Houdini is done, or is he?

[Diamond S]

So my neighbor came over a week or so ago, he was telling me about his cows calving and a big beautiful coyote that was hanging around eating the afterbirth and generally making the cows nervous. Well our first ride in the ranger to to check things out, there stood Houdini at 60 yards looking at us. I told the neighbor to keep driving and circle back to the house so I could grab the 17. We got back and sure enough he was still there, but this time he disappeared into the wood line when we got within 200 yards of him. Several evening rides over the past week or so have resulted in 2 more sightings with Houdini vanishing in to the brush with no shot opportunities. Well today we notice a new calf and start that way, Houdini stands up about 30 yards behind the cow and hit mach 7 headed for the fence. I whistle at him twice and he keeps running, the neighbor barks at him and he throws on the breaks to see what it was. I drop the crosshairs on him at 80 yards, they lock solid right where his neck joins his body as he is facing me. I squeeze the trigger and he folds up like a cheap lawn chair. I mean it was instant, he just crumpled up. I chambered another round and watched thru the scope for about 10-20 seconds and decided he is down for the count. I close the door on the ranger and we high 5, talked about how he just folded up and what pose I was going to mount him in. We drive down to pick him up, and Houdini is gone. I am talking vanished in to thin air. We both saw him fold up!!! I looked for any trace of blood and as expected with a 17 I found nothing, I crossed the fence and searched about 75 yards of wood line........ nothing. I just can't help but wonder if that indeed was his final act.

[Antlers86]

Reminds me of the recent thread the guy killed a yote, put in the bed of the truck and a few minutes later it was alive in the back.

[awright]

or he ducked/collapsed in fear, and while you fools were dancing in glee, he vanished.

[cvanbrunt]

Watch for buzzards over the next few days.


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[Diamond S]

Originally Posted by awright

or he ducked/collapsed in fear, and while you fools were dancing in glee, he vanished.

Oh crap, I woke up a troll!

[OldRiverRat]

Originally Posted by cvanbrunt

Watch for buzzards over the next few days.


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I’ve never seen buzzards get on a coyote
I don’t think anything will eat them


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[Diamond S]

Originally Posted by cvanbrunt

Watch for buzzards over the next few days.


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Yep, we talked about that. I just hope he don't associate the ranger with danger anymore than he already does. If he is still alive.

[Perkins7581]

Some people believe dogs go to heaven he probably was already pass the clouds before u got down there. Happy hunting

[awright]

Originally Posted by OldRiverRat

I’ve never seen buzzards get on a coyote
I don’t think anything will eat them


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Dave Canterbury's trainees eat coyote. Lots of Asians eat dog. There's no difference. Hog will eat carrion, just like dogs do.

[Cajun Blake]

What cartridge ... 17 HMR or one of the 17 centerfire variants ?

If the HMR, doesn’t surprise me as there’s not enough ft/lbs of energy to kill ‘em stone dead

[Lawhunter]

Originally Posted by Diamond S

Oh crap, I woke up a troll!

Should have used a pocket gun. Could have got him at 10 paces.

[glen]

Nothing will eat him. Buzzards don’t eat coyotes or grackles

[Diamond S]

Originally Posted by Cajun Blake

What cartridge ... 17 HMR or one of the 17 centerfire variants ?

If the HMR, doesn’t surprise me as there’s not enough ft/lbs of energy to kill ‘em stone dead

I agree 100% with you on the shot placement I made with a 17 HMR. However, I have shot pigs out to 100 yards ( I know it is not the same ) in the ear and they were DRT. The way he folded up I kind of thought I broke his neck. Now I see that was not the case. I guess I should have went for a head shot, but when he stopped running and the crosshairs locked on his chest neck area I sent it down range. Live and learn I guess, I got caught up in the moment. It is a shame, I had already told the boss to make room for a full body mount if I killed him.

[Diamond S]

Originally Posted by Lawhunter

Should have used a pocket gun. Could have got him at 10 paces.

I saw that thread, read about 4 post and hit the back arrow. LOL

[Colton]

I bet he is laid up dead/dying somewhere

[Diamond S]

Originally Posted by Colton

I bet he is laid up dead/dying somewhere

That is what I am hoping, but I would like to know for sure.

[RifleBowPistol]

Originally Posted by OldRiverRat

I’ve never seen buzzards get on a coyote
I don’t think anything will eat them


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Buzzards will eat them but they typically won't touch them for a week and a half to two weeks. I am pretty sure, it's because they know that coyotes normally smell like dead stuff and they know a coyote will eat them and most anything else. So they don't want to land, then walk up to a coyote that is still alive. Once it's to the point of very rank and been in the same spot for close to two weeks. They will eat them and quickly, once they start. I used to kill a lot of coyote, coons, possums and skunks years ago. Skunks they would be on, sometimes within minutes of me tossing them, possums quite often the same day I tossed them out in the pasture. They would typically let a coon lay a couple of days to three days, before they will eat a coon. Then like I said close to two weeks on coyotes.

