One Less Coyote

[Pete F]

My wife spotted a coyote on the neighbor's property about 10 yards from the fence line. The closest gun was a .32 H&R magnum that I have a lot of experience with - in my concealed gun rotation.

I walked out to the fence and the coyote didn't even look in my direction - lots of mowing in other peoples yards and he was very focused on something.

It looked like like a broadside stationary cardboard target. I took my time and fired. It looked like a hit in the chest before his front leg - fur and muscle contraction. I couldn't find any blood, but I am sure at that distance that I didn't miss.

He whirled around and took off. I couldn't find any blood, but at least he won't be back.

What do you think, .32 Federal 85 grain HP vs coyote?

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[FATAL125]

My wife spotted a coyote on the neighbor's property about 10 yards from the fence line. The closest gun was a .32 H&R magnum that I have a lot of experience with - in my concealed gun rotation.

I walked out to the fence and the coyote didn't even look in my direction - lots of mowing in other peoples yards and he was very focused on something.

It looked like like a broadside stationary cardboard target. I took my time and fired. It looked like a hit in the chest before his front leg - fur and muscle contraction. I couldn't find any blood, but I am sure at that distance that I didn't miss.

He whirled around and took off. I couldn't find any blood, but at least he won't be back.

What do you think, .32 Federal 85 grain HP vs coyote?

You shot into your neighbors property? I'm hoping there is a decent amount of property between you all...

As far as the shot it sounds like you wounded it and it ran off to die a slow painful death. Personally I would have let him be and prepared myself with a better option of weapon for his inevitable return so the job could be done well.

Just curious how far were you from the animal?

 

[joken]

You shot into your neighbors property? I'm hoping there is a decent amount of property between you all...

As far as the shot it sounds like you wounded it and it ran off to die a slow painful death. Personally I would have let him be and prepared myself with a better option of weapon for his inevitable return so the job could be done well.

Just curious how far were you from the animal?

I lost a registered Nigerian Dwarf Doe to a Coyote recently and I know the terror she went through. I wouldn't be so judgemental since you were not there. His neighbor's house could be a quarter of a mile away for all we know. As for the coyote, he did all of his neighbors a favor.

 

[FATAL125]

I lost a registered Nigerian Dwarf Doe to a Coyote recently and I know the terror she went through. I wouldn't be so judgemental since you were not there. His neighbor's house could be a quarter of a mile away for all we know. As for the coyote, he did all of his neighbors a favor.

I'm sorry for your loss and I'm not saying they're not a nuisance that should be eliminated. Judgement... hardly. However, any shot on any living thing should be done with some amount of ethical responsibility.

As for the neighbors house... maybe I should have made my statement in question form. Regardless, I'd be shocked, if given the statement made by the OP, that someone else wouldn't have wondered about proximity as well.

 

[Pete F]

You shot into your neighbors property? I'm hoping there is a decent amount of property between you all...

As far as the shot it sounds like you wounded it and it ran off to die a slow painful death. Personally I would have let him be and prepared myself with a better option of weapon for his inevitable return so the job could be done well.

Just curious how far were you from the animal?

We are in the country and the neighbor has 3 acres. The house sits several hundred yards away. She has been losing chickens and we hear gunshots fairly often at night. She is a good shot.

I shot into a cluster of hazel nut trees, basically one large stump, behind the coyote and towards the other neighbor's back 40. I am very aware of what is behind my shot.

My shotgun was upstairs in the closet and I did not know how long I had. The shotgun is now downstairs in the closet loaded with #4 Vital Shock.

Deer hunting is much the same. Many times the animal doesn't drop or just stands there. That is why most hunters don't immediately run after the deer.

Coyotes eat their prey alive. It is a horrible death and listening to the prey while they are getting chowed on is a sad thing.

 

[Member 53328]

I'm sorry for your loss and I'm not saying they're not a nuisance that should be eliminated. Judgement... hardly. However, any shot on any living thing should be done with some amount of ethical responsibility.

As for the neighbors house... maybe I should have made my statement in question form. Regardless, I'd be shocked, if given the statement made by the OP, that someone else wouldn't have wondered about proximity as well.

Uhhhhhh….. I know some incidents involving humans who don't deserve an "ethical" dispatch.

Just saying.

 

[FATAL125]

We are in the country and the neighbor has 3 acres. The house sits several hundred yards away. She has been losing chickens and we hear gunshots fairly often at night. She is a good shot.

I shot into a cluster of hazel nut trees, basically one large stump, behind the coyote and towards the other neighbor's back 40. I am very aware of what is behind my shot.

My shotgun was upstairs in the closet and I did not know how long I had. The shotgun is now downstairs in the closet loaded with #4 Vital Shock.

Deer hunting is much the same. Many times the animal doesn't drop or just stands there. That is why most hunters don't immediately run after the deer.

Coyotes eat their prey alive. It is a horrible death and listening to the prey while they are getting chowed on is a sad thing.

Thank you for the added info on surroundings and the like. I wasn't taking a shot at you. I figured you wouldn't make a post like that without having made a smart choice. Just curious about the details.

As for how animals can react after being hit, I understand that. I also know that generally speaking, a shot to the vitals of any large or predatory game is gonna immediately leave a blood trail. Lack of a blood trail is usually a missed shot or a bad hit. For me there's a big difference between an animal running a 100 yards and dropping and living for several more hours before death.

I have zero issue eliminating nuisance animals, including coyotes. And my heart goes out to animals attacked and eaten in viscous ways. However, as I'm sure you know, the predators are acting instinctively. They have no ethical compass. We as hunters do. I'm not saying you're an unethical person at all.

 

[Spitpatch]

You killed that coyote.

