My buddy had an interesting video he took through his scope while we were night huntin in Texas a while back. I never have thought much about it but I got on target and shot a lot faster than I'd have thought. From the time it stopped until the time I killed it was exactly two seconds. If you had to guess how long does it take for you to get on target and squeeze the trigger? You'd probably be really surprised.
Target acquisition.
- Thread starter OKRattler
- Start date
Rock Knocker
Active member
That's one of the main things I've learned about real world coyote hunting in my area, it's not the movies, you're not going to squeak them in a few yards at a time for a perfect shot. It's like wood duck hunting in the actual woods, from zero to on top of you in a blink, shoot now.
I was pretty dang happy a couple years ago when I was hunting a game preserve with family and my cousin got me one go pro shooting two pheasants in under a second with a pump, I didnt known it was less than a second until I watched it.
I was pretty dang happy a couple years ago when I was hunting a game preserve with family and my cousin got me one go pro shooting two pheasants in under a second with a pump, I didnt known it was less than a second until I watched it.
Hellgate
Member
Quick acquisition is why I turn my scope down to 2X when calling. You never know when one is gonna run right past you at close range and being on 10 or 14X is gonna screw that up. A couple weekends ago I saw a distant coyote run down slope into a gully toward me. I knew it could pop up 30 yards away at a line of sage so I turned the scope down to 2X and waited. Out it popped and I was able to more quickly swing to the left and get on fur for the shot. At 7X I might have had to hunt for it that extra second in which it could have spooked and been gone.
There are some variables. Your age, how well the weapon fits you, FOV in your scope, do you shoot with both eyes open, how much time do you put into practice.
I used to put on a shoot with coyote silhouettes scattered through the brush from a pop up at 30 yards to one sitting in the grass on the hillside at 300 yards, with others just partially exposed in the brush. You had a limited time to shoot and the shooter with the lowest time cleaning the field won. I is surprising how many cleaned the field at a distance but missed the pop-up.
I'm quite quick on birds but I shoot skeet from a true low gun(not off the shoulder). Years past I shot international skeet where the birds are faster, the release is random up to 3 second delay and you can't mount your shotgun until you can see the bird. I used to be able to have no problems with station eight high or low house in my 70's now I can now longer catch either of them.
I used to put on a shoot with coyote silhouettes scattered through the brush from a pop up at 30 yards to one sitting in the grass on the hillside at 300 yards, with others just partially exposed in the brush. You had a limited time to shoot and the shooter with the lowest time cleaning the field won. I is surprising how many cleaned the field at a distance but missed the pop-up.
I'm quite quick on birds but I shoot skeet from a true low gun(not off the shoulder). Years past I shot international skeet where the birds are faster, the release is random up to 3 second delay and you can't mount your shotgun until you can see the bird. I used to be able to have no problems with station eight high or low house in my 70's now I can now longer catch either of them.
tripod3
New member
I have pulled off some amazing split second shots completely by instinct and screwed up several with no rush.
With coyotes I often watch them in the scope up to several minutes even at 300 yds. Many of my shots are last second shoot thoughts when I realize they are leaving.
I get to see entertaining things on some sets.
One laughable example is when I had already killed a couple out about 250 when another came in sniffing around, he then hiked his leg and whizzed on his buddy that I had just shot. It was time to shoot and end it before I laughed too hard.
Other times refinding a strolling coyote takes much longer than getting the crosshairs on the right spot.
With coyotes I often watch them in the scope up to several minutes even at 300 yds. Many of my shots are last second shoot thoughts when I realize they are leaving.
I get to see entertaining things on some sets.
One laughable example is when I had already killed a couple out about 250 when another came in sniffing around, he then hiked his leg and whizzed on his buddy that I had just shot. It was time to shoot and end it before I laughed too hard.
Other times refinding a strolling coyote takes much longer than getting the crosshairs on the right spot.
I had a pair come in and attack the decoy, I shot one and the second ran straight at me, jumped over my legs and I had to lay on my back to take him going away, it doesn't get any more fun than that.
The way I hunt I get a lot of very close in coyotes, had four spaced out come in at one stand killed one of a pair with the shotgun barrel, shot the third with the shotgun and just rolled him and he charged straight at me and I killed him at one large pace with the rifle barrel, the fourth came in while I was picking up the caller and the combo gun was sitting back on the chair, after three dogs and three shots who ever thought another would venture in.
There have been a lot of coyotes that are close enough keep this a rush.
Coyote hunting is as much fun as you can get in the field.
The way I hunt I get a lot of very close in coyotes, had four spaced out come in at one stand killed one of a pair with the shotgun barrel, shot the third with the shotgun and just rolled him and he charged straight at me and I killed him at one large pace with the rifle barrel, the fourth came in while I was picking up the caller and the combo gun was sitting back on the chair, after three dogs and three shots who ever thought another would venture in.
There have been a lot of coyotes that are close enough keep this a rush.
Coyote hunting is as much fun as you can get in the field.
I shot a double in 2018, they weren't far apart when I shot the first one. The other took off through weeds tall enough that I could only see his head. I managed to hit that coyote in the back of the head.
I wouldn't say I practice a lot necessarily as far as target shooting. Shooting prairie dogs and things like that yes. I shoot with both eyes open because that's the way I was taught but I guess I never thought about that making a huge difference. With me I don't know if it does since I'm almost blind in my left eye. I can still see out of it but not well enough that it interferes with shooting. Rifle,pistol and shotgun. Both eyes open every time.
I wouldn't say I practice a lot necessarily as far as target shooting. Shooting prairie dogs and things like that yes. I shoot with both eyes open because that's the way I was taught but I guess I never thought about that making a huge difference. With me I don't know if it does since I'm almost blind in my left eye. I can still see out of it but not well enough that it interferes with shooting. Rifle,pistol and shotgun. Both eyes open every time.
Originally Posted By: tripod3Thats western for sure, I had one bare it's teeth at me under 18" calling while sitting in a bush. Now it takes a minute to get up and acquire the target behind you. He got 100 yds before I got him.
LOL...been there...had a youngster that I was mentoring and his mother wanted to come along. While I was running some pup distress a coyote started to circle. It got wight in behind us and started to growl. I eased my Glock out from the holster ready for the shot...his mom's eyes were big as pie plates!!!!
LOL...been there...had a youngster that I was mentoring and his mother wanted to come along. While I was running some pup distress a coyote started to circle. It got wight in behind us and started to growl. I eased my Glock out from the holster ready for the shot...his mom's eyes were big as pie plates!!!!