[RifleBowPistol]

Originally Posted by Diamond S

So my neighbor came over a week or so ago, he was telling me about his cows calving and a big beautiful coyote that was hanging around eating the afterbirth and generally making the cows nervous. Well our first ride in the ranger to to check things out, there stood Houdini at 60 yards looking at us. I told the neighbor to keep driving and circle back to the house so I could grab the 17. We got back and sure enough he was still there, but this time he disappeared into the wood line when we got within 200 yards of him. Several evening rides over the past week or so have resulted in 2 more sightings with Houdini vanishing in to the brush with no shot opportunities. Well today we notice a new calf and start that way, Houdini stands up about 30 yards behind the cow and hit mach 7 headed for the fence. I whistle at him twice and he keeps running, the neighbor barks at him and he throws on the breaks to see what it was. I drop the crosshairs on him at 80 yards, they lock solid right where his neck joins his body as he is facing me. I squeeze the trigger and he folds up like a cheap lawn chair. I mean it was instant, he just crumpled up. I chambered another round and watched thru the scope for about 10-20 seconds and decided he is down for the count. I close the door on the ranger and we high 5, talked about how he just folded up and what pose I was going to mount him in. We drive down to pick him up, and Houdini is gone. I am talking vanished in to thin air. We both saw him fold up!!! I looked for any trace of blood and as expected with a 17 I found nothing, I crossed the fence and searched about 75 yards of wood line........ nothing. I just can't help but wonder if that indeed was his final act.

He may be dead, but the only way you will know, is wait a week or so. If it's dead, it will start to smell really bad around a week to two. Multiple of the coyotes I shot with my 17 HMR, I found, once they started to get really rank. I found they often would crawl under some very dense short brush. I will only shoot coyotes in the head with a 17 HMR now.

[Diamond S]

Originally Posted by RifleBowPistol

He may be dead, but the only way you will know, is wait a week or so. If it's dead, it will start to smell really bad around a week to two. Multiple of the coyotes I shot with my 17 HMR, I found, once they started to get really rank. I found they often would crawl under some very dense short brush. I will only shoot coyotes in the head with a 17 HMR now.

It is really thick across the fence, I did look in it for him but didn't have the desire to crash thru the brush.

[diamond10x]

Originally Posted by Diamond S

I agree 100% with you on the shot placement I made with a 17 HMR. However, I have shot pigs out to 100 yards ( I know it is not the same ) in the ear and they were DRT. The way he folded up I kind of thought I broke his neck. Now I see that was not the case. I guess I should have went for a head shot, but when he stopped running and the crosshairs locked on his chest neck area I sent it down range. Live and learn I guess, I got caught up in the moment. It is a shame, I had already told the boss to make room for a full body mount if I killed him.

Don't lose confidence in the trusty HMR. Same scenario has happened to me with coons several times, since then only head shots on all varmints. Since I started doing that haven't had any Houdini issues.

[Diamond S]

Originally Posted by diamond10x

Don't lose confidence in the trusty HMR. Same scenario has happened to me with coons several times, since then only head shots on all varmints. Since I started doing that haven't had any Houdini issues.

Oh no, I love that HMR. It was all shot placement on the yote. I just can't believe he folded and then disappeared. We I shot he went down right now, you would have thought he got hit with a 7 mag.

[GWilly]

Originally Posted by Antlers86

Reminds me of the recent thread the guy killed a yote, put in the bed of the truck and a few minutes later it was alive in the back.

Happen to have the link to the thread of remember the title/OP? Would love to see that one

[Antlers86]

Originally Posted by GWilly

Happen to have the link to the thread of remember the title/OP? Would love to see that one

https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...&highlight=9mm

[BitBackShot]

It's a myth that buzzards won't eat coyotes. They absolutely will if they're hungry.

If you're in a highly populated (animal) area where there's lots of road kill and other stuff to eat, they will pass on a coyote to eat a deer, but they will absolutely eat coyotes and any other carrion if they're hungry.

[Throwin Darts]

I shot a coyote last year. He dropped in his tracks. I went up to him and took a couple of pics with my gun laying on him. Went and got back in the stand for another 30 minutes and he was laying there the whole time. I drove up to him in the Mule to load him up and he got up and ran off.

[powderburner]

time to bring out the big gun and make sure he cannot get up

[ttaxidermy]

A 17HMR is not nearly enough gun to be shooting coyotes with and to expecting a DRT kill.. Most times they will run off from this unless its a ear hole or eyeball shot and even then it wont be 100%. Just not enough energy in that pea shooter..

[splitfinger]

Hope he is dead. I had a wild housecat once that terrorized my yard cat for several months. It took about a year and 4 hits with a .22 to kill that sucker. Toughest cat I have ever seen. 1 shot between the eyes at 2 yds, 1 shot in the face at 20 yds. and 2 shots in the side at 10 yds. Big and nasty ole Tom cat.

[kyle1974]

Originally Posted by Cajun Blake

What cartridge ... 17 HMR or one of the 17 centerfire variants ?

If the HMR, doesn’t surprise me as there’s not enough ft/lbs of energy to kill ‘em stone dead

agree.. the 17 HMR is a rabbit and sparrow gun. aside from the "one time at band camp" stories, it's a pathetically weak round. I was shooting coons a few years ago with one, and it wouldn't even drop them on body shots.

