mangy coyote

[Mobuck]

We were finishing up spraying yesterday cleaning up some ragged pasture for a neighbor. I was gate guard(cattle still in the field) sitting along the highway. Son called asking if I had a rifle ( )--I ALWAYS HAVE A RIFLE. He'd spooked a mangy coyote that was snoozing in the field and it was headed my way. It popped over the hill top @ 150 yards but with cattle in the background, I had to wait for it to clear and finally got it stopped around 250 yards. The permanent fixture in that vehicle is an AR in 5.45x39 shooting Hornady 60 grain V-Max and it did a perfect job. Bang, whump, down. Landowner said he'd seen it sneaking around his hog barn a couple times and was happy it was gone.

 

[contender]

"Another one bites the dust!" Good for you!

 

[Mobuck]

Rules for life:
#1 Always have a suitable firearm
#2 Be able to use it effectively
#3 Everything else will sort itself out

 

[contender]

 

[Hankus]

This was a standing rule in our hunting club; If you have a beautiful 10 point buck in your sights but can also see a coyote or bobcat, take the predator first! When I'm up there, at any time of the year I carry a .45C Blackhawk loaded with alternating snake shot and heavy hog killer rounds. I've added a .454 Casull/.45C lever action OR my new-to-me Ruger .44 Carbine to the list as I missed a coyote with the revolver a couple of years ago.

 

[Hickle]

Nice snag! Got that coyote like a boss! Always ready with that rifle, ya got skills.

 

[peachhead]

Good shootin Tex
That reminds me, I need to come up with a good rifle rack for my golf cart. I always have a handgun but I never really thought about carrying a rifle with me all the time.

 

[OMCHamlin]

an AR in 5.45x39 shooting Hornady 60 grain V-Max

How about that? How does that do? (I mean, obviously, it damn well gets it done in this regard), but is that a common conversion? Good job on the yote, but post a rifle pic, I'd like to see that.

 

[Mobuck]

The pickup rifle is an original production S&W (STAG) upper from an early production run(20 years old?). The 5.45x39 is a good varmint caliber when used with the 60 grain V-Max Hornady ammo. I've shot it side by side with a comparable .223 and it holds it's own well beyond 400 yards. At 600, there's actually less drop and wind drift than a .223 55 grain SP.
I really wanted to jump on the current production brass cased Hornady but simply have more 5.45x39 than most would consider logical.
I also have an Adams Arms 5.45 that will exceed most accuracy demands USING STEEL CASE MIL-SPEC type ammo. It's scary when fed RWS brass cased FMJ (not seen on the market for 20 years).

 

[Wvfarrier]

No matter what I am hunting, if I see a coyote, it becomes a coyote hunt

 

[KIR]

Never met a coyote that wasn't mangy!

 

[Mobuck]

We may be gaining on the predator population locally. Caught 7 female coyotes in a one mile length of fence line. Unsure how many we shot and didn't even retrieve. End result: seeing many more rabbits, turkeys, and deer fawns.

 

[contender]

That's GOOD news!

 

[hittman]

If Coyotes will keep the raccoon population in check I know some folks in Lewis country who would welcome them.

 

[Mobuck]

Not sure on that. Coyotes hardly even bother a skinned raccoon carcass so doubtful they'd bother with actually killing one.
The raccoon problem is widespread and getting expensive. In 2021, raccoons destroyed or damaged around 3 acres of corn on one of the farms we operate. Other parts of the field made 180 bu/ac. Coon damage ran up to the $500 per acre range. Bunny cops said: "hey, we'll ALLOW you to trap them early". Allow my butt, your livestock--you handle the problem. Yeah, right.

 

[Jeepnik]

Never met a coyote that wasn't mangy!

You should see them around here. Big and well fed. Their only natural enemy is the automobile. And people keep feeding them their cats and small dogs. They are starting to pack up as the small animals are becoming scarce so it won't be long until they start taking larger dogs and small children.