A swing and a miss!

Flesh Eater

Flesh Eater

New member
So, last week my wife awoke at 3 a.m. to coyotes howling very near the house. I've been watching the weather and waiting for the perfect wind condition to get out back and see if I could call one in.

Well, yesterday was that perfect wind direction day. I walked out into the woods about 6 p.m., roughly 300 yards from my back door, and sat my FoxPro on a rock behind me (I could still see the call), and faced it west, where I thought they were. I played group yip howls once, and coyote locator once, and sat still. The woods lit up to the right of me almost instantly!

I shifted my position to the right (I was sitting on a large rock), and played pup distress on the FoxPro, watching a trail that connects mine and my neighbor's property. Well, wouldn't you know, the dang coyote came charging out of the brush from behind a tree 20 yards in front of me! It happened so fast I couldn't believe it! I pointed the 12 gauge and let it rip, and missed! I shot two more times as it ran through the woods and those both missed. Sigh.

I meandered around the first shot spot for a good 20 minutes hoping to find a speck of blood and concluded it was a clean miss.

That coyote was beautiful, too. Nice black stripe down its midsection, and mostly gray, white, and maybe a little brown in it. Just gorgeous, and I missed. This is the second time I've missed one of these locals. Perhaps it's just not meant to be!

Anyways, I learned a lot from those 5 minutes of pure adrenaline. Knowing where they are is a huge game changer. Getting in tight in the woods is also a game changer. Also, apparently western PA coyotes WILL howl during broad daylight if you're close enough! Next time I'll be set up with a better view of the surrounding brush, though!

Maybe next time...
 
Well shake it off, lol. Bummer you missed but it's part of the game. I've always considered myself a pretty good shot, these coyotes have really humbled me as they have many others too. Missed plenty myself ! I see you have already started rethinking what you might have done differently as you should. That will lead you to success.

WHAT A RUSH, CONGRATS !!!
 
Knowing where the coyotes are is a big advantage. Couple that information with the terrain and cover features and it certainly can increase your odds of a successful stand. Properly set up and utilized shotguns are the boss in tight cover. Even then a miss happens occasionally and all you can do is learn from any mistakes, shake it off and forge ahead wiser for the next time.
 
Since these coyotes are local to me it's easy to study their landscape/habits, and know where they are. It's figuring out how to do that with other properties that's tricky. This fall/winter I'll be spending a lot more time locating that's for sure! I'm also going to start checking out the local game lands for packs roaming those. A buddy of mine has been getting photos of coyotes all summer long on the game lands. Not far from is about 7,000 acres, so that should be promising...at least until the dog runners start up.

You can't pay for this kind of rush. I'm a junkie now, looking for my next fix. Even though I missed it was just as awesome as if I'd dropped it! I'll let them cool off and hit them from another property in a few months.

Like you, PA Mick, I also consider myself a good shot. However, paper and coyotes don't compare, and I'm slowly learning that! I need more practice with the shotgun!
 
If you will bark or make any loud noise they often will stop.Don't
stop that shotgun swing through on moving target. Most often misses are behind.
 
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Congrats on the successful call in! Hunting coyotes is definitely a learning experience. Sounds like you're already learning and planning adjustments.
 
I have patterned it GC. It patterns "okay" with the Remington #4 buck I'm using (all the bigger we can use here). I've got some Federal 3" #4 buck on order, and if that doesn't pattern well I'm going to Hevi-Shot Dead Coyote or Apex Ammunition.

However, I missed again Saturday night! I located the same pack no more than 1,500 yards from my property. It was raining, and I knew I should've went home, but excitement and vengeance won over reason. This coyote came into 60 yards, I had a clear shot, however when I pulled up the scope I couldn't see anything but eyes! With no time to adjust my light or wipe my scope lens, I placed the cross hairs where I thought was appropriate and squeezed off. I could've sworn I heard him yipping after the shot, but I can't find the carcass. There was a patch of high corn right where I shot. If he's laying in there, he'll never be found.

I'm done with this [beeep] Wicked adjustable mount. It's nice and all, but is not solid, and moves any time the light is bumped. I'm going to bite the bullet and step up to a Coyote Light and a rock solid mounting system. That Wicked light mount had my light aiming almost 1 1/2' over my cross hairs, which is why all I could see were eyes through my scope.

Again...I'll get them next time. I hope.
 
