Any coyote trappers here?
Connecticut
Just wondering.. Pat's Evil Coyote Rifle looks like fun, but somehow I don't foresee one in my future... And if you really want RID of them, are t traps a better option anyway?
But I'd expect there is a real skill set to doing it productively, and for that you just can't beat getting Taught How.
Anybody here running a line in LFFC? And if so, would you be open to a student?
After reading your laws it is pointless trapping them on state land as you can't have a leg hold out of the water. If you're on private land it would be worth it. It would also be close to impossible catching a fisher with submerged traps. I thought about taking up trapping again and going to CT but those laws aren't worth it just like hunting coyotes on state land with a 22.
Totally worth it on private land very effective. Theoretically you could have a 1000 jaw trap line but do need to check each day but way more effective then calling. But For coyote land trapping need ten acres min. Yote land trapping way more effective but season ends in a few days. Then only option is gun hunting. Again ten acre min. Oh i guess shotgun dosent require the ten acre can buy some custom yote loads but traps still way to go. Can also set traps in burrow of animal but defeinetly harder then dirt hole sets. Dirt holes are almost no brainer if set on sign. Biggest problem is some times more bobcats then yotes these days.
I took the advanced trapping class in 2014 with my brother and another friend. They fill up quickly. I looked everyday until one became available. If you're having a hard time finding a class give Jules Perreault at
[email protected] an email. Last I knew he was one of the guys that ran the trapping class and maybe he can give you a heads up on when the next class will be.
Spike fishers will go into box traps use squirrels for bait.With the warm temps dirt holes are effective this year for coyotes.
Hmmmm... Didn't realize this was such a downer proposition for so many.
The place I'm thinking of is quite large and entirely private but is abuts some pubic land, so there is a long & wide travel corridor for the dogs.
Trouble is, I've only seen them before shooting light and of course the best bet on a deer around here is when it's just about over.
It would be great if the DEEP would make it less onerous to get a trapping tag so that there might be some coyote trapping getting done on at least the public land where the deer herd is thin anyway. Private property, the coyotes are the only hunters who don't need written permission, and they have access 24/7/365. I'm not going to say that DEEP has gone out of their way to protect the 'yotes, but it wouldn't surprise me if Predation by Coyote is an important part of their private-land herd-management strategy...
Spike I know a lot of guys love the scary ARs in .17 HMR and even .223 but don't underestimate the old .22 long rifle. I've taken several yotes out with a .22 with a shot right behind the ear. They are harder to hunt than to actually kill.
I absolutely beleive it used to be ther their deer control strategy to have lots of coyotes but public sentiment on them has changed. I heard a news anchors yelp dog got eaten and she went public. But state has new strategy. They are going with protected species to control deer. Specifically bob cats and bears. Both are untouchable and and state bas shown in North west corner eating 75% or fawns. I know the state is just praying for some mountain lions back in state too each lion eats a deer a week. When there are mojntain lions in state its probably when well see any sort of bobcat ber season.
MikeP, I always feel under gunned with my 22 and coyote, but that's likely just me trying to wait for the perfect shot (which I never seem to get in the woods). Your post gives me hope, so thanks for that. I have a new .17 hmr now and use the 20 gr game point. I read where its supposed to retain up to 18 gr, compared to the 17 gr poly point that retains maybe 5 gr. I hope to see soon, if I can ever get out there.
Oneeye, that's just crazy thinking all around there in my opinion.
I agree on caliber Pat, but the state doesn't give us much choice on state land. I like walking my state land spots this time of the year. I also understand that I need to approach some farms around the area to try for some private spots for coyote.
What's tat old gag about how a coyote can haul off more lead than a dump truck?
I've run across plenty of people who swear that a .223 is marginal, so a .22LR?? Probably have to make a good shot to the brain case in order to be at least half-way sue of a recovery.
CCI used to make a load they called the SGB - Small Game Bullet. It was extra heavy, and my Ruger loved it. I also liked the way it bucked the wind better than most loads. I would trust that to drop a coyote with a hit to the spine, I think.
