Coyote Sees Glint Off High Gloss Barrel?

[roysclockgun]

While in my tree stand hunting deer Monday evening, I shot a coyote at 275 yards. My stand, 15ft. off the ground sits amongst some branches that create natural camo. However, when I moved my rifle to bring the coyote under fire, the late evening sun was behind him and I believe that the sun glinted off my Browning's very shiny, blued barrel and alerted the coyote, as he slightly raised his head and looked right at me, just before I got the shot off.
My question is, can I wrap the barrel in flat colored camo tape without disturbing the zero of the rifle?
Steven

 

[DrMike]

Steven,

Likely, no one can say precisely what effect wrapping in tape will have on your rifle. In part, it will depend on whether there is enough clearance in the channel and what the weight/contour of the barrel is. It should be easy enough, however, to work up another load with the tape on the barrel. Alternatively, I have had several rifles Teflon coated, which yields a mattte black finish which looks somewhat like a parkerized finish. Powder coating is another option to address the lustre of the barrel.

 

[FOTIS]

Some camo tape could not hurt.

 

[SJB358]

I usually put some tape on really shiny barrels for that same reason. As long as you aren't messing around in the barrel channel, you will be fine. Remember to use a little gun oil on the metal, assists the tape in coming off much easier and prevents rust from occurring under the tape. Scotty

 

[1Shot]

He may have seen a reflection but I would be willing to bet he just saw movement. The only other critter that I have seen that has better eye sight is a turkey. I have used camo duct tape on the barrel of a highly polished SS barrel with no problems for years. I just applied it from muzzle to action length wise. Did not go under the the barrel on the forearm.

 

[roysclockgun]

1Shot wrote : "The only other critter that I have seen that has better eye sight is a turkey."
Funny you mentioned turkey. On Friday evening, around 5 P.M. I swiveled my head slowly and noticed black dots 400 yards away, in the grassy opening. My binoculars confirmed that the dots were eight mature turkeys. Slowly they worked their way toward me, eating as they came on. Before long they were 30 yards from my tree stand and I noticed them raising their heads to the heavens, apparently sniffing the breeze, but they never alerted. I was not wearing face camo and to see them, I was facing west with the low sun reflecting off my face. I also was wearing a hunter orange vest! They continued on past my tree at 10 yards and disappeared on down the grassy trail. They had been spread out, eating for most of the time that I watched them, but when they got very close, they formed into one line and walked with more of a determined look, away from me. I have never hunted turkey, but always heard how hard they are to get into range. This gaggle evidently had a low IQ, as I could have killed any one of them with a 410 shotgun or 22 hand gun.
Steven

 

[SJB358]

Yeah, I think that was the exception, not the rule for them Steven! Great story though. I always like to see turkeys in the woods. Scotty

 

[JD338]

Tape the barrel and confirm your zero. I also agree that the coyote saw some movement or heard you as they have excellent senses. FWIW, a turkey can see you think! :shock:

JD338

 

[1Shot]

Turkey season must have not been in. If turkey season was in and you were hunting them ain't no way you would have seen them in blaze orange. They would have spotted you way before you saw them. When the season is not in while I am deer hunting I could kill turkeys with rocks they come so close but when the season opens all you have to do it blink your eyes and they can spot you from 100 yards and they are gone in a flash. Where I deer hunt in east NC last year I had 18 BIG toms that had beards that almost drug the ground in the logging road my stand was on between 80 and 120 yards away. I would put the cross hairs on one head and say bang in my mind. I could have clipped a head off so easy.

I almost forgot of the deer that did see a reflection once. I was hunting on the above mentioned logging road from a box stand. I already had my rifle pointing in the direction down the road from where this 8 point buck came into the road and started walking down the road toward me. He was just picking up some acorns from some white oak trees that were lining the road as unconcerned as could be. I was already on the scope just waiting for him to turn broad side. All of a sudden he jerked his head up and looked right at me from right at 120 yards. I decided to shoot him right in the chest because he had bolt written all over him. The old 25-06 just dropped him in his tracks. It took me two more deer season to find what made that deer get so alert. It was my wrist watch. At the time that I shot that buck the sun is just right and with my left hand holding the rifle forearm any little movement of my wrist makes a reflection. I noticed it one afternoon while sitting in the stand with my hand farther into the stand but at the same angle. The reflection shown on the wall of the stand. I always turn my watch so the face is on the inside of my wrist when hunting now.

