Hitting For The Cycle: KC Ep.67

Kirsch

Active member
For this hunting season, this was best night of hunting to date. I shot 17 coyotes hunting solo. Due to the number of kills, I broke it up into two different videos. I called this episode "Hitting for the Cycle" because I shot a single, double, triple, and quad in the mix of all the coyotes taken. I believe for the season, I have now had this happen 3 times, but this was the first time for 2022-2023. Throughout the night the fog set in and then lifted and this happened multiple times. It looks like this is from different nights, but it was the fog that made it appear this way. Hunting isn't all about the number of coyotes taken, but this night was very special to me.

Kirsch Chronicles Episode 67
 

It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around 17 coyotes in one night. Outstanding is an understatement.
 
Originally Posted By: 6mm06It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around 17 coyotes in one night. Outstanding is an understatement. 20 is my current record hunting solo. This night was special for me for two reasons. I had never hunted this property before so was hunting it cold with no idea if there were coyotes or where they would be. Second, I was 17 for 17 from a shooting perspective and saw 18 coyotes for the night as one didn't offer up a shot. It is pretty rare to see 18 coyotes and harvest 17 of them. The one that I didn't get a shot it will be in part 2 next week.
 
I started counting how many coyotes I've seen this year. I'm shy of 17. I hunt primarily public areas but I don't think we have those kind of numbers even on private lands. Actual calling time is about 50 hours so far this year.

Lots of small game available so I don't understand the low population?
 
Great video and awesome shooting. I see after everyone shot you display the yardage. Can I ask how your getting the yardage and is it before or after the shot? Thanks
 
Good stuff again, and I finally learned how to subscribe.
I am with softpoint. I have seen 14 coyotes, 2 bobcats, and 2 fox since Jan 1.
Cats weren't in season when seen and we don't have many fox so they get passes. I have killed 3 and missed 1 coyote and the others would not finish and were out of my range-->300yds. A lot of places I hunt I can't see 300yds but where I can have been a learning experience as to how many partially commit. This is in 43 sets and my sets start at 30 min with some going past the hour mark.
 
Originally Posted By: SoftpointI started counting how many coyotes I've seen this year. I'm shy of 17. I hunt primarily public areas but I don't think we have those kind of numbers even on private lands. Actual calling time is about 50 hours so far this year.

Lots of small game available so I don't understand the low population? Like many other animals, coyotes have population cycles. If factors haven't changed such larger predator populations increasing, it will probably come back. When female coyotes have more food available, their good health produces more pups, and a higher coyote population.

As for the population of coyotes in my state, it is healthy. In top of this, I drive around 2-3 hours to get to a higher population of coyotes and I hunt all night. Putting in an entire night helps because I can get in about 10 stands. I do hunt some public land, but I have been helping landowners remove coyotes for over 30 years. During that time, I have been able to get access to a lot of property. I am fortunate to have a lot of land to hunt, be able to hunt all night, in an area with a healthy population. Hopefully, with hunting coyotes for this long, I have become better at it as well.
 
Originally Posted By: Erie660Great video and awesome shooting. I see after everyone shot you display the yardage. Can I ask how your getting the yardage and is it before or after the shot? Thanks Everything you see and hear besides the base image is added in video production. The Bering thermals (at least until the new LRF model releases) do not record audio or have a laser rangefinder. When you hear me whistle, say hey, gunshot, and comments on humidity and yardages are add added.

I get the yardages from many different ways. When I carry my cell phone, I have lots of different choices. I have an app, that I can press start and walk to the coyote, and it tells me the yardage. I also use ONXmaps at times and use the line tool and mark both locations. I have also marked both spots and measured it in Google Earth later. If all else fails, I pace off the coyote. Been doing this for 30 years, and know my paces and distances related to it. The yardages is to provide the viewer and idea of how large a coyote looks in my scope in relation to zoom and size.

As for is it before or after the shot, it is usually where the coyote is laying although I am showing it before the shot. If a coyote runs a distance, I factor that in as best as possible. When I am done with a stand, on my phone I have my calling location marked on OnXmaps. I write down in an app on my phone what sound or sounds I was using on the stand, the humidity, the distance, etc. When I get home, I take the GPS coordinates and all the other information and add it to a spreadsheet for each hunting season. Many times I edit the videos much later so having this information helps me recreate what happened.
 
