Minnesota Coyotes, it's game on!

T

The Famous Grouse

New member
Attention all Minnesota coyotes. It's game on!

Lookie what came to the call yesterday.

I set up on a high ridge that runs through a cattle pasture in NE Minnesota. There were cattle in the distance, so I left the rifle in the truck and went shotgun only. The wind was gusty, but it was otherwise nice. I set the call at the base of the hill and then I went back up slope where I got my back against a big tangle of blackberry thorns about 20 yards away.

It was the second stand of the day and this female came roaring in on only the second sequence. I had just stared calling a soft second sequence of raspy woodpekcer and she ran right over the top of the call. I was looking another direction and just caught her movement out of the corner of my eye.

I turned, she realized that the offer of a free lunch was too good to be true, and she did a 180 and headed for parts unknown.

I tagged her from straight behind at 37 paces with a Hornady Bad Coyote load of BBs out of a Stoeger 2000. I had to follow up a couple of times because she was trying to drag herself into the brush and I wasn't sure if I had just tipped her over.

Nice fur, no sign of mange, very soft and full.

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This stand has produced in the past, but it also proves again my theory that MN coyotes won't come very far to a call and they won't cross open ground. I've had my best success when I've managed to get in the cover with the coyotes. This yote was obviously only 100-150 yards away from where I set up and she came in with gusto until she realized it was a setup.

It never gets old! Dang I love bustin yotes.


 
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Yes, I made the mistake that I hear a lot of guys make here in MN. We see those coyote hunting shows on TV where they call in yotes across a mile of open range where they can see them coming the whole way.

I learned that that situation almost never happens here. I think the coyotes learn the hard way early on that if they get caught in the the open, they get shot at. I've done a lot of stands where I would have seen a coyote crossing an open area and have yet to see one do it.

Grouse
 
I do know that as the year goes on it is a lot tougher to coax 'em in. Lota pups now and they are hungry. Good looking dog, wish you many more.
 
That's a real nice lookin' dog for sure Grouse! Way to start the season! I've gotta try getting in close with the shotgun a little more this year.
 
And to honor GROUSE, when I call with a partner I pack my ol SxS 12 Gauge and just run the call. I still get about 1/3 of the dogs. Grouse is giving out secrets...tisk/tisk
 
Will the single B shot size in 3" 12 ga.work on coyot? My shotgun has a 30" full choke barrel on it. All I have for loads is B non toxic and OO buck. . ?
 
Originally Posted By: gumboot458Will the single B shot size in 3" 12 ga.work on coyot? My shotgun has a 30" full choke barrel on it. All I have for loads is B non toxic and OO buck. . ?

I've shot them with both. No reason why non-tox wouldn't work, it might be a slight compromise in downrange energy at longer ranges.

I've shot 00 buck, but I can't say I'm a fan. I've had too many "down, but not out" situations because let's face it, pellet count is VERY limited and some are going to miss. So then it's luck of the draw as to where the other pellets hit.

With the BB size, I feel like I'm going to hit them and hit them a LOT. The knockdown power isn't the same, but the killing power is there because the're getting hit with the equivilent of 10-20 .22 bullets all at the same time.

But I think it's easy to overthink these things. It's a shotgun. Go with it. The thing I've learned for my type of hunting is that while a rifle is what everyone WANTS to use, the shotgun just WORKS for my style of hunting.

Grouse
 
OK. Thanks. My shotgun is an old Mossberg. But it functions and I'm a rifle guy. But if the shotgun will geterdone then it is what I'll have to use. Atleast I have one now. I went for lots of years without one.
Thanks!!!
 


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