Little Runaway

6mm06

6mm06

Well-known member
There have been a couple of coyotes coming to my site recently. I stayed 4 consecutive nights and nothing, then on the 5th and 6th night that I didn't hunt, there they were. So, last night was the 7th night and I hunted. The alarm sounded at 0405 in the morning and around a minute later I squeezed the trigger. He appeared to be a young coyote, nervy, probably this year's pup. The shot looked good (considering 99% humidity) but upon examining the video it appears my hold may have been a little low. The coyote might win a medal for a good broad jump, but then he ran. I didn't recover him despite quite a bit of looking on the steep thick hillside. Sickening is the word, but we all have it at times. In the 13 years that I have been hunting from the shack, this is only the second coyote to escape. The first one was mortally wounded and barely made it through the thick laurels when I tracked it the next morning. It's anyone's guess about this one.

I used the 6.5 Grendel and 90 gr. Varmageddons, and the Pulsar Apex thermal scope. The Grendel and Varmageddons have been pure death on them, but since last year I have a couple of runners, I think due to shot placement. Broadside shots and they just drop, but at an angle or quartering I have had runners. I guess the Varmageddons are pretty fragile.

Here's the video.

 
Looked good to me. I had almost the identical situation a few years ago, shooting a Grendel and Varmageddons. Distance was a little further though. My coyote jumped in the air, like yours, and took off running. Luckily, I was in an open cow pasture, and saw him when he finally fell. That coyote ran over 150 yds before realizing he was dead. I hit it just behind the front shoulder, and there was a hole about the size of a softball.
Most places I hunt, I would have never found it, due to woods or property lines.
 
Glad you had some action. Hoping that the buzzards say you made a good shot cause it sure looked like it. Thanks for the video.
 
If the buzzards don't find it because of thick cover, I'll bet your nose can in about 2 days. I have 'smelled' out a few in the past.
 
It's possible that coyote is dead somewhere, but I searched a few acres of stuff like this and couldn't find it. I took these photos yesterday while searching.
It's like finding a needle in a haystack.

53971960456_2de4fc90be_b.jpg


53971090277_93398db182_b.jpg
 
Last edited:
Rugged terrain for sure there 6. I expect you'll probably see buzzards circling around the general vicinity of the carcass.
 
6mm06 said:
It's possible that coyote is dead somewhere, but I searched a few acres of stuff like this and couldn't find it. I took these photos yesterday while searching.
It's like finding a needle in a haystack.

53971960456_2de4fc90be_b.jpg


53971090277_93398db182_b.jpg
Click to expand...
If your bound and determined to find one after a day or two, make a zig zag pattern into the wind to maybe get a whiff of the dead smell
 
Somehow I think that coyote ran much further than the area I searched, and the hillsides and hollows are vast, especially not knowing which way he may have gone after leaving the field. It would be an exhausting effort and most likely unproductive to try any further. I haven't seen any buzzards circling lately either. Guess I will just chalk this one up to a loss.
 
Last edited:
6mm06 said:
Somehow I think that coyote ran much further than the area I searched, and the hillsides and hollows are vast, especially not knowing which way he may have gone after leaving the field. It would be an exhausting effort and most likely unproductive to try and further. I haven't seen any buzzards circling lately either. Guess I will just chalk this one up to a loss.
Click to expand...
Is there water within 1/4 mile or so, may be an option. I agree with infidel use the wind to your favor rotting dogs are strong smelling. Even a pet dog can be a good tracker and very useful.
 
There is a pond down the hollow at 90 degrees from the direction he ran, but he didn't turn that way. I went down to the pond anyway. He seemed to be running straight, following the field and heading to the woods behind the shack. There is a mountain stream a pretty good distance on down the hollow, but it"s not an enjoyable trek to get there. Mountain Laurel so thick you can't crawl through, steep and rocky outcrops with low growing brush, and steep forested hillsides with blow- downs here and there is the norm. The area is not pleasant. I have been through there in years past and have no desire to do it again. All that, not to mention copperhead infested. And, the prevailing wind blows 90 degrees kind-of toward the pond and not the direction the coyote ran. Then too, I am 73 and while I am in pretty good health, I'm not as agile as I once was. Would not be good for me to get down there in that mess and get hurt.
 
Last edited:
That looked like it was on him when the shot broke. Even slowing the video down to 1/4 speed seems to affirm that. Have you double checked where the gun is hitting at that distance?
 
Wildflights, yes I checked zero at 60 yards. Impact was 1/2" low and 1" left of center. From the video it appears I was holding a bit low too, so I probably hit her low. That's why she did the broad jump.
 
They like to get under stuff, if the shot isn't fatal in a couple minutes. Probably a 30 second dash, a bit of walking/crawling under a log, rock or bush.
 
Back
Top