XUSNORDIE
Single-Sixer
I was an avid predator hunter up until a couple years ago. Knee was just replaced a few months back so hopefully can get back into it. A hunting buddy of mine and I created Predator Hunters of Maryland several years back. It became a big thing, and we held annual contests. We started getting sponsors like FoxPro Calls, Allpredators.com, Wicked Lights, and several others. It was a great way to meet other passionate predator hunters and introducing folks to the sport. However, it came to an end when PETA sent "undercover" people to our last contest breakfast/weigh in event. I won't go into detail what happened...but predator contests are no longer allowed in Maryland.
Anyway, I was reading a thread here about shooting yotes and calibers were mentioned. I know everyone has killed yotes with a BB gun up to a 50 BMG (kidding). I don't want to start a boiling pot of what you can kill a yote with. If it works for you it works for you. That said, what I always told folks starting out predator hunting, especially if yotes were involved, was to "use enough gun". During contests, where pelts were not a main concern 243 was popular. Most folks used 223. Most predators brought in were red fox. Maryland is loaded with them. Gray fox as well. For those concerned about pelts 223 was usually down loaded some. If a yote came in you just needed to work him in closer to you with good calling sequences.
Most of the area I hunted for the contests yotes were rare. I typically carried a 17 Hornet. Its a laser out to 200 yds and a 25gr hollow point anchored fox. Folks put down yotes with the 17 Hornet, but were patient and waited for a closer shot. I never tried. If I only had the 17 Hornet a yote walked. I know folks hate them, but I have a respect for what I hunt and kill, no matter the reason.
When I was strictly hunting yotes, I used my Ruger Hawkeye in 243. When I hunted areas where it was mostly fox with a good chance of yotes, I used my favorite rifle. A Ruger American Predator in 204 Ruger, in a Bell & Carlson Stock, Glades Armory bolt handle, topped with a Hawke 30MM 3-12X56 scope and Wicked Lights 403. The Hornady 40gr Superformance Varmint or 45gr SP handload did the job. Loved that rifle set up. I was very comfortable with it on yotes at a reasonable distance.
For those inclined to read a rambling of a funny story about a yote kill with that rifle, here it is. About 4 years ago we held a "Big Fox" contest. Heaviest fox brought in before midnight wins the cash and assorted goodies from sponsors. My buddy, my youngest Son were hunting together. On the first set of the night we were at a dairy in Frederick MD. I had my trusty 204, my Son had the 17 Hornet, and my buddy had 204 as well. I started the call sequences, and we all started scanning the tree lines, brush, open field, etc....my Son caught eyes first, so his shot. We watched the eyes dart around trees and brush working it's way toward the calls in a sneaky fashion. Then those eyes hung up. I stopped the call. Waited a min, and started a different call..."Kitten Distress" was the dinner bell for that red......he came bolting out into the open where we positively identified as a fox and straight up the hill towards us. I woofed loudly, stopped him in his tracks and told my Son to take him. Clean kill dead right there. My knee didn't navigate rough terrain downhill very well. My Buddy accompanied my Son to collect his fox. Saying they were loud is an understatement. They made a racket. As they retrieved the fox and began walking back up the hill, I keep scanning. Especially to our side and rear. There was a lot of farming equipment, posts and things with reflectors. Which look a lot like eyes reflecting the scan light. The closer my buddy and Son got to the top the louder they got and one of the "reflectors" about 100 or so yards out seemed to be in a different place every time I scanned that area. So, I mounted my rifle on the tripod, flicked on the Wicked Light and zoomed in on the area placing the light not directly on but to the side of the "reflectors"......yup....a yote was sneaking up from behind, but keeping its distance due to the noise. My Son had not taken a yote yet.....and it began to slowly walk down towards a creek. Not alarmed yet, but yotes hate lights. But I knew it wouldn't stay put for much longer. It began to trot and I woofed loudly......stopping the yote and my buddy and Son in their tracks. I put the red dot on its high shoulder and sent the 204......the yote tumbled down to the creek and no movement. I kept the light on it as they came up to me. "what was that?".... I told them a yote and they didn't believe me......so off they went down to where my light was.....and I hear "Damn!" as I saw my Son poke it with his rifle and then lift it up by the hind legs. I wish it would have stayed put long enough for him to get the shot....but lesson learned.....be quiet when retrieving your predators, and always keep scanning.
