Outdoors - Long range shooting

   The 5.56 rifle is not designed for long range shooting. It is possible to hit one’s target out at longer ranges if the rifle is sighted in at a fixed distance. The point of impact of a bullet is much different at 200 yards than at 300 yards. Longer shots are difficult as a person does not usually know exactly what range they are shooting and a few yards estimated incorrectly one way or the other can make a lot of difference. We have targets set up at one hundred, two hundred, three hundred, and six hundred yards just to practice for fun, never giving much thought to the practical application.

   Jag, the terrier, sees himself as a vicious watch dog and a great hunter. In his younger days, he was better at both, but still gives it his best effort. Most days are spent in a chair, on the porch, guarding his domain. If he sees a deer on the far side of the lake, he will bark, rather half-heartedly. A person can tell by his bark how seriously he perceives a threat.

   Saturday morning, I was working in the office when I heard Jag on the porch above me, barking with a bit of sincerity. Being busy working, I ignored him. My wife upstairs in the living room went to see what he was getting so worked up about. She called downstairs, “There is a coyote by the 300-yard target!” I glanced up and sure enough. A coyote was standing broadside a few feet from the target. This was really poor planning on his part. He was watching Jag intently as he stood in his chair, barking in his most vicious voice.

   This is the time of year most dangerous for dogs to be around coyotes as it is their breeding season. It is not uncommon for coyotes to come into a person’s yard to attack pets. Even big dogs can be badly injured if not killed in conflicts with them. I do my best to keep the coyotes as far away from the house as possible.

   When I grabbed the rifle and got to the porch, the coyote was still standing there, right in front of the target. I drew down on him with the three-hundred-yard setting on the scope, putting the crosshairs on his chest,  squeezed the trigger, and the coyote dropped. By this time, Jag was out of his chair, across the porch, and heading to the kill sight. I jumped into the Ranger and followed the happy hunting dog. Before we got to the coyote, Jag suddenly veered off, following another track. I could see he was on a coyote track but did not know if the tracks belonged to the one that was dead or if it had a mate waiting in the thick brush in the timber. The little dog has great faith in my hunting abilities, which is sometimes misplaced. He also has more courage than brains. He dove into the brush, far enough ahead of me I could not see him. I was beginning to become concerned when I saw a rabbit shoot out of the weeds at the timber’s edge and Jag starting yipping like he does when he is on a hot trail. If he was originally on the scent of a coyote, he became distracted in mid-chase and switched to rabbit hunting. That suited me. I would not like to be in close quarters combat with a coyote. When he lost the trail of the rabbit, Jag followed me back to the Ranger for a ride home.

   He was a happy little dog, knowing he played a major role in there being one less coyote in this world. I was pleased I had practiced at three-hundred yards and the coyote had the misfortune of standing by the long range practice target.