Coyote hunting - What scope magnification do you start your stand with?

I don’t want to carry two guns. And, shotgunning coyotes is no fun for me. It is not a challenge. Shotguns are too easy.
 
I always start on the lowest power which is three or four if they're far enough away you can't kill him on 3 or 4 then I'd say you've got time to turn it up to whatever you want.
 
Usually about a 5 or 6 depending on the terrain. I look through my scope at different objects before I start to see how it'll look at closer range. I ain't worried about having it turned up. If a coyote hangs up out there and I have to turn the power up I can. But I plan on getting them within 100 yards so I don't worry about that as much.

Although there have been times when I had a coyote so close I couldn't see anything but a brown blob in the scope. I just clicked the safety off,they heard it,ran and got shot. In those cases I basically just waited until I could see them clearly in the scope. They were headed in the opposite direction but it worked out.
 
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That's why most use a shotgun on the close ones, it is easier to kill them.

For some the challenge is more important than the kill.

Note the popularity of TRADITIONAL MZL and Archery(long bows and flintlocks)
 
Depends how you look at it. If they're at 100 yards it's easier with a rifle. Ain't none if it easy. You have to get them in close if you're only running a shotgun. If it was that easy nobody would hunt coyotes with a rifle including me.

It doesn't make sense to me to make hunting an animal that's hard to hunt even harder.lol

I can't ever hear myself saying "I kill way too many coyotes doing it this way. I really need to take it down a notch." That's like having a car too fast,too much money or a girlfriend or wife that's way too hot. That doesn't really exist in the world.
 
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I have hunted coyotes in CA BLM deserts for over 10 years. I call one in every 4-5 trips and do about 6-8 stands per trip. I typically am able to shoot over 75% of the ones I call in. I leave my car before sunup and walk 4-5 miles each hunt. The areas I hunt are very pressured.

If I killed a coyote every stand, I would have no interest in coyote hunting.

I like hard things I have to work for. Shooting a coyote with a shotgun is like cheating to me. It requires very little skill.

But, maybe I am weird. When I am not hunting, I am running, lifting weights and training karate. One of the accomplishments I value most is my BJJ black belt because it was HARD to get. Easy is boring.
 
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Those numbers surprise me, I would expect a much higher number of coyotes in that area. While I haven't hunted in CA(I try to avoid even traveling through it, only state with checkpoints on it's borders). I do hunt both NV and AZ along the CA border.
 
I'm not trying to be a jerk but have you ever tried shotgunning? It has its own challenges and thrills. I even sometimes consider retiring the rifle and going shotgun only. If I can't get them into shotgun range, too bad for me.
 
No worries. I have used a shotgun. It is just not for me. I am not saying it is bad or my way is the only way. Everyone hunts for different reasons. How smart could I really be? I still live in Kalifornia. This place is a transgendered Marxist hellhole. If I had any brains, I would leave tomorrow.
 
Originally Posted By: BJJ223 Shooting a coyote with a shotgun is like cheating to me. It requires very little skill.



that right there sounds like something a guy that has never hunted a coyote with a shotgun would say. yep.

doing the math. average 7 stands per trip + 4 or 5 trips = 28 stands on the low side or 35 stands on the high side = 1 coyote called. and that is in a fairly rich coyote population state.


Originally Posted By: BJJ223But, maybe I am weird
do not know if you are weird or not. do not really care one way or the other. but you should seek some advice on calling coyotes.
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Originally Posted By: BJJ223No worries. I have used a shotgun. It is just not for me. I am not saying it is bad or my way is the only way. Everyone hunts for different reasons. How smart could I really be? I still live in Kalifornia. This place is a transgendered Marxist hellhole. If I had any brains, I would leave tomorrow.



I would have left yesterday!
 
Originally Posted By: BJJ223No worries. I have used a shotgun. It is just not for me. I am not saying it is bad or my way is the only way. Everyone hunts for different reasons. How smart could I really be? I still live in Kalifornia. This place is a transgendered Marxist hellhole. If I had any brains, I would leave tomorrow.

Yeah I hear you. I'm in CA too but Kern County so it's not quite as bad. I'd leave if I could but I have a couple young kids that I split custody of so I'm here for the duration. Maybe someday.....
 
I'm in Tulare Co....I hunt Kern quite a bit. Central Valley is pretty much conservative...but were surrounded by idiots for sure.
Mark
 
Dumberthandirt should be your name snot man. Public land in Kali is extremely pressured. We have also had a terrible drought. I have hunted coyotes with a shotgun. Big woop. After hunting duck, quail, chukar, and doing skeet, 3 Gun, trap, and sporting clays, shooting a big ole coyote with #4 buck or dead coyote loads is child’s play.

Boring.

I also don’t shoot bobcats any more. Too easy. They just stand there and look at me. It is like beating up white belts.
 
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I’d keep my scope on 2x if 1-6 was the range I had. I’ve never had time to turn my scope down but usually have the time to turn it up. I’d prefer 2x just because that’ll give a little boost without hindering the shot.
 
Originally Posted By: BJJ223I have hunted coyotes in CA BLM deserts for over 10 years. I call one in every 4-5 trips and do about 6-8 stands per trip. I typically am able to shoot over 75% of the ones I call in. I leave my car before sunup and walk 4-5 miles each hunt. The areas I hunt are very pressured.

If I killed a coyote every stand, I would have no interest in coyote hunting.

I like hard things I have to work for. Shooting a coyote with a shotgun is like cheating to me. It requires very little skill.

But, maybe I am weird. When I am not hunting, I am running, lifting weights and training karate. One of the accomplishments I value most is my BJJ black belt because it was HARD to get. Easy is boring.


So you do around 4 to 5 trips and do about 6 to 8 stands that would be 24 to 40 stands to call in one coyote.

So at that pace you would call in 4 coyotes in during 96 to 160 stands. Since on average "75% of the coyotes get shot" one of those four coyotes gets away.

With these numbers I would think it would be harder to kill those 3 coyotes with a shotgun not easier. To kill all 4 of the coyotes you call in they would all have to be in shotgun range.
 
Trijicon TR20-2 3-9x40
It stays on 3x until I see a coyote coming then I crank it up a bit and get on him. As soon as I shoot, it's back to 3x and the call keeps going.
 
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