[gingib]

Originally Posted by Antlers86

Reminds me of the recent thread the guy killed a yote, put in the bed of the truck and a few minutes later it was alive in the back.

Man that reminds me of a hunt I had 6 months ago.

My buddy and I killed a coyote. We get up to him and he says, WHOA he is still alive I saw him blink. I said he is dead as a doornail your seeing crap. So I grab his leg and start dragging him to the truck.

I get 150 yards and take a break. I let go of his leg, and when I did he lifted his head and sat up halfway

I jumped and said ahh hell no. We then shot him with our pistol.

The funny part was I was going to throw him over my shoulders to walk him back to the truck. Glad I didn't do that

[Marco]

Originally Posted by awright

or he ducked/collapsed in fear, and while you fools were dancing in glee, he vanished.

They only accept answers from guys they Weiner lick or Weiner bump with brother. Dont let it bother you that they have been on you a bit.

[bigbad243]

Originally Posted by kyle1974

agree.. the 17 HMR is a rabbit and sparrow gun. aside from the "one time at band camp" stories, it's a pathetically weak round. I was shooting coons a few years ago with one, and it wouldn't even drop them on body shots.

This is crap, I shoot every hog with a .17. I shoot them in the head/neck and they are drt. I even shoot a fair number in the body while they are running and they die quick too. Just in last two years I have killed 23 hogs with that gun.

[BowCrazy]

Anyone ever had yotes come in and eat the one that was wounded?

[kyle1974]

Originally Posted by bigbad243

This is crap, I shoot every hog with a .17. I shoot them in the head/neck and they are drt. I even shoot a fair number in the body while they are running and they die quick too. Just in last two years I have killed 23 hogs with that gun.

You keep a log of pigs you shoot?


A round that delivers around 100 ft lbs of energy at 100 yards is not an adequate round for much of anything. Hashtag rabbits and sparrows.

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[Diamond S]

Originally Posted by Marco

They only accept answers from guys they Weiner lick or Weiner bump with brother. Dont let it bother you that they have been on you a bit.

For your info sir, If the comment about " you fools " would not have been made, I would have let it ride. However, when someone has to degrade a post with that type of comment when they have zero knowledge of the person they are talking about just don't set well with me. Not to mention on just about every comment on every thread I saw he or she posted in was negative. And as far as your comment goes, you appear to be the one performing the said acts that you accuse others of. Now, you two run along and play while the rest of us have a conversation about what may or may not have happened.

[ABroussard]

If he survives, hes educated now. Bring your A game and a bigger gun next time!

[Diamond S]

Originally Posted by ABroussard

If he survives, hes educated now. Bring your A game and a bigger gun next time!

Yes sir, I will have the heavy 6.5 with me from now on for a few weeks. I heard several cut up right at dusk this evening in about the same area.

[Junkers88]

Some animals are just tougher than others. Helped a family friend years ago check his hog traps over a weekend and his SOP was to walk up to the trap and shoot the pigs between the ear hole and eye socket with a .22LR. Had this old single shot that he'd had for years. Anyway we pull up on one trap and this boar is in there, nothing huge but maybe 150-180. Shot him the same as any other and the pig hit the dirt with fluids running out of his nose and mouth. Went back to the truck and grabbed a rope to drag him out with, our knives to clean it and a couple bottles of water (AKA Coors Light). When we got to the trap maybe 5 minutes later that boar was up and chewing on the trap. Gun shot on the side of his head showed burnt hair and a patch of bone showing through the hide. Darnedest thing I'd ever seen.

Hope you get a shot on that Yote again if'n he isn't down and out somewhere. I'd like to see that mount when it's done.

Richard.

[pilar]

Originally Posted by kyle1974

You keep a log of pigs you shoot?


A round that delivers around 100 ft lbs of energy at 100 yards is not an adequate round for much of anything. Hashtag rabbits and sparrows.

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A .17hmr is pretty much weak

[John316]

I have shot a coyote and a pretty big buck with my 308 where it knocked them down for 15-20 seconds, just to have them get up and run. The yote was not recovered, the buck got shot a second time.
If I read the OP correct, it was a broadside shot with the crosshairs right where the neck meets the shoulder. I suspect the bullet hit the neck right above the spine. From what I have seen this shot knocks them out temporarily, but not fatal unless the spine is severed.

[DRT]

I'm in the "shoot a real caliber" crowd.

Gary

[jeffpg]

I have a couple of 17 HMR’s and it’s a cool little cartridge but it really is limited in energy, especially by its scant bullet weight.

For song dogs I prefer a .204 Ruger, .223, or .22-250. They just work.

[Gil67]

You might have just clipped the neck and the impact from the bullet has stunned the coyote, hope I'm wrong and you find it. With a 17 hmr your shots have to be on the money or there's not enough energy with marginal hits

[HoustonR6ryda]

sold my .17 a few years ago,no regrets........kinda

[kyle1974]

Originally Posted by HoustonR6ryda

sold my .17 a few years ago,no regrets........kinda

Plenty of viable replacements out there.




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