Coyote Hunting with a motion alarm

[Zhe Wiz]

When do you sleep?

Some nights it's pretty rough when the foxes and owls all decide to visit. Throw in a passing deer and it's 4-5 triggers on some nights. BUT it's usually once or twice or none at all. On nights I can't deal I just leave the indoor beeper off for a good night's sleep. :-)

Thankfully my wife has grown quite tolerant of it and my kids don't hear the beeper or the shot when a coyote does show up.

Zhe Wiz

[josephmrtn]

Some nights it's pretty rough when the foxes and owls all decide to visit. Throw in a passing deer and it's 4-5 triggers on some nights. BUT it's usually once or twice or none at all. On nights I can't deal I just leave the indoor beeper off for a good night's sleep. :-)Thankfully my wife has grown quite tolerant of it and my kids don't hear the beeper or the shot when a coyote does show up. Zhe Wiz

Hmmm looks like I might be buying a motion detector

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk 2

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Or just get permission.

 

 

Figured he couldn't get permission of the legality of it wouldn't be a comment

[Zhe Wiz]

How was the deer population this year. Or turkey population

Good question if I had to go by my sightings and neighbors success, or lack thereof, I'd say the deer population seems to be DOWN around my house this year. None of us had any success.

Turkeys, on the other hand, seem to be way up in numbers. I'm seeing more of them and seeing them more often - significantly so.

All anecdotal of course, but it seems deer are relatively unaffected, but turkeys are loving my coyote control efforts.

Zhe Wiz

Edited December 31, 2013 by Zhe Wiz

[Zhe Wiz]

Hmmm looks like I might be buying a motion detector ;)Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk 2

In case you can't tell, I HIGHLY recommend it. :-). Sleeping has never been this much fun. ;-)

Zhe Wiz

[Fletch]

Figured he couldn't get permission of the legality of it wouldn't be a comment

 

That would be a good bet.

 

Keep us updated on your success this year. I am curious to see if they remain as thick.

[Zhe Wiz]

Well, it's not a coyote, but...

Head shot at 170 yards with the 22-250. Fox fur is apparently more valuable anyway.

Zhe Wiz

[NY Region 3 Trapper]

Nice job.

[Zhe Wiz]

Well the beeper strikes again!  Interesting night!

 

It all started around 9:30.  The 170 yard beeper went off, but only once.  I grabbed my vest and gun, rushed out and looked around.  I saw nothing at first, but then caught some movement through the Digisight night scope.  200 yards, near the woods, looked like a bigger than average coyote.  Unfortunately I couldn't get a shot as he slipped into the woods.  I kept watching for the next 10-15 minutes as he ate at the small upper bait pile I had placed just inside the woods.  I was hoping that pile would "comfort" them with a little bit of cover and they'd eventually come down to the closer, open pile.  Sometimes that works, but it seems they often go back up there and don't stay long at the pile out in the open.

 

Anyway, as I'm watching his occasional eye shine thru the trees, I eventually realize there's not one but TWO coyotes up there enjoying the deer carcass.  I continue to watch, and although I never had 3 sets of eyes shining at the same time, I'm PRETTY sure there were at least 3 coyotes up there.  I eventually gave up, getting cold as none of them were even thinking about coming out of the woods.  Decided to let them enjoy there meal and headed up to bed.

 

I have a friend who recently bought a B-Mag...in the only caliber it is currently available - .17 WSM.  He came over on Sunday night and said I could keep it until I'm successful killing something with it.  I did bring that gun out too while I was watching the coyotes, but it was clear that the scope wasn't clear enough to see that far in the dark, even with the near full moon that was out.  He does have a spotlight mounted on the scope, but I didn't want to risk using it, as my experience around here is that as soon as the light goes on, the coyotes go home.  They bolt, they don't stick around.  I clearly will need some good moonlight AND snow on the ground before I'll be able to shoot one with that gun.  I'm hoping I can get one with it, I REALLY want to see what it can do, and if it's a little more pelt friendly than the 6mm.  Stay tuned, hopefully one will come to the REAL close bait pile (100 yards according to my range finder) in the next week or so.

