Missed my first coyote

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DustyH

New member
Set up for the first time last night. I was expecting the to come from the back side of the pasture, about 200yds away. Been seeing a lot of activity on a game camera back there. But instead 3 -5 minutes after starting the calling, a coyote busted out 30lbs from me and went straight to the caller. I swung around to where he was at and was in a bad angle. Rushed the shot, and although it looked like a good shot, I couldn’t find any blood or hair. Shooting a suppressed 308 loaded with Barnes 168 ttsx. The coyote dropped behind some bushes and then reappeared heading away. He was running like he was injured, but I couldn’t find any signs of hitting him.
The question is, is this spot ruined for a while? I am in North Louisiana, and was using the eastern cotton tail sound, with no decoy. Just set the caller in a clump of bushes in a hollow between two ridges. Started loud on 7 for about 30 seconds. Then paused for a minute, and turned it down to 5 to make it sound weaker.
 
If you did hit it, I would guess it will die. I wouldn't go back for a week, however I remember killing a coyote off the same stand that some friends told me they killed one there earlier the same day . No concrete answers I guess.
 
IMO that depends on the coyotes. As stated above, I've called in coyotes on a stand then go back the very next week and call in more.

More than likely what happened to you is the coyote circled down wind of the call and when he felt comfortable, that's when he went for the call. As for the shot.... From my experiences here in South Carolina (thick stuff) if you make a bad shot on a coyote you will probably never find it. They will run forever, crawl in holes, etc.

You probably didn't really do anything wrong. That's just how coyote hunting is. You have to be ready. Also, as others have stated on here, try to set up with something behind you so they can not circle behind you. A lot of people like hunting cross winds.
 
DoubleLungRage said:
IMO that depends on the coyotes. As stated above, I've called in coyotes on a stand then go back the very next week and call in more.

More than likely what happened to you is the coyote circled down wind of the call and when he felt comfortable, that's when he went for the call. As for the shot.... From my experiences here in South Carolina (thick stuff) if you make a bad shot on a coyote you will probably never find it. They will run forever, crawl in holes, etc.

You probably didn't really do anything wrong. That's just how coyote hunting is. You have to be ready. Also, as others have stated on here, try to set up with something behind you so they can not circle behind you. A lot of people like hunting cross winds.
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My barn was behind me. This critter has been stealing chickens. He had gotten comfortable around the house. I had a blind set up on my left, to make sure nothing could see me from the woods to my left, but it worked against me.
 
DustyH said:
My barn was behind me. This critter has been stealing chickens. He had gotten comfortable around the house. I had a blind set up on my left, to make sure nothing could see me from the woods to my left, but it worked against me.
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In your situation I would just try to wait it out and shoot it when it comes for the chickens. I wouldn’t call much to a coyote that already wants to be there.

If you didn’t kill it, you have possibly created a coyote that will associate the location and calls with a negative experience. If you think you have multiple coyotes, give it a week or two and try again taking wind and terrain into consideration and see what happens. Use different calls and from a different location if possible.

Good luck!
 
I would wait a few weeks and in the meantime shine lights or look through thermal or whatever you got to see if he's come back for more chicken. I wouldn't sit in the same spot or use the same sound the next time.

I'd bet you didn't hit it. If you hit it with a .308 it would have been noticeable. There wouldn't be any doubt in your mind. It probably just wasn't running out of there like a bat out of hell because it didn't know exactly what happened. Which in my opinion increases your chances of calling it in again. Just set up where you can see down wind next time. That's probably where it's going to head straight for.

Best case scenario is you did actually hit it and it'll die. But I'm thinking it's just fine.
 
I missed a lot of coyotes before I actually shot my first one. Funny thing was my first ended up being a freebie that just happened to be walking along the side of the road that I didn't even have to call.
 
If it is your place and close to the house with little time involved, what do you have to lose by trying again. If it is edumicated, you won't be doing any more damage. If it is dead, you might get another. If no luck, then give it a few weeks and follow the suggestions above.
 
we killed 2 out of a group of five that came in one night. we went to another spot for about 2 hours including travel time and went back to the same spot and killed the other 3...anythings possible.

use a different sound from a different spot. dont use the same sound from the same spot.
 
If he was running like he was injured the heavier constructed TTSX might have penciled through him especially if you hit no bones. Use a 110-130 gr HP bullet that will make more of a mess of him. Unless you value the hide the lighter, faster 30 cal HPs are fare more destructive. The TTSX is a great deer/elk bullet and has more penetration but for a smaller critter the 30 cal warming bullets will hit the dogs harder.
 
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