Finally done (for now) with 2 medium range rifle systems...

[westcliffe01]

I have bought several coyote hunting videos to see if I am missing anything on the calling technique, but nope. The most recent DVD I bought was "The Modern Predator Hunter" by Byron South. I found it a little hard to believe that he actually went ahead and released the footage that he got. Part of his "modern hunter" plot was apparently to have a "modern rifle" aka AR-15 with a red dot scope and magnifier, so for the first half an hour you see him miss almost every shot. He was missing shots that his backup was connecting on with a choked shotgun... If it were not for the shotgun guy they would have had no kills for 3/4 of the DVD.... Later on he switches to a bolt action and then puts a decent scope on his AR and starts connecting. I'm sure he re-shot the cover photo, since it has him posing with a wooden stocked bolt action rifle, quite different to what he was trying to capture on the footage.

I don't want to say that semi autos are not capable of being effective, but at the very least you want decent optics and probably a 1:7 twist barrel (which are plentiful for the AR-15) and at least a 75gr bullet.

In a farming scenario vs a hunt for fun scenario, it is far more important to kill the coyotes than worry over pelts. Every coyote that you do miss will be 4x harder to kill the next time and will in turn "educate" possibly 1-4 other coyotes that do the rounds with it. Being required to assess wind speed to within 2mph, in addition to all the other challenges so that you can make a good hit is raising the stakes higher than they need to be. As it is, the coyotes spend 8-10x more time on the property than I possibly can so it is essential to use every opportunity that presents itself to thin them out.

You have a couple of nice rifles there. I love the Savage rifles for many reasons and the ability to swap barrels yourself is one of them. However I did pick up a Mossberg MVP predator last year and it is one sweet coyote blaster. I prefer the .223 over the .243 for yotes and foxes around here as the .243 tears the pelts up so bad. I believe doping for the wind is just one more challenge for the nut behind the butt.
I have been shooting a 6.5x55 Savage in some tactical rifle competitions over the past year and I love that round.
Enjoy whacking them yotes and sending lead down range.

 

[mudcat47537]

Meh, I hunted with my AR for years and killed at least 50 yotes. Though I did not hunt with a red dot sight on it either, just a basic 3-9x40 usually. I do not feel any less equiped with my AR than I do a bolt action. I do however feel a little whipped at the end of the day after packing a heavy rifle for 6-8 miles and making 5-7 stands. Ive used the 60 grn v-max in all my 1-9 twist .223s for the last 4 years.
I enjoy the thrill of the hunt myself. I would rather hunt yotes than deer. I put 37 down this last year all of them called in, I'm not a target of opportunity or truck hunter. Which is a little low for me but I didn't get to hunt as much as I like usually do. I don't guess Ive ever seen a yote hunting video, sounds like the guy you were watching could use a little practice or instruction. When I go by myself I usually use an electronic call because it is so hard to pick the rifle up and call while not getting busted when you are by yourself. But I usually take someone with me and I mouth call. My daughter usually goes with me and shoots I think she got more than I did this year. Her longest shot so far is a ranged 380 yards with a .223 AR and a 3-9x40 optic. Sorry for the crappy pic.

 

[westcliffe01]

Lack of success with calling is not from a lack of trying. I think that the problem is that the property is surrounded by over 230 acres of leased farmland which is hunted by bowhunters in stands and I think the coyotes get educated by the guys in the stands trying to call them during the several months of bow season. So if I light up a call, the coyotes are on a dead run the other way. It would be great to get a coyote to come in, but not at this location. The only time at all I have gotten any response out of them is using coyote barks, growls and howls at night, but we are restricted to rimfire at night and I can never get close enough before I am winded (<100 yards).

 

[tthopskin@yahoo.ca]

Varmint control over long distances think .338 and be done with it.:thumbsup:

well lol you wont have to worry about going to get them after you shoot them .there would be nothing left lol

 

[Egon]

I think that shooting a 338 LM in close proximity to livestock will do more damage than having the coyotes chase them around. And currently any form of hunting with a suppressor remains illegal in MI.

With the .338 one picks a comfortable spot a long ways off. Livestock won't be running around.

Let's ask Elmer?:thumbsup:

 

[westcliffe01]

Here is an example of a video from Byron South. The guy is supposedly a "guru" and is hunting with his AR in this video, but not with the "tactical" red dot and magnifier. Edit around the 3 min mark he has the red dot and magnifier in play.
Double Trouble Kills - YouTube

 

[clemsonfor]

Read the deer report by Charles Ruth, who is our big game biologist. In the report for last years harvest they said sc deer heard is down to 750k down from 1mill in like 1998 when we peaked. Deer effect fawn recruitment to the effect of I think they said 7 out of 10 fawns are killed by them. I shoot every one I see. Killed 2 this deer season and let the third go, long story. The 30 06 puts um down like a sac of hammers.