3/12/11 coyote

[Melvin Eades]

I haven’t been out coyote hunting for the past two weekends so I went out yesterday morning to the creek bottom where coyotes had been feeding on a dead cow. I got out there just as it was starting to get light and sat on the same hill side where Lucas and I had shot some coyotes recently. I had gotten half way down to the bottom when I realized I had forgotten my shooting sticks back at the truck but since it was starting to get light I didn’t go back to get them. The sun was almost up when three coyotes came in from the north of the cow and starting eating. I scooted over next to a buckeye tree and leaned the rifle up against the tree to take a look at the coyotes. The wind was quartering into me from the southwest about 15-20 mph and I was facing west. I laid the crosshairs on the top of one coyote’s back and squeezed the trigger. I heard the whack of the bullet but all three coyotes took off running, one to the south and two to the north. I forgot to hold for the wind and apparently hit a sapling beside the coyote.

I was having a pretty stern conversation with myself about not allowing for the wind when one of the coyotes that had gone to the north came back. The buckeye tree had a fork in it near the ground so I lay down on my belly and used the fork for a rest. I was on the coyote as it walked on past where the cow was and headed the same way the other one had run to the south. I howled real loud with my voice and the coyote stopped broadside and looked my way. This time I held the crosshairs into the wind and on top of its back. I pulled the trigger and the coyote dropped on the spot. I kept watching through the scope and it didn’t move. I ranged the coyote seven times and got readings between 321 and 323 yards so I’m calling it a 322 yard shot.

Here’s a picture of the tree where I shot from and to where the coyote was.


Zoomed in for a closer look. The coyote is the light colored spot just to the right of the black dot.


The coyote was a male and was the nicest furred coyote I have shot this year. I didn’t have my scales with me but I think it would have weighed in the upper 30's.


I had a hard time finding the entrance or the exit wound so I started pushing on the coyote’s rib cage repeatedly and finally found some blood on the entrance side. The 39 Sierra B.K. didn’t exit.

[Vartarg]

Good job, Melvin!! Thanks for the great photos and report......that is a good looking coyote!

George

[Song Dog]

Nice JOB! Can't beat that.

[Glen]

That lil ol 39gr BK sure made magic Melvin!! That sure is a nice looking furred up critter.

[Rick in Oregon]

Way to go Melvin!

You're right, that really IS a nice looking male. One less fawn muncher around those parts.

[ryutzy]

very nice!! I haven't been able to hunt yotes lately. With all the rain we've had lately it's too muddy to get my truck back in the fields. I'd like to try to go tonite at a few spots that I can walk to. It's pretty nice out today so I'm hoping things will keep drying up. I'm hoping for another freeze and a few more inches of snow would be great.

[GTOHunter]

Nice Shooting Melvin....You "Rock" when it comes to Predator/Coyote Hunting!

[Clint E]

WTG Melvin keep up the good work.

[Gube]

WTG on the long distance shot on that yote.

[varmint stalker]

Wtg melvin keep up the good work. Very nice looking fur on that dog