Hunting & Fishing Nighttime coyotes

[Hateca]

These were two of four that were taken the other night (ten were seen) from some private property that my buddy and I frequent now and again. No calls were used, the technique is to scan the fields and catch them out in the open. 90% of my coyote hunting is at night and done this way.

This one was taken at 200 yards as it was running away. I attempted to bark to get it to stop but this was an educated dog that knew better then to listen to me. Hit her with a 65 grain V-Max from the .243. Went in her left hip and never came out. She ended up rolling into an irrigation rut full of water that’s why she looks wet and dirty.

This one was first spotted by my daughter who has some of the best natural night vision I have ever seen, not to mention her vision in general. She let me know where she saw it. We moved around a small corner and standing 75 yards away was this female on top of a small hill just off the field looking across a small patch of desert between two fields. She never looked our way for whatever reason, big mistake. My buddy took her with a .243 using a 75 grain V-Max. The bullet went in the left shoulder and never exited.

 

[ykrvak]

Re: Nighttime coyotes

Did you perforate the gut on that first one and do you have to skin these? If so I don't envy you. I did that to a wolf once. The bullet entered just behind the last rib and exited center chest. It was winter time and too cold to skin outside so I ended up doing it in the house. Even though I let it freeze thoroughly first it still stunk up the house pretty badly. My wife was not impressed.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: Nighttime coyotes

Randy come to Arizona and bring a good rifle. Our new place is practically a coyote ranch!

I'm not joking either. Come on out

 

[Hateca]

Re: Nighttime coyotes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ykrvak</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Did you perforate the gut on that first one and do you have to skin these? If so I don't envy you. I did that to a wolf once. The bullet entered just behind the last rib and exited center chest. It was winter time and too cold to skin outside so I ended up doing it in the house. Even though I let it freeze thoroughly first it still stunk up the house pretty badly. My wife was not impressed. </div></div>

Been there done that, but no not on these. Summertime the pelts aren't worth anything to go to the trouble of skinning. Wintertime is a different story. The land we hunt are working ranches and the coyotes take livestock and such. The land owners want them dead, they don't much care about the pelts and neither do we in the summer.

This coyote was taken a few years ago during winter. Pelts are much better and actually worth keeping. Notice in the pic a wire that is part of a temporary electrified fence to keep sheep in one spot during the night. This coyote was inside the fence herding the sheep to pick out a young or slow one. This coyote was so focused on the sheep she never knew we were there, her mistake.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AZPrecision</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Randy come to Arizona and bring a good rifle. Our new place is practically a coyote ranch!

I'm not joking either. Come on out </div></div>

I might just take you up on that towards the fall when it starts to get a little cooler.

 

[ykrvak]

Re: Nighttime coyotes

I didn't know if you were required by law to salvage the pelts or if there was a bounty going for them down there. The pelts certainly aren't prime right now but as we all know, not all game laws make sense all the time. The rancher is lucky to have you as a resource. Yet another glaring example of how hunters can be used as a tool to help control/manage wildlife populations. Good work and sounds like your having a good time with it.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: Nighttime coyotes

Oh AND it's only 85 degrees here during the day in the summer. It's 110 in the valley(Phoenix). We're a mile high here

I just hope gunsmithing school doesn't tire me out every day. It's 32 hours a week! Start August 24th

Your more than welcome here!

 

[Benlow]

Re: Nighttime coyotes

Great job on the coyote's. I was wandering what velocities you guys are pumping those V-Max bullets at to get them to stay in the dog. I use 55gr. in a .223. Sometimes I get an exit hole and some times I don't. I do save hides when they are prime. I have been thinking a 243 would give me a little more range.

 

[Hateca]

Re: Nighttime coyotes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: benlow</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Great job on the coyote's. I was wandering what velocities you guys are pumping those V-Max bullets at to get them to stay in the dog. I use 55gr. in a .223. Sometimes I get an exit hole and some times I don't. I do save hides when they are prime. I have been thinking a 243 would give me a little more range. </div></div>

Out of my 21" .243 the 65's are going 3300 give or take a little. My buddies 24" rifle with 75's 3600.

I don't like using .223 for night hunting. I have had more then one get up and run off if the shot was not just right, not good at night. I want them to stay put when I hit them. I also use a 6x45 (6mm-.223) with the same bullet going 2900 fps, never had one of those come out either.

I did have a problem with Nosler BT a while back but it was traced to Nosler changing something with the jacket that was making them tougher. It was punching little holes. Went to the V-Max and that problem went away.

I have had several where the bullet went in and had massive immediate expansion and was coming apart as it blew out a very big hole on the other side. This happened with some small coyotes with not much mass so I attribute it to that.

 

[Tip em over]

Re: Nighttime coyotes

Nice shooting!

 

[Benlow]

Re: Nighttime coyotes

The very big hole on the other side is what I am trying to avoid, while still wanting to kill them dead at a longer range. With my .223 it depends where I hit them. If I get behind both shoulders, most of the time the exit wound is not to bad and some time's bullet will stay in side and not exit. If coyote is faceing me I shoot where I think the angle is right to keep the bullet in dog the longest, and have had good success with this shot and not many exit wounds at all. I am looking for a good long range gun that is easy on fur and think a .243 loaded with right bullets would be about perfect.