Patterico's Pontifications

4/27/2010

Coyotes: Don’t Mess With Texas

Filed under: Politics — DRJ @ 8:07 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Texas Governor Rick Perry shot and killed a coyote that was menacing his daughter’s Labrador Retriever puppy:

“On this particular morning, Perry said, he was jogging without his security detail shortly after sunrise.

“I’m enjoying the run when something catches my eye and it’s this coyote. I know he knows I’m there. He never looks at me, he is laser-locked on that dog,” Perry said.

“I holler and the coyote stopped. I holler again. By this time I had taken my weapon out and charged it. It is now staring dead at me. Either me or the dog are in imminent danger. I did the appropriate thing and sent it to where coyotes go,” he said.

Perry said the laser-pointer helped make a quick, clean kill.

“It was not in a lot of pain,” he said. “It pretty much went down at that particular juncture.”

Perry’s security detail was not required to file a report about the governor discharging a weapon, said Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Tela Mange.

“People shoot coyotes all the time, snakes all the time,” Mange said. “We don’t write reports.”

The governor left the coyote where it fell.

“He became mulch,” Perry said.”

I like laser-pointer guns.

— DRJ

60 Responses to “Coyotes: Don’t Mess With Texas”

  1. The left will get their collective vapors on about this. Actually, they appear to be too busy calling everyone racists and Nazis, so they might overlook this.

    JD (c1a2b8)

  2. Shooting coyotes is good for ’em. Smartens ’em up. Come to think of it, I need to do some IQ improvement of the local songdog population myself.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  3. Speaking of shooting Coyotes, Detroit RedWings just finished off the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round of Stanley Cup playoffs.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  4. Excellent segue, SPQR.

    DRJ (09fa6c)

  5. This is merely the first step towards secession, and demonstrates how irresponsible the rhetoric is coming from the right wingnut teabaggers.

    JD (c1a2b8)

  6. I have a raccoon that won’t stay out of my koi pond. Could someone get Gov. Perry over here?

    Eric Blair (fbdd84)

  7. We regularly hike in the canyon close to our home and last month we had our three dogs with us and were in fairly deep when up from the ridge we heard the single long low howl of a coyote immediately followed by the frantic yipping of who knows how many coyotes.

    The hackles on the dogs went up and they started growling and as it was dusk, we thought it smart to hightail it out of there. We paused a couple of times to scan the ridgeline and each time spotted one staring down at us. I dont’ know if they were the same coyote or not. It was unnerving.

    One of our dogs was in heat and we wondered if they caught her scent. Or perhaps they saw our chubby old pooch and thought he’d make easy steak. No matter, the bottom line is we’re in So. Cali and if we or our dogs had been directly threatened and we used a laser-pointer gun on one of those coyotes, you can bet it would be us that would be in very serious trouble.

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  8. When I went to Alaska a few years back, a pack of wolves tracked our dogsleds for 2 days. We hunted them at 3 in the morning one night, when the Alpha came into our camp and tried to get our dogs.

    JD (c1a2b8)

  9. JD:

    This is merely the first step towards secession …

    I know you’re kidding but, frankly, the more people talk about boycotting Arizona for trying to find a legal way to solve its immigrant problems, the more I think about that.

    DRJ (09fa6c)

  10. Dana, remember the three “S”s – Shoot, Shovel, Scoot.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  11. “Shoot, Shovel, and Shut-up!”

    AD - RtR/OS! (2ebc1d)

  12. SPQR, my one “S” at the time was SCRAM! .

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  13. Laser sights and other gun optics have progressed amazingly since when I started shooting. I’m a “put the front sight on the target with both eyes open” myself.

    nk (db4a41)

  14. I just installed a laser on a 9mm, and found it quite handy in close-quarter shooting, though it points high outside of 6-8yds.
    But, since most gunfights are in the 10-20ft range with a handgun…
    Light ’em up!

    Unfortunately, we have too many draconian, anti-defense laws here in SoCal, so that it is mostly illegal to go out into the bush properly armed for the self-defense that is needed on occassion…and coyotes (and mountain-lion) don’t seem to afraid of us anymore, so we need to be more “Bully”, and tread lightly but be prepared to exact shock-and-awe (Speak lightly and carry a big stick).

    AD - RtR/OS! (2ebc1d)

  15. Too bad – I guess Texas coyotes have scraggly fur. Get a california coyote living on avocados – then no one would leave it to rot.

