I just want one good night's sleep!!!!

I was very, very tempted to grab the 12 gauge last night.

Every time I'd fall asleep, the big flock of geese that are nesting down by the lake about 75 yards from my house would start a loud ruckus. I mean, loud.

Then the coyotes would start up.

Then the geese would sound off.

Then the coyotes would howl and yelp.

Then the geese would go nuts again.

Etc.. etc..

I couldn't get to sleep until close to 4 AM - with World War 3 going on out back. Hungry group of coyotes + big flock of nesting waterfowl = very, very loud.

I'd never been so tempted to grab a gun out of anger before. (Yes, I was getting very mad). I had all of 3 hours of sleep before work.

The only thing that checked me, was I realized I wasn't in the right mindset to go tromping through the woods in the dark. That, and I couldn't find my flashlight.

Both groups are in season. I might have to thin them out some. Thinking I'll start with the coyotes - the geese should be more quiet if they're not stalked all damn night long. I can't hunt geese at night, but coyotes are fair game.

But, there's a problem - too close to the neighbors to take coyotes with centerfire or slugs (there's a 300 yard limit). I *am* far enough away to use 12 gauge shot (that's a 100 yard limit from neighbors buildings, which I'm clear on).

I could safely take them with anything - even a 50 cal, just not legally - there's no houses whatsoever in that direction and I have an 80 foot tall backstop on the far side of the lake.

So, the question is - what size shot will ethically take coyotes at 20-25 yards? 00?

Yes, 22 rimfire is legal in IL. I've got a Ruger MK3 target model with a scope on it that'll plug a bullseye at 50 yards, should do the trick.

What about subsonics? Will they have enough penetration to make it through the skull? They don't cycle in my Mark 3 but they don't need to. That gun don't miss and those things are damn quiet..

Reason I ask is I'm thinking of sleeping neighbors here, and that the coyotes are only out en force in my backyard from about 2AM-4AM.

Don't want to freak someone out with a 12 gauge in the wee hours of the AM. I've heard gunfire here in the country as late as 12:30 AM - probably a neighbor dusting some coyotes as there's only one, rarely two shots fired that time of night - but (personally) think shooting a big bore scatter gun at 2-3 AM is kind of rude to the neighbors.

I have a 2 person goose blind already emplaced, that the geese are nesting RIGHT in front of it about 10 yards out - how damn convenient is THAT! , so I could sneak down there and get some nice close shots if the coyotes are stalking them on my side of the lake.

Wish it wasn't Christmas time and all my money earmarked for my kids. I'd order that game camera now and see how many I've got to deal with. It sounds like a very large family pack - maybe 8-12 coyotes.

Doesn't sound like they are starving, either - there's four to five "scuffles" a night between them and the geese. Doubt if they're getting a kill each time, but they're persistent enough I bet they are getting a few.

I'm going to go scope it out in the day time Saturday when I don't have to work (dark when I leave, dark when I get home right now on weekdays).

What "sign" can I look for, with coyotes, other than tracks? And are their tracks just like dogs? Shouldn't be hard to pick them out in the mud down there this weekend - considering we just got 24 hours of rain, everything will be soft and it will be easy to spot tracks.

Sorry for all the "noobish" questions, never hunted coyote before and don't really know what to look for!

Was a quiet night last night. So much rain yesterday, think it kept 'em all hiding.

The only "good" approach I have to the lake bed, that isn't putting a neighbors house in the line as my backstop, is a 60 degree slope to the back-left of my house. It's muddy as heck now with so much rain. At the foot of that saddle is my goose blind, facing out towards the far side of the lake where there's no houses.

There's a much gentler slope on the back right of my property but then my approach would be facing other houses.

My daughter, to my immense surprise, offered to help last night. But, I haven't got her through a hunter safety course yet, so it wouldn't be legal.

Here she is, on her first time shooting, ever a month or so ago, with the 22 I was thinking of using. This pic was taken right smack on the edge of the area where the geese are nesting now and the war is being waged between them and the coyotes.



Last time I was down shooting alone, down there, is when I got tackled by one of my neighbor's dogs - he was looking for the bird I shot (I was just target shooting though).

So, I don't want to use anything too loud, or his dogs will drive him bleeping crazy in the middle of the night. The other neighbors .. they mind their own business.

I'll post an update Saturday and maybe post a couple of picks of the layout.

If I got out with the 12 ga, I'd be hoping for a double Wouldn't mind some fresh geese for dinner this weekend, and they're still in season ...

Geese kept me up again last night. Actually woke me up twice during the night with their blasted honking.

Saw a big coyote on the way to work today - full grown. Got a late start, was broad daylight. He damn near got hit by the car in front of me.

I've decided I have a goose problem, not a coyote problem. I got a head count of the geese before I went to work today - they'd swam across the lake to the other shore, and I got a real good view of them... Almost ran my truck off the road when Isaw them. There's well over 250 of them down there. About took my breath away. I was expecting SOME geese, but good lord.. I've never SEEN this many in one place at one time!!

Anyway, coyotes aren't going hungry, but they aren't my problem. They're not loud enough to wake me up. The GEESE.. they're my problem.

Current plan is to take my limit each day this weekend. Can probably get two or three a shot as dense as they are packed, if I can get down there quiet before dawn. I've got a bunch of steel #4, it's what I use on turkeys. Didn't know it'd work on Coyotes.

I assume #4 will work fine on geese too?

Oh.. and anyone got good recipes? I've never actually cooked goose before.. was a city boy before I moved out here to the boonies.

Thanks in advance - I'll get some pics this weekend when I'm out and about in daylight hours.