What else to add to my arsenal for coyote hunting?

[uberschprung]

Hello everyone, I hunt a lot at night for coyotes. I use my 870, Kanati Tek electric calling system, mini osprey night vision scope ( I do not have the correct mounts to attach it to my gun so I use it has a spotter), tinted red flashlight (reflects eyes from 150 yards out) and am just starting to use Hornady #4 buckshot and Hornady's heavy magnum specialty coyote 00 buck. Is there anything that would help my chances as far as ammo, sights etc?

Thanks.

 

[John A.]

Recently, KY just started allowing coyote night hunting. I didn't know until a few minutes ago when I looked up the regs that anyone here hunting at night was restricted to shotguns. I'm kinda bummed that I can't use rifles.

Granted that I hadn't planned to take mile long shots at night, but I still liked the idea of being able to use my rifles, especially where I hunt because there is no risk of the bullet traveling the normal distances that a rifle ordinarily could so perhaps your topic can help both of us get geared up.

The only thing I have so far is an electronic caller and a G2 surefire light with red filter. I had intended buying a gen 1 NV scope, but now I'm unsure if that's going to happen or not since I can't mount it on my rifles as intended. I don't know if any of them are rated for the recoil a 12 gauge has or not. Plus the logistics of scoping a shotgun.

 

[MikeD]

I would add some type of visual decoy as well. If all else goes well, it might entice them in just a little closer or distract them enough to give you a better shot.

Have you tried any of the heavy shot coyote loads? They claim up to 70 yard patterns if you use their shot and choke. I've not tested this in any way, just reciting what I remember from the ads.

Short of jumping up to a varmint rifle (not sure what the laws are where you hunt), it sounds like you have the bases covered.

 

[ripjack13]

Well...at least you can hunt at night. Unlike naziConnecticut.....

Have you thought about a squeek toy? Works good over here. Also...how about a wobbling rabbit decoy? That way you can bring em closer.

Do you save the pelts? If no, how bout slugs? They reach out further than buckshot....

 

[uberschprung]

I would add some type of visual decoy as well. If all else goes well, it might entice them in just a little closer or distract them enough to give you a better shot.

Have you tried any of the heavy shot coyote loads? They claim up to 70 yard patterns if you use their shot and choke. I've not tested this in any way, just reciting what I remember from the ads.

Short of jumping up to a varmint rifle (not sure what the laws are where you hunt), it sounds like you have the bases covered.

I have not tried hevi shot "dead coyote". Mainly because its tungsten shot which cost way more than lead. For example, I payed $15 for 10 rounds of Hornady heavy magnum, hevi shot is $50 for 10 rounds.

 

[MikeD]

I would add some type of visual decoy as well. If all else goes well, it might entice them in just a little closer or distract them enough to give you a better shot.

Have you tried any of the heavy shot coyote loads? They claim up to 70 yard patterns if you use their shot and choke. I've not tested this in any way, just reciting what I remember from the ads.

Short of jumping up to a varmint rifle (not sure what the laws are where you hunt), it sounds like you have the bases covered.

I have not tried hevi shot "dead coyote". Mainly because its tungsten shot which cost way more than lead. For example, I payed $15 for 10 rounds of Hornady heavy magnum, hevi shot is $50 for 10 rounds.

That's also why I have not toyed with it. ;-D

 

[uberschprung]

I would add some type of visual decoy as well. If all else goes well, it might entice them in just a little closer or distract them enough to give you a better shot.

Have you tried any of the heavy shot coyote loads? They claim up to 70 yard patterns if you use their shot and choke. I've not tested this in any way, just reciting what I remember from the ads.

Short of jumping up to a varmint rifle (not sure what the laws are where you hunt), it sounds like you have the bases covered.

I have not tried hevi shot "dead coyote". Mainly because its tungsten shot which cost way more than lead. For example, I payed $15 for 10 rounds of Hornady heavy magnum, hevi shot is $50 for 10 rounds.

That's also why I have not toyed with it. ;-D

I think that's the reason for alot of people not playing with it!

