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  #1  
Old 01-24-2017, 12:14 AM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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Default Red Dirt Yotes, Thermal Scope

Finally got time to run down to TX and hunt with my thermal scope "purchasing mentor".lol. Scanning with a Pulsar 38A and shooting with his new IR Hunter Mark II on a bolt gun in 17 Tactical. Man what a riot!

Yote number 1.







Called for about 3 hours and had 3 nice dogs down the first night. Shooting out of a slick stand with a swivel seat, front rest complete with arm rest...perfect. Just like shooting off the bench.

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Old 01-24-2017, 12:20 AM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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I call them " Red Dirt Dogs". Different for sure from the black dirt here in Iowa.



Second night we got two singles at two different sets,and then called in three on the last stand, and got them all. They came in about 5-10 mins apart, the last two from considerable distances. He had to howl them in, the caller wouldn't quite convince them, he kept talking to them and they kept coming! The last yote, literally walked past over 30 rabbits on his way in. They were thick in the wheat field!



I was getting a little cocky, made a nice head shot...after getting more familiar with the Mark II, I then used the zoom function. Shooting at 150yds on 1X, doesn't cut it for me, although I got three the previous night that way. Once they got close and started the downwind circle, I would go to 4X and we'd bark to stop them. Like shooting fish in a barrel. The Mark II is easy to zoom in and out, once you figure it out. I used that knob continuously through the night.

Head shot this one at 120yds.



I could see his head fly back during the impact, as he fell on his back haunches. I was pretty impressed with the IR Hunter to say the least..



5 yotes on night 2, personal best for me!
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Old 01-24-2017, 12:23 AM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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Trucks getting fuller! My buddies in TX don't even pick them up or take pictures, the fur isn't worth much on these, but I convinced Mark that we needed to collect them for proof.







Got 2 on one field on the third night.

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Old 01-24-2017, 12:31 AM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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One was taken at 192 yds, hit a cotton stalk right in front of him, got a little splatter, premature expansion. He was the only one that lived for more than a second. He was biting the stalk as he went to the great rabbit chase in the sky apparently , never did run anywhere..He fell behind the terrace, Mark accused me of missing, he should know better..







That was number 10. Got one more that night for 11 total in 3 nights. I sure learned a bunch, critters can't hide from a thermal in open country. I saw field mice at 70yds, rabbits to 300yds and pigs at over half a mile. I saw yotes dang near tripping over rabbits on the way in to the call, absolutely amazing. Saw buck rabbits boxing, saw how the calls affected them ( not at all..) On one shot I had mice, rabbits and the yote, all in the same FOV. Not to mention all the deer I could see.

The IR Hunter combined with the shooting chair setup, was a winner. The 17 Tact, although considered light by some, worked flawlessly for these N TX yotes, all bang-flops except the cotton stalk kill. He maybe took 2 steps. 30gr Kindler Golds, and very minimal fur damage.

I also learned how important howling and yote speak is. Some of these would hang up and then would continue to close the distance after being " talked to". Mark's like the Yote Whisperer..Being able to evaluate different sounds and tactics, without using ANY light at all, is priceless.

I already robbed my kid's piggy jar, another few K and I will have my OWN IR Hunter Mark II !!
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Old 01-24-2017, 01:09 AM
Silverfox Silverfox is offline
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bowfisher--Thanks for the great report. You certainly got a good field test on that .17 Tactical. Do you have any idea how fast those 30 gr. Kindler Gold bullets are going when they leave the muzzle of your rifle?
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  #6  
Old 01-24-2017, 01:57 AM
Stevo Stevo is offline
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That was an awesome hunt Bow. Good shootin.


I have a few guys on my NJ hunter site that don't believe it when I tell them a 17 centerfire works well on Coyotes. I hope you don't mind me stealing a photo or two and showing them the proof.
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Old 01-24-2017, 02:07 AM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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Hey SF,

Best thing about this trip was the preloaded ammo, . I think the Yote Whisperer loads them to 3800-3900, but not sure, maybe he will chime in.
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Old 01-24-2017, 02:11 PM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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That's what it's all about Stevo, sharing knowledge and experiences. Shot placement is more of an issue than case size, IME. A yote drops faster with a 30gr bullet in the boiler room much quicker than he does with a 100gr bullet in his posterior...
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Old 01-24-2017, 04:35 PM
260Ackley 260Ackley is offline
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Great hunt. One to remember for sure.
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Old 03-02-2018, 12:28 AM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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Another year, good trip. last dog shot with the 17 Mach IV AI.





It pays to pick your friends.. I got hankering to turn this AR into something else, since I have a 17VHA, 17/222 and 17/204...so we made it a 20 Tact the next day, sighted it in and shot a yote with it that night. You can't do that just anywhere...



Look at this old boy...he's the equivalent of a MontDoug or a Geldridge: )

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