5 surefire ways to botch your coyote hunt (and how to avoid them)

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#4  DON’T USE A PROPER SHOOTING REST

If I had a loonie for every time I’ve seen guys miss coyotes because they tried to shoot freehand or from a kneeling position, I’d be a wealthy man. The fact is, coyotes have small vitals—the kill zone is barely as big as a dessert plate—so using a rock-solid shooting rest is important. As a professional guide, I always advise my hunters to bring a bipod. The odd client prefers a monopod or adjustable shooting sticks, which can also work well if used correctly.

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However, most hunters who bring a fixed, shorter bipod always have trouble when the ground is uneven or sloped to one side, or they need to shoot at an upward angle from the bottom of a coulee. I once watched a hunter readjust for two solid minutes trying to shoot off of a bipod that was far too low for the uphill shot he was presented with. In the end, he just couldn’t make it work, with the coyote standing only 60 yards away on a hillside. Similarly, I’ve seen more misses than I care to mention when hunters try to shoot from a portable monopod.

Tripod shooting sticks are very solid, and I’ve used them with great success, but I’ve seen the most consistency when hunters use an adjustable, swivel-mount bipod with longer leg extensions. My all-time go-to coyote shooting rest is a Harris S-25C bipod, because it extends from 13.5 inches to 27 inches, and tilts to compensate for uneven terrain.