 

[uberschprung]

Recently, KY just started allowing coyote night hunting. I didn't know until a few minutes ago when I looked up the regs that anyone here hunting at night was restricted to shotguns. I'm kinda bummed that I can't use rifles.

Granted that I hadn't planned to take mile long shots at night, but I still liked the idea of being able to use my rifles, especially where I hunt because there is no risk of the bullet traveling the normal distances that a rifle ordinarily could so perhaps your topic can help both of us get geared up.

The only thing I have so far is an electronic caller and a G2 surefire light with red filter. I had intended buying a gen 1 NV scope, but now I'm unsure if that's going to happen or not since I can't mount it on my rifles as intended. I don't know if any of them are rated for the recoil a 12 gauge has or not. Plus the logistics of scoping a shotgun.

Honestly John, There are a numbered times that the night vision came in handy. Knowing what they cost, i don't know if it's worth it. Only advantage is seeing there whole body at night. And they're only affective out to 70 IMO. Having a red filter to spot it, then having a flood light to shoot it with your shotgun would be just as affective and half the cost.

 

[uberschprung]

I have been eyeballing the Lucky Duck Quiver Critter II Predator Decoy. Reasonably priced!

 

[DHonovich]

I personally run the foxpro shockwave, foxpro foxjack 3 decoy, lightforce ml240 light with green and red filters and my ar15 or shotgun. Even with all the toys there are still plenty of times that you can sit down for several sessions without getting a single coyote, fox or bobcat to bite. I have tried using mouth calls but it can be really tough to do depending on your layout.

 

[John A.]

I acquired a gen 1 rifle scope today.

I was just able to spot around in my yard and have a considerable amount of street lights around, so I plan to take it way out in the woods Sunday night and sight it in and see how it does with nothing more than the IR and since it's only supposed to be about a 1/4 moon, and fairly early, probably won't be much light besides the IR.

I also plan to try out the IR lens on my surefire. At the close distances I was using it tonight, really washed out the scope, so I'll probably only be able to use it for spotting eyes at long range until I get a better detachable IR light.

 

[carbinemike]

John, I hope you write up a review on this one after you use it some more. It's something I have been looking at.

 

[ripjack13]

I've been wanting one of them for a long long time....love to read the review later on!

I'm jealous man...but congratulations on that thing!!!

 

[LAZY EYED SNIPER]

Very nice brother, congrats!

 

[John A.]

I really wanted the Pulsar digital night vision scope, but at $1500, I just couldn't justify pulling the trigger for it.

Sure, if I hunted at night all the time, or made a living doing it, would be another thing, but I go night hunting maybe a half dozen times a year, so I think this scope will probably meet my needs without taking out a mortgage.

As for my thoughts about it so far, overall I like it.

I'm not installing the little remote control thingy that came with it to my gun. The controls are quite easy to find as they are, so having a wire sticking out getting tangled up in everything does not appeal to me. Or the sticky backed velcro getting weak and falling off everytime I turn around.

I also wish the front lens cover/cap had a little flip switch to open it. I just don't trust that it would stay closed with rough use. It came in a padded case, to which you can fit over the scope while it's on the gun, which I did, though it's a little impractical at best. I would still prefer a better front lens cover. Especially since how easy tubes are to burn out in bright light.

The red illuminated crosshair brightness is also easy to adjust and will disappear entirely, or be so bright that it's hard to tell what you're aiming at, so it has more than a fair amount of adjustment. I have yet to try to zero it, but I hope it doesn't take a half million rounds to get on paper. LOL

While I can see farther than 70 yards with it, I believe that I'm going to zero it about 50 yards.

It doesn't appear to distinguish between colors too well (looking at the zero'ing target).

It shows contrast.

So the red/black sticker targets do not appear to be very ideal for that. I think I'll just get a few sheets of poster paper and draw dark circles for bullseye and leave a white ring and another dark circle will work better. But dark on dark colors, while you can see a big dark spot, you can't tell where the red bullseye starts and the outer black ring stops.