But spines and brains are mighty small targets.
I guess the ideal would be an AR-type in .243.... Or a walking varmint rig would be fun. Still wondering if my Ruger O/U, choked skeet & more skeet, would be a good option for short-range work with #2 buck. Those babies are .27 cal and don't fan out too terribly fast.
But a recurve would be more fun.
Mike p, I agree a .22 to the head works but that it a tough shot. Heck I feel almost under gunned with my .22 mag. Are you guys allowed to use the 17 wsm? That seems like a nasty little round.
Spike, from the regs: "Note: It is legal to use .17 caliber rimfire firearms in all situations where it is legal to use .22 caliber rimfire long rifle firearms".
Is it really that hard to hit a coyote in the head at 50-75 yards or less with a scoped .22?
Like Pat says.....Just shoot them all. I'll be out chasing them all of Feb.
"Restrictions on the use of muzzleloading rifles for hunting small game are the same as those for rifles, except that on state-owned land, up to a .36 caliber muzzleloading rifle using round ball ammunition only may be used."
The problem is finding a .36 that doesn't cost a fortune.
A .350dia, 80gn round ball at 1800fps should easily put down a coyote at 50yds to 80yds.
I recently added a white coating to the backside of the front sight blade, so my old eyes can see it.
Oneeye, the ten acre rule is for coyote trapping and RIFLE DEER HUNTING. A rifle of any size can still be used on private property of ANY size for small game (excluding raccoon and opossum at night).
I've shot coyotes with a .22lr. Not recommended. If you don't put one in the brain, you won't find it.
Blood I choose to use open sights om my .22 just because I can acquire the head shot site picture quicker, but if I did use a scope it would be a low power one(same reason). The problem is the damned things rarely stop so I have to snap off shots on the move. I limit the range to 50-60 yards with a .22 Pat you guys seem to do well on the "dogs" Do you find field edges more productive than hunting in the timber? Always looking for tips. WB good point on using a small game .36 smokepole. That looks like that would be a lot of fun.
+1 for the .36 RB! Honestly, if I were to buy another rifle of any kind at all, that would be my first choice.
As for how hard it would be to hit a coyote in the brain at 50 yards.... Number one, it depends whether they're moving or not. I used to shoot about two bricks of .22LR every month when I lived out in Wyoming. I had a membership at the local rifle range, and I used to spend most of my time shooting the 50 m hog silhouette. They had one on a swinger, and it was just an awful lot of fun. I got to where I could hit it easily eight out of 10 shooting offhand, and rarely less than 10 out of 10 from kneeling or sitting. That was enough that most of the regular members started calling me by my name even though I had never introduced myself. I guess they just figured out who I was from the sign in sheet. And I guess my point here is that being able to hit a target approximately the size of a coyote's brain case is rare enough ithat these guys wanted to know who that kid was… Although the fact that I was 24 and looked more like about 15 may have had something to do with it!!!
Anyway, a .36 is probably the top choice here for public land coyotes. It sure would be nice if they would allow 9 mm air rifles, too. Ballistically second-best to a .36 RB, but within their range probably superior to a .22LR..
And of course you can't overlook the archery/crossbow option....
Toby, if that's the case the 17wsm would be a huge difference over a 22lr. I kinda want to buy one.
Mike, I have never called in a yote across a field. Way better to hunt the woods next to a field.
I thought about the wsm Spike, but went with the hmr instead. I read a few things about availability of hmr ammo over wsm and possibly phasing the wsm round out, not sure if it was true or not. It was a Christmas gift for my son and not purchased specifically for coyote (although I will borrow...lol). I mainly bought it for him target shooting and squirrels and I wanted something different since there was no need to have another .22lr
SWK, I agree, I think it's one of those old regs with safety in mind. If they trust us enough with the current tagging system we have, they shouldn't worry about licensed hunters poaching deer and turkey because we have a bigger caliber weapon.
