Baiting

TOUGH GO IN THE SNOW...

022422 by jrhranch, on Flickr

170 yds with my 6x45 AR at 7:30 tonight. 75 gr Speer hollow point. Sorry, no video and this is the only pic I got, in my shed. So, my thermal is at Bering in CA. I had to go back to my Digital NV set ups. I will say that these digitals are driving tacks compared to what my thermal was doing. I haven't missed yet at the 170 on several test subjects including this coyote. So, its been working well. Having said that, we all know how well digitals work in moderate snowfall. It was a struggle with that IR lighting up the snowfall. It was an expedited retrieval before the snow covered up blood and tracks, so only one pic. He ran about 50 yds dead on his feet. Bullet passed through with about a 50 cent sized exit. My 6x45 is 100% so far. Good stuff.
 

Good job, Bait. The 6x45 is a pretty good cartridge in my experience. You made a good shot with the digital. I have dropped a bunch of coyotes with mine. My ATN 4k is still going strong. I love thermal, but the digital works pretty darn good with a decent illuminator.
 
I really do like the digital for clarity and identification. Where I see the thermal shine in a bait pile scenario is if the coyote is not right at the bait, the thermal will pop them right out at you anywhere in the vicinity, fast.
 
Congrats BP. Night Vision Rules!

This post is coming a tad late, I had no computer capabilities.

To make a short story long, there have not been any coyotes showing on my game cameras since a year ago. Thats a long stretch for sure. Until...

I got a surprise visit the evening of Feb. 17th. Got set up in my stand at 6:18pm and was actually there to try and shoot any possums and if lucky, a coon (which have been completely absent this season).
About 7:00 my resident Red fox came across the bank from my stand and stopped. In seconds, the light flashed on my sensor. Not believing it was the fox that was at the bait site so quickly, but rather a possum that may have wandered in, I looked through my scope. Not one but two coyotes entered the bait pile site. I do think the closer coyote caught my sent and sprung off a short distance to the right while the other coyote stopped just beyond the pile. I aimed for the shoulder and took the shot. She was hit. She leaped the stream behind her and ran laterally along the hillside. I looked back to my right for the yote that skipped away but it was long gone.
For an hour and a half I waited in hopes the one coyote would return looking for his mate, but no such luck.
I located the spot where the bullet made impact and found a small amount of blood. The lite blood trail continued then became sparser the farther I tracked. After an hour's search, often on hands and knees, the trail went dry.
I was thankful I got the visual opportunity and also disappointed I was unable to put that coyote on the ground. Perhaps next time.




Game camera view

 
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Outstanding videos GG!! A double on the bait is always a bonus. I believe you have a dead coyote there, he just didn't know it at the time. I think we have all been there with the no recovery scenario. Its a bummer for sure, but, I think your shot was solid and his reaction would indicate that. They are tough buggers and can run a long way. Hang tuff, maybe another will appear before you wrap it up for the year. Thanks for posting the vids.
 
GG, I'm surprised you haven't seen buzzards circling to show the drop-dead zone which is probably the thickest place it could crash into. That was a solid hit and a dead coyote. I know you're mightily disappointed that you couldn't make the recovery as any of us would be. Pretty sure you're right also that the closer coyote winded you, probably the male of the pair.
 
I went back a couple days later but didn't see any other buzzards than the ones that steal from my bait site. The land area has plenty of hills, gullies and stream bottoms. She could have gone anywhere.
 

The links worked, Gobbler. I agree with DoubleUp. You have a dead coyote somewhere. Was definitely a hit, looked like a heart shot.
 
I agree it looked like a hit.

Mine last night, wasn't and I have no video. I had given up and moved my detector a while back, then yesterday noticed tracks in the new snow around my November deer carcass, so I put the detector back. At 3:07 it went off and I rolled out of bed and opened the window, it heard the window but I got on it with the thermal but it moved just as I squeezed and missed.
 
Originally Posted By: 204 ARI agree it looked like a hit.

Mine last night, wasn't and I have no video. I had given up and moved my detector a while back, then yesterday noticed tracks in the new snow around my November deer carcass, so I put the detector back. At 3:07 it went off and I rolled out of bed and opened the window, it heard the window but I got on it with the thermal but it moved just as I squeezed and missed.

You shooting from your house??? I need you to convince my wife that's acceptable!
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She draws the line there LOL
 
Originally Posted By: weekenderhey tj, me and my wife take turns shooting, maybe try that approach.

Not so sure I want to give her a gun and a bullet at the same time...
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She's pretty good shot LOL
 
Coyote Recovery Update:
I recovered the coyote I shot on the 17th!
Have done several blind searches and was able to find her this afternoon. Yeeaaa!
E-lated!!!
Will post picture when able.
 
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