fortunately most long-range coyotes move out and away, and most hunters never see them. Hunters are left thinking the area is void of song dogs when in fact it is only void of dumb song dogs. The dumb ones have been killed – the remaining coytoes are well educated on hunters’ tactics. If you are hunting in terrain that permits long-range views and long-range shots (often beyond 200 yards and out to 400 yards or greater distance), it pays to spread out from other hunting partners (keeping safety in mind) and deter- mine where the coyotes will be coming from, or could be concealed now, and the routes they’ll take to reach you – or to possibly sneak away from your calling.
Be certain when you sit that you can shoot out in many directions, see to cover much of the ground around you, and can sit comfortably for an extended period of time. Long-range coyotes also are often very slow to move into an area where you can see them. You’ll need to look for parts because seeing whole coyotes out in the open is becoming a thing of the past.
coyotes.
Again, think “far away” and you’ll start spotting more STEADY
I am always amazed at hunters who casually make comments about shooting 500 yards at elk and deer. The aver- age big game hunter simply cannot make these demanding long-range shots. At 500 yards a standard plastic 1-gallon milk jug is impossible to see with the unaided eye. Deer and elk will be nearly impossible to see at that distance for most hunters, and a smaller coyote also will be impossible to see under standard conditions then. You’ll need a binocular to scan the ground and spot lurking coyotes. Then plan and practice for long-range opportunities. To successfully make long-range shots, you need a very steady rifle. The sad news for many hunters is that the rests (concrete benches) they are accustomed to at the rifle range are not available afield. In most cases a hunter needs to rely on shooting sticks, fence posts, trees or bipods. The best rule is to take a rest that permits you to steady your rifle and see through the riflescope, and that also permits safe operation of the rifle. Good rifle rests are rarely present when and where you need one afield so shooting sticks become the optimal option. And the best way to become proficient on shooting sticks is to use them often and practice shooting from them at the rifle range. Next, anyone who has been in the military knows the importance of paying attention to breathing and the rise and fall of your rib cage. A hair’s width movement here becomes feet off target and a miss at 200 and 300 yards. There are more odds stacked against hunters and in fa- vor of those darned coyotes, thanks to the average rifle range in America. Unfortunately, the standard 100-yard practice ranges found today are not meeting the requirements that some hunters have for successfully making 200-yard, 300- yard or longer shots. You can make all the ballistic calcula- tions you want, and there’s no doubt these help to a degree. There’s simply nothing that builds confidence and rifleman skills as well as shooting the 300-yard or longer distances. If you have a place where you can, invite some rifle shooting friends and spend a few afternoons shooting at 500-yard distances. You’ll soon discover everyone wants to drive and
Page 68 Winter 2013
Leather Cap - $16 Black Cap - $12
New cap designs coming soon to the club store! View online at
www.VarmintHunter.org
Jockey Cap - $12 Caps shown are available while supplies last. See pages 157-160 for all items and ordering information.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196