First Coyote of the Year!!!!

[The Chad]

Got my first one of the year Saturday morning. Called in a double with my new J.S. Preymaster, only shot one, but it was at about 40 yards dead center in the chest, with my new Savage 17 hummer. I know lots of guys would scorn me for using it, but I committed myself to only take shots less than 125yds. and only if it could be a one shot kill. I had several chances at the first dog, but could not get the opportunity I wanted, so I kept calling in hopes he would offer better, or on the chance another yote might show up, and low and behold I was delivered another one with a perfect shot oppotunity. Now I just have to figure out how to skin the stinkin things. I tried this one but botched it, by pulling the tail completely off.. So, he get a redneck burial... Chad

[FourBee]

  Hey Chad
Nice going.   Is a 40 yard shot on the rare side?   I haven't been able to do that yet.   Don't know what I'm doing wrong.   

How did you pull the tail off.   Did you use two pieces of a small rod, like a couple of welding rods?  Or you could use a pair of small green sticks.   Skin the critter to the base of its tail and put a rod on each side of the tail base, wrap your hand around the rods with the tail in the palm of your hand between the two middle fingers and pull away.  That hide ought to roll right off its tail.

[Glanceblamm]

Congratulations Chad 
What kind of ammo (read bullet) were you using?

I worked with my son-in-law just last week with his Savage model 93 and the 20gr gamepoints. Penetration was a lot better than I thought it would be on our hardwood target backer @100yds.
This little round seems to be very fast and I recon that shot's from 40 to 100yds would be ok with this bullet.

Fourbee is correct on getting that tail bone out...when I started I was using a couple of 16 penny nails!. They do make a tool for this that is a tapered hole in the center design with the jaws closed but those nails, dowels and such seem to work ok.

[The Chad]

I was using regular old hornady 17gr. v-max, not the best choice for the situation, since I havent tried any other bullet weights or types. This is the second coyote I have killed with a 17, the other one was a chest shot at about 80yds, and he ran like a heat shot whitetail for about 50yds, and then piled up. Just gotta make sure and hit em right the first time. About the distance 40 yds, is not that rare for me, I live in New Mexico and hunt a lot of wide open spaces, but I always wear full camoflauge, from head to toe. I find a placed where I can bury myself in a mesquite bush or cedar tree, I blend right in, and they can't see me. Also, since it is so open, i can usually see a dog coming in from quite a ways out, giving me time to get my rifle ready and move if needed...

[Hazard]

why would people despise you for using a 17hmr on yotes??? i was under the impression that they worked well...am i wrong, ive never hunted with one myself but my buddy has one and loves it but he hardly ever has time to hunt with itand he dont coyote hunt, just plinks?


adam

[The Chad]

Well, form some of the other forums I have seen, there are a lot of opinons on using the hmr for coyotes or other large predators. Where as I do believe in its abilites, I do use it sparingly. I would not attempt a 200 yard running shot, I will leave that to my 223 handi, but for up close and personal I love my 17.

[Glanceblamm]

why would people despise you for using a 17hmr on yotes??? i was under the impression that they worked well...am i wrong, ive never hunted with one myself but my buddy has one and loves it but he hardly ever has time to hunt with itand he dont coyote hunt, just plinks?


adam

They are just a light, sometimes fragile bullet that wont create much hydrostatic shock or energy past 150yds to be reliable on Coyote size game.
They will kill, but you wont be able to recover the animal if the range is too far.

The .22 mag with the Remington 33gr vmax bullet is down to around 150 Foot Pounds of Energy at the 150yd mark
The HMR with it's little 17gr bullet only creates 108 foot pounds of energy at the same range.


Chad's .223 handi will produce over 1,000 foot pounds of energy at the same 150yd range. The initial wound channel will stretch tissue to a much greater size than the bullet diameter as the hydrostatic shock will be great.
For the most part, it is like bang-flop. The Coyote will be dead before it even hits the ground.

I hope this helps some...Chad called it right on the .17 being for up close & personal.

[FourBee]

Chad it sounds like calling those yotes up close like you're doing would be the highlight of the hunt.   And being able to take them with such a small round at that range wouldn't be obstacle at all.  Hope you have a great season.
  
I live on a farm, and one drizzly morning I looked out the window, and there in the back yard was a drenched rooster.  Then I saw a coyote who was also looking at the rooster from across the garden fence.  By the time I retrieved my .22 and returned and opened the window, he was gone.  Momentarily, he poked his head around the corner post of the garden, about 30 yards out.   I nailed him right between the eyes.   I wouldn't want to try that on a regular basis, but if I had a hot .17 I wouldn't think twice about using it on vital shots within 100 yards.  

[The Chad]

Gotta tell you guys what I saw this morning. After dropping my kids off at school, the shop where I work is about 3/4 mile away. Driving down the hill on the edge of town there is a large field by our city water tower. I looked out and there was a big full-bodied coyote standing about 150 yds. away. Rolled down my window and let out a few notes on one of my calls. You should have seen his face, wondering why that green pickup sounded like dinner. The place where he was is in the city limits, and there is quite a large group of them, but about the only way they could be hunted is with a bow. Guess I might have to buy myself a bow again, and try tackling them that way. Now, that would really be up close and personal....

[Glanceblamm]

Chad it sounds like calling those yotes up close like you're doing would be the highlight of the hunt.  

This is what it is all about

[georgeld]

Chad:
Isn't the other side of the towers out side city limits??

You might have a little chat with the PD and animal control. They might be willing to
look the other way if you use the HMR and do it real careful.  Not much noise with it.
So maybe at the proper time of day not many crybabies would be out listening.  One
or two shots might not draw much attention.

Good luck, and make those shots chest shots and save the furs.

George