I know, because 85g Hydrashok .380 @75 yards.
Only difference was mine was in a field, I got to watch him die.

He's a good dog now.

 

[FATAL125]

Uhhhhhh….. I know some incidents involving humans who don't deserve an "ethical" dispatch.

Just saying.

Great point and I agree. I should have said any living animal.

But I guess someone could argue that point too... if I lost my brother to a mountain lion I'm gonna be pretty vengeful and maybe not so ethical. But thats the loss of a human not another animal...

 

[Spitpatch]

"Lack of a blood trail is usually a missed shot or a bad hit."

Nope.

 

[FATAL125]

"Lack of a blood trail is usually a missed shot or a bad hit."

Nope.

I've never seen a shot to vitals not leave blood immediately.

I've also never seen a gut shot leave blood immediately.

I respect your "nope"... but itd be great if you could elaborate...

 

[slimmer13]

You shot into your neighbors property? I'm hoping there is a decent amount of property between you all...l

As far as the shot it sounds like you wounded it and it ran off to die a slow painful death. Personally I would have let him be and prepared myself with a better option of weapon for his inevitable return so the job could be done well.

Just curious how far were you from the animal?

If I see a coyote and all I have is a squirt gun, I'm going to try and give the bubblegumer swimmers ear.

 

[titsonritz]

And my heart goes out to animals attacked and eaten in viscous ways. However, as I'm sure you know, the predators are acting instinctively. They have no ethical compass.

That is the way nature works, it is brutal.

 

[JRuby]

My wife spotted a coyote on the neighbor's property about 10 yards from the fence line. The closest gun was a .32 H&R magnum that I have a lot of experience with - in my concealed gun rotation.

I walked out to the fence and the coyote didn't even look in my direction - lots of mowing in other peoples yards and he was very focused on something.

It looked like like a broadside stationary cardboard target. I took my time and fired. It looked like a hit in the chest before his front leg - fur and muscle contraction. I couldn't find any blood, but I am sure at that distance that I didn't miss.

He whirled around and took off. I couldn't find any blood, but at least he won't be back.

What do you think, .32 Federal 85 grain HP vs coyote?

Living out here in St. Helens there are a lot more where that coyote came from. I take the dogs out once a night between 1-3AM and you can always hear them. Good job.

 

[Spitpatch]

I've never seen a shot to vitals not leave blood immediately.

I've also never seen a gut shot leave blood immediately.

I respect your "nope"... but itd be great if you could elaborate...

The crux of your contention was the use of the majority indicator, "usually". (The contention that cause for a lack of blood trail would be far more likely to be a miss or a bad hit than anything else.)

If you've never seen a shot to the vitals not leave blood immediately, you may have never shot a Bear (or very many).
If you've never seen a shot to the vitals not leave blood immediately, then you may have never shot an elk high in the ribs.
If you've never seen a shot to the vitals not leave blood immediately, then you may have never shot big game (or a coyote for that matter) with a light, (perhaps small caliber) frangible bullet that stays inside.

The point being:

Lack of a blood trail can be caused by any one of a myriad of reasons, none more likely than the other (including a miss or a bad shot).

 

[Koda]

I'm sorry for your loss and I'm not saying they're not a nuisance that should be eliminated. Judgement... hardly. However, any shot on any living thing should be done with some amount of ethical responsibility.

Appreciate this is all. I dont care if its a predator Im glad hunters care about a clean kill to encourage them in all situations.

 

[Member 53328]

That is the way nature works, it is brutal.

Too bad humanity has become so tame.

 

[FATAL125]

The crux of your contention was the use of the majority indicator, "usually". (The contention that cause for a lack of blood trail would be far more likely to be a miss or a bad hit than anything else.)

If you've never seen a shot to the vitals not leave blood immediately, you may have never shot a Bear (or very many).
If you've never seen a shot to the vitals not leave blood immediately, then you may have never shot an elk high in the ribs.
If you've never seen a shot to the vitals not leave blood immediately, then you may have never shot big game (or a coyote for that matter) with a light, (perhaps small caliber) frangible bullet that stays inside.

The point being:

Lack of a blood trail can be caused by any one of a myriad of reasons, none more likely than the other (including a miss or a bad shot).

Appreciate the response and valid points.

My "usually" indicates my experience and the experience of those I know. It indicates it is the majority, but in no way the only.

 

[Pete F]

I would not have shot him if I didn't think that the .32 H&R magnum was not enough gun to drop him. At that distance, I was surprised that he got away, but Humans can go over 15 seconds after they are basically dead from a deadly gun shot.

The bullets that I used are very close to the energy of a .38 Special.

 

[Spitpatch]

Appreciate the response and valid points.

My "usually" indicates my experience and the experience of those I know. It indicates it is the majority, but in no way the only.

Your experience (and of those you know) is important and I recognize it is all you have to go on. Despite those experiences, once again: a miss or a bad hit are NOT the majority causes of no blood trail, and when compared to the totality of all other possibilities, those two reasons might fall into a distinct minority.

My greater concern that prompted my terse negative response ("Nope.") is the fact that hunters on this website are of varying experience, and many (myself included) come here to learn. When a statement is made such as, "lack of a bloodtrail is usually a missed shot or a bad hit", some Members here may take that to heart (no pun intended), and when placed in that situation draw a conclusion and make very important decisions (how much time to spend following up, etc.) based on the inaccuracy.

Your inquiry toward clarifying my brief response was welcomed, and it is my wish that you hunt long enough to experience EACH of the "no bloodtrail" scenarios that I speculated had not crossed your path yet, and that you enjoy the self-satisfaction of persistence despite no blood trail to discover you indeed made a good, killing shot.