For those 'seasoned' 'yote hunters here.... realistically, what do you estimate as your AVERAGE shot distance on coyotes (taken or missed)?
I'm certain there are a few here who could tell us spellbinding stories of successful heart shots at remarkable distances. I don't have that kind of 'exposure' or experience at it, but hunted quite a few years ago.... and I would guess my average shot (taken) would be about 85-100yards, and no more. I know I've taken several successful heart/lung shots inside 75 yards.
Never really taken any long. long shots on coyote..... but not all the 'amazing' shots involve distance.
I dropped two yotes with one bullet, back in 1985. Now it wasn't a one-shot/two kill scenario. Here's why. I had scouted this small group of coyotes for a couple months, off and on. I knew there was at least one real big male among them, and I felt sure that I had seen two big boys once, on the same run, on the same afternoon.
Anyway, I was set up on a quite cold, windy day... very little snow on the ground, but some falling. I was literally sitting on the ground (on a mat) in the tall grass... about 40 yards off what I had determined was their common run/path. This group of yotes did something that I thought (from my experience, at least)was a little odd. They always traveled "due North" evry afternoon, toward a small wooded creek bed. Most yotes I have hunted traveled mainly east in the evening and back west in the early morning (in an elongated 'oval' with some N/S travel). These, always made a long straight-north run that I would estimate at five miles or more.
Oops. back to the shot.
I don't know if I heard the first yote coming thru the grass, or just sensed it. She was big (I thought it was a male at first). The grass was taller than I anticipated.... when it came down to shouldering my rifle and taking aim on a yote. As she moved north (I was facing east), I would see her, then lose sight for a"a step or two" and then see her again. I raised up and sat on my heels.... and fired one shot at her just as she was beginning to move away from me, farther north. I had aimed right behind the base of her head, but two inches low. That .243 rang out and echoed pretty good across that grassy field, as it was surrounded on three sides by small woods.
I honestly didn't know if I had gotten that yote, or not. Of course I always follow up on any such shot.... so I headed NE to try and find a 'kill'. Within a minute, I heard, then saw... a thrashing in the grass.... but quite a ways up. I didn't think that yote could possibly run that far, that fast, if hit properly. The 'thrashing' calmed a bit, and I headed that direction.
Six or seven steps later, I come upon the female. Dead, motionless, shot thru the chest. She was damn big, and right then was when I realized she was "a she". Suddenly, I hear more thrashing. I grab my rifle and head farther NE. And wihin 50 ft there was another big yote, bleeding from his head area and unable to get up. I carefully approached him, and put a second round in his head.
All I can tell you is, that .243 bullet had to travel thru that females chest, hitting a rib upon exiting or something. and hit the male like a bad head-shot.... when I never knew the male was with her. I finally assumed that she must have been following/trailing him... but he was farther east and I couldn't see him in the grass.
Still took TWO bullets, tho.
So, what's your true average shot distance on coyotes????
I'm certain there are a few here who could tell us spellbinding stories of successful heart shots at remarkable distances. I don't have that kind of 'exposure' or experience at it, but hunted quite a few years ago.... and I would guess my average shot (taken) would be about 85-100yards, and no more. I know I've taken several successful heart/lung shots inside 75 yards.
Never really taken any long. long shots on coyote..... but not all the 'amazing' shots involve distance.
I dropped two yotes with one bullet, back in 1985. Now it wasn't a one-shot/two kill scenario. Here's why. I had scouted this small group of coyotes for a couple months, off and on. I knew there was at least one real big male among them, and I felt sure that I had seen two big boys once, on the same run, on the same afternoon.
Anyway, I was set up on a quite cold, windy day... very little snow on the ground, but some falling. I was literally sitting on the ground (on a mat) in the tall grass... about 40 yards off what I had determined was their common run/path. This group of yotes did something that I thought (from my experience, at least)was a little odd. They always traveled "due North" evry afternoon, toward a small wooded creek bed. Most yotes I have hunted traveled mainly east in the evening and back west in the early morning (in an elongated 'oval' with some N/S travel). These, always made a long straight-north run that I would estimate at five miles or more.
Oops. back to the shot.
I don't know if I heard the first yote coming thru the grass, or just sensed it. She was big (I thought it was a male at first). The grass was taller than I anticipated.... when it came down to shouldering my rifle and taking aim on a yote. As she moved north (I was facing east), I would see her, then lose sight for a"a step or two" and then see her again. I raised up and sat on my heels.... and fired one shot at her just as she was beginning to move away from me, farther north. I had aimed right behind the base of her head, but two inches low. That .243 rang out and echoed pretty good across that grassy field, as it was surrounded on three sides by small woods.
I honestly didn't know if I had gotten that yote, or not. Of course I always follow up on any such shot.... so I headed NE to try and find a 'kill'. Within a minute, I heard, then saw... a thrashing in the grass.... but quite a ways up. I didn't think that yote could possibly run that far, that fast, if hit properly. The 'thrashing' calmed a bit, and I headed that direction.
Six or seven steps later, I come upon the female. Dead, motionless, shot thru the chest. She was damn big, and right then was when I realized she was "a she". Suddenly, I hear more thrashing. I grab my rifle and head farther NE. And wihin 50 ft there was another big yote, bleeding from his head area and unable to get up. I carefully approached him, and put a second round in his head.
All I can tell you is, that .243 bullet had to travel thru that females chest, hitting a rib upon exiting or something. and hit the male like a bad head-shot.... when I never knew the male was with her. I finally assumed that she must have been following/trailing him... but he was farther east and I couldn't see him in the grass.
Still took TWO bullets, tho.
So, what's your true average shot distance on coyotes????
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