I am also thinking about perhaps putting a very low power light BEHIND the target so maybe when I poke a couple holes through it, will help me determine where the points of impact are without making as many trips to the target. This may work, and it may not, but I'm going to try it nonetheless.

The screw on battery lid would be really easy to cross thread. That's something I can already foresee having to be careful when I exchange batteries.

Speaking of batteries, I like the fact that this one accepts two AA's, and not some obscure comm-block battery that you would never find. Plus the rechargable batteries that I put in it seem to be working just fine. Nothing in the paperwork said not to use them (despite that I know rechargables are generally a little less voltage ~1.2 volts).

This one doesn't have that high pitched whistle when it's on. Nor does it have any dark/black spots in the picture, so it appears to be a pretty good tube.

That's about it for now. That's all the playing that I've got to do with it so far.

 

[LAZY EYED SNIPER]

Speaking of batteries, I like the fact that this one accepts two AA's, and not some obscure comm-block battery that you would never find. Plus the rechargable batteries that I put in it seem to be working just fine.

Even better!

 

[John A.]

Yep, I'm a really big fan of rechargable batteries. I'll let you know how that "other" project works out after I finish it.

 

[John A.]

Got to sight in the NV tonight. Was all but perfect at 50 yards. I shot about 5 groups of 2 while zero'ing it (total of about 10 shots to get it to where I wanted).

I used the left/right crosshair and sat it on top of the shoulders of the target so I could get the same elevation between shots so I could maintain consistent placement when firing.

The rest of the 20 rounder, was just to play with

Then I handed it over to Big Mike, who let go with another 20 rounder of center mass shots with it. While zero'd perfectly for me, was about 5 inches lower point of impact for him, which may be because his cheekweld was a bit taller or lower than mine, but all shots were all well within reason nonetheless. Either of us could pick up the gun and use it without much problem.

Afterwards we went through a couple of mags with the Suppressed SMG at homemade torso targets out about 30 yards using the Eotech and weapon light.

It was the first time my buddy had shot a MG, but he managed to do quite well with it, and even got in several headshots with it on auto, which I think is respectable in its' own right, but after zero dark thirty, especially.

I had taken the camera and a tripod and set it up so I could capture everything, but the memory card was about full, so I only got the first 9 seconds of the target and background a couple of minutes before dark as we were getting everything out onto the tailgate, so no love there. If anyone wants proof, the best I can do is some pics of the targets in the morning after I delete some of these old pics off of the card to make room for some new ones.

The NV performed very well. There was some bright flashes in the scope upon firing when the gun barked, which was normal, but the scope recovered by the time I was ready for a quick followup shot and was a no issue. More of less, the best way to explain it, when the gun went off and flashed, so did the scope, but was super brief and not even distracting. Just enough to notice it happened.

I did order a different front lens cap for it though. One of the Butler Creek flip ups with a push button (although I'm going to position it so it flips open downward). I simply do not trust the factory lens cap to stay closed with a bump to it, and the last thing I want to happen is ruin my tube because of it. I ordered both a #31 and a #33 just to make sure that I get the order right the first time.

 

[LAZY EYED SNIPER]

Very nice brother.

I can see how the muzzle flash would interfere with the IR. Happy to see the set-up is performing well for you...

 

[John A.]

Thanks LES.

It worked very well. I can easily make out objects 100 yards out, and with an external IR light, could be much further, so this should do alright for my needs.

Here are the quick photo's of the two SMG targets (this just reinforces my opinion that full auto is NOT just for spray and pray and inaccurate wildly placed shots as many would want you believe.)

The target on the right was mine, and the target on the left was Big Mikes', who had never shot that gun before just picking it up, and he did so very accurately. Especially given that he was acquiring the targets with a quick push of the momentary switch on the light with his thumb and alternating to each target between bursts.





The target below, was the AR zero'ing target. I had a 3 shot group just a little right of center of the chin, and the remaining shots were done by my buddy, who was shooting rapid fire and center mass (which were a little below where he was aiming, but regardless, were solid hits nonetheless.