varmint guns

[rokdog13]

Going to buy another rifle in january. The gun I think I will get is the Savage predator in .22-250. I have looked at the weatherby and Remington predator offerings, but the Savage has the aluminum pillar bedding block, free floated barrel and the accutrigger. Has anybody had any experience with this rifle? I heard one story of problems with the firing pin.
Also, would it be a waste of time to buy the gun with the scope? its a 4-12X40 simmons. I have been looking for camo scopes and the only one I can find is the Nikon. It does have a dedicated reticle for the .22-250 at a specific bullet wieght. There are a few other things I want to get so if I can save a few on the scope I would like to. I know you get what you pay for...
I am going to get the FOXPRO FX3 game call so I can predator hunt. I have seen more coyote sign while scouting and hunting than I can believe. A friend said they kill 56% of all fawns.
If the scope doesnt work out I can get another down the road so I guess its no big deal. Just wanted to know if anybody has any experience with them.

[257 ROB]

I think it is a waste to buy the one with the scope. And as far as the nikon goes, get it, they are some of the best scopes out there. For the call, just buy a hand call or something like tht, I have found a way to call coyotes in just by using my hand, I can get coyotes to come from a long way off and come in within 10 feet. These are just my thoughts on it.

[versifier]

It's not a bad scope for long range shooting, though I'd want a bit more magnification for anything beyond 300yds. Anything more than 5X is really hard to find the target in close, especially if it is moving and you're trying to track it. It's your call which works best for your eye and the range you'll be using it. I prefer a 50mm objective on a varmint rifle, it gathers light much better and can make a big difference for early and late hunting. The rifle is a good one, at least to judge by the one my bro bought. I know nothing about calling them - when I hunted them it was always at very long ranges, just before dark, on frozen lakes, over bait.

[rokdog13]

I have read 3 books on predator hunting. 2 of them were written by people who lived and hunted mainly in the southwest. I live in the great Northwest where an animal can step 3 feet into the brush 20 feet away from you and vanish. We do have alot of large clearcuts that cover huge tracks of uneven ground which I think will be the major focus of predator hunting, otherwise I would be talking about using a shotgun. The scoped gun is barely more than the gun without so I guess I cant loose on that one, I just wonder if the simmons will hold up long enough to put the Nikon Coyote special on it. I read that predators will always try and circle to wind whatever it is closing in on so an electronic game call with a 200 yard range remote sounds like it makes alot of sense. There are so many calls to be purchased and added it seems a little daunting to the pocket book if the choice on the 32 preloaded sounds dont really bring them in. I really doubt I will do any pelt harvesting, everything I have heard about the YOTES around here is they smell like they were already dead for 3 weeks. I wish we could bait around here, so many stray cats in the neighborhood....

[257 ROB]

All you need for a call, is rabbit in distress, or fawn in distress. These two calls have worked very well for me.

[rokdog13]

thanx for the info, but I think I am going to buy the FOXPRO FX3. One guy I talked to that lives around here and is the UBERhunter has the FX3 said the rabbit in distress had no effect on the Yotes, yet other people I talked to said the opposite. So I think it will be worth the amount of calls available on the the caller plus the ability to use it as a referrence point practicing with mouth calls.
All in all I think the area I live in has some of the toughest hunting known to man.
Ever notice how all the famous big game hunters never do shows around here yet we have the biggest Elk on the planet?
Black tail deer dont respond to calls or rattling like they do in eastern WA or the midwest. These animals are spooky and not aggresive like white tail or muley's.
I wish I would have gotten into hunting 20 years ago. But, I am now. big learning curve but I love to be in the woods so it is a natural progression.

[Three44s]

Too many places here have been called by hunters oblivious to making coyotes call shy.

Bottom line ....... they don't give a rip!

And as a result, you are more apt to send a coyote in high gear and away from you if you use a standard rabbit sequence.

Not I am not dissing rabbit calls ........... they actually make better bear and cougar calls than they do for coyotes these days ........

......... not kidding here!

I can tell you that I've called them about everywhich way available and the best sound today here in overpopulated ....... people and coyotes ........ Washington state is to use coyote sounds against them ........ and mainly from early January to the fall season ..........

....... and the best combination is to use a coyote pup in distress and then a coyote challenge howl. Back and forth ..........

Adult pairs get REAL MAD!!!

They have no use for anything beating up their off spring ........

They can do it all day long ........... but not a stranger!!!

Three 44s

[rokdog13]

Thats funny you say that! A guy at my work said pretty much the same thing about the rabbit in distress and wished he would have gotten all the coyote calls on the FX3 he got. I think once I get the machine I will purchase as much of all the other calls I can afford since they are so easily changed.
Thanx for the info.

[kodiak1]

rokdog13
Get the Savage in 22-250 and you will like it. Alot.

Ken