December Coyote (s)

Snowshoes

Well-known member
Here's one from today.
It was very windy this morning so I went to the downwind side of a treed fenceline. I set up on a well used coyote trail near a hog farm and after 20 minutes of glassing a couple coyotes just inside the trees 200 yard to the east of me, I figured it was time to get them out in the open. Fired up the Foxpro with some pup yelps and that did the trick. I could see a number of coyotes funnel out of the bush and ended up having a group of six coyotes coming down the trail. There was also a seventh coming across the field from the south but the group was much closer.
There was two really nice coyotes in the group and I picked the closest one(125 yards), settled the cross hairs on its chest and squeezed the trigger to only hear a faint click..... Frozen firing pin I believe.
The coyotes hear the click also and are high tailing it back to the bush as I scrambled to load another round. Get the cross hairs on the back coyote and drop it at close to 200 yards but unfortunately it was a scruffy coyote!
 
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I have heard that click sound some where before. Keep the pics and story,s coming its a good read. You sure have a good supply predators there.
 
Very bothersome when that happens.
Last time it happened to me I was aiming at a 4 point buck. .
Do you think its from condensation or snow dust melting in there. ??
 
Originally Posted By: gumboot458Very bothersome when that happens.
Last time it happened to me I was aiming at a 4 point buck. .
Do you think its from condensation or snow dust melting in there. ??
I'm thinking condensation, when I brought the rifle into the house yesterday from the cold (-31 F) every bit of steel including my scope turned white with frost.... I know better but just put the rifle in the cabinet and never looked at it till this morning.... Oh well, I'll just have to be extra sneaky the next time I set up in that area
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Yup, that will do it. . Maybe a guy could cock and in cock his rifle a few times before chambering a round. I don't know. The cold does bring on some different challenges.
 
Have you taken apart the bolt and degreased Showshoes? That usually helps with slow firing pins in really cold weather. You can try to clean it out externally with brake cleaner but you won't get it all.

Old bosses Rem 700 7mm mag was always bad in the -30C range and he had cleaned it with brake cleaner many times. He was actually about to list it for sale but I took the bolt apart, degunked and its been fine ever since.
 
Originally Posted By: Displayed Name Have you taken apart the bolt and degreased Showshoes? That usually helps with slow firing pins in really cold weather. You can try to clean it out externally with brake cleaner but you won't get it all.



I did the brake cleaner trick yesterday afternoon ( bolt not taken apart though) then cycled the action and firing pin a number of times. Cleaned a bit of crud from the bolt face after doing such. If it persist I will take your advice and take the bolt apart for a proper cleaning.
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It was much colder the day before and the firing pin worked fine which had me scratching my head yesterday morning
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I was pretty surprised how much grease was in there, something like 3 pumps of a grease gun worth. A thicker grease than what would be used for bearings as well.

I'm no gunsmith, it was a google job and had to do the same for every different bolt I took apart. I remember the Weatherby Mark V bolt throwing me for a loop.
 
This morning I walk into a feedlot and then sneak to within a couple hundred yards of a scruffy coyote eating on a dead cow. I get set up with the bi-pod and then sit and wait for the potential of a better coyote to appear. I can see the head of another coyote bedded down a few yards from the one feeding but its content in staying put. So after a half hour goes by and it never gets up plus nothing else shows, I give a few squawks on the open reed call which gets the bedded coyote standing. Its better looking than the other but not much. Settled the cross hairs on its chest and drop it. The other coyotes runs a few yards and then stops on top a snow pile. Got another shell chambered and down goes coyote number two.


From there I drive over to a poultry farm that I have been seeing a few coyotes throughout the workweek. Parked in the landowners yard and then worked my way to large slough bottom. Seen one mangy dog and lip squeaked it to within 30 yards before putting it out of its misery.
 
Originally Posted By: gumboot458 Have u gotten any exits yet?
Reason I ask is I have 204 dies brass and bullets . Am wondering if I should get one

Not yet this season but it's early
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I am shooting a 38 gr open hollow point out of the 204 that usually turns a coyotes insides to jello. I have had exits with the 38 gr bullet but its usually on longer shots where the velocity has dropped down.
I shot mainly 35 gr. Bergers out of my 20 Tactical and 20 VT with good results. The 39 gr Sierra's I used for awhile dropped coyotes with authority but I found they could be a tad hard on hides.

I'm actually going back to a 223 after having sold my last one almost 20 years ago. I've got one of the new Cooper model 51 repeaters on order. I been waiting for almost a year now (since February).... someday it will show.
The 20 caliber's work good on our thick furred coyotes but I still think the 223 just did the job a little better. Sold my 22-250 a year ago as I found it was a little tough on fur also
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Went back to the slough by the poultry farm this morning and set up at a panel fence which gave me a good view of the area. After some glassing I see a coyote laying down at the edge of the reeds roughly 300 yards away. I give some distress calls with an open reed and the coyote gets up and starts trotting my direction. This is looking good but then 3 other coyotes come out of the reeds and my single stops and waites for the others.
Once they all got together I could not convince them to come any closer so knowing they were less than 200 yards out I zoom up the scope and pick the nicest looking coyote. Drop the first coyote and throw a second cartridge into the rifle. One of the 3 stops roughly 20 yards away from the downed coyote just long enough for a second shot and a second coyote... this last one was a big sucker and is the one on the right in the pic.
 
Originally Posted By: gumboot458Wow, he is a big sucker. !! He must have eaten lots of McNuggets . How r you doing with your # s compared to your son? :) .
I just got a text from him and he only got one this morning. So I'm now up a couple on him (23-21)
Coyote numbers seem to be down some this year and the deep snow has hampered our hunts I believe. We are usually almost double the numbers by this time in years past.
 
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What's Ryan shooting now, I think I remember him shooting your 17 Fireball, a 6.5x284 and a .204. Bet it's nice having the family competition back.
 
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