NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Experiences and effectiveness in hunting with the 204 Ruger.
wranglerdude
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Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:41 am
Location: North Carolina

NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Post by wranglerdude »

I haven't been on here in a while because of graduating from college, getting a job, moving, and all that fun crap. :? But now I live as far west in NC as you can get and work on a large cattle farm with a healthy population of bobcats and coyotes. Just recently the farm was issued a permit to spotlight coyotes. Man what a blast! :P Just a few days after that my coyote hunting buddy called me and said he had been on the farm the night before and had called in 7 coyotes and not hit a one becuase he didn't have anybody to hold the light for him. I must admit it is pretty hard to spotlight and shoot at the same time without a scope mounted light. So from then on my wife goes and holds the spotlight for the two of us to shoot. I have only been able to go spotlighting 3 times and the first time was the only time I saw any action. I managed to bag one with my .204 on the run after he had been launched into action by my buddy's .22 hornet. The other two times we have been able to lacate them but not able to call them within range. Then tonight I managed to get away from working cows about 30 min before dark and decided I would go thin out some of the bobcat population. I set up in the edge of a pasture where I had seen one back in the spring. I used a few different bird distress calls, and just sat back and waited. Then just like I had hoped right before dark I caught something out of the corner of my eye and it was a bobcat not 40 yards away. So I put the crosshairs on him and squeezed the trigger....nothing. Dummy me had forgot to put a shell in the chamber! :wall: So I hastily cycled one in there, regrouped and squeezed the trigger again. This time the cat did just what you would expect him to do when he meets up with a 32 grain v-max right in the chest. Thats right, just fall into a heap and not even twitch. Now that you've had too read all my ramblings... here is a pic of the cat. Sorry but no coyote pics becuase my wife had temporarily misplaced the camera for the last few coyotes. :mad:
Image
James
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Captqc
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Posts: 1036
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:09 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Cooper Phoenix .204
Location: Tigard, OR.

Re: NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Post by Captqc »

James,
Welcome back to the forum! That's a nice looking cat, and it sure sounds like you are in a target rich environment! Keep the pictures coming, we all love to see them.
Gary
20-250ai
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Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:14 pm

Re: NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Post by 20-250ai »

James,
Nice cat!!!!!!!! Its funny, I've never taken one but most have called in twenty or so in the last year. They don't bother the caves like the coyotes so I leave them alone. Someday I'll take a nice one for a mount.

Was that a male?

.......................20-250ai/ Aric
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bullfrog
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Posts: 218
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:42 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Ruger M77 MarkII All Weather Ultralight
Location: Sisters, OR
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Re: NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Post by bullfrog »

Nice kitty! Looks like a good sized one. And nice honesty in your story. You could have omitted forgetting to chamber a shell, but definately more true to life to leave details like that in.
Congrats!!! :wtg:
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.
NCVARMINT
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Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 4:13 pm

Re: NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Post by NCVARMINT »

Where in NC do you live, i am in ashe county, maybe if your not too far we can meet up and hunt some yotes

trevor
wranglerdude
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Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:41 am
Location: North Carolina

Re: NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Post by wranglerdude »

I live in Cherokee County. If thats not too far, hunting some coyotes sounds like a good plan to me.
James
Ryan S Albright
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Posts: 578
Joined: Sun Jul 02, 2006 8:59 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Ruger 204 Ultra Light, Ruger 204 Standard, Ruger Target Gray
Location: Hemet California

Re: NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Post by Ryan S Albright »

Nice markings and quite large. Good looking Bob Cat. I hope to get out soon to hunt some.
22khornet
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:14 am
Location: Iowa

Re: NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Post by 22khornet »

How much damage was done by the 32 v-max? This is the first year we will be able to hunt them in Iowa and I would love to use the 204 as long as pelt damage is low.

Wife loves the idea of a mounted cat :lol:
If you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball
wranglerdude
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Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:41 am
Location: North Carolina

Re: NC Coyotes and Bobcats

Post by wranglerdude »

This cat was looking in my direction, so I shot him right in the chest. It only made an entry hole and no exit hole. That particular shot placement didn't result in any pelt damage. But that's not the first cat I have killed with my .204 and the 32 grain v-max. Last year I called one in coyote hunting. I was sitting behind a woven wire fence and when I shot the first time I cut a strand of the fence in two. When that happened the cat decided he didn't want any part of that and turned to run. As he was running away from me back into the creek I shot him pretty much right up the tail hole. When I found him there wasn't much left. It had split him open all the way up the belly and pretty much ruined the hide. But he was a fairly small one. My conclusion is if you make a good shot behind the shoulder or in the chest, somewhere there is something to stop the bullet before it exits, you will be fine. Just don't make any butthole shots.
James
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