 

[SJB358]

Tape the barrel and confirm your zero. I also agree that the coyote saw some movement or heard you as they have excellent senses. FWIW, a turkey can see you think! :shock:

JD338

Man, that is the TRUTH! Turkeys really can test your hunting ability! Yotes are about the same, but they can smell, so it makes them that much tougher! Scotty

 

[DrMike]

Turkey season must have not been in. If turkey season was in and you were hunting them ain't no way you would have seen them in blaze orange.

So, 1shot, are you saying they read the regs and act accordingly? :shock:

 

[SJB358]

Don't all the game animals? I know they do in my areas! Scotty

 

[roysclockgun]

I got out the tape, but could not put the stuff on my gorgeous Browning with the deep blue octagon barrel and fancy figuring in the wood, even though the rifle does show some scars from hard hunting. So, since I have wanted to hunt with my Swede any way, I did this! http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/ ... G_4874.jpg
I bought the Swede already cut down and with the commercial stock. Originally made in 1904 and having matching numbers, this Swedish Mauser, Model 1896 is still a tack driver in it's original 6.5x55mm chambering.
What do you think? Will the computer generated camo fool Mr. Coyote?
Steven

 

[Songdog]

If you don't want to tape the barrel... do what I do... use an Ace Bandage. Or, better yet, some "sorban"... which is a non-sticky yet very cohesive wrap similar to an ace bandage. I just unroll the bandage, and then use some Krylon spray paint to pattern it a little. I've used this for many years, and it has never had any effect on Point of Impact. I typically wrap the rifle clear back to the action, often including the front of the scope. You can see in the pics below what the sorban looks like...

 

[DrMike]

It will work just fine, Steven. It looks good from here.

 

[JD338]

Songdog

Great idea!

JD338

 

[SJB358]

It looks great Steve.

SongDog, your ace bandage looks really good also. Never thought of that. Might give that a try with the 22-250. Scotty

 

[1Shot]

That Swede will work fine. Do you keep hides? The 6.5X55 can be pretty ruff on a hide. I have a sported Model 96 Swede that I left the 29" barrel on and with the max load to stay under 46,000 CUP for the action of 46 grs Accurate 4350 and the 120 Nosler ballistic tip at 3000 fps, it is a do all from ground hogs up through deer killer. You will not get that kind of velocity out of your shorter barrel but should be able to get around 2700 or so. The Sierra 100 gr HP should work on yotes. It will cut a ground hog in half with 42 grs Varget it does a little over 3000 fps in my rifle.

Here is my own paint job on the stock and the taped barrel on a Rem. 700 with a highly polished Heart SS barrel in 308. The scope is Matte finished.

 

[roysclockgun]

Those are some good looking camoed rifles!
Surprisingly the turkeys strutted by my tree stand again this evening. Last week, there were eight. This evening, there were ten. They repeated the drill of last week! At five o'clock I saw dots on the grassy road at 600 yards. Bringing up my binoculars, I saw turkeys flying down out of trees and forming up on the road. Again, they worked their way to me, feeding as they came on. Again, at about 30 yards, they seemed to alert on me, but did not panic or run into the jungle on either side of the 20 yard wide trail. They did form up, single file behind what must be the lead hen and wasted no time in walking directly under my tree stand and on down the trail until out of sight. I did not move during the entire viewing of my turkey friends, but my hunter orange vest shown brightly in the setting sun.
Ten minutes later a small black bear came out and looked up and down the trail before crossing and disappearing into the jungle. Being able to see game makes the wait for deer go faster. I think that the deer are still moving later, because of the full moon and the warm weather. I shall hang in, as my odds are going up all the time.
Steven

 

[SJB358]

Thats great Steven. Sounds like a great day in the woods! Scotty