The coyotes have really been raising sand behind my house this week and normally I don't hunting them but yesterday I decided of slip in there and see if I could call one up. The first stand wasn't 200 yards out of my yard. I was sitting on the side of an oak ridge looking towards a clear cut. It's pretty thick in there here is a picture of what I was seeing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/016_zps38487eb6.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/centerfire_223/media/016_zps38487eb6.jpg.html)
I started the stand out with a couple of howls and after a couple of minutes I turned on the lucky bird. At about the 10 minute mark I saw a coyote top the ridge in front of me. He wasn't in any hurry to get down to where I was. He had skyline himself just for a second, that was the only way I seen him thick as it was. I had turned off the caller and just sitting there waiting for him to show. After another 10 minutes with no further sighting of him I picked up a hand call and done a few kiyi's. Still no coyote. Those of you that know me, know my patience level is pretty low and sitting 20 minutes is almost unheard of for me. Normally I am a run and gun type caller, but I think I was a little lazy this morning. Either that or I am getting old.
Anyway back to the story, so I am sitting there and look over to my right and there he stood with his head behind a tree. Instead of circling downwind, he come in from upwind. I placed the crosshairs right on the ribcage and squeezed the trigger. I was expecting a bang flop but when I shot he took off like a rocket. I knew he was hit but it shocked me that at 40 yards the .223 with 55 grain V-Max's didn't drop him on the spot. That makes the third coyote this year that has ran off shooting these loads. I lost two this past Monday the same way, shot at 200 yards and both of them made it back into the thicket. He didn't go but about 40 yards this time and I got to take a couple of pictures.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/024_zps8b2ef6f0.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/centerfire_223/media/024_zps8b2ef6f0.jpg.html)
Look at the size hole where the bullet came out. When you would pick him up he would just rattle. Insides were all busted up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/centerfire_223/025_zps138ae26e.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/centerfire_223/media/025_zps138ae26e.jpg.html)
Anyone else having problems with a load such as this?
Ronnie, he is a good coyote, good and dead. :congrats: :congrats:
Nice!
Might not have been a bang flop but the end result was satisfactory.
Thanks for taking us along
Great story and pictures. WTG!! I shoot the 60 grain v-max. Usually anchors them right there. But they are tough and once in a while they will run a little ways.
Jim
nice dog,i do love the berger bullets
nice dog... very surprised that a VMax didn't get the job done...
Both my Sako (.223) and Remington (22-250) shoot the 55 grain V-Max and I truly can remember only one running off.
Lucky Bird is one of my favorites, works equally as well on coyotes and bobcats.
Way to go Ronnie. :yoyo: Another successful hunt. :congrats:
Pat
Looking good Ronnie , Maybe we can get out some next week and get a few more.
Nice!!