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Old May 9, 2011, 09:46 PM   #1
"JJ"
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Predator control!

This past week I got a call from a landowner whos land I hunt, he said four coyotes had his yellow lab surrounded when he was leaving for work. He managed to scare them off, but he was very concerned & wanted them gone! Well Saturday the wind wasn't ideal, but I wasn't in a position to be picky! Besides, if one came in from the same direction that the four did I called in here in Feburary, I should be able to get them before they get me! Wouldn't it be nice if they would always cooperate? Well this young male came in from the back side & slipped in through the tall grass! I spotted the tips of his hers just before he he my scent cone! At the point I still didn't have a positive ID! That changed as son as he hit my scent! Even though I had sprayed some fox & coon urine cover scent and had used scent eliminater, when that coyote winded me it was like I yelled "HEY COYOTE!"! He lifted his nose above the grass and turned & looked me right in the eyes! The delightful gaze didn't last long as he quickly turned into a fur rocket! I lined up my scope and let out a bark with my TC diaphram. His panic run turned into a fast trot & then almost a bounce! Hes gonna do a look back!! Yep, a few more bounces & he turns broadside at just over 100 yards! Boom! DRT! He weighed 33 lbs & had very little tooth wear. He had lost his winter coat, but the pic of just the coyote was after a 700 yard drag through the morning dew. The owner was pleased, but he did mention that he saw four the other day!![IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]
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Old May 9, 2011, 10:20 PM   #2
thallub
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Congrats on the coyote. Get them yotes.
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Old May 9, 2011, 11:28 PM   #3
huntinaz
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Sweet man, keep knocking 'em down!
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Old May 10, 2011, 03:24 PM   #4
rickyrick
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Good work JJ, You posts never disappoint.
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Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!
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Old May 10, 2011, 04:13 PM   #5
"JJ"
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Hey, thanks guys! I enjoy talking about predator hunting almost as much as the hunting! And Rick, the ones that may dissapoint just don't get as much air time!!
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Old May 11, 2011, 09:50 PM   #6
Hunter Customs
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Good job JJ, it's good see you are still after them.
I will not be back to actively hunting them again until late September or early October.
That being said I will still take opertunity shots when they present themselves.
I ended up with 27 last year; I always try to beat my previous year.
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Old May 12, 2011, 05:14 AM   #7
"JJ"
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Thanks Bob! With my limited hunting grounds, some of them are small cattle ranches with calves hitting the ground. So I don't really feel right laying off yet. 27 is a great year! I have to ask though, was it better then the year before?
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Old May 12, 2011, 09:24 AM   #8
Hunter Customs
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Quote:
Thanks Bob! With my limited hunting grounds, some of them are small cattle ranches with calves hitting the ground. So I don't really feel right laying off yet. 27 is a great year! I have to ask though, was it better then the year before?
JJ,

Yes I beat the previous year by two. The way things started out I thought it was going to be more then that. But the drifting snow kept me out of a lot of my places for about four weeks.
I'm looking into buying some snow shoes so that does not happen again.

I also have to quit for about three weeks during our deer season in November, which keeps being extended more every year.
However I have a new strategy to try for that next year.

Any way keep up the good work and it sounds as if that new rifle is still working well for you.

Best Regards
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Old May 12, 2011, 10:15 AM   #9
"JJ"
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Yeah, I love the rifle. The scope & rifle can out shoot me, thats for sure! However, in the pic of the coyote by itself the blood spot is the exit wound. I shot a Hornady 40gr V-max at about 105 yrds. The exit is the exact size of the bullet so no expansion. I had a 220 yrd head shot a couple of weeks ago that didn't expand either, but I attributed that to bone deflection. Maybe it is all coincidental. The ammo is accurate enough though. BTW, I went by and peeked at your sight. Do you compete in the Pin matches or just build the guns? Nice guns by the way! I always though the Bowling Pin matches would be fun!
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Old May 13, 2011, 07:49 AM   #10
Hunter Customs
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Quote:
I went by and peeked at your sight. Do you compete in the Pin matches or just build the guns? Nice guns by the way! I always though the Bowling Pin matches would be fun!
JJ,

I've shot in several different types of handgun competition through the years, pin shooting being one of them.
As a matter of fact pin shooting was my first love as for handgun competition; it's still my favorite.
However all the big pin matches are now gone, I sure do miss those days.

As for the guns, I've built all kinds of custom 1911 pistols, raceguns, limited division guns and good old carry guns.
That being said I retired from competitive shooting about 4 or 5 years back and I'm now semi retired from the shop, (more time for coyote hunting).
Being semi retired from the shop, at the present time I no longer accept work orders for complete custom built guns from the general public. However I do still offer my machining services for custom sight cuts, slide modifications and my "Speed Grip" front strap treatment for the frames of 1911's to the general public.