    Californio (e57920)

  16. Hey, we can shoot as many Coyotes as we can find here in Iowa. Just have a current small game license. I use a .30-30 with hand loads and a .22 pistol for coup de grace.

    PCD (1d8b6d)

  17. Around here, you can tell one’s attitude towards them by the pronunciation: “ki-yo-tee” for those who think they are cute, and “ki-yoat” for those who’d prefer fertilizer. Too small a parcel of land to hunt them (my neighbors will have critter control events during calving season), but open carry is expected out here. I’ll shift to something heavier whenever the mountain lion makes its way down to the river.

    Red County Pete (34680c)

  18. Gov. Perry displayed the only truly acceptable gun control. Careful aim and tight groups. Well done Gov.

    pitchforksntorches (12026e)

  19. Perry killed the coyote back in February but it only makes the news in late April? He says he carries the pistol because he’s afraid of snakes so he loads the laser sighted .380 with hollow points?

    I smell a rat!

    ropelight (a47510)

  20. torches- With one shot you pretty much have to have a tight “group”.

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  21. am
    19.Perry killed the coyote back in February but it only makes the news in late April? He says he carries the pistol because he’s afraid of snakes so he loads the laser sighted .380 with hollow points?

    I smell a rat!

    Comment by ropelight — 4/28/2010 @ 9:52

    I also carry a .380 loaded with Remington Golden Sabers because I’m afraid of snakes in Chicago. The two-legged kind of snakes.

    nk (db4a41)

  22. Speaking of two legged critters; there are coyotes on the border that, in the absence of federal law enforcement, might best be dealt with as Governor Perry did with his four legged coyote.

    Mike Myers (3c9845)

  23. When I turn twenty-one, I really want to get a Taurus Judge. I mean, a .410 is kind of a pop-gun, but 5 quick bursts of .410 shot with low dispersion makes the question moot.

    Leviticus (f0f166)

  24. A .380 for protectino against snakes and coyotes? I am glad it worked, but a .38 or better is superior. In a revolver two birdshot rounds, then three hollowpoints is a good mix if you are just expecting snakes or coyotes, or just five hollowpoints in case you run into a larger predator. I can imagine a bobcat, cougar, or two legged varmit in them thar parts.

    Federale (1e08da)

  25. We can do better for you, Leviticus.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  26. Border Coyotes are best dealt with in 7.62 x 51mm, YMMV!

    AD - RtR/OS! (ecaeda)

  27. Federale, I think if you bring a gun initially for snakes, but then realize lefties burned down your home and some even crashed a plane into a building up the highway, that you go ahead and pick a weapon with a more general application. There’s no doubt Governor Perry is also carrying to defend himself from the kinds of people who burned down the Governor’s mansion.

    And while a lot of people like to tell me to carry a different caliber because of x,y,z, I know the truth: you should carry whatever caliber you are comfortable (and financially comfortable) practicing shooting thousands of times.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  28. Col.Cooper authoritatively stated:
    Self Defense starts with a 4!

    AD - RtR/OS! (ecaeda)

  29. “We can do better for you, Leviticus.”

    – SPQR

    Pshaw. You’re telling me it wouldn’t be fun to take an old TV out to the desert and shoot it with a Taurus Judge? I think it would be fun.

    I also want a .45-70 Marlin and some sort of M1911 model.

    That said, I’m open to suggestions – I don’t know the shoptalk particularly well, but I’m interested.

    Leviticus (30ac20)

  30. “It pretty much went down at that particular juncture.”

    Is Gov. Perry a former police officer? He seems to suffer from “copspeak”: the tendency of officers to use a lot of superfluous polysyllabicism when writing reports or testifying.

    Most normal people would have said “right there.”

    Alex (333c5e)

  31. Leviticus, the Judge gives you a lot of recoil for not that much added effectiveness over a more reasonable revolver. I love my M1911 but it takes a bit more familiarization than a revolver.

    A .45-70 Marlin? Sheesh, man, you have a bear stalking you? 😉

    SPQR (26be8b)

  32. Complaining about Gov. Perry’s .380 is quite reasonable, but read the story again.

    It’s his jogging gun.

    luagha (7fd288)

  33. “Is Gov. Perry a former police officer?”

    No, he has an agricultural background and flew C-130s, but not a cop.

