SmallCaliberCentral

hey i am new to this site and 15 years old and i have been very interested in doing some varmint hunting (particularly coyote) i have been reading on what you need and how you do it so i had some cash went out and bought a savage model 12 .204 wit a 3x9 leupold scope and a electric caller and a ki-yi call.

i was wondering what kind of ammo everyone uses in their gun (i have some 32 vmax i think but if i can get bigger or better i want it) i am not looking for fur friendlyness.. they just got bad out in my back yard so i fgured i would try it out i will be shooting up to maby 400 yrds maby 500 but probably 400.

so i was wondering if anyone could give me some tips....and i am buying a new scope but i spent most of my money my gun ect. so if you know of any good scope for 100$ plz let me know

i have been reading this site for awhile and they way it sounds you can shoot out to 600 yrds with a .204 is that correct or would that be to far for the .204 to have enough penatration to kill a coyote.

plz write me back i am very interested in getting into this sport

hey M h,

Welcome to this forum and congrats on the purchase of a fine varmint rifle.
I started with one 204 less than 2 years ago and I now have 4. They are addictive.

After much reading, load testing, and advice from the shooters on this forum I settled on 39 grain Sierra bullets and they seem to be a favorite with many other shooters on this forum. All of my Savages shoot them very well. You will find it possible to make hits at 500 and beyond with your 204 but at those long ranges there is not a lot of energy left. But it don't matter how much energy you have if you don't hit the varmint in the first place and the 204 has a flat trajectory and fights the wind very well making those long shots possible.

I cannot imagine any $100 scope that would be better than a 3-9 Leupold. Maybe you could trade the 3-9 and $50 0r $100 for a 4-12 some day, but don't hurry into that. Find a good load and learn the trajectory of your rifle and that will get you more coyotes than a higher power scope.

Welcome to the Forum young Lad!!

I like what Hotshot said about your scope. Very good advice. If you are not reloading then those 32's should shoot very well for you & kill coyotes out to 250yds or even 300 with a standing coyote shot & a good set of sticks. Try to call them into the 100yd range & you'll have even more fun.

Learn to use that kiyi call too!! When you shoot a coyote hit it & be looking for a 2nd dog close by to come investigate.

hey thanks for the info i am probably going to stick with the leupold for now but i am trying to find a new one in the process.

if you have any tips or anything i should watch for about the .204 let me know
i am sighting in my .204 tommarow and hoping to call in a coyote with the electric caller because i havent got good enough with the ki-yi..but i am very interesting in varmint hunting and am very anxiouse to ge5t my first coyote

thank you

Wanting more power on top of your 204 is a natural. I have a 6-18 on mine & wish I could go down around 4 1/2 in the terrain I hunt. Most of it is limited to 100yd shots max. The 3-9 will give you a much wider field of view for the closeups than a 6x does. HTH
Best of Luck!!

yea i like the 3x9 but i am always wanting to upgrade my scope becasue the scope came with the gun.. but it came with the gun so im gonna get the use out of it if it came with the gun

has anyone ever hunted a gut pile or deer carcass?
i have set up some piles away from where i am doing my calling from but would it be wise to sit by the pile?

i first want to get some coyotes and then i am going to get into loading my own shells and maby pelting them for money but i still aint sure. just depending on how many i see in my area...if i dont see to many i probably wont get into too much pelting...i am new to this and very anxious so if you have any more ideas for me i would appretiate them

thank you

If you can see the coyote way out there try and call them in a little closer. The 204 can hit them easy out to 330 yrds. and a little farther. If you are going to make long shots you need to use a rest a bipod or shooting stix's of some kind. Your 3x9 scope will work fine for now. If you do decide to go for more power Midwayusa.com sells a Simons White tail scope for $99 dollars that is a 6x20x50AO I have three of them and have used them for long range squirrel shooting and coyotes day and night and never had a problem yet. I would use your money for some kind of shooting rest for those long shots. Walk out from your house a ways and sit with some cover to your back and use your call. Camo up first. Good luck and Welcome to the forum.

yea i am going to take a nice bipod off my dads 25-06 (somewhat like the 30-06 exept smaller) he never uses it and i asked him if he would care he said as long as i put them back on and my shot will probalbly be from up close to maby 400 yrds and i was looking at the simmons whitetail scope online and like it very much but havent got the chance to look at one so i am going to go to somewhere and look at one i will be hopefully not taking a shot past 300yrds but if it presents a good shot i will try and take it. i am going to stick with the 3x9 for now but when i get money i am hopefully going to get a light and a newer scope

than you

has anyone every hunted a gut pile or deer carcass?

i was wondering because i have a few carcasses from my deer season this year and put them out back in my yard would it be wise to sit by them or would it not?

Gut piles and carcasses are excellent places to snipe predators provided they are in a area where the predators will come in to.

ok, should i use a fawn in distress call for a deer if i have a deer carcass or gut pile?

if so woulds it be the same way if i use the remains of a rabbit?

thank you for the help i need all of it i can get

I've never hunted gut/bait piles before but I'm seriously considering it. I'm thinking I would start with 3 lonesome non threatening howls & let the resident coyoes know there is a new neighbor & he's after their dinner. HTH

Go for it! We can't bait coyotes here legally here but I do check out areas where there are dead cows and the coyotes do frequent the locations. I have killed coyotes at 440 yrds using the 3x9 scope so it will do. Shooting sticks are a nice item because of brush most bi pods set to low. Since calling can sometimes take 30 minutes I use a stool and a tripod the stool allows me to set comfortable for along time and gets me a higher vantage point. Use a little light weight piece of camo on the tripod as a mini blind this will cover up fidjitting movement. If you can set up a tripod that will allow you to balance your rifle on it even better as when you see the coyote you only have to swing the gun a little. If you have watched the coyotes move do they walk a certain trail. If you set up knowing that there is a trail that they will come down. I find it helps to set up ether in a low spot sow any thing coming at me is on a hill side making for easy shot. Or on a hill looking down. When you are on even ground with some cover coyotes can disappear fast. I expect to see a picture of you with your coyote real soon so get out there and do it. There is no exact science to this. But the more time you spend out there trying the more likely you are to get the hang of it.

yea me and my dad put out 5 carcasses and we left them alone for 3 days and they are all gone other than bone and the head of the deer....do you know anything about which call i should use if i am hunting deer carcasses(like fawn in distress or anything) because glen helped but i am trying to get some more opinions about it and if so would it be the same if i used the remains of a rabbit..i am probably going to take the bipod off tonight and put it on the 204...i probably will use the peice of cammo for them little movements.. their is no specific trail they come down.. they come from everywhere. i am tring to find a spot to set up on my property but if i cant i have a few treestands that will do for now but not my best choice.
hopefully you will see a few or evan one coyote and me in a picture.. i am looking forward to go out tommarow so if i do get one i will post pics.

thank you R.S.A

I would watch the area for awhile then maybe use a coyote howl. Its getting close to mating season and howls work good.