Thank you for the kind words about the guns I built.

The exit hole does look small, is that the case on all the coyotes you have shot with that ammo?
If so that may be a good ammo or bullet choice for those interested in selling the pelts.
Keep up the good work.

Best Regards
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Old May 13, 2011, 08:35 AM   #11
"JJ"
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This is only the 2nd coyote taken with this ammo the other being the head shot I mentioned. The Hornady V-max is famous for its explosive expansion that usually dunps all of the energy in the body cavity with out an exit which would be even beter for the fur! But my main concern is downing the coyote without tracking a blood trail. Most of my properties I hunt are on the smallish side. A 100 yard death run may make it to a neighboring property. Speaking of competitions, I have shot a few USPSA competitions myself. Believe it or not, I just use my S&W Sigma 9mm. Not the ideal "race gun". But I compete more for the practice under pressure then for the time or titles.
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Old May 14, 2011, 10:57 AM   #12
Hunter Customs
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JJ,

I also shot in some USPSA competition, I competed in three different divisions, open, limited and production.

I shoot Sierra bullets with the mylar tips in my 22-250, they blow up inside and sure slam the coyotes down.

I've also shot coyotes using the 223 shooting Winchester Q loads that have a 45 gr JHP bullet, they would slam the coyotes down with no exit hole but it always took a second shot to keep them anchored. In all fairness to Winchester I believe that load and bullet was intended for prarie dog shooting.

I'll tell you a funny story about shooting a coyote with the 223 Q load.
I was driving west on a gravel road heading home from a couple of my calling spots.
This coyote flys across the road in front of me and heads south through a hay field. There's a picked bean field south of the hay field and a patch of timber south of that, I figure that's where he's heading too.

So I hurry and drive around to the bean field, get out of the truck, head to a mound that had been dozed up in the bean field to prepare to crack the coyote as he crosses the bean field.

Before I get a round chambered the coyote decides not to cross the bean field turns west heads toward me down a fence line, I can't take a shot because there's cattle on the other side of the fence.
He flys across the road south of me heading west down another fence line and I'm running in hot pursuit to get across the road so I can get a shot at him.

I get across the road, get in position to shoot, chamber a round and he's still running west with about a 200 yard distance between us.
I fire the shot and the 223 slams him to the ground, being an old guy and not in the shape I used to be in I decide to go back and get my truck to drive down and pick him up.

I unload my rifle, walk back across the road to my truck, get in and drive to the coyote, get out load my rifle and jab him a couple of times to make sure he's dead. He does not move a muscle and is as limp as an old dish rag.
So I unload my rifle and put it in my truck, pick up the coyote and throw him in the back of my truck to head for home, which is about a 20 minute drive.

My truck has a bed cover on it so with the tail gate closed there's no way to see the coyote.
I get home, drop the tail gate and reach in and grab the coyotes hind foot to pull him out of the truck; he raises his head and growls at me.
I immediately let go of his foot and closed the tail gate on the truck.
I go to the house and retrieve a 45 pistol go back to the truck, lower the tail gate make sure he's still laying with his head toward the cab, grab the coyote by the foot jerking him out of the truck as fast as I can and put a 45 slug in his head; that did the trick.

That was the last coyote I shot using the 223 Q loads. If I ever decide to use that load again to shoot coyotes I'll make sure I have 22 pistol so I can put a shot in their brain pan before I throw them in the truck again.

I love coyote hunting and I've seen some crazy things while doing so.

Best Regards
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Old May 14, 2011, 11:49 AM   #13
"JJ"
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Wow! I would have freaked out! I probably would have had a heart attack! Those coyotes are tuff thats for sure. Google "coyote gets hit by car and takes a 600 mile ride" it almost as crazy as your story! I'm gonna do some more R&D on the Hornady V-max before I rule it out! It is extremely acurate and priced right so I want to like it! You know, come to think of it, yall have those monster coyotes in Missouri don't ya! I think it was in Missouri they killed that 105lb "coyote"! Man, what are yall feeding them?
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Old May 14, 2011, 06:20 PM   #14
Hunter Customs
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Yes I agree coyotes are tough, they have a hell of a tenacity for living.
The biggest coyote I ever killed was a 60 pound male, I thought he was big but 105 pounder would be a giant.

The thing that got me was the amount of time that elapsed from when I shot that coyote and when I loaded him in the truck, when I loaded him he was still as limp as dish rag.
However by the time I got home things changed and it sure was an eye opening experience.
I'm glad that when I loaded him his head was toward the cab and not back by the tail gate.

I'll bet the V-Max bullets will be fine. I'm now using 55 gr JHP bullets for my 223 rifles and I've had no problems with them.

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