Tough Coyote

[Jsmith410]

Today was my first attempt at real coyote hunting. I picked a stand to fit the wind and set out a buddy's ecaller and decoy and got in a box stand that was close. After calling for about 4 min I gave it a break. Less than a min later a black coyote came running across the field approx 25 yards from the decoy so 100 yards from me. I tried to stop him but he only slowed so I took the shot. I hit him far back and saw blood as he ran across the field. He ran into the woods and disappeared. I gave it about 20 min and went looking for him. I located a good blood trail that lead me to a ditch where I saw a handful of intestines. It was beginning to get dark so I went back to the truck and retrieved a brighter light. I tracked him another 250 yards and found more intestines. I finally had to call it and will go back in the am. I had no idea they were that tough.

I was shooting a 223 with a 62gr Speer SP. I think I may switch to a ballistic tip but my rifle shoots the Speer great. Hopefully I can post a pic tomorrow. He had a nice size white spot on his chest.

Now I'm going to have to buy a call and decoy.

 

[geo4061]

Congrats!!! Hate you could not find him. I just spent half a day and half a night looking for a bobcat. Head or neck shots for me from now on.

 

[Catahoula]

Give the 55 grain Sierra GameKing a try. Excellent coyote bullet.
Thanks, Kirk

 

[Jsmith410]

Unfortunately I think he made it to the river. Tracked him 45 yards from the bank and lost the trail. I'll have to give those a shot. I think in this case it was more of an error on my part than the bullet.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

Your using plenty of gun. Unfortunately things like that happen from time to time. Coyotes are interesting critters. 95% of the ones you shoot will crumble in thier tracks. Every once in a while you will get one that will spin around a few times and then fall over. But, from time to time, you'll find one that is some kind of a freak that just won't die. I hit one with a 240 gr HP out of the 44 mag one year. The bullet took it off its feet. I never found that one. I had one take two rounds from the 30/30 one year. I shot one 3 times one time with my 22-250. First shot was at 260yds, head shot. Through the scope, I looked like an M80 went off in a feather pillow. When I walked up to it, it ran at me, so I smacked it square in the chest. It flipped over and tried to run again, but the third did the trick. I was using 50gr ballistic silvertip's. That same load has dropped several coyotes right in their tracks at all kinds of ranges. I shot one with my 260 last weekend that left a trail of carnage. I hit it square in the kill zone, and the 140 gr SST did its job, but the thing didn't want to go down. I gut shot one at 250 yds a couple days ago with the same set up, and it never took another step. I could go on about this all day. The same thing happens with other game species also. I have field dressed deer that had nothing left of their vitals but yet still managed to go 100 yards. And Ive seen arrows wiz through the kill zone and stick in the ground on the other side, but never find the deer. The way I see it , animals are just like people, some are just tougher than others.

 

[kimberyote]

Nothing as tough as a coyote, IMHO. I have had one take a Berger 88 Varmint going 3200 fps right square in the chest, trotting @ me @ 35 yards. Took one more to finish him off. Had one take off after a Texas heart shot with a 130 Berger @ 100 yards. I too could go on. It really is amazing how tough animals are. It makes me recommit myself in talking only humane shots with
Varmint Bullets, going fast.

 

[NWnewguy]

I'm not sold on the whole tough coyote thing. I've had them keel over like God touched them from a 17hmr. You can make a bad shot and they won't die right away, and you can make a poor shot and they croak out like you hit their off switch. Hard to tell sometimes. I've never had one hit in the front half that went a whole lot of anywhere. Usually it's that paralyzed slow motion tilt to the ground.

As far as the 62gr bullet being the problem, I think that's more than enough if you hit it anywhere in the front half. I would shoot them all day if they are accurate in your rifle. I am in no way saying that I am innocent in making poor shots on these things. Sometimes you have to choose between a poor shot or no shot and that, in my opinion, is a personal choice. I know I've made a lot of great shots from poor positions. I've also missed chip shots from pretty solid positions. I just wouldn't want to do a whole new load work up for a new bullet when the bullet you're using is just fine and better than some others.

 

[Sykes]

I hunted coyote for years with my 223. Savage 10 precision carbine, that gun is crazy accurate. I got a good load going with a nosler 55 gr BT and that's what I used. I sell the hides so fur Friendly Is a goal And that load Was Pretty easy on the fur and most dropped if the shot was under 200 yards. But always had some run off that I never found.
I decided to switch to a 22-250 this year and man what a difference. 55 gr v max factory ammo does good but tore up the fur a little if hit a little back. 50 gr superperformance is my factory ammo of choice, hammers them and does little damage. Shooting a handload with 40 gr target bergers now and so far thats what I'm going to stick with, the 2 I've killed with that load so far didn't even hardly bleed.
Last 2 weeks I've had some bait, dead cow, and tried out my 17 hornet at night and so far under 150 yards it does a fine job! first night out with The hornet i got 3. The 25 gr and 15.5 hornady factory loads performing the best. Have some 25 gr bergers to load up and try some time.
sorry to ramble but Man I Love Coyote Hunting And Now

hunting At Night With A Wicked Light Its Super Addictive!

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

This was the exit hole from the first shot. The SST obviously exploded. This coyote required a second shot. After the first shot it spun around and fell down into the creek. A few minutes later it came crawling up the bank and started heading for the brush. It had made it 50 yds before I shot it again. This one was a real freak of nature. Good ol stubborn female.

 

[Tnwhip]

View attachment 90383
This was the exit hole from the first shot. The SST obviously exploded. This coyote required a second shot. After the first shot it spun around and fell down into the creek. A few minutes later it came crawling up the bank and started heading for the brush. It had made it 50 yds before I shot it again. This one was a real freak of nature. Good ol stubborn female.

Coyotes are like zombies LOL you have to shoot them in the head.LOL I think that one would have died anyway Most go down easy, but sometime they just don't want to stay down. Just like in the horror movies.

 

[trumperman]

I guess bullet placement was the issue here, it wouldn't have been able to go too far if you had placed it right.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

Yeah, because that discentigrated front shoulder is a sure sign of poor placement. Especially given the fact that it was a broadside shot.

 

[reelhardmt]

tough is an understatement...i hit two today with 55 grain vmax...both ran off. one was a double lung, other was a long shot mid chest. about time to bust out the 6.5 and 300 sense they are rubbed now.

 

[357lover]

After retiring and leaving the farm, hunting coyotes was put aside for many years. I bought an AR to get started hunting again. My old neighbor asked if I could help reduce the loss of his calf's by hunting on his property. The hunt area was favorable as it was east of the prevailing west winds and had a creek flowing thru the 45 acres which gave a view of 3-400 yards. I invested in a caller and set about hunting. Like the above post, all I got for my efforts was a flock of crows. I even baited the area with a few squirrels. I never once got a shot even after repeated hunts. I'm too old now to make the effort to try again. I gave the caller to a friend, but I still get the itch. The AR's are sold and I only have a Ruger No. 1 in 357 left. It is a tack driver, but the short range limits any long range shots.