    He’s a politician, and has been for a quarter century, hence the lame inflated diction.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  34. “… take an old TV out to the desert and shoot it…”

    First off, it is fun, but don’t take anything out to the desert for a target that you aren’t willing to haul back to civilization and dispose of properly.

    45-70 Marlin….A Guide Gun (M1895G) if you want a handy, short-barrelled rifle, A Cowboy (M1895Cowboy) if you want the traditional long-barrelled look, or a M1895M in .450Marlin for a short-barrelled hunting rifle in a ballistically better cartridge than the 45-70 (this is a fave in Alaska, particularly among salmon fishermen who don’t care for handguns);

    1911…buy the best one you can afford: Springfield Armory, Kimber, Smith & Wesson, Colt, etc….all of them will outlast you, so remember, you’ll be passing on a piece of America’s heritage…and there should be some interesting commemorative models available soon since next year is the 100th-Aniversary of Mr.Browning’s masterpiece.

    Go to your local shooting-range or gun-shop and ask for the name of a NRA Qualified Instructor…use him as a source of info.

    AD - RtR/OS! (ecaeda)

  35. luagha, I’m not complaining about Perry’s Ruger .380, quite the opposite, it’s a superior example of a small size, lightweight, easy to carry pocket gun, I think the laser sights are a bit much, but I’m open on that point.

    My reaction to the report was based on the notion that any .380 loaded with hollow points isn’t likely to be particularly effective against ground snakes.

    That Perry’s configuration is well suited to dealing with coyotes, crooks, and other Democrat snakes, belly crawlin’ or otherwise, is the point. Most likely, the .380 is Perry’s regular pocket gun and he takes it along when he goes jogging.

    ropelight (a47510)

  36. AD-RtR/OS!,

    Thanks for the advice. Regarding the 1911, I certainly wouldn’t scrimp – although I don’t think I’d want a commemorative model. The thing’s known for utility, after all.

    “A .45-70 Marlin? Sheesh, man, you have a bear stalking you?”

    – SPQR

    Not that I know of, but there’s something about cranking a shell that size out of the chamber that just… warms my liberal heart.

    Leviticus (30ac20)

  37. More thoughts on self-defence guns: It’s important to distinguish between self-defense at home or in your car, and self-defense on foot. No one gun can do both jobs well. However, a home handgun can work quite well for your car too.

    At home, guns with lots of punch are the ticket. Likely you aren’t going to run, so you need big time stopping power. A 38 revolver, a 9 MM auto, a 45 ACP, a short shotgun, there are lots of choices. Just avoid overkill, you don’t want an errant round to go through the walls of your neighbor’s house.

    But, afoot on the street it’s a different story. No gun is going to do you any good if it’s at home, locked or hidden away in the bedside table, or in the car’s trunk stashed under the spare tire. Whatever you have, it’s got to be within arm’s reach. That means convenient to carry.

    It doesn’t take long lugging around a hand cannon before you realize that easy to carry pea shooters trump larger calibers when you’re afoot. You need an extremely small and ultra lightweight pocket gun. One that’s not burdensome to carry and is easy to conceal in ordinary clothing. Otherwise, you’re unlikely to have it handy if you suddenly have need of it.

    nk’s .380 caliber makes for a fine pocket gun at the upper limits of the range I recommend, Governor Perry’s Ruger is an excellent example of the category, but don’t overlook the .32 and the .25, they’re even lighter and easier to conceal.

    Don’t worry about limited range or reduced stopping power, bad guys won’t hang around after you get off 3 or4 rounds, so don’t be overly concerned with diameter or powder load. Afoot, it’s lightweight and small size that counts most.

    ropelight (a47510)

  38. Another carry consideration is a small revolver like the Ruger LCR in .38Spl+P: very light weight, simple to use, pull-point-squeeze!
    Also avail with factory-installed laser.

    AD - RtR/OS! (ecaeda)

  39. Laser sites are at their best on small handguns. The sites are hard to see on a snub nosed revolver or a pocket auto like the Ruger LCP, particularly in poor light. The laser sights by Crimson Trace add little if anything to the bulk of these guns and make it much easier to place shots accurately under many common conditions.

    Leviticus,
    >410 shells are loaded for the longer barrels of shotguns. This means in a short barrel like that on the Judge you get heavy blast, flash, and recoil but not much velocity. The low velocity combined with the small shot usually found in these shells means poor penetration. You would do much better with a more conventional handgun. Taurus is definitely not top quality. Their automatics seem to be at the low end of acceptable for defensive use. Their revolvers are not good enough in my experience. This is from two decades ago so they may be better now.

