First Predator Hunt

[Zag]

Good luck, it's definitely challenging. I bought a fox pro last yr and gave it a go maybe 10 times. The first time I went at the crack of dawn and fired the call up as soon as I could see enough to shoot. I was clueless and was hitting all sorts of calls, soon I had them barking in multiple direction, I'm pumped and expected my hunt would end in a kill, well I never saw them. Every time after I was a dud. 

[Steve D]

1 hour ago, stubborn1VT said:

I have rolled too many coyotes with turkey loads (all 30-40yds

3" mag. with copper buffed 4's or 3 1/2" mag at a minimum.

 

1 hour ago, stubborn1VT said:

I've had good luck with my .22 mag under 75yds

Best rounds out of a .22 mag are these"

 

 

[doebuck1234]

Best of luck moog and excited for an outcome!!

[stubborn1VT]

I have had good luck with the Remington .22 Mags.  I have shot coyotes with 3" 12 gauge copper plated #4 turkey loads.  I have yet to recover one.  These were all coyotes called in to turkey decoys and known yardages.  We can hunt coyotes year round.  I need to get off my butt and try calling them soon.  Never had any luck with that.  I saw a big yellow male earlier in the week in my picked over soybean plot.  There was a bobcat in almost the exact same spot yesterday just before dark!  

[Steve D]

18 minutes ago, stubborn1VT said:

I have shot coyotes with 3" 12 gauge copper plated #4 turkey loads.  I have yet to recover one.

I use a extra full choke...keeps the pattern pretty tight so it has to be a good shot. Short yardages are the best. 50 yds. or less. I think anything over that and you are pushing it.

[Robhuntandfish]

im thinking about going this weekend too.  Need to get outside, got the winter blahs.  Gotta sight in the .22 mag first though.  got a new scope for it.

[stubborn1VT]

2 hours ago, Steve D said:

I use a extra full choke...keeps the pattern pretty tight so it has to be a good shot. Short yardages are the best. 50 yds. or less. I think anything over that and you are pushing it.

This was with an 870 with a turkey choke.  Can't get much tighter than that!

[Steve D]

I seldom use a shotgun. My go to is the .22 mag with the v-max at night. During the day I will use the .223 but will use the .22 mag. on occasion . About the only time I use the shotgun is for greys, and if I am hunting the woods, but have killed coyotes with the shotgun. A couple of dog guys I know only hunt them with shotguns and do pretty good.

As with anything else...shot placement is the key to success.

[grampy]

My buddy uses a 22 Hornet. That puts em down pretty good. My 7mm-08 is a bit overkill, but great for those long shots.

Good luck in the morning moog! Let us know how it all works out.

[PREDATE]

I upgraded from .22mag to .243 for yotes. They don't move after getting hit with an 80gr. jacketed softpoint @3,300fps!
I watched my brother drop a running yote at over 100yds with a .22lr back in the late 90's so it can be done but I'd personally only take headshots.
I think you have the basics covered. Make sure you can see downwind a good ways and don't hesitate to set up with terrain features that might block them from approaching from downwind such as a creek or ravine. Keep the sun at your back and be ready. I always start by calling softly for a few minutes just in case there are any k9s nearby(they wont respond to a 60lb cottontail LOL). Dont over call and give daytime sets up to 1/2hr before moving on.
Fox wont always run the other way from coyote vocals. Just 2 weeks ago I did a few howls and had no response so as a last ditch effort I hit the coyote distress and out comes a red fox barking.

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[Doc]

I am thinking that every gun cabinet looks a bit bare without a .222 or a .223 rifle in it.....lol. I think you have to consider the situation that usually happens, where the yote, and even foxes will hang up at 100 yards or so, and simply refuse to come any closer. It seems to happen more often than not, and it is nice to have enough gun to reach out and touch those nervous coyotes.

[stubborn1VT]

10 hours ago, Steve D said:

I seldom use a shotgun. My go to is the .22 mag with the v-max at night. During the day I will use the .223 but will use the .22 mag. on occasion . About the only time I use the shotgun is for greys, and if I am hunting the woods, but have killed coyotes with the shotgun. A couple of dog guys I know only hunt them with shotguns and do pretty good.

As with anything else...shot placement is the key to success.

So you've blamed the loads, the choke, and now my shot placement.  I'm not buying it.  I have shot coyotes in the head and in the chest with turkey loads at less than 40 yards and they ran off!  I have friends that have had similar experiences.  I don't mind that we disagree.  It does seem odd that you are determined to explain my results (or lack thereof) away.  

By the way, I totally agree with the .22 Mag.  I use the Remington rounds and they hit hard!

Edited January 27, 2018 by stubborn1VT
typo

[airedale]

I used a shotgun quite a bit when calling Fox in the woods, 3" copper plated BBs worked out well for me at typical woods distances. Fox are small and when you skin one out and see their actual body it will be understood it don't take a whole lot to kill one.

Coyotes on the other hand are substantially larger and can be 40 lbs and above easily. I have used a rifle for all my Coyote kills except got one I killed with a 410 slug so I have no experience hunting them with a shotgun.  Were I to target Coyotes my formula for using a shotgun would be a tight pattern with large shot (small Buck) to get clean kills. I have not used it myself but from all I have ever heard and read the Hevi Shot Dead Coyote ammo is tough to beat if you are hunting Coyotes at shorter ranges with a scattergun.