Originally Posted By: Flesh Eaterwhen I pulled up the scope I couldn't see anything but eyes! With no time to adjust my light or wipe my scope lens, I placed the cross hairs where I thought was appropriate and squeezed off. I could've sworn I heard him yipping after the shot, but I can't find the carcass.
That Wicked light mount had my light aiming almost 1 1/2' over my cross hairs, which is why all I could see were eyes through my scope.



reading this makes me cringe. know of 3 people that had very bad experiences shooting at eyes at night. in each case it cost of those guys a bunch of money. better to be sure than be sorry afterwards.
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotOriginally Posted By: Flesh Eaterwhen I pulled up the scope I couldn't see anything but eyes! With no time to adjust my light or wipe my scope lens, I placed the cross hairs where I thought was appropriate and squeezed off. I could've sworn I heard him yipping after the shot, but I can't find the carcass.
That Wicked light mount had my light aiming almost 1 1/2' over my cross hairs, which is why all I could see were eyes through my scope.



reading this makes me cringe. know of 3 people that had very bad experiences shooting at eyes at night. in each case it cost of those guys a bunch of money. better to be sure than be sorry afterwards.

Sorry, I didn't translate that properly. I knew it was a coyote. I watched it come in, so I knew what it was. However, when I put my eye to the scope all I could see were its eyes. I won't ever shoot at just eyes. This one had the same stripe down it's midsection, so I think it was literally the same one from Thursday!
 
Just my opinion, shooting out to 60 yards I hope your carrying the 3 1/2" ulti mag. With that being said even shooting them with the 17 Hornet, 204 & 243 I have had runners. Many times I recover, sometimes not. Standing corn can be about the worst !
They never cease to amaze me how far they sometimes go with a killing shot !
 
I asked if you patterned the gun because many new coyote hunters fail to do so. Some guys are ignorant of how finicky shotguns can be. You patterned yours so good on ya for that. Your 60 yard shot with a rifle?
 
60 yard shot was with a .243. I'm tossing the Wicked light and mount on my fox/coon rifle, and buying a Coyote Light for the .243. Fox seem to give us a little more time here in PA.

I'll be testing more shotgun ammo in the coming weeks. I need to find that perfect load.
 
Originally Posted By: LARUEminatiFast action! Love it

You called them in and got a visual, that's more than half the battle.

That fast action sure gets the blood flowin'!

I posted here once about my Supernova shooting high. After missing at 20 yards, I decided to reevaluate my shotgun. After shooting a buddy's Beretta A300, I realized what it was like to have a shotgun fit the shooter. So, last night I went and did some testing. I studied the Benelli book and realized the lowest setting shim wasn't in the shotgun, so I tore it down and dropped the heel another 5mm. Wow. I did not think 5mm would make such a difference, but it did, and now I believe my shotgun fits me.

Ammunition is on order, and I'll be pattern testing a few different shots looking for the perfect load, and also testing the new set up. If this shotgun doesn't hit dead center every time, I'm getting a new shotty. That Beretta A300 Outlander is a sweet shotgun, and it fits! As of right now Remington 3" No.4 buck is shooting 21 pellets in a super tight group at 30 yards. However, I have no idea where the other pellets are going! They're all off the paper. Going to try some Federal loads next.

I hunted from January to March/April and only got a shot at one coyote, and dropped it. Shot a pup in June/July at the farmer's request. But, after missing two, I'm on a mission to make sure that never happens again (I know it will, but I'd like to limit all the things that could go wrong!), so I'm reevaluating all of my tools.
 
I'm a big fan of the red-dot on the shotgun, zero fitting or guess work. I use an Aimpoint T-1 and zero it to the center of my pattern at 35 yards, never had a problem. Turns down real low at night so you can still see good.

One thing to consider too is the cheek wield. In the winter if you wear a neck gaitor or thicker jacket sometimes your cheek sits higher on the stock than when you patterned it at the range and it throws off your POA/POI. Sometimes this happens too if the stock has a built in cheek riser. With a quality red-dot so long as the dot is on your target it's down.
 
Originally Posted By: GChttp://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=777351&page=1

Thank you, GC! I'll be embarking on a better pattern as well. I recently ordered up a Carlson's coyote choke to see if it tightens my groups. Recently I shot 32 pellets into a 12" square at 30 yards. While it was a decent group, I'm looking for better. Also ordered up some Dead Coyote HEVI-Shot to see if it's the miracle worker they claim.
 
I shoot the Winchester Varmint X 12ga 3" lead BB load. I have never shot a coyote with it as I usually have one of my AR's with me but it patterns awesome out of my Beretta A350 Xtrema with a .670 Indian Creek turkey choke.
 
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