 

Anyway, back to the story.  I was hoping to get another alarm soon after returning to bed, but I got nothing.  Around 2:05am, I got a single beep from one of the sensors.  That sensor is mounted really high up on a fence post near the Western edge of my property and usually only gets deer as they come and go.  I need to drop it down, but haven't gotten around to it.  I dreamily thought "deer" and started to doze off when about 2 minutes later the DOUBLE beep triggered signaling something at the 170 yard pile.  I jumped up, grabbed the vest and looked with the binoculars to see what it was.  Was treated to the silhouette of a definite coyote.  Ran to garage WITH THE B-Mag, and TRIED to get a shot at him, but there simply wasn't enough light, even at 140 yards.  So I quickly switched to the 6mm.  I thought I may have waited too long as he started heading East, away from the pile and into the brush.  Fortunately, he came back!  With him broadside at 160ish yards, I put the red dot on his chest and squeezed.

 

After the recoil and smoke cleared, I could clearly see the "bite the thing that bit me" move, he spun and headed West while spinning.  Again, only a very brief view of him, then...nothing.  I couldn't see if he kept going, fell, nothing.  Couldn't even get any eye shine.  So I took my time, put on some warm stuff and boots, grabbed the 22 pistol and headed up with a head mounted flashlight.  I was treated to a VERY healthy blood trail headed WNW, I stood there and followed the blood with my headlight...eyes shine at 30 yards!!  Didn't seem to be blinking, but I put my ear muffs on and pulled the 22 just in case.  Walked over to find him completely dead, no second shot required.  From the exit wound it looks like a near perfect shot, perhaps a little further back than I'd hoped, but obviously deadly.

 

So, he's a rather HEAVY adult male.  I think he needs to be weighed, as he may exceed the biggest (40 lb. female) I've shot to date.  He's heavy.  Very thick body, husky, healthy male as you can kinda see in the pic.  When I grabbed him to drag I realized he's definitely heavier than the average coyote, looks like another good pelt too.

 

Anyone curious about pelt prices.  I got $14 for the coyote pelts with holes, $26 for a TRAPPED pelt (no hole, not mine, friend of mine) and $36 for the head shot fox pelt. Not bad.  Even though i split the money with my friend, it still pays for ammo.  I only wish I had started selling them sooner!

 

Here he is, #20 overall, #4 this year.  Still loving the motion sensor/bait pile combo.  No it isn't hunting, but sure is an effective kill method.  Picture taken from the EXIT wound side.  Using 6mm, 100 grain soft point bullets.  Hand loaded for approx. 3,000 fps.

 

 

Zhe Wiz

 

[Cabin Fever]

Very Nice! Wack 'em and stack 'em!!!

[Zhe Wiz]

Just weighed him: 42.2 lbs. makes him the heaviest of the 20 I've shot.

[Zhe Wiz]

Seems the cold weather was keeping them away, almost NO activity from foxes or ANYTHING during our deep freeze.  I guess they like pre-heated (live) food rather than sub zero frozen food?

 

Anyway, I was away on business last week, returned Friday night and turned the motion sensor on immediately.  First night, fox hit it, Saturday night?  Fox.  Sunday night?  Fox.  Monday night?  Fox!  Monday night I turned the sensor off at 2AM so I could finally get some sleep!  That damn fox (and a rat tail looking thing too!) is PERSISTENT.  He comes over and over and over on most nights when he/she decides to come.  Geez.

 

So yesterday I added a fresh black "chicken" to the bait pile.  Fox came early and often again, dragged the bird away a few yards, something finally pulled it apart, not sure what or when exactly.  Again I turned off the UPSTAIRS (important!) sensor only so we could sleep, leaving the downstairs one "on" but at it's lowest volume level.  I don't even hear it at that level, but my wife still does.  Well at around 4:10AM, she heard the d/s beeper and poked me. :-)  I decided to go have a look since I wasn't fully asleep anyway.  Gun was already out in the garage ready to go from the many fox visits, so grabbed my ear protection and went out to have a look.  PRETTY sure that's too big for a fox!  Watched him for a few seconds, turned on the camera (another fail, I hate that damn thing...more later) and waited as he switched from broadside to straight on, then broadside again.  Not much light last night, so tricky to see well enough for perfect shot placement even with night scope, but aimed for shoulder area and fired.  With the exception of a twitch or two, he did not move.  DRT.  I'm using 100 grain soft points, they are WAY over powered for coyotes.  The coyotes are dead, but too much fur damage.  Gonna have to work up a different load.  These were deer loads my brother had left over when he sold me the gun.  Anyway, it turned out to be a neck shot which is why he didn't go anywhere.

 

So here he is...a VERY PRETTY adult male.  Good sized though I have not weighed him.