Originally Posted By: jmeddyGood stuff again, and I finally learned how to subscribe.
Originally Posted By: lockrotorWhat a great night you had. Congrats Originally Posted By: alfQuite the night, congrats. Thank you for watching and commenting.
 
you got some good stuff Korey. appears you dont hunt like the mainstream facebook crowd who stand in an open field and shoot off a tripod. appears you setup more traditional in that i thought heard you say before that your sets are made mostly sitting down. how do you lug in all the extra gear, mainly a tripod?

its bad enough carry the stuff in, but then you add 3 or 4 coyotes you burn a lot of energy just getting back to the truck
 
Originally Posted By: Infidel 762you got some good stuff Korey. appears you dont hunt like the mainstream facebook crowd who stand in an open field and shoot off a tripod. I will mention later why I sit vs stand. A coyote's eyesight is hampered at night but they gather approximately 7x the amount of light compared to human eyes. Good daytime practices of hiding your truck, limiting movement, having a backdrop, etc still are a good idea. Just because a person can get away with more at night, it is still a good practice to limit it as much as possible. On dark nights with no snow could a person stand in the middle of a field and probably not be spotted. Yes, but probably and on brighter nights a person most likely will. My practices work on any night.

Originally Posted By: Infidel 762appears you setup more traditional in that i thought heard you say before that your sets are made mostly sitting down. how do you lug in all the extra gear, mainly a tripod?

its bad enough carry the stuff in, but then you add 3 or 4 coyotes you burn a lot of energy just getting back to the truck Thanks for watching. I have always contemplated doing a video reviewing my entire setup including my chest rig, how I carry items, how my tripod is set up, etc.

Here is a list as a general overview of what I do:
1) I put my Beard Buster Chair over my right shoulder. What I like about this chair is it weighs almost nothing, protects me from the cold of the ground, while providing a bit of back support. It does not swivel, but I want to be very mobile, so this is a nice compromise. When this seat is opened up, it comes with a carrying strap and the chair folds together, so it is flat.

2) I then put my gun over the same shoulder. The seat folds flat so my run rests against the seat. The chair serves as a cushion and keeps any pointy items from the gun from digging into my back.

3) I also wear a chest rig which holds my TX1000 FoxPro remote, thermal scanner, scanner selfie stick, Coyote drag, Extra clip, a mouth call, an IR light flashlight, and extra batteries. I have a Princeton Tec Charge white/red light on my harness for emergencies as well.

4) I use the Foxpro X24. The stand that is a part of the call also serves as a handle. I love how light it is and how easy it is to carry. I hold that in my right hand.

5) I have my Night Stalker Pro in my left hand. I equip my NightStalker with a Tripod King Attachment which keep all 3 legs together, and I have a handle on one leg to make it easier to hold. In addition, on my tripod, I have a shelf installed. This weighs nothing but allows me to set items such as my scanner or PVS14/helmet or other things and it keeps things out of the snow/dirt. Last but not least, I have an E-caller Remote Holder.

You are correct that I sit 98% of the time. The exception is if I can stand behind a round bail or if the cover is too high that I have to stand to see over it. Sitting is more comfortable and easier on my body, provides a more stable shooting platform, and is warmer. I totally understand standing allows scanning 360° easier but there are pros and cons to each.

Very long answer but getting to the question. What do I do to drag out coyotes. I carry a drag that I made that has clips on it. If I am dragging out one or two, I put the X24 and tripod both in my left hand and then put the drag over my right shoulder along with the gun and chair. If I am dragging out more than two, I made a fur sled out of an old hard plastic toboggan. I take everything back to the truck, grab the sled and clip my drag to the sled. I can pull 4-5 coyotes at a time with that if there is snow on the ground.

I have tweaked this setup many times and am always looking for improvements. This works for me and is hard to explain in text form so will work on a video at some point. Some may have very different needs but hopefully some of these ideas may help some.
 
Originally Posted By: KirschOriginally Posted By: Infidel 762you got some good stuff Korey. appears you dont hunt like the mainstream facebook crowd who stand in an open field and shoot off a tripod. I will mention later why I sit vs stand. A coyote's eyesight is hampered at night but they gather approximately 7x the amount of light compared to human eyes. Good daytime practices of hiding your truck, limiting movement, having a backdrop, etc still are a good idea. Just because a person can get away with more at night, it is still a good practice to limit it as much as possible. On dark nights with no snow could a person stand in the middle of a field and probably not be spotted. Yes, but probably and on brighter nights a person most likely will. My practices work on any night.

