Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Long distance coyotes

I posted this in long range shooting but thinks maybe should have been posted here. This is not for everyone but for those of you who hunt the way i do, you will understand. Long range coyotes in open grassy hills. Cant go prone as to much grass, hard to get real steady for those 500-600 yard shots on coyotes that hang up. So, use a RRS tripod and then built a single leg monopod for the rear. Only weighs a few ounces and is out of the way when carrying to stands. I really don't have to carry it far as use an electric buggy to cover most of the distance and then just go the last hundred yards or so on foot. Also, when i do hunt cover and don't think i will need it very easy to detach and put in my pack. Just clip in on if i feel it might be needed. The biggest challenge is to modify your stock to get a picatinny rail solidly attached. I have tested a lot of stuff and i will tell you this is solid. Love the RRS tripod but getting the rear of the rifle to contact the ground directly really keeps it steady.

I don't get long range coyote hunting. I've shot coyotes at distance and it is about as exciting as punching holes in paper. Plus by the time you find them and drag them back to the truck you could have gotten another stand or two in.

Calling them in close is a rush. Having a coyote at 10' with it's hair standing up and fangs bared, it doesn't get any more exciting.

How's this for Long Range?? Knocked my sticks down, Rio7

And wasn't that a rush. You'll remember that one long after you've forgotten the on you potted at 300 yard.

I've had them rip callers out of the brush, make running leaps and grab decoys four feet off the ground, more than once run over partners I was calling for and had fox jump off a snow bank and land between my knees. That's predator hunting at it's best.

I don't discriminate. Kill em all, near and far.

That works for you and that is fine. In my case, and there I am sure are in the same boat, I need to kill that certain coyote that is killing calves, or sheep. He has been educated, by some coyote hunter before, and he isn't coming closer than 500 yds before hanging up. At that point I dial him and kill him.I can kill em close like you, and that is great, I, can kill em at distance (500 600 yds) and you likely won't even come close. If you screw one up, it makes no difference, but I have to kill that livestock coyote either with a rifle or equipment.Leaving him is not an option. Kudos to the OP for thinking outside the box and coming up with a new option.

Outside the box? That’s kinda been the trend for the past few years, shooting instead of calling.

It always gets me when folks say they are educated. I’ll admit, there are lots of coyotes that have heard the call before and seem to hang up. But you can’t be a one hit wonder and play the same sounds everyone else is from the same spots, doing the same thing. I guarantee you if you play the stand right, they will come in.

But as for shooting them long range, I bet most of the ones that are shot at over 400 yards are missed. If you’re gonna try it, buy some steel and practice, practice, practice.

I shoot steel for fun and find shots out to 500 yards easy, even 1000 is not bad once you figure out the wind but I get more out of watching a coyote running straight to me than one running away.

Outside of the box with his rifle rest. I have seen some similar that work in taller grass as well. All the OP did was share something that was working for him, only to have Erich poo poo the fact that he could shoot a long range coyote with it. It just another good tool in the tool box to be able to kill that 500 yd coyote that won't come in. I like em at 50 yds too, but am also confident in killing them at distance when they won't.

Back to the OP's original post-

I have found I am not very steady with a bipod in a sitting or standing position without a secondary point of contact. I have found that if I can get my back up against something like a rock, tree, or fence post I can be rock steady at whatever distance I need to be with the tall Harris bipod...

Interesting the direction this took. I think I am in a somewhat unusual situation. I hunt about 20,000 acres that is comprised of about 6 different cattle ranches. Other than government trapper i am the only one hunting them, located on western slope of Sierra's. First part of season they are right in my lap, but doesn't take long and they start hanging up. Not missed coyotes that have busted me but they just have heard sounds as season moves along. Later in the season i I use very subtle sounds and a lot of vocals but once the grass gets short and as season moves on they just don't like coming in. Long distance is a last resort but late in the season its all your going to get. I sneak in with wind in my face and wear a ghillie, i set up so they would have to travel a long ways to get downwind and i would see them. Have been hunting these same ranches for about 15 years and hunt at least twice a week. Some of the ranches are in the oaks and those dogs will come in much easier that the real open country dogs will. There are stands where i can see over a mile and have a lot of opportunities to watch their reactions. People seem to think that if your just a good enough caller you can bring them in but i will tell you there are a lot of times i see them and they just aren't interested in coming in.

How many shots do you take at 500-600 yards on coyotes and what is your success rate?

Sorry if my post came across as derogatory, so many people are gearing up to shoot coyotes at long range and to me it is so boring. I have the tripods and long range guns and use them where/when NEEDED but never drag them out until then. I want my coyotes up close and personal it's what makes it exciting. But then I like cold calling, hunting ground I've never been on before, I rarely hit the same stand twice in a season. I'm geared up to leave the house and hunt for a week and never hunt the same place twice. I actually my move to my new home is based partially on the availability of coyote hunting.

Apples to oranges, neither is wrong but one may be more crucial. Huge difference between calling for fun in a target rich environment and trying to pick up a pair of killers in a lamb pasture. Believe me, the second is not fun.

Hunted Coyotes in several different States, habitat and terrain, have a lot to do with how you hunt and call, and how far away you can see them, and what rifle, Shotgun, you use. Rio7

I don’t know the OP but I do know coyotes. There are better ways to kill late season coyotes.

That said, my late season gun is a 22-250 AI with a 3-9 super chicken on it. It’s a Kimber Montana shooting 75 grain Amax’s and while I have good dope figured, I rarely find the need to dial.

Since i dont own fast twist 22 cals, save a couple three 7 twist 223/556 AR house guns, my longest coyote poke was with my old 28 inch barreled 300 Win Mag firing 230gr Berger OTM's at 2860 fps over Retumbo, i will just say it was a long fuggin ways and he didnt twitch, or no movement was seen as soon as i could get the glass back on him.

I don’t remember the misses, only the hits.😉
One memorable hit with a slow twist 22-250 shooting a 50 or 55 grain bullet was 720 paces, pre range finder era. Missed the first shot, connected with the second.

right on about the wind, past 600 yds, practice and reading the wind, light bullets don't cut the mustard for me. the lightest bullet I use is 75gr-100 for Savage 22hp, 250-3000, 22-250 and sometimes load my schoenauer .270 w/100gr

Have you tried hunting at night? Seeing how you could get a depredation permit and therefore use a light on your gun you should be very successful. Try hanging a red light lantern over your head, flashing the light to ID them and then firing. Or get a night vision scope so you can shoot them in the dark.

Another thing to try is using to chase coyotes and then draw them back to you. I’m the video I watched the coyotes were so focused on the dogs that the ignored the hunter’s shots. You have to train the dogs to chase and return on command and have dogs of medium size that aren’t to weak to engage coyotes or too big and threatening.