SmallCaliberCentral

Last Sat. morning, I decided I wouldn’t go hunting because of a head cold I had but by 8 am the sun was out and it had warmed into the 20’s so I decided I would go out to one of the places I hunt to do some scouting. We have had snow on the ground here since early Jan. and I wanted to see where the coyotes had been running. I discovered they had been running on the frozen creek so I decided I would set up on the east side of the creek the next time instead of the west side where I normally do.

I worked my way on across the bottom to see if the coyotes had been working on a dead cow and they had been. I then started up the side of an alfalfa field and heard a bunch of crow carrying on over in the next creek bottom. I took my time easing up to the top and spotted a coyote eating on something (found out later it was a rabbit) across the little field in the bottom next to the fence. I sneaked up a little more so I could kneel and shot the coyote at about 160 yards (forgot to take the rangefinder).

The coyote went down and then sprung up and ran into the creek to the south. I watched to see if it crossed but didn’t see it. I didn’t know if it died in the creek or used the creek for cover and got away. I slowly made my way down the hill a few more yards and kept watching the area when I caught movement to my right in a CRP field across the fence. It was another coyote.

I sat down and got on my sticks and started lip squeaking. The coyote heard me and made its way to the fence. It did the look around before it stepped into the field a few yards north of where I had shot the other one. It then walked out into the field and I gave one more squeak and it stopped and looked up at me. I shot and dropped it on the spot.

I then heard something crunching snow and leaves to the south down by the creek and saw the first coyote climbing about a 40’ bluff. It got to the top and lay down. I cranked the scope up and saw it was licking its side and saw blood on it. I took about a 250 yard shot and finished it off.

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Melvin, where did you hit the first coyote? did you get a splash wound? Just wondering cause I shoot the 204 also.

furhntr,

I was shooting at a downward angle with the coyote not quite directly facing me and hit a little right hitting it in the flank with the bullet exiting between it's legs. The bullet's exit opened up its belly.

Pretty nice looking yote Melvin. Glad to see they have hair on them in some parts of the country. Most of them around here are mangy. There will probably be a few less after this cold spell with all this blowing snow. The last one I shot was about a 1/4 of the way bald and in pretty bad shape. He was standing no more than 30 feet from 3 prarie dogs playing. He was in plain sight of them and they could have cared less about his presence. The wind was blowing something fierce, which is the Wyoming way, and I hit the dirt and let a 32 gr V-Max loose, wasn't the best placed shot due to the wind blowing me around on the sticks but a seond one that entered the right sholder and exited his right cheek did him in. He had got his front legs up and was attempting to crawl away when I put the second one in him.

Very Nice Melvin.

Melvin good job! How do you like the shooting sticks? Did you buy them or make them?

Ryan S Albright,

The wooden sticks in the picture are sold by Hunter's Specialty. They have their good and bad points. They are good at holding your gun while going through a gate, taking a picture, etc but if you have to move quick to stand for a shot, you have to pull them off of the barrel to shoot or they will swing and can hamper holding on target. Most of the time I use the Stoney Point sticks. With them, if I have to move quick, I just pick the gun up and let them fall.

Thanks Melvin I had seen them used in some by some else in a youtube video and was wondering about how there where in the field.

nice melvin always love your post's