Originally Posted By: Infidel 762appears you setup more traditional in that i thought heard you say before that your sets are made mostly sitting down. how do you lug in all the extra gear, mainly a tripod?

its bad enough carry the stuff in, but then you add 3 or 4 coyotes you burn a lot of energy just getting back to the truck Thanks for watching. I have always contemplated doing a video reviewing my entire setup including my chest rig, how I carry items, how my tripod is set up, etc.

Here is a list as a general overview of what I do:
1) I put my Beard Buster Chair over my right shoulder. What I like about this chair is it weighs almost nothing, protects me from the cold of the ground, while providing a bit of back support. It does not swivel, but I want to be very mobile, so this is a nice compromise. When this seat is opened up, it comes with a carrying strap and the chair folds together, so it is flat.

2) I then put my gun over the same shoulder. The seat folds flat so my run rests against the seat. The chair serves as a cushion and keeps any pointy items from the gun from digging into my back.

3) I also wear a chest rig which holds my TX1000 FoxPro remote, thermal scanner, scanner selfie stick, Coyote drag, Extra clip, a mouth call, an IR light flashlight, and extra batteries. I have a Princeton Tec Charge white/red light on my harness for emergencies as well.

4) I use the Foxpro X24. The stand that is a part of the call also serves as a handle. I love how light it is and how easy it is to carry. I hold that in my right hand.

5) I have my Night Stalker Pro in my left hand. I equip my NightStalker with a Tripod King Attachment which keep all 3 legs together, and I have a handle on one leg to make it easier to hold. In addition, on my tripod, I have a shelf installed. This weighs nothing but allows me to set items such as my scanner or PVS14/helmet or other things and it keeps things out of the snow/dirt. Last but not least, I have an E-caller Remote Holder.

You are correct that I sit 98% of the time. The exception is if I can stand behind a round bail or if the cover is too high that I have to stand to see over it. Sitting is more comfortable and easier on my body, provides a more stable shooting platform, and is warmer. I totally understand standing allows scanning 360° easier but there are pros and cons to each.

Very long answer but getting to the question. What do I do to drag out coyotes. I carry a drag that I made that has clips on it. If I am dragging out one or two, I put the X24 and tripod both in my left hand and then put the drag over my right shoulder along with the gun and chair. If I am dragging out more than two, I made a fur sled out of an old hard plastic toboggan. I take everything back to the truck, grab the sled and clip my drag to the sled. I can pull 4-5 coyotes at a time with that if there is snow on the ground.

I have tweaked this setup many times and am always looking for improvements. This works for me and is hard to explain in text form so will work on a video at some point. Some may have very different needs but hopefully some of these ideas may help some.


thanks for taking the time to fill in all the detail.

If my memory serves me correctly. a few years ago when you first started posting you videos someone commented that it looked like you were aiming low. i started re-watching some of my shots and it always looks like i am aiming low. i have took note and been making a conscience effort when i shoot to not aim low but when i replay them it still looks like i keep aiming low. there is no way you could have parallax in thermal? did you have this issue before?
 
No, shouldn't be parallax in a thermal. There are some thermals with lag. Test this by having someone stand in front of the scope (not mounted on a gun or for sure not loaded) and have them clap above their head. If the clap happens when you hear it, there shouldn't be any lag. Apparently, there are some scopes that lag. My scopes do not do this, so this is not the situation with my aiming.

Dead is dead. I aim where I aim, and it works for me. My brain adjusts the shot for me after 30+ years of shooting coyotes. The goal is to hold right on the thermal spot by the shoulder (it's actually behind it as a coyote's shoulder angles in) when 50-80 yards, just slightly low 90-200, straight on again from 225-275, upper third from 275-300, top edge at 300-350. Hold at the ears from 375-450. This works for me. How do I know how far without a rangefinder? Lots of time behind the scope and verifying distances after. Since most of my shots are 100-150, aiming a little below center makes sense. I don't miss many coyotes and I rarely lose one, so it works for me.
 
Originally Posted By: Tf282Do you shoot suppressed? Yes. 22-250 with a Banish 30 suppressor from Silencer Central.
 
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