New to Coyote Hunting.. ADVICE?

[littletoes]

yea, I've noticed a trend, folks aren't cleaning their guns like they use too.

Find an old Marine, he'll teach you how to clean a gun, that's for dang sure. And if you get it wrong, you might get a smack till you get it right!   

[one-eyed Ross]

 

When my son was taking the firearm safety course, the instructor had the gall to say that the military over cleans their rifles....HUH?

Of course, I didn't say that when he was in the Army, they used corrosive ammo, so of course they had to clean it a lot and clean it well....when I was in the Army, we made SURE they were clean...real clean

And a clean rifle is a happy rifle.

[Raul Duke]

I' now looking into getting it resfinished and re blued. I'm falling in love with my M77 22-250. Havn't been out yote hunting. But alot of practice shooting.

[predatorpro]

 

Here is a little tip:

Always take a good pair of binoculars and USE them.  On your approach to the stand and before you start your calling sequence.   You would be suprised how many coyotes see you moving into your stand.   I spot a lot of coyotes on the way to the stand and before I begin a calling sequence.  The location and behavior of the coyote will influence my calling approach, or, if I even call at all (sneek).  This time of year, the coyotes have many mouths to feed so they can be active all day long (hunting).  Peak activity times will be the first half hour of light and about 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.   You can dump a lot of coyotes in May if you know what you are doing; however, it is the time of creating the new year's crop so most people leave them alone til about Sept. 

Regardless of when you hunt them, you'll never extinct them 

[Raul Duke]

well, just  got kicked out from one of my spots. New land owner, and guess he just don't like anyone being on his land.

Seen 2 yotes as I drove up, and 1 more as I was leaving.    Gotta start looking for more spots.

Still have not popped my 1st yote.   Been laying low. 

[littletoes]

When my son was taking the firearm safety course, the instructor had the gall to say that the military over cleans their rifles....HUH?

Of course, I didn't say that when he was in the Army, they used corrosive ammo, so of course they had to clean it a lot and clean it well....when I was in the Army, we made SURE they were clean...real clean

And a clean rifle is a happy rifle.

Well, ask a competent gun smith, he'll tell you more barrels are worn out by cleaning rods, than they ever were by bullets.

Its not "over-cleaning", if you will, its IMPROPER cleaning!

Many folks don't use a bore guide, and the rod ends up "rubbing" on one side of the barrel, "wearing-out" the rifling in one area.

You can see this with a bore scope.
Hence "over-cleaning".

[coyotemadness]

 

[Raul Duke]

Well, ask a competent gun smith, he'll tell you more barrels are worn out by cleaning rods, than they ever were by bullets.

Its not "over-cleaning", if you will, its IMPROPER cleaning!

Many folks don't use a bore guide, and the rod ends up "rubbing" on one side of the barrel, "wearing-out" the rifling in one area.

You can see this with a bore scope.
Hence "over-cleaning".

witch gun cleaning kit do you recomand?  I picked up a OTiS Technology kit. Seems like a good kit, complete and compact.   My freind came over and seen it on my desk.  "hope your not using that for your rifles" "well atleast not the wire brushes , they'll ruin the barrel"  

Is this true? 

[littletoes]

Nope, not true at all. The Otis cleaning kit is a very good cleaning it, and it is one that will NOT wear on your firearm. But the patches can get expensive, and depending upon which firearm you are cleaning, you can go through their patches quickly. 

I like Dewey cleaning rods, with Sinclair rod guides.

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/cid=5560/Products/Rod_Guides_Bore_Guides

I use either Shooter's Choice alone, or mixed with a slight amount of Kroil.

The belief is that the Kroil leaves a minute amount of lubricant in the micro-fractures in the barrel steel, thus preventing it from clogging with copper.

I personally think there is something to this, and it shows in how easily my factory barreled rifles shoot, and how easily they clean.

Phosphorus Bronze cleaning brushes are the only ones to use on rifle barrels, WITH a good bore guide, and a good cleaning solvent, such as Shooter's Choice.

At this time let me say; NEVER mix Shooter's Choice with "SWEETS", as a matter of fact, don't use Sweets on ANY guns, its prone to cause pitting on the inside of your barrel, especially if mixed with Shooter's Choice, or if it gets any moisture down the tube (like what might happen to a hunting rifle during elk season!).

This could get LONNNG! So maybe I better stop now???

[Raul Duke]

  littletoes

Thanks for the advise 

[RadSav]

I did not read all the posts so if this is redundant I apologies.

