What would you do?

BrianID

Member
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Yesterday I walked into this stand an set up where the purple circle is. Before calling I decided to do a quick scan with my binoculars. I spotted a coyote sunny itself and ranged it at 542 years. 1-3 mph breeze is in my face and blowing slightly to my right. The coyote did not appear to see me and after a minute of watching it, it puts it's head down and appears to be taking a nape at 9am. In the last 12 months I've called in 5 coyotes within a mile of this spot that got away so this could be an educated coyote.


What would you do?

#1 Take the shot at 542 yards. I can get prone with a dead solid rest across my pack. My gun will shoot 5 shots in less than 1/2" at 100 yards when I can get prone with a good rest. The downside is today I have my 223 with only a 40 grain nosler ballistic tip at 3800 fps. With minimal wind I think I could hit him with a 223 at that distance but the 40 gr bullet would be going less than 1500 fps. I passed on the shot. If I had a larger rifle with me I may have laid out prone and taken the shot.

#2 Try to stalk closer for a shot without calling. I could sneak around to the right and could probably get less than 300 yards. Even though the wind is good, I would worry that the coyote might hear or see me while trying to get closer. The ground has a lot of loose gravel and it isn't easy to be completely quite. I was actually a little surprised this coyote hadn't busted me while I was setting up 542 yards away.

#3 Start immediately calling as I was planning to before I saw this coyote.

#4 Wait 5-10 minutes for things to quite down before starting to call just incase this coyote did hear or see me approaching the stand and it just isn't looking at me because I'm far enough away that it doesn't feel threatened. Coyotes in Southern NM Creosote country tend to not be as skittish at 300-500 yards like coyotes I've hunted in more open spaces like Idaho and Wyoming. Would you start calling with an aggressive rabbit in distress sound as planned or would you do a softer sound and not as aggressive? Or would you try howling?

#5 Move stand locations before starting to call. The sun is in my face and I could circle about 500 yards to my right and still have a wind in my favor. In the below picture, the coyote is where the red circle is and the purple arrow shows the wind direction.
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I've been in this situation multiple times. I really like spotting coyotes before I start calling so I can see their reactions to my calls.

I'll post up the results of what I did and what the coyote did in a few days.
 
Hard to judge range from picture, but 540 yards not a % shot IMO, especially for that load.

If my guestimate is right, looks like you could follow that sandy wash to the left of the dirt bank that points toward your coyote. Where it turns to the left, you could approach in defilade behind that low ridge, thus cutting about 1/3 off the range. 350 is still a longer poke than I'd like, but soft calls might get him a bit closer and you could make that decision once you make the move.

Regards,
hm
 
ctm,

Compared to other areas in Southern NM it doesn't have really high numbers of coyotes but there are a few and it isn't too far of a drive from El Paso. If you recognize the exact spot, I would be impressed. Feel free to send me a PM if you think you know the exact spot and I could confirm it for you.
 
#5 In my area which is much different than yours, many times I have wished I had repositioned myself after getting burnt. Once you start calling it’s not to easy to change positions.
 
I'd call it just like you never saw him, he isn't sleeping he is napping with ears and nose on full alert. All you have to do is bump a bird or rabbit, step on a dry bunch of grass or crunch some stone. Who knows there might be a coyote between you and him you didn't see.

I've found that when you go into a new area make the first stand that looks reasonable, after the stand look the area over and see if there would have been a better stand and log that for the future.
 
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Well, first I would crap if I had a view like that ! And then when my pulse and brain were “normal” start out low and slow. Especially, if I could view reactions. I envy you.
 
Three options for the coyote,1. Stay bedded(see it all the time during the day in farm country) 2. Comes to call 3. Moves away. I don't think any of your options would change or improve you odds of a shot. Staying put gives you a visible target and gives you confidence that you have not moved coyote out during the approach to stand.
 
I’d move to that little dark rockpile on the left out in front staying as hunkered down as possible and get set up to where you can see him approach and the start with a low call like rodent or irate bird. That puts you closer and with a better view of his approach.
 
If it were exhibiting typical coyote behavior it would have curled up with its back to the wind and facing your direction. With the sun in your face any movement by you would be easy for it to see. Therefore hope it hadn't seen you yet and start calling, would be my way of thinking. Sometimes my thinking and actions don't coincide though!
 
#3. If the coyote continued with it's nap it had no idea you were there. I would have started calling and been watching for others as well.
 
Originally Posted By: DiRTY DOG#3. It's called predator calling not target shooting. I'd rather call them in, that's most of the fun.

I agree, call that coyote in!

I have never taken binoculars out on a coyote calling stand with me. I like looking for movement. I don't want binoculars keeping me from seeing the big picture.

I would rather use the time making more calling stands than glassing for coyotes before or after the stand.

Instead of carrying binoculars I have a camera hanging around my neck on most stands that I make.

If I did spot a coyote out there while setting up my caller I would probable try Voles Squeaks or Adult Rat in distress at about half volume. If no reaction raise the volume up, if still no reaction I would play Pup Distress 3 on full volume.
 
I hunt with a 300 blk so #1 is out. BUT, if I did have the proper rifle on the given day I would take that shot. Only because where I hunt we never get that kind of opportunity.
 
Originally Posted By: DiRTY DOG#3. It's called predator calling not target shooting. I'd rather call them in, that's most of the fun.

I totally agree. I really enjoy calling coyotes and watching them come in. I would rather have one start running off when I start calling than to miss a Hail Mary shot at long range on one. If I had a bigger gun with me that was capable of cleaning killing a coyote at 500+ yards I would have still tried calling this dog in.
 
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