Coyote elimination.....

35 Whelen

Handloader
Dec 22, 2011
2,160
237
After 4 years of great luck and around 50 songdogs later, I am going to try a new load (WHY) :shock:

My go to load in my 25/06 of Sierra BlitzKing 90gr/ 60grs of RL25 has about a flawless record. However just for fun I have loaded the Nosler 85gr BT Varmint up with some RL26 at 3500fps. In hopes it will duplicate the
old BK loading? We will see!20191231_142839.jpg
 
I have put bait out on the ice in front of the house for years at exactly 300yds. That seams to be about as close as I can get them to come...........I tryed 200 one year and thet just dont like it, drawing them out onto the open lake gets them pretty timid. Maine coyotes spend their entire life in thick timber, so do most things at nite that involve crossing open country. To make things even trickier the prevailing NW wind is pretty much 90 degrees to my bait......
So 20/30 kt Xwinds are common in the winter months. I tryed the bait at 400yds one year, they came much better but the effective range of my spotlight is barely 350..... Also the wind becomes so
much of a factor: Holding on one end of them at 400 could show misses off the other end of them in strong Xwinds. IF the wind wasnt such a factor, they would come out in the daylite, or I could draw them in closer, it probably would be tooo easy.20191001_140353~3.jpg
So unfortunately thats what we have to deal with 300yds minimum and bad Xwinds. 80% are shot during the nite. Not the perfect setup, but its best we
got. For comparison, the impact off the side of a coyote with the 90gr BlitzKing from our 25 Whelen at 3400fps@300yds, seams to lift them,very similar to the impact of how my .243 sounds on impacting them, with a 70gr Varmagettons does at 200yds.Screenshot_2019-12-24-05-28-11.png
E
 
Maybe not as fast as the 25 but wonder what a 33 Whelen improved would do in those strong X winds with a 200 or 225 grain missile? :)o)
 
Lol.
Well it would certainly buck the wind
in a big way! However contrary to popular
Opinion, I would guess that unless they were
Hit squarely in the shoulder, that weight bullet
would likely whistle right on thru ,with hardly any
expansion, transfering very little energy into a 25lb
coyote........
Be the same thing as shooting a 150lb deer with a 35 Whelen with 225AB bullets....... Right on thru.
But that is just mho.......
Hundreds will tell you both will work great!
 
I think you'll have a winner if the speed is where you think. 300 yards isn't too bad of a stretch and that sorta speed won't let it get hammered by the wind too much.

Ran the numbers, just to see wind drift between the 6.5 147 ELD at 2750 vs your 85 grain bullet at 3500.

Okay, just ran it, pretty interesting actually..

25-06 - 85 grain .329

14.6 inches at 300 yards with a 20MPH wind

6.5 - 147 grain .697

8.9 inches at 300 yards with a 20 MPH wind
 
Going to run it thru the chrono this afternoon Scotty.
Thanks for running those numbers.
The ultra high BC of the 6.5 bullet really shows its merrit doesnt it.?
Be interesting to run numbers on that 90gr Varmagetton out of my 6.5 @ 3200....????
 
35 Whelen":o6ubis6v said:
Going to run it thru the chrono this afternoon Scotty.
Thanks for running those numbers.
The ultra high BC of the 6.5 bullet really shows its merrit doesnt it.?
Be interesting to run numbers on that 90gr Varmagetton out of my 6.5 @ 3200....????

It’d have more drift than the 25-06. The soft ELDs with .500+ BC might be a good spot. The 123 ELD might be a decent in between.
 
35 Whelen":2p37yhkc said:
Lol.
Well it would certainly buck the wind
in a big way! However contrary to popular
Opinion, I would guess that unless they were
Hit squarely in the shoulder, that weight bullet
would likely whistle right on thru ,with hardly any
expansion, transfering very little energy into a 25lb
coyote........
Be the same thing as shooting a 150lb deer with a 35 Whelen with 225AB bullets....... Right on thru.
But that is just mho.......
Hundreds will tell you both will work great!
Gee Earl I have done that exact thing.
150 lb deer at 25-50yds not sure exactly anymore how far it was since it ran up and stopped in front of me and I took what shot was available (Texas Heart Shot) and split it in two with my 35 Whelen AI and a 225gr PT. :)o)
Your 25 Whelen would be more fun to shoot with less recoil though.
 
I'm thinking that those 85 gr varmint-type Ballistic Tips will do just peachy. (y)

Was surprised that they don't have the blue tips found on the 100 & 115 gr 25 cal Ballistic Tip bullets!

BTW, I look forward to your coyote-zinging adventures every winter! :grin:

Guy
 
Thanks Guy!
Had one here at 2:10am last nite, but he snaged some bait and took off before I could get on him!
He will be back. Here are the 2" Zingers ",we have ready to launch at them.
90gr Varmagettons from our little Sweede. ( 6.5x55 )w/ 51.5gr Of 414, at 3275fps.
85gr BT Varmint over 63gr RL26, for the 25 Whelen. (3475fps)Both are MAX loads in my guns. And would need to be worked up
to in anyone else gun. (Caution) :shock:
I feel, either will 'more than knock the ticks off'; any coyote in State of Maine20200103_124013~3.jpg
 
That's what ya gotta respect about a coyote- elimination- not likely. Classic target of opportunity, trapped, poisoned, shined and shot at from the air, and still there. When things get to tough in Gods country they move into town with me and get the neighbors dog or cat. If they'd just leave the calves and lambs alone... Load up and go get em! I still have a partial box of 85gr. CT's. They were always accurate under 41 Gr of 4350 out of my 250 Savage. Never had a legit shot at a coyote to test 'em. (GASP!??- I know, a kid from Gods country who never connected on a coyote?!?!?? :shock: ) On my bucket list to call one in and dump him with the 250. Hole im my bucket, Im afraid though. CL
 
Cloverleaf,
In my very early days of coyote hunting: ( remember coyotes are relatively "new to Maine") First time I ever heard one howl was July4th, 1972. First time I ever actually saw one was 1976.......
I shot a few with my 250/3000 over deer carcasses,
with 87gr bullets, and it works fantastic! Pretty much
duplicates a .243. I shot my all time record weight Whitetail back in 1992 of 242lbs with my Savage 1899. They are a cool little gun.
There a hundreds of hunters here in Maine that have
never shot a coyote, so dont feel bad.
There are hundreds more that have shot AT a coyote,.and never connected......
And last but not least, hundreds more that have
hit them poorly, and still never had one on the tailgate!
E
 
I'm pretty sure the guy behind the gun will have more effectiveness to the end result then your new recipe Earl.

Nice rig BTW!
 
Lol,
Well my old man used to tell the sports;
It ain't the arrow; it's the Indian.
 
Aw, I don't feel bad at all. They don't call 'em "Wyle" for nothin' :) Gives me somthin to shoot for so to speak. CL
 
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