200 yard hold ups and then bust.  This is very common in predator hunting.  Seems to be the range at which voice and movement are detected.  I can't remember how many times dogs have busted us at that range when partner hunting.  Usually right after my partner says, "There's one!" followed by, "There he goes!"  Develope your own sign language and don't say a word inside 250 yards.

Head net, face paint or blinds are a must.  Even more important is gloves.  I don't have very good eyesight and I can see a guys white hand putting "Shake" into a call from about 300 yards.  I flew over Satus Reserve one year in a bush plan during goose season.  White faces were popping up everywhere to look/cuss at us.  Startling how visible they were at that elevation.

The most important thing I was taught when I first started competition hunting yotes was to know the size of the food you are trying to be.  At longer distances you need to get their attention and you can act as big and loud as you need to.  But, once they start getting closer you no longer want to sound like a 300# rabbit being killed by an 800 pound bigfoot.  You're a 2 pound or less rabbit with very small lungs being slowly killed by a fox or pine martin.  Short shaky bursts muffled with exhaustion, with the occasional shake from a fox to try and finish you off.  Volume should raise and your cries should become more shrill and excited as you get shaken, but your energy is exhausted right after.

The first perfect calling sequence you execute will be one you remember for all time.  It was every bit as climactic as the first bull elk I called in and stuck.

Good luck.

[Raul Duke]

UPDATE: 10/27/11 
I finalley get a day off,and a chance to hit some of my new spots.  7a.m. I get to a old road, and see a small trail going uphill to a power pole between 2 hills. I walk up to the spot, glass around and see that I got to hills on each side of me, and plenty of open ground.  I set up , let out a howl.   Instantly it starts a bunch of howling and barking to my left. Witch triggers more dogs to my right. I sit back wait for them to calm down. Then start my rabbit calls, pup calls, everything I had. NOTHING. 
 
I drive down that road about 5 miles, see another spot. Walk over to it and try again. Great looking spot, sit there for about 30min, nothing. Here is my view as I was calling.


Off to my 3rd stand. As I get to my 3rd stand, its now about 10am. I see a yote in the distance. I go set up about 600yrd behind it  wind in my face. I call and there pops out another yote.  They never come to me, but are interested in something that is where they are standing. I try a pup in disstress. One dog hears it and runs off.  (?) The other one just sits there and stairs, then walks off as well.
Had 1 other stand like this. Fun day, but I'm getting frustrated.
Stand 3  & 4

[Raul Duke]

UPDATE:  11-30-11

At it again, this time I got help. My 11yr old daughter Brianna wanted to tag along.  So we are off to a new stand. On are way there I almost hit a yotie that ran across the road in front of us. I get there, and we start walking in at sunrise. As I get to a spot that I think looks good. I see movement. BUSTED! About 80yrds in front of me a yote has been spooked , and is running away. We sit there and wait about 15min. Lets see what happends. I start with the rabbit calls. (wait) Try again.  Switch to a long howl. This gets a reponce. A yote starts barking like we just crossed his turf. I do another howl , and it triggers more yotes.  We play this game for about 15min, but nothing ever comes to view.  We leave this spot.



After a little hot coco, we go to one spot where I had seen dogs a couple days ago. Again as I drive in, there is a yote about 200yrds off the road. I drive past him, into a corn field and park. We jump out circle around and set up. I can see the dog, and it has a small animal in its mouth. I start calling, wait, call, wait, switch calls, wait, wait, call.  Screw this. I let off a pup call, and tell my daughter, There just not interested.
 As I got to get up, I see movement threw a bush on my left.    2 yotes about 100yrd from us. They must of been behind us. They stall, take a few more steps towards us, start circling in front  of us to get are wind. I slowly sit up and the first one darts. GONE! The second one slowly starts walking back to the left and I can't set up my sticks. I'm now shaking, looking, shaking, and see a third yote walk up to where the other 2 where standing. BOOM! tag her, back to the other yote,, never got a shot at that one. I look back at my yote, and she is trying to get up. I fire another shot to finish her off. I missed  so much adrenaline, shoot 1 more . She is done MY FIRST YOTE THAT I CALLED IN. 


Coyotes came in and sat on this little hill.



she wanted to help



25lbs female, .22-250   What a great day.

[trippledigitss]

Great story man!    Great pics too, looks like you got some nice spots to call over there for sure. That is one big dog too. That sounds frustrating to know there are so many around but you cant get one to come in - well good thing you finally did! Now start shooting those ones that are around 200yds out!

[trippledigitss]

Oh and your rifle looks really cool with the M.O.B. tape around it too.