How far to lead on a loping coyote?

specializedcc

specializedcc

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Ive missed about 4 dogs this year because of this! 25-100 yards coming in to the call and cant get them to stop. Left to right. How far do you guys lead them at a "lope", not runnning?
 
You'll get some interesting answers here. I love the guys with the slide rules. It is amazing when they get crunching the info. It is much farther than you would think.
 
And that may well work, if the stars line up and you fallow through and your swing is at the same rate as the coyote and the wind isn't blowing crosswind to bad.
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I pretty much quit shooting at coyotes that don't have the decency to stand still when you invite them to dinner.
Unless they are running straight away
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At that distance you might be shooting high. It is possible you aiming for the high point in the lope and the bullet is arriving when they are in the low part of the lope. I have seen this happen a lot.
 
Just aim right on them and keep loading your shells hotter until you get them fast enough to connect...lol. Actually, I normally hold on the front of the shoulder if they are close (in the 20-30 yard range) and normally don't take a running/loping shot over 50 yards or so. I found that I'm not that good at it and couldn't make reliable clean shots regularly.
 
To me, there is nothing more impressive than the ability to make long running shots on coyotes. Some of those guys on the Randy Anderson videos make my jaw drop. I think it's funny when Wooly misses them when they're standing still and then drills them on a dead run. Impressive to say the least.
 
I try to swing the rifle like a shotgun, and I don't lead much at all on a loping coyote 50-100 yards out. Flat all out running with the afterburners on, well that's totally different.

I'm probably doing it all wrong though, but they do seem to fall over and die on occasion.

I forgot how to work my slide rule. I do know that a bullet traveling 3850+ fps = (1283 yards per second) can cover 100 yards in about .0779 second. I have no idea how much distance a loping coyote covers in less than 1/12 of 1 second. Too many factors, such as bullet shedding speed at distance, headwind, tailwind, angle, coyote wearing running shoes, etc...
 
I would first go to the range to see were your rifle hits at 25 yds. most rifles hit about 2" low at that dictance. I my self wouldn't leed morethan 2-3" off the area I want to hit. I say area because on running shots there is no picking the spot to hit. I'm no expert but the 2 I've hit lopeing in this seemed to work.
 
I have always figured coyotes lope at about 30 mph. So here's the math for
100 yards. You can plug in the variables.


bullet speed x time 3000x .1 seconds = 300 fp .1 seconds.

coyote speed x time 30 mph x 5280 ft per mile = 158,400/3600 seconds per hour = 44 x .1 seconds (time for bullet arrival) = 4.4 ft.

I always look at my hits on ducks and geese and am constantly amazed at
how much behind I shoot. I always try for headshots on geese and three out
of four it seems like I am behind. I have dropped 2 antelope at 200 and 220
yards running broadside. 23 ft of lead! It's hard to make yourself believe it
unless you put it on paper. Of coarse if you lead off the nose or chest you
subtract that from the distance.
 
There are two very important rules that I follow on how much to lead a walking coyote.

Rule no.(1) DON"T shoot at walking or running Coyotes.

Rule no.(2) Refer to rule No.(1)

WHY?? Rule no.(3) Eradicate don't Educate--Period.
 
If you have a local range try and get them to set up a running deer shoot.
Practice is what it takes just like anything else. We have trap ranges for
shotgun but little is available for running game with a rifle.
 
I really never think about it when I'm shootin at stuff thats runnin or loping.If thier loping just put it on their shoulder and shoot.You'll hit them somewhere behind the shoulder.I dont aim for a specific spot when I'm shooting at things that are on the move running acrossed from me.I just shoot and hope to hear the sound of a bullet connecting on a critter.But I will aim about I'd say 6 or maybe 8 inches in front of their chest if their flat out runnin.If I hear a bullet hit and they keept runnin I keep squeezin the trigger.This is when a semi-auto rifle really does some good.I've shot a bunch of rabbits and prairie dogs on the run with a .17HMR and a .22lr and it really does help with knowing how far to lead when you're shootin at a moving target.Most of the time I try to head shoot jackrabbits when their heading away from me.Just put it between their ears and squeeze the trigger.I can't say I'd do anything different if I was tryin to shoot a yote.
 
The small calibers your using are fast on coyotes at 100 yards shouldn't have to lead more than a couple inchs in front of where you want to hit unless the wind is blowing and thats another story. Wouldn't it be nice to come up with a coyote size target that moves at a coyotes speed at the range and I bet that would sell...someone better get a patton on that.
 
on a yote running 35 - 40fps...shooting 95gr bullets @ 3250fps. you call in a dog, for some unknown reason he takes off running, @ 90 degrees from you, @ about 35 fps @ 100M (328ft) 328X35=11480, 11480/3250=3.53ft is what you would have to lead that running yote.
now for loping tone it down just a tad.
 
Thanks guys for all the input, Im shooting an R-15 with handloaded 50s so they should be moving pretty quick. Looks like like Im leading them too much!
 
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