Post by 45shooter on Dec 28, 2012 11:34:54 GMT -5
It was a great time to be out last night. I was on Timex's lease in Illinois. I set up on the west side of a levee overlooking a field. I was sitting just off the top of the levee so I wouldn't be silhouetted against the sky. I could easily see 250 yards without a light. My thinking was to catch one trying to get downwind of my call.
I started out with a male long howl from my FoxPro Spitfire. A pack immediately began howling and yipping. They were within 100 yards and directly behind me to the east.
I switched to a rabbit distress and scooted around so that I could watch the top of the levee to the north. After about 5 minutes I could see movement about 40 yards away. It was a coyote crossing the levee. Since I was sitting just off the top of the levee, he wasn't silhouetted against the snow, but against the treeline. So, it was a little difficult to see.
My coyote hunting rig is a CZ550 in .243 with 6-18x44 Leupold VXII. 6X at 40 yards, a coyote pretty much fills up the scope.
How could I miss.....was the thought that went through my head at he darted across the field after the bang and flash. I worked the bolt and could easily see him at about 70 yards out, put the cross hairs on him....bang. He seemed to slow down, but I realized he was just loping through the deep snow.
I worked the bolt again. Now he's about 100 yards out. Same drill as before. Cross hairs on him. Bang. He's still going. I've got one more round in the rifle.
I work the bolt again. My scope has an adjustable objective. I turned it down to about 50 yards when I set up. He's getting fuzzy now. He's about 150 yards out. I lead him by about half a yote length and pull the trigger one more time. I hear the round slap his ribs and can see him doing the funky chicken for about 5 heartbeats, then expire.
It was a pretty exciting night.
I started out with a male long howl from my FoxPro Spitfire. A pack immediately began howling and yipping. They were within 100 yards and directly behind me to the east.
I switched to a rabbit distress and scooted around so that I could watch the top of the levee to the north. After about 5 minutes I could see movement about 40 yards away. It was a coyote crossing the levee. Since I was sitting just off the top of the levee, he wasn't silhouetted against the snow, but against the treeline. So, it was a little difficult to see.
My coyote hunting rig is a CZ550 in .243 with 6-18x44 Leupold VXII. 6X at 40 yards, a coyote pretty much fills up the scope.
How could I miss.....was the thought that went through my head at he darted across the field after the bang and flash. I worked the bolt and could easily see him at about 70 yards out, put the cross hairs on him....bang. He seemed to slow down, but I realized he was just loping through the deep snow.
I worked the bolt again. Now he's about 100 yards out. Same drill as before. Cross hairs on him. Bang. He's still going. I've got one more round in the rifle.
I work the bolt again. My scope has an adjustable objective. I turned it down to about 50 yards when I set up. He's getting fuzzy now. He's about 150 yards out. I lead him by about half a yote length and pull the trigger one more time. I hear the round slap his ribs and can see him doing the funky chicken for about 5 heartbeats, then expire.
It was a pretty exciting night.
