zoobiette and myself are planning on bugging out to new mexico(very low population density).And defence handguns notwithstanding,we'll be limited to a browning buckmaster and my trusty mossberg for hunting.That being the case,those sheep and other large critters will be laughably out of range.That seems to leave coyotes,anyone ever eat one?meat is meat,right?

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 02, 1999

Answers

Nope, never ate coyote.

You should have no problems taking a white tail or mule deer, as there are lots of those around. Rabbits are VERY plentiful around here this year.

Barbequed bunny anyone???

What area of NM are you moving to? There are lots of areas that are mountainous pine forests, contrary to popular belief... I live just north of Albuquerque, and can see mountain ranges to the north and the east. The mountainous terrain is where the deer will be. Take my advice, don't eat coyote. Your declawed cat would probably be more edible...

lickin' my chops...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), August 02, 1999.

Leave the coyotes off menu. They eat ground squirrels, squirrels may carry ticks that have diseases. Stick with wild pigs, goats and if you can find them wild cows. There out there.

-- && (&&@&&.&), August 02, 1999.

Zoob,

Never heard of it being done, but some cultures enjoy dog, so I suppose it's possible. Hope I don't get that hungry my own self tho. Eating strange things is sorta like Guvna Wallace said about politics: "Never say never."

Hate to think of you being out in the wide open spaces with no more 'reach' than a scattergun will give you. Are you sure you can't scrape up an extra $300 for a Savage 110, in any one of several popular calibers? If you can't manage the hi-priced spread (new commercial stuff) there are good bargains around in military surplus bolt guns from all over, some for less than $100, if you know what to look for. Advice is free here, and sometimes is actually worth what it costs. If I can help my address works.

-- Lee (lplapin@hotmail.com), August 02, 1999.

Zoob'

You have the buckmaster and, I assume, amo for it? If you can, get a .22LR rifle. A bold action will do fine, but you can get a Ruger 10/22 for real cheap and I have never heard of a more realiable semi-auto .22. This will let you use th entire potential of the cartridge as the barrel is long enough for all the powder to burn. Plus you get the greater accuracy inherent in a rifle. This should allow you to take deer and other medium sized game in case of an emergency.

And get get a range of shot and some slugs for the 590. (Nice shotgun, BTW) Between the .22 rifle and the shotgun you happen to have a VERY versatile set of firearms.

Watch six and keep your...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.net), August 02, 1999.

Hi Zoobie!

Nope, never ate any coyote, but did eat some dog on a stick while stationed in the Phillipines back in the early 70's! Tasted pretty good, a bit stronger than beef. Sorry, The DOG, Big Dog and other canine handles!

Also do alot of varmint hunting here in Ga., mostly for coyote and foxes and occassionally bobcats. My varmint weapon of choice is a simple .22 bolt-action rifle oufitted with a Simmons 2.8x10x44 Aetec scope. With rifle zeroed at 50 yards, bullet drop is only 3" at 100 yds. using a 40 grain hollow point.

If one's finances allow, by all means get a larger cal., but you'll be surprised at what you can bring down with just a litty-bitty bullet. Mind you it takes practice at shooting as well as skill in getting close to larger game. Remember to always use the elements to your advantage. Keep the wind in your face, the sun on your back and use the local terrain to mask your movements as well as to provide you with hides or ambush sites.

After reading your post again I couldn't resist this, just imitate Wiley E. Coyote. You know, drape a sheep skin over your back and mingle in with the others. But, watch out for Ralph the sheep dog!

Take care!

-- Ex-Marine (Digging In@Home.com), August 02, 1999.

Zoobie.........

You had best be a better gun hand then you appear to be if coyote is on your menu plans. Best bet is for you to find one that just took a strike from a rattlesnake....2 course meal. What the heck, meat is meat, right?

-- For (your@info.com), August 02, 1999.

Ex-Marine,

Ever try CCI Stingers in that 22 ? I have a Ruger 10/22 and get 1600 FPS ( as per Guns and Ammo 2-3 years ago. They did a study of the 10/22 running Stingers ) With a scope I'm on at 50 yrds and 100 yrds, 1/2 inch high at 75. They have never jammed and I've have poac.. I mean, taken a lot of black tail with it, some even at 100 yrds.

Zoobie,

I've got a Mosberg pump w/ 18 and a 1/4 inch barrel. I practice with gal. milk jugs full of dirt at 30 to 50 yrds, and hit most of the time w/ 3 inch mag slugs. I don't hunt with this gun, but with differant loads you should be able to take most game.

Think about a 10/22,

-- CT (ct@no.yr), August 02, 1999.

Isn't anyone worried about rabies?? You can contract it by handling of dead animal parts.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), August 03, 1999.

Zoobie,

Make sure you have some quail loads for that shotgun of yours. The quail population is amazing this year. Every morning I got outside with my coffee and cigarette, (we do not smoke in the house...nasty habit)there are at least 20 quail I can count in my yard, and in the arroyo in the back. These are the adult quail. There are usually three or four groups of baby quail running around with the adults.

If you were going to try to shoot coyote, fat chance really, you would need a varmint rifle, chambered in .243, .223, .264 etc... with a high power scope to even have a sucker's chance. They will not approach humans if they can help it. Like Brooks said rabies would be a real issue. Lose the idea of eating coyote. Stick with the duck, geese, quail, dove, deer, and (yum!) snake that thrive in this "so- called" desert state.

Have you ever been to NM and actually seen NM?

Bring your high-tech water filter, you will need it.

watchin' it rain...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), August 03, 1999.

Folks:

I've eaten coyote. Depending on what they have eaten, it can be very good. The one I ate had been eating persimmons, the meat was quite sweet.

I boiled the meat because of precautions/worries over rabies. Folks, most animals, including rabbits, can get this disease. Cook all wild game VERY well. No rare, no medium. Cooked ALL the way through.

PS My 10 year old daughter thought it was tasty stuff, also.

Try bait traps, deadfalls, nooses. Hunting, if you aren't lucky and well versed in it, can be take more calories than you harvest. Especially in unfamiliar territory.

I speak from personal knowledge. I'm a fair squirrel hunter, but despite many years of trying, I am still waiting for that first deer. I don't have the patience to sit still. I bet I can develop it though........

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), August 03, 1999.

Never really thought about coyotes as food but I have called them on occasion. In an extreme hunger scenario that might just be a really good medium size animal. Hunting mule deer with your bow is probably an effort in futility but if you can get up into the high country and are sneaky, cow and young bull elk can be kinda stupid if they haven't been messed with. Mt. Taylor, about 50 miles west of Albuquerque has the state's biggest elk herd, supposedly 35,000 animals.

The coyotes now, maybe you should get a coyote call at the local hunting store and practice up. Good hunting,

-- Roger (pecosrog@earthlink.net), August 03, 1999.

Have on several occasions had Coyote within 15-20 feet while varmimt calling.

If you think you may have to eat them in the future, go get the call now. Otherwise you'll only see them on the horizon.

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), August 03, 1999.

Anyone living near county dumps or landfills probably already know about coyotes and wild dogs roaming in packs. Something to be wary of if things get bad and there isnt much to keep them at the dump.

-- Dian (bdp@accessunited.com), August 04, 1999.