3/19/11 Coyote

[Melvin Eades]

Last Saturday morning I went back out to the creek bottom where the dead cow was for two reasons, to see if any coyotes were coming to the cow and to listen for turkeys to see where they were roosting in preparation for next months first turkey season. This time I set up along the tree line across the bottom from the cow so I could see the whole creek bottom to the north. It had just started getting gray in the eastern sky when I thought I saw movement in the north end of the field I was in. I looked through the binoculars and didn’t see anything at first and then caught movement, it was a coyote. I got set up on my shooting sticks and followed the coyote through the scope as it made its way toward the cow. The coyote blended in so well that it would simply disappear when it stopped.




The coyote didn’t go directly to the cow; instead, it stayed out in the field and went past the cow and then circled back into the wind and made a slow approach.




It started eating as I cranked up the power and lined up on it. The coyote was quartering into me and I took the shot. I hit a little to the right and the coyote started spinning and growling and went down about 6’-7’ from the cow. I kept watching it and could see its head moving but it didn’t get up. I would look around to see if anything else was in the area and then look back at the coyote again. In about 35-40 seconds, the coyote drug its self over to the cow and started eating. I lined up on it again as it was laying there broadside eating and put a shot through its lungs. Here's the way I found it.




Here's a look back to where I was when I shot.




The first bullet hit in the stomach and exited the far hind leg, blowing the bone apart and the leg was hanging on by skin only. The coyote wasn’t mangy but didn’t look very healthy. It was pretty thin and apparently pretty hungry.

I ranged the coyote at 277 yards and was shooting my CZ 527 American loaded with a 39 gr. Sierra Blitz King.

[ryutzy]

Nice, I think by now the coyote population in and around that particular property is a little lower with the numbers you've taken from there this winter.

[Clint E]

Nice going Melvin keep up the good work.

[GTOHunter]

Great Shooting Melvin....that Coyote must have really been starving to be shot and still try to eat on the Cow?


How do You aim at a Coyote/Predator when its thats far out...I mean is Your scope set up for that far...do You aim so many inches high at that distance,do You use a range finder in those instances or is Your Rifle sighted in at 200 yards?Just wondering what exactly is needed to be able to shoot at those kind of distances?

[Melvin Eades]

GTO,

My rifle is sighted in for dead on at 200 yards and is about 4.6" low at 300 yards so at that distance, I lay the crosshair on the coyote's back. The scope is a 4.5X14 and I usually have it turned up all the way for the long shots. I am usually sitting with my back against something solid, a tree or post, and use shooting sticks. When I set up, I usually range certain areas first so when something does come in, I don't have to make extra movement or take time before getting on the coyote. On this hunt, when it started to get light enough I could make out the trees where the cow was, I ranged them so I would know where to hold if a coyote came in. The main thing is know your gun and know your load. I chronograph my loads and use an online computer program to find where the program thinks the bullet will impact and then go to my range to verify it.

[GTOHunter]

Thanks for cool Info Melvin...its great to learn the different methods You use in Predator/Coyote Hunting!