SmallCaliberCentral

I started out this last weekend, know ing I was going to have really nice weather for a prairie dog shoot. Leisurely taking my time shooting and just being glad I was out of town. Once I got out to the farm on Friday night I had changed my mind and decided I was committing to a weekend of strictly coyotes. From past experience I found its pretty easy to stray over to the pasture, throw down the table and seat, bust off a couple hundred pds and fill the weekend with that entertainment.

Started out Saturday morning at the first set, called in two, shot one at 60 yds, the other didn't give me a shot. I'm one for one. Several set ups later not doing so well, take a break go back in to eat. Early afternoon head off a different direction and made a set up in the dry grass prairie. One comes in, bust it at about 20 yds. so far two shots, two kills. Make a few more sets but no luck at them.
Sunday morning we head off to the pig farm early and I walk the long walk around and up behind it. First set up I call in three, shoot one at about 80 yds or so, other two drop down into a drainage and give me no shot, three shots, three dogs and I got time. Move to a new spot down the road, make a quick set up in the tall weeds and get one that came in to within about four feet of me. This one turns and runs out away about 13 yds., Looks back only to recieve the full force of a .204 Ruger 32 gr. Vmax just above the left shoulder. Four shots, four dogs. Not thirty minutes later we are farther down the same road along the fence line of a very large prairie dogs pasture. I have one circling out 200-250 yds. but moving towards me. He stops on a pd mound to stare straight at me, 130 yds. out, caught him just under the chin, same bullet same effect. Five shots, five dogs. Rest of the day I didn't fare so well, couldn't get anything in but fun all the same.

So the prairie dogs get to live another day but I can't say the same for these bad boys (and girls).

skb: Sounds like a grand way to spend a weekend! Nice shootin' there, bud.

Thanks for sharing the story with a good pic of the bag. It's very cool when you can have your choice of two varmint hunts in one outing; prairie dogs or coyotes. Life is good!

When we head out to our ranch for ground squirrels, spend a long day shooting and cleaning rifles, it's always a toss-up if we'll venture out before dark to wack a coyote, or cruise around in the dark on the ranch to ambush badgers and shoot bunnies. We're usually so pooped out, it's dinner and a movie, then hit the rack. But when we're ambitious and not too lazy, a three-tiered shoot is way too cool. I know what you mean.

Sounds like a GREAT time! Congrats on the hunt!

Question: Hope I am not going OT but I would like some info on that MGM barrel ya got for your contender. In the near future, I would like to get an Encore with a MGM barrel chambered in .17 RFB. Guess you can say I am trying to accumulate as much info on these barrels as I can! Feel free to PM me some info or just share it here!

Thanx

Actually the barrel pictured is a factory blued job. I wrapped it in that 'stick to itself vet tape'. Leaves no sticky crap on the metal and pulls right off. Doesn't stick to anything but itself.

The MGM barrel is custom cut to have the same chamber dimensions as my sons factory barrel. One large batch of brass for two guns, no seperate loading for either. Headspace is the same. It is 23" full bull and very accurate, would shoot with nearly any factory bolt gun and many customs. I love the barrel and at the time TC didn't offer a SS in .204. As a side note it cost twice what the factory barrel cost me and only very slightly more accurate. MGM makes an excellent barrel and this one happens to be my fourth one...already have a plan for the fifth later this year.

Way to go Steve. I got a email from your BIL and he said you wouldn't let him shoot any. Sounds like you had fun for sure. What kind of temp did you have that weekend? It looks real mild. It has been hot here in Louisiana the last few days, but it is getting cold again today.

Jimmy

Man that is a great hunt....I would love to do that out there...

Jimmy - it was the nicest weather a person could ever ask for in CO, in Jan on the prairie. It was high teens in the morning and between 40 and 60 during the day. Bright and sunny afternoons. It would have been a perfect prairie dogs outting but I had a different hunt in mind. Drove past thousands of sunning pds. In fact one of the coyotes I got sitting on a mound in your favorite pd field.

nice shootin

I had a similar feelin when deer hunting once. We weren't seeing any deer, but we were seeing at least 6 coyotes per day. Problem was I couldn't convince my partner that we should stop and blow some noisy rabbit calls. "you can't eat coyotes" he would say.
Some people just don't get it.
That's a fine pile of yotes you got, and the prairie dogs will be there again later.
Congrats on some good shootin.

Well I guess that answers the question, is the 32gr Vmax enough bullet for coyote. Good job sounds like a great day.

The 32 gr. Vmax isn't my first choice in coyote bullets. I happen to have several hundred loaded up and since the coyote hunting trip came up fairly quickly I gave them a go. They kill coyotes but shot placement has to be near perfect to get them to drop at the shot. If they hit any heavy bone they will leave a nasty entry hole. I prefer 39 gr. Sierras as they have worked better for me in the past.