Al

Edited January 27, 2018 by airedale

[TACC]

Best rounds out of a .22 mag are these"
 
 

The 22 mags worked , but the 22 hornet, I prefer for the added velocity, and little to none recoil as well. I also use the Hornady VMAX in that as well.

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[turkeyfeathers]

I know # 4 buckshot is very popular in predator hunting. 

[TreeGuy]

I used a shotgun quite a bit when calling Fox in the woods, 3" copper plated BBs worked out well for me at typical woods distances. Fox are small and when you skin one out and see their actual body it will be understood it don't take a whole lot to kill one.
Coyotes on the other hand are substantially larger and can be 40 lbs and above easily. I have used a rifle for all my Coyote kills except got one I killed with a 410 slug so I have no experience hunting them with a shotgun.  Were I to target Coyotes my formula for using a shotgun would be a tight pattern with large shot (small Buck) to get clean kills. I have not used it myself but from all I have ever heard and read the Hevi Shot Dead Coyote ammo is tough to beat if you are hunting Coyotes at shorter ranges with a scattergun.
Al

That dead coyote hevi shot is like 60$ for a box of 10.....

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[helmut in the bush]

I've dropped a few with a 22mag, I also hit one in the shoulder with the 22mag @ about 50yds and that one turned and ran off, must of hit some bone. When I hunt with the guys with the hound's, just about everybody has a 12ga with 3.5" #4 buckshot, 54 pellets 

[Steve D]

2 hours ago, stubborn1VT said:

So you've blamed the loads, the choke, and now my shot placement.  I'm not buying it.  I have shot coyotes in the head and in the chest with turkey loads at less than 40 yards and they ran off!  I have friends that have had similar experiences.  I don't mind that we disagree.  It does seem odd that you are determined to explain my results (or lack thereof) away.  

 First of all I am not criticizing ANYTHING about your loads, choke, shot placement, or your techniques. Just explaining what has worked for me. When I travel to hunt or hunt all night I usually carry two guns and one is a shotgun. One night after missing three fox with the .22 mag (which is normally deadly accurate) I pulled out the back up which on this night was a .20 gauge double barrel with 3" mag copper buffed 4's. I made a stand expecting to call gray fox when all of the sudden two coyotes came rushing in from behind me at approximately 35-40 yds. I shot the lead one and it rolled ass over tea cups dead and the second one took off.

 I also have hit fox & coyotes and had them get away. It happens and I usually blame it on bad shot placement on my part. When I hit them good they go down plain & simple. Up until the time I bought the .22 mag. I shot a lot of fox with a shotgun and also lost a few. When I started using the .22 mag I lost more than I got and was ready to give it up until I started using the v-max bullets. Since using the v-max I have not lost one unless it was a miss.

I am not a big fan of carrying a center fire at night and only use it during the day. A lot of guys do hunt with a center fire at night but I prefer not to. To each there own. I am just explaining what has worked for me.

Lets face it some have been shot and killed with a .22 but that doesn't mean I am going to use one. Maybe your coyotes are bigger and tougher than ours who knows. Here is an example: This was a 250yd shot with a.243 using a 87 grain v-max bullet:

 

[Dom]

Only a hunch but my 10guage would also be not enough gun for yotes.

[Steve D]

29 minutes ago, Dom said:

Only a hunch but my 10guage would also be not enough gun for yotes.

10 ga. should be fine with the proper shells.

[stubborn1VT]

Good info Steve.  I've just had bad experiences with the shotgun.  I suspect buckshot would fix my issues, but I always seem to call in coyotes when I'm turkey hunting.

I love my .22 Mag.  Some people feel they aren't enough gun, but I have always been impressed with the energy transfer.  They do have a limited range compared to the centerfire varmint rounds, but for the woods and at night I find it ideal.  Probably my favorite gun to shoot. 

Always wanted to set up a .22-250 or .223 for coyotes, but always found another use for the money (like food, gas, insurance bill etc.)

[TreeGuy]

If you can find a buckshot that will pattern well, it's a deadly combo. Out of my jellyhead choke, turkey loads like win xr or magnum blend have got me a dozen or so dogs, with NO runners. Buckshot will not pattern for me out past 40. I tried at least 4-5 different loads from cheap to expensive with similar results. I would shoot a dog 60+ with Xr's and not hesitate. Buckshot would keep me inside 40 and that's just too much of a risk where I'm at. I have shot only a few dogs within that range. Most are at the 50-100 range.

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[moog5050]

No luck on Fox this morning but had fun.  Took a squirrel snack home.  My buddy and I were trading off the pellet gun.  They scamper quick. 3 ain’t going to be much of a meal.   Had a few deer hanging around too.  Bedded within 75yds and never left when we were calling.   Walked by them at less than 20yds and they were calm as could be. 

[moog5050]

By the way, the rabbit in distress call sure got the crows talking and circling.  

[Steve D]

1 hour ago, stubborn1VT said:

I love my .22 Mag.  Some people feel they aren't enough gun, but I have always been impressed with the energy transfer.  They do have a limited range compared to the centerfire varmint rounds, but for the woods and at night I find it ideal.  Probably my favorite gun to shoot

I agree....here are some victims of my  .22 mag. I am considering a .17 wsm upper for my AR but that is another conversation

Moog don't give up.....keep trying ....still a nice day out