Alternative Arms for Coyote

[captpschar]

I am just getting in to yote, so know nothing. But I am going to use a Remington vtr in 223.
And for close in try using my KSG with red dot and choke tubes for close in work.

I'm just getting into predators too.  I expect to spend most of my 'hunting' time scouting and learning to call and move properly for the first six months to a year.  I honestly doubt I'll manage to get a shot on a coyote before summer, but hey, if it happens I'd like a terrain appropriate arm.

I'm currently setting up my rifle based on the advice I've gotten on this thread and elsewhere, and it's looking like I may have to add a fair bit of target acquisition and handling practice to my skill building if I expect to make this work on the land I've chosen to use.  *censored* hunting is great.

[konradcountry]

That predator super-highway I mentioned was kind of winding passage of about 40 yards long and 3 wide of sparse brush that was open low down, walled in by impassable stuff on either side, at the top of a ridge above some lower watery areas below.  It must've been the top of some easy pass up from below (I didn't scout down).  It had coyote scat all over the place, what looked like bobcat here and there, and what must have been cougar as well... when I saw that cougar scat and the wind dead and all in the silence and the fog, I was wishing like hell I had my shotgun.

That's a good idea to go 00 after the #4, that hadn't occurred to me.  Pro tip!

If your max shot is 40 yards in timber then I would definitely take a shotgun. It's better for brush shots.

Some people like a red dot but I prefer a fiber. Just don't use a stock bead sight that doesn't show up in low light. The truglo fibers are cheap and easy to install.

Keep your back to a tree where it is hard for anything to sneak up behind you. Have a sidearm ready.

Be careful and let us know how it goes.

[davef]

How about a semi auto 22? Like a 10/22 ruger with some good ammo.

[CAMPMEAT]

22 TCM. They make a rifle and 1911..

I have and does a lot of damage on ground squirrels.....

[captpschar]

If your max shot is 40 yards in timber then I would definitely take a shotgun. It's better for brush shots.

Some people like a red dot but I prefer a fiber. Just don't use a stock bead sight that doesn't show up in low light. The truglo fibers are cheap and easy to install.

Keep your back to a tree where it is hard for anything to sneak up behind you. Have a sidearm ready.

Be careful and let us know how it goes.

Max shot is probably 200 yards, depending on which stands in the area produce, but there are some areas and stands I don't think are going to produce anything further than 75 yards, and a few places, like that corridor, that are way tighter. 

I just ordered in a 1.5x4 leupold that I'll pair with my pistol, hopefully that combo does well.  Do you like to draw your pistol and lay it out before you call?

I've been looking at those fiber optic shotgun sights for years, you just sold me.

[konradcountry]

How about a semi auto 22? Like a 10/22 ruger with some good ammo.

Visit NW Trek and watch the cougars.

I've seen one jump 15' into a tree like it was a housecat jumping on a couch.

Don't call predators in the woods with a 22.

I could see using a semi auto 22 in an urban area under 50 yards with the right ammo but I'd rather use 22 WMR. With 22lr there is too much risk of it running off.

[davef]

I'd rather use a lot of different things but the OP made it sound unsafe to use center fire rifles. .22 mag would definitely be better. I assumed we we talking about coyotes not cougar, although people do drop cats out of trees with 22s

[konradcountry]

I just ordered in a 1.5x4 leupold that I'll pair with my pistol, hopefully that combo does well.  Do you like to draw your pistol and lay it out before you call?

Yea I normally keep it hot next to me on top of my bag and loaded with hard cast bullets.

[konradcountry]

I'd rather use a lot of different things but the OP made it sound unsafe to use center fire rifles. .22 mag would definitely be better. I assumed we we talking about coyotes not cougar, although people do drop cats out of trees with 22s

Talking about coyotes but he is going deep in the woods to predator call.

[captpschar]

I'd rather use a lot of different things but the OP made it sound unsafe to use center fire rifles. .22 mag would definitely be better. I assumed we we talking about coyotes not cougar, although people do drop cats out of trees with 22s

Talking about coyotes but he is going deep in the woods to predator call.

Konrad has it, I’m working on an area that’s 2-3 miles into some timberland off a rural area that itself is a few miles from anything like civilized, and it seems to be covered in all kinds of predators.

 Last time I went in, I saw someone near the entrance gate, and then five hours later I saw someone at the gate as I was leaving,  and between those times I didn’t see or hear another human that wasn’t some guy 3-4 miles off having his Sunday Gunday in his back yard.

My main concern, and the source of my question, is that I’ll be in there with those furries solo, and there are a lot of really tight spots in there as well as some open areas.  I had a double concern of handling close-in encounters for hunting, but also handling them for the possibility of being surprised by a cougar or something in a tight spot, while preferring to make stands with some distance involved.  I was hoping to find out how other hunters had adapted to that kind of terrain and those kinds of possibilities.

So far I’ve seen guys who use combo guns, guys who use really close optics on their rifles, guys who set up with a secondary arm ready to go, and guys who just go with shotguns and live with the missed opportunities.

I’m going to go with close optic rifle and secondary pistol, because I already have the equipment and I’d like to try for those longer ranges.  If that doesn’t feel right to me or I can’t get my rifle handling skills developed enough to deal with closer range quicker shots, I’ll just have to go shotgun or combo gun.

Lord knows I’m not packing two long guns that deep.

[captpschar]

How about a semi auto 22? Like a 10/22 ruger with some good ammo.

Visit NW Trek and watch the cougars.

I've seen one jump 15' into a tree like it was a housecat jumping on a couch.

Don't call predators in the woods with a 22.

I could see using a semi auto 22 in an urban area under 50 yards with the right ammo but I'd rather use 22 WMR. With 22lr there is too much risk of it running off.

Maybe one of those Volquartsen 22mag semi autos?  Like between 50yards and 100yards I bet those things would be amazing, and I’d be confident with it for a tight spot, he’ll even a larger pack of coyotes would be in trouble vs one of those with a large capacity magazine.

[davef]

In that case I'd just carry a lightweight ar15 and have a blast

[Tjkride]

I run a recce 16 type ar with an ACOG for all my predator stuff, 0 to 400 is covered and for upclose the fixed 4x magnification hasnt given me an issue. Ive taken deer (legally in TN), coyotes, bobcat, porcupine,hogs, and grouse with it no problem. I run 55 grain speer gold dot soft points. Its my do-all non-game animal and house/truck gun.

[captpschar]

I run a recce 16 type ar with an ACOG for all my predator stuff, 0 to 400 is covered and for upclose the fixed 4x magnification hasnt given me an issue. Ive taken deer (legally in TN), coyotes, bobcat, porcupine,hogs, and grouse with it no problem. I run 55 grain speer gold dot soft points. Its my do-all non-game animal and house/truck gun.

How far out are you comfortable taking shots with the 4x?  Do you like the fixed power better?  What do you like about it?

[AWS]

I have no problem taking shots to 300 yards with a 4x.

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