for a couple seconds while the driver vacates.

We've been fortunate so far, i guess. The windshield and one headlight is the worst that's happened. Oh, that and a bullet in the engine block-- still runs pretty good on 5 cylinders!
 
Ive been thinking about that Mutt Cutts look... we really gotta get deep-pile shag remnants nest time... that berber carpet just doesnt have the same look... and it chafes getting in and out of the Drivers door...

Are you still saving all those bloated roadkills like we talked about ?

Encore is trying to convince me that a more realistic method of moving target practice is going to be substituting the garbage can and basketball for a fragrant roadkill tied to the trailer-hitch with about 20 ft of elastic rope...

He claims that in his experience the bloated carcasses make a better reactive-target as well, I guess we'll see.

Hopefully the carpet will act as cushion to keep the carcass from slamming against the truck-side and putting dings in the paint on those wicked Dukes-of-Hazzard turns...

Robb

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"Happiness... is a Target-Rich Environment"

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Deep-pile shag, huh?? Hmmm.. i don't know... you remember that incident about the lost earring, don't you?

Dude, i got the RoadKill pile building, but i gotta tell ya... i thought it'd make it to this weekend, but that high of 114F yesterday pretty much put it over the top. The stench is curling the paint on the house.

What say i get one of those 40-foot CB whip antennaes and we'll tie some smackeral on the top of that? Yeah, that'd be good practice!!

Hey, Robb, remember that weekend we went out the Phoenix International Raceway and were launching clay pigeons out of the bed doing 100mph?? Hee-hee, that track official sure looked at us like we were crazy!! i wonder what he woulda said to us if we didn't have shotguns?? Woo-Hoo, that was fun. Hey, you still owe me for the hole you put through the tailgate.
 
Lost ear-ring ?... ohhh yeah you must be referring to that trip we made to Agua Prieta, and the Puta Casa, there-in... I need a couple waterglasses of Tequila to forget that trip !

Thanks for the reminder about the tailgate... Ill go pickup a gallon can of bondo and fix her right up !!! My Dad's a TV repair man... He's got an awesome set of tools...

Robb

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"Happiness... is a Target-Rich Environment"

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Nah, i said EARRING, not banjo pick! The Aqua Prieta incident was when JH came lumbering down the hall and caught his buddy spanking Banjo Boy with a piece of leather.

You think Bondo will stick to a Japanese truck? Let's give it a try!
 
Uhhpp youre right. I had that earring and banjo-pick story confused again...

Speaking of Banjo's...

Did you ever "do the math" on How many Banjo Player's it takes to eat an Armadillo ?


Re: Tailgate. Bondo should stick ok, mabe it needs some rice mixed in though, sticky rice of course. If not Ill go get another gallon of Bondo and we'll just make you a whole new tailgate. I was just looking through the garage here and cant find my body work tools.... Are you gonna have a garden trowel I could use as an applicator ?

Robb

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"Happiness... is a Target-Rich Environment"

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