Attached: Pics of us back at the truck after that set, a pic of my Son with a big red fox from another hunt that shows the Ruger Predator Rifle, and a pic of the yote mounted which resides in my den (it was a 36 lb female).
Looking forward to recovering from a couple recent medical issues and getting back out there....and letting the Rugers do their thing!
Anyway, I was reading a thread here about shooting yotes and calibers were mentioned. I know everyone has killed yotes with a BB gun up to a 50 BMG (kidding). I don't want to start a boiling pot of what you can kill a yote with. If it works for you it works for you. That said, what I always told folks starting out predator hunting, especially if yotes were involved, was to "use enough gun". During contests, where pelts were not a main concern 243 was popular. Most folks used 223. Most predators brought in were red fox. Maryland is loaded with them. Gray fox as well. For those concerned about pelts 223 was usually down loaded some. If a yote came in you just needed to work him in closer to you with good calling sequences.
Most of the area I hunted for the contests yotes were rare. I typically carried a 17 Hornet. Its a laser out to 200 yds and a 25gr hollow point anchored fox. Folks put down yotes with the 17 Hornet, but were patient and waited for a closer shot. I never tried. If I only had the 17 Hornet a yote walked. I know folks hate them, but I have a respect for what I hunt and kill, no matter the reason.
When I was strictly hunting yotes, I used my Ruger Hawkeye in 243. When I hunted areas where it was mostly fox with a good chance of yotes, I used my favorite rifle. A Ruger American Predator in 204 Ruger, in a Bell & Carlson Stock, Glades Armory bolt handle, topped with a Hawke 30MM 3-12X56 scope and Wicked Lights 403. The Hornady 40gr Superformance Varmint or 45gr SP handload did the job. Loved that rifle set up. I was very comfortable with it on yotes at a reasonable distance.
For those inclined to read a rambling of a funny story about a yote kill with that rifle, here it is. About 4 years ago we held a "Big Fox" contest. Heaviest fox brought in before midnight wins the cash and assorted goodies from sponsors. My buddy, my youngest Son were hunting together. On the first set of the night we were at a dairy in Frederick MD. I had my trusty 204, my Son had the 17 Hornet, and my buddy had 204 as well. I started the call sequences, and we all started scanning the tree lines, brush, open field, etc....my Son caught eyes first, so his shot. We watched the eyes dart around trees and brush working it's way toward the calls in a sneaky fashion. Then those eyes hung up. I stopped the call. Waited a min, and started a different call..."Kitten Distress" was the dinner bell for that red......he came bolting out into the open where we positively identified as a fox and straight up the hill towards us. I woofed loudly, stopped him in his tracks and told my Son to take him. Clean kill dead right there. My knee didn't navigate rough terrain downhill very well. My Buddy accompanied my Son to collect his fox. Saying they were loud is an understatement. They made a racket. As they retrieved the fox and began walking back up the hill, I keep scanning. Especially to our side and rear. There was a lot of farming equipment, posts and things with reflectors. Which look a lot like eyes reflecting the scan light. The closer my buddy and Son got to the top the louder they got and one of the "reflectors" about 100 or so yards out seemed to be in a different place every time I scanned that area. So, I mounted my rifle on the tripod, flicked on the Wicked Light and zoomed in on the area placing the light not directly on but to the side of the "reflectors"......yup....a yote was sneaking up from behind, but keeping its distance due to the noise. My Son had not taken a yote yet.....and it began to slowly walk down towards a creek. Not alarmed yet, but yotes hate lights. But I knew it wouldn't stay put for much longer. It began to trot and I woofed loudly......stopping the yote and my buddy and Son in their tracks. I put the red dot on its high shoulder and sent the 204......the yote tumbled down to the creek and no movement. I kept the light on it as they came up to me. "what was that?".... I told them a yote and they didn't believe me......so off they went down to where my light was.....and I hear "Damn!" as I saw my Son poke it with his rifle and then lift it up by the hind legs. I wish it would have stayed put long enough for him to get the shot....but lesson learned.....be quiet when retrieving your predators, and always keep scanning.
Attached: Pics of us back at the truck after that set, a pic of my Son with a big red fox from another hunt that shows the Ruger Predator Rifle, and a pic of the yote mounted which resides in my den (it was a 36 lb female).
Looking forward to recovering from a couple recent medical issues and getting back out there....and letting the Rugers do their thing!
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