You might or might not be aware of the streak of bad luck I've had lately. It got worse on Friday when I left work and my truck wouldn't start. After wasting all day Saturday I finally got it up and running.
Fast forward to today I decided to leave the 22-250 at home since my bad luck started there. Decided to take the .223 out this morning instead. The second stand of the day I had a coyote top a hill 125 yards straight ahead. As it moved forward along the ridge to my left I could tell he was going to come in as close as I would let him. But as luck would have it the wind shifted,I knew it did and the coyote was heading right in the direction it was blowing. I had the safety off and the coyote in the crosshairs. Right as he stopped and I started to apply pressure to the trigger I saw him tilting his head to get a whiff of the air. And as you know he didn't waste any time heading back in the same direction he came from.
As it turned and ran behind the sagebrush I got ahead of him slightly and as he was topping the hill I let one fly. Oddly enough I didn't hear the impact of the bullet so I was doubtful that it had connected. But I hadn't seen him after the shot so I walked out to check. It was laying 5 feet from the top of the hill,and freedom. I almost let that one get away. Luckily it worked out in my favor because that coyote had mange really bad. The first one I have killed with mange this season. Although its fur ain't worth anything I'd just as soon kill a mangy coyote as a healthy one. Had it showed up with one that didn't have mange I'd have still shot it first. I'd rather see a healthy coyote top the hill and disappear over having a sick one get away any day of the week.
On a side note the 55gr. Softpoint is slowly becoming my favorite bullet for the ol' .223,I've hammered several critters with that bullet and not one wounded critter or tore up hide. Knock on wood....
Fast forward to today I decided to leave the 22-250 at home since my bad luck started there. Decided to take the .223 out this morning instead. The second stand of the day I had a coyote top a hill 125 yards straight ahead. As it moved forward along the ridge to my left I could tell he was going to come in as close as I would let him. But as luck would have it the wind shifted,I knew it did and the coyote was heading right in the direction it was blowing. I had the safety off and the coyote in the crosshairs. Right as he stopped and I started to apply pressure to the trigger I saw him tilting his head to get a whiff of the air. And as you know he didn't waste any time heading back in the same direction he came from.
As it turned and ran behind the sagebrush I got ahead of him slightly and as he was topping the hill I let one fly. Oddly enough I didn't hear the impact of the bullet so I was doubtful that it had connected. But I hadn't seen him after the shot so I walked out to check. It was laying 5 feet from the top of the hill,and freedom. I almost let that one get away. Luckily it worked out in my favor because that coyote had mange really bad. The first one I have killed with mange this season. Although its fur ain't worth anything I'd just as soon kill a mangy coyote as a healthy one. Had it showed up with one that didn't have mange I'd have still shot it first. I'd rather see a healthy coyote top the hill and disappear over having a sick one get away any day of the week.
On a side note the 55gr. Softpoint is slowly becoming my favorite bullet for the ol' .223,I've hammered several critters with that bullet and not one wounded critter or tore up hide. Knock on wood....
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