How far really..... No really....

huntschool

huntschool

Member
So, the other night some hunter/shooter friends were over visiting and our discussion moved from our guns to our coyote hunting. The hot topic was, how far are we really taking shots at.

I thought I would post this here to see what everyone thought. Our numbers are interesting since we have some tight quarters sometimes. We finally decided our longest shot might be, thats might be 300 yds but more than likely we will be shooting from 150 in with lots of shots fro 50 to 100. Our cover is broken and hilly with pastures mixed with crop fields (not big ones) and then timber.

So, what say ya all. What are your average shots really like distance wise and where are you hunting.
 
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I like calling in tight cover most of my shots are under 100 but have pretty much limited myself to under 300.
 
I kill more coyotes with a shotgun under 35 yards away than I kill farther than 35 yards away.

Most of the coyotes I take with a rifle are under 150 yards away but I do shoot a fair amount of coyotes between 150 yards and 300 yards away.
 
300 yds is not uncommon around here in open ground. I try to stay under 400.
I have taken many at just feet away and my longest measured kill this year was 355 yds.
 
Since July 31 of this year...
220,170,250,308,280,300,50,90,65.. the public land I hunt here in Montana is pretty open and these coyotes get a lot of pressure. I prefer to set up with a ridge or ripple in the topography between 200-300 yards in front of me. The coyote must come to the top in order to see. They typically hang up at the first place they can get a good look at what's making the sound.
Interesting that I've missed twice under 100 yards on standing shots that were gimmies.. I need to work on my trigger control up close. Squeeze....don't jerk.. no matter the distance...lol
 
Mostly section grid(1 square mile) row crop ag in my area. When spotting coyote very seldom will I setup for a shot under 200 yards. The coyote seldom commit to sleeping the day,often looking around or repositioning for Sun or wind. They will not tolerate vehicles stopping in their view or seeing/hearing people. I have switched from my 22-250 to my rebarreled 17 rem and will not take a sleeper shot over 300. I do keep the 22-250 in the truck for days with no wind and crunchy snow, those days I stay 300 yards+ away. I would rather setup for a long shot sniping then a running shot.
 
I hunt thick timber in the mountains. My longest shot ever on a coyote was 165. Most are 20-35. My wolves were all between 12 and 45yds. I don't think that I have ever called in an area where I could see 300yds let alone 400!
 
Mostly hilly pasture land, cut up with timbered creeks and brushy feeder draws. Most farm ground is river or creek bottoms. These creeks might run 3-5 miles from the river up into the hills with many small, seasonally dry draws feeding them.
I usually set up to give a coyote cover on their approach from 50 to 150 yards out.
Once in awhile one will sneak in, or blow in real close and once in a while, I'll feel confident enough to take a shot at 350 or so. If I don't like my hold on any length shot I don't take it.
 
High plains farm/ranch country here. Can get in some tight washes/draws or tall CRP that is shotgun stuff, but more commonly open ground where shots can be as far as you dare to shoot. That said most of mine are shot within 150 with occasionally some within 15 yards or out to 300. Occasionally have shot one that is hung up out to 500 or a bit more. Those are ones that have seen me setup or just don't have any interest generally it seems like. Just guessing I would say my lifetime average kill shot is about 125 yards.
 
When I used to hand call only my average was about 200 to 225, since I started using an electronic caller, my average is probably closer to 100 yards. I like to stop them and shoot at about 100, sometimes they won't stop in close and its tough to get a running coyote at close range.
Farthest kill, 612. A solid dozen or more between 500 and 550. A 350 yard coyote that will not come any closer is a dead coyote. Every year I kill a few in the mid 300's or farther, but every year I kill a few under 50 yards.
 
Originally Posted By: 6724When I used to hand call only my average was about 200 to 225, since I started using an electronic caller, my average is probably closer to 100 yards. I like to stop them and shoot at about 100, sometimes they won't stop in close and its tough to get a running coyote at close range.
Farthest kill, 612. A solid dozen or more between 500 and 550. A 350 yard coyote that will not come any closer is a dead coyote. Every year I kill a few in the mid 300's or farther, but every year I kill a few under 50 yards.

My average is about 100yds.... Question for you long shooters, what or how do you kill coyotes at 350yds.... I shoot pretty good off a bench but in the field, using shooting sticks, 200yds is pushing it for me... Not to highjack this thread but any tips would be great...
 
North Central IL here. Mostly crop land and hardwood timber. Have shot them as far as 300 but most are 150 and in.
 
In my part of Kansas it's one mile sections and all wheat and row crop except pastures and creeks. I haven't killed a lot, but all of them have been within 100yds. Unfortunately I have missed at 250 measured. I also missed a couple gimmies, and they always stop to turn back and look, but then they are between 300-400 by my best guess.
 
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