Just one week after nailing a running hog at 400 yards with the CMMG Mk3 DTR2, we’re testing the same rig coyote hunting in the dead of night, this time swapping the day scope for a night vision rifle scope from Night Optics.
Equipment List:
1. CMMG Mk3 DTR2 Rifle (6.5 Creedmoor)
2. Night Optics Marauder D750 Brilliance 3 Rifle Scope:
3. Night Optics Sentry 14 Brilliance 3 Monocular:
4. Evolva T20 IR Illuminator:
5. UTG Recon Flex Bipod (M-Lok):
6. UTG Recon Flex Bipod (Keymod):
7. Primos Third Degree Xtra Loud Cottontail Call:
8. Haydel’s UP-4 Ultimate Predator Call:
9. YHM Phantom 3300-Ti Silencer
We started right at sunset, making our little hidey hole in a high deer hunting stand. Before we even got in position we could hear several packs howling and squalling in the woods. Night vision hunting is eerie. With our left eyes we see only what the stars and light pollution from the city could throw into silhouette. With our right eyes we could see individual blades of grass, flashes of distant lightning, and the spotlight beam of our IR illuminator.
We tried several calls to see if we could get any answers on our predator hunt. The owls loved the coyote greeting howl. I think it was the Primos Third Degree cottontail call that really brought ’em in, though. No way to be sure. At 11:30 PM, Kedrick caught the glint off two pairs of eyes directly ahead of us. Within seconds of determining that they were coyotes he flipped the safety and nailed coyote number one right to the deck with a 6.5 Creedmoor round. Coyote number two hightailed it back to the woods. A minute or so later we spotted a coyote farther out and Kedrick dropped him.
Using flashlights we eventually found Coyote One. The 140-grain Hornady BTHP match bullet had passed through the vitals from a high angle, exiting the sternum. We never found the second slain coyote.
Make sure you subscribe to The Social Regressive. I plan to release a full review of the two night vision devices we used, which were better than I imagined. Especially when coupled with the illuminator, we could accurately ID our targets out to 400 yards. Probably beyond if given the chance.
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Kyle Broderick, The Social Regressive
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Well ventilated to say the least. Nice shooting!
Great hunt. I hope people realize that keeping the number of these animals in check is a necessity.
I might have opted for a 223 knowing that all shots would be under 300 yards on a soft skinned critter, but that 6.5 definitely did the job.