You're absolutely right about the stupid laws SWK. Poachers can kill deer with a .22 if they wanted to. It's been done. It would be nice to be able to use our slug guns and .50 ca. muzzleloaders for coyote. Why not? Makes no sense. The .36 ball being smaller actually travels faster and farther so the safety thing it's nuts. Don't know about you but I wouldn't want to be hit by one of those nasty lead balls. I think the .36 would be great on the "dogs".
I live in N.Y. and use a 22 hornet for coyote and bobcat.Shoulder shots drops them every time. It is a centerfire so I do not know if it is legal in CT even though it is 22 caliber
vmang. .22 long rifle is all we're allowed to use on state land in CT. or the .17 HMR. Not even .22 mag which is a pretty hard hitter. The hornet is a great round.
.36 RB = 00 buck. Hard to buy a box of 'em, but easy to get in a #25 bag!
One thing about RB - they're aerodynamically, uh... Challenged.
And a real nice thing about roundball is that they flatten out nicely at short range, so if you take a quartering angle, you will often get your ball back, at least at closer range. Pure lead is practically a Smart bullet - it'll flatten at short range to yield a large wound channel (I've recovered .54s flattened out to over an inch) but as distance increases, the deformation drops off quickly so that you get full penetration and an exit.
I just don't get how it is that CT has managed to to outlaw so many things that are perfectly legal at a Fed level. Things like mail-order purchase of a muzzleloader, for example. Or an air rifle. Or anything else that you can walk into a shop and buy without any kind of paperwork....
If I were to own a .22 Hornet, I'd get it blown out at the shoulder. Sort of the Ackley Improved of the Hornet world; I just can't recall what it's called. There's a gunsmith by the name of Jack Belk who turned me on to that one back when I was more into firearms than I am now. Jack also developed a round he called the Cheapshot, which was a .223 case necked up to accommodate at light-end-of-the-spectrum 6mm bullet. JMO, you'd have to choose the right one to get the right balance of fragmentation and punch-through.
Oh, hold on - Kilborne. That's it. .22 Hornet Kilborne... Be great to have one built up custom with a faster twist barrel so that you could use a bit heavier slug for the 'yotes... Besides - high RPM bullets do a lot of damage when they tear apart....
GF,
The 00 buck is .330dia and the .36 is .350. Close, but not good enough. Too much patch and you loose accuracy.
I was out last Saturday morning at High Rock shooting range and my best shooting was with 40gns to 45gns of P(pistol) Pyrodex. I hung a section of 3/16" steel conduit, which gave me a target of about 4" at 30yds. It is amazing how the lead balls impress on that, and even broke a piece away, probably because I also shot it on the ground. I used the bench for the shots at paper to determine the accuracy of my sights, then began shooting the swinging steel from offhand. A very satisfying time.
SWK, My "pumpkin ball launcher" has a good deal more energy than your soda straw launcher. TIC
Then is it 000? Maybe it's just been too long, but I was sure that there was a size of buckshot that was perfect rifle ammo.
Shoot. All my BP reference books are deep-sixed.. Damned flood's STILL causing me troubles!
Sure do miss plinking around with 40-50 grain charges, though. But getting full velocity from 30-35 would be even better. And at the price of lead these days... How much does a .36 weigh? A lot less than 230!
SWK,
Why yes, I've owned it since I was younger, but with a 32" barrel, it is most likely longer than your draw or axle to axle length.
GF,
Yes the 000 is .350 from Hornady, however, they harden the lead for buckshot, and that doesn't work well in a muzzleloader. I have mucho soft lead and a fine set of molds. I'll be casting when the weather breaks.
We'll have to compare notes on the ball some time ... A .350 seems like it oughtta be ample for small game even unexpanded, but if the patch can't keep hold of it, that'd be a real issue...
Twenty two long rifle is not big enough shot one at fifty feet. It went down but needed another round in the brain to put the lights out.the first shot was in the neck.
