# New coyote gun



## johnhunter247 (Mar 12, 2011)

Hi guys, I have been hunting whitetails and turkeys my whole life. I have never done any predator hunting of any kind. I have recently purchased a 170 acre farm in Iowa and I am getting tons of pics of coyote and bobcat. I just purchased my first coyote gun. I bought it from a gun dealer in North Carolina because I couldn't find one anywhere around and it was going to be at least a 90 day wait if I ordered it. So it's getting shipped to an ffl dealer by me. I should have it next week. Then I will get it set up with a good scope and I am buying a clip on night vision optic I think. Not sure on that yet. Do I need it? Is it more successful to hunt at night? I have never hunted coyote or bobcat before. Any advise would be much appreciated. Anything at all, equipment, calls, how to call, decoys, etc... I am always open to advise and willing to learn. I am sure there not easy to hunt. It should be a fun challenge and all the other wildlife on my farm should be much happier if I can be successful. Here is the gun I bought and the scope I am getting. I would appreciate thoughts on the gun also. I did some reading and studying before I made my purchase and I'm hoping I have bought a good predator gun that last me a long time.


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## D&D2012 (Oct 29, 2012)

johnhunter247 said:


> Hi guys, I have been hunting whitetails and turkeys my whole life. I have never done any predator hunting of any kind. I have recently purchased a 170 acre farm in Iowa and I am getting tons of pics of coyote and bobcat. I just purchased my first coyote gun. I bought it from a gun dealer in North Carolina because I couldn't find one anywhere around and it was going to be at least a 90 day wait if I ordered it. So it's getting shipped to an ffl dealer by me. I should have it next week. Then I will get it set up with a good scope and I am buying a clip on night vision optic I think. Not sure on that yet. Do I need it? Is it more successful to hunt at night? I have never hunted coyote or bobcat before. Any advise would be much appreciated. Anything at all, equipment, calls, how to call, decoys, etc... I am always open to advise and willing to learn. I am sure there not easy to hunt. It should be a fun challenge and all the other wildlife on my farm should be much happier if I can be successful. Here is the gun I bought and the scope I am getting. I would appreciate thoughts on the gun also. I did some reading and studying before I made my purchase and I'm hoping I have bought a good predator gun that last me a long time.


You won'the be disappointed with that setup, a good friend of mine has almost the same (slightly different vortex glass) and it is an excellent combination. 

I am newer to the sport as well and found that night time calling with the aid of electronics has been my most successful combo. Last year I used a red Night Snipe light from PHO and they seemed a little weary of it, so this year I got a Photon XT 6.5. 

From what I have read my light issue could have been me directly shining the center of the beam at the yotes (should be in the halo) or the yotes may have already been hunted/exposed to it before.

If your part of Iowa is pretty rural and they aren't heavily hunted I would say go with PHO's new adjustable light and see your success. If they aren't bothered by it you are all set, if they do seem to be then you can get an IR bulb for it and use it for illumination on a NV setup.

Good luck and hope your recovery is going well!


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## johnhunter247 (Mar 12, 2011)

As far as I know from talking to neighbors, which there aren't many because all big parcels, none of them hunt coyotes. They only kill them if they see them while deer hunting. It is very rural where I'm at.


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## johnhunter247 (Mar 12, 2011)

Almost 100 views and no one has any advise for a rookie predator hunter? One new hunter like myself offered advise that I greatly appreciate. Where are all the seasoned predator hunters?


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## fr3db3ar (Feb 26, 2009)

I prefer hunting at night. It gives me more opportunity as they are moving more, a little less wary and I invested in thermal so night time is where it's at for me.


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## Fishman95 (Jan 25, 2015)

johnhunter247 said:


> Almost 100 views and no one has any advise for a rookie predator hunter? One new hunter like myself offered advise that I greatly appreciate. Where are all the seasoned predator hunters?


I would offer advice but I kinda suck at this lol


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## johnhunter247 (Mar 12, 2011)

Fishman95 said:


> I would offer advice but I kinda suck at this lol


lol! I am pretty sure I am going to suck at it too until I learn. I will probably end up educating all the predators by the time I learn the proper techniques and they will always be laughing at me!


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## nitrojoe (Dec 22, 2004)

I mostly hunt at night due to time restraints but I use to hunt early mornings with some success though. My biggest tip is to enter the hunting area as quiet as possible and to get in a setup to allow the coyotes a "safe" way to come into your calls. I use to just setup in a field a 100 yards from a wood lot and call and nothing would happen, but if you can have some cover down wind of you for them to approach you and feel safe, you'll see a lot more. Just make sure you can shoot to the cover when they use it.


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## bobleetd (Jan 17, 2004)

Can't help much for hunting farm country as I hunt NLP forest and swamp. But a couple things that always apply are quiet, quiet going in/setting up and never let your scent blow into the cover you expect the predator to be coming from. Lot's of magazine articles (predator nation, predator extreme) and videos available for different tactics and techniques. Not sure about hunting bobcats in Iowa but MI doesn't allow shooting them after dark so it would pay to check Iowa regs.


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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

You will like that rifle. The RRA 2 stage trigger is A+. With the 1-8" twist in the barrel, it should like 55gr bullets. Use Nosler Ballistic Tips or Hornady VMAX to minimize damage to the pelts. I haven't shot a coyote yet but a bunch of woodchucks have fallen to 40gr Vmax's and 55gr NBT's out of my rifle. Bang-flopped every one and can only recall 1 exit wound.


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