 

 

Video issues.  I have inserted a plastic tab between one of the batteries and the metal it contacts with to keep the batteries lasting longer on the video recorder.  All I have to do is pull it out to activate the batteries, then turn on the camera and hit record.  Well, I pulled that tab out, turned on the camera and started recording.  All lights looked normal.  After I took the shot and went to press "stop" I noticed the lights were flashing VERY quickly, which indicates low battery.  Stupid thing wouldn't STOP no matter how many times I pushed the stop button. Finally had to push the power button.  It turned off, but did NOT save the video which I've noticed before.  You HAVE to push Stop to save the video.  This damn thing is way too picky, but I guess that's what I get for being "cheap."  :-)  I think because the gun and batteries were left in the garage over night and it was cold out there, the batteries lost power.  Guess I need to switch to lithiums in the cold weather, or leave the gun inside.

 

Oh well, he's still dead. :-)

 

Zhe Wiz

[NYBuckHunter27]

Awesome color!

[Zhe Wiz]

Well a day after I shot the most beautiful coyote I've ever shot (#21) I shot the nastiest looking coyote you'll ever see.  I put this one out of his misery I think.  Close you're eyes if you have a weak stomach. :-)

 

This is number 22 overall, #6 this year.  A young male.  I just left this one on the bait pile, no fur here!

 

Zhe Wiz

 

 

[BizCT]

That blonde one is awesome!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shawnhu]

That blonde one is awesome!!!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They usually are....

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[Paula]

cool

 

[Zhe Wiz]

Woo hoo! Motion sensor strikes again! After a few weeks of only foxes, this adult male tripped the sensor just before 1am. Nice bright, moonlit night so I used the slightly more pelt friendly 22-250 to do the honors. He ran a little farther than with the 6mm, but 100 yards later dead is dead. :-)

#7 on the year, 23rd since I started 2 years ago.

Zhe Wiz

[Zhe Wiz]

And #8 died last night a little after 9pm. A female this time. Shot her twice with the 6mm, not much left to take a picture of. :-)

[NY Region 3 Trapper]

And #8 died last night a little after 9pm. A female this time. Shot her twice with the 6mm, not much left to take a picture of. :-)

nice job.

[Zhe Wiz]

Technically this one doesn't belong in the motion alarm section, as it never went anywhere near the bait pile or triggered the beeper...but still.  :-)

 

Well it's 9AM, broad daylight and I'm working from home as always.  Dog wants to go out, but I'm in the middle of composing an email and didn't get up right away to let him out.  About a minute later he starts going NUTS, barking like crazy.  I spring up (OK, now THAT's important enough for me to stop the email!) and run to the window expecting to see deer, they've been all over the last week or so.  Nope, COYOTE!!  And it's only about 75 yards from my house!  I started for the gun but realized I didn't have my vest on, and therefore, no ammo!  Ran back to grab two 22-250 bullets and rushed back for my hearing protection and gun then out the door while loading up.  Dog going crazy the whole time, coyote just watching them.

 

By the time I get out and set up, coyote is on the move - away from the house.  I waited for it to turn broadside and slow down a bit, aimed behind the shoulder and fired!  I can see through the scope just before recoil that I hit her, she jumped, stumbled and ran into the brush.  I reloaded for a second shot but didn't see her at first.  Finally I see her walking up near the top of the field about 200 yards away.  Then she slowed down, spun, fell and didn't get up. I didn't have to fire a second shot.  She ran/walked about 120 yards or more I'd say from where I shot to where she fell.  I'm using VERY FAST (4500 fps) 35 grain bullets out of the 22-250.  Coyotes consistently run further with that load than they do when hit with the 100 grain 6mm bullets. :-)  But they still die.

 

So I went up and inspected things.  I could not find a DROP of blood anywhere, and the ground is still COMPLETELY snow covered.  I went where I hit her, where she ran, went to the other end where she fell.  No blood on the snow, no blood on the coyote.  No exit wound and apparently no entrance wound!  :-)  Glad I didn't have to track that, I would have thought I missed!!  No evidence of a hit anywhere except her reaction and the dead coyote in the picture below. :-)

 

Anyway, #9 this year (my goal was 10!) an adult FEMALE coyote again.  Here's the entrance side, not that you can tell!

 

 

[otis]

How long do the batteries last on the sensors if left on?

[Zhe Wiz]

I use Lithiums and they go about 10-11 months on the most frequently triggered sensor, over a year on the others.

[Fletch]

Still going strong! That blonde is very nice.

[otis]

its pretty good i guess compared to other motion sensors.

 

I just ordered the Chamberlain CWA2000 with 3 extra sensors. too bad coyote season is almost over but turkey almost here. should be interesting.