    “K” frame Smith & Wessons are excellent choices and are available used at reasonable prices.

    Machinist (9780ec)

  40. I can’t recommend .32 or .25 calibers to anyone unless they will be facing me in a gunfight. These rounds do not have enough energy available and there is really no reason to use them as the proliferation of small .380 autos are just as small and easy to conceal while offering more power. Even this popular round is underpowered, the non-expanding bullets have enough penetration but little energy transfer while the more dynamic loads lack reliable penetration. The best loads offer a balance that will do in many situations but there is just not enough energy there unless you can’t carry something better. Even the .38 Spec and 9mm are marginal rounds for defense. The best balanced loads are good but there is little in reserve. A small frame .38 revolver can be carried in almost any situation and with Lasergrips and good loads it is an effective package for protection if a better handgun can not be carried. I do have an LCP and it is a marvel when maximum concealment is needed or as a backup but I always go with something more powerful if possible. It certainly sounds like a reasonable piece for the Governor under those circumstances.

    Machinist (9780ec)

  41. Machinist, I would disagree with you on Taurus quality currently, I find them to be a good value and decent quality, but agree on your appreciation of the Judge.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  42. Thank you, Sir. I currently have two Taurus autos and find them adequate, but in the 90s I had three Taurus revolvers that I bought new. One developed a catch so I opened it up to find the problem. The hammer and DA trigger sear were digging into each other. I smoothed the part, repaired the damage, and retimed it. The fragile and soft nature of the internal lockwork and the poor finish of the parts was shocking enough to me that I looked inside one of the others. Shortly after I sold all three as used guns, though they were unfired, and took the loss. No more Taurus revolvers. I am used to working on S&W, Colt,Ruger, and Charter Arms revolvers. The Taurus were not something I would bet my life on, though they are well finished outside. I know they are popular but I was not impressed.

    Machinist (9780ec)

  43. I also have reservations about Machinist’s opinion of Taurus (disclaimer: I am an FFL who has sold a few and have had no comebacks) at least as concerns pistols. The revolvers have had some quality problems, and they are a reasonably priced alternative to a S&W (which they seem to be clones of), I would only be reluctant to recommend one in the more powerful calibers. The M-85 is a reasonable self-defense revolver at a nice price. But, if you need a revolver that you plan to put 5000+ rounds through, go Ruger or S&W.
    Another disclaimer: I’m in CA and Taurus has limited the number of handguns available to this market due to the extortion scheme created by the “Not Unsafe Gun List” legislation.

    AD - RtR/OS! (ecaeda)

  44. That said, I’m open to suggestions – I don’t know the shoptalk particularly well, but I’m interested.

    Comment by Leviticus — 4/28/2010 @ 12:21 pm

    A decent .22LR with a full-size grip and four inch barrel. Practice, practice, practice and you will be able to hit a quarter (and anything else you’re looking at) at 25 feet considering that you have young eyes and young muscles and nerves.

    nk (db4a41)

  45. Good marksmanship is the result of the same work ethic that gets you invited to Carnegie Hall:
    Practice, Practice, Practice!

    Start now with a good, Certified, instructor. Learn the basics, learn the quirks of NM law re concealed-carry and use-of-force, and when you turn 21, you’ll be prepared to purchase a handgun, and get your CCW.

    AD - RtR/OS! (ecaeda)

  46. A .22 is an excellent first choice and practice is indeed the key.

    My Taurus autos are a PT-100 (a Beretta clone) and a PT-908 (a Sig clone). Although the PT-100 came with a broken firing pin that was repaired by the factory, they have both been perfectly reliable and service accurate. They do not show top quality but are fine and a good value as was said. On the strength of this I bought the three revolvers and was extremely disappointed. I lost 30% to 40% of their price rather than keep them. The parts inside showed none of the workmanship on the outside. They were flimsy, rough, burred and soft. S&W quality has varied but at it’s worst it was much better. I say this having bought some stinkers from S&W.

    Machinist (9780ec)

  47. The worst thing you can do is develop a flinch and that happens when you start off with too much gun. The other advantages of a .22 are the cheapness of the ammmo, the low noise, practically no recoil, so you can practice a lot comfortably for both your ears and your wallet. And the good ones are essentially maintenance free. Just blast them with a little brake cleaner and drop in a drop of oil once in a while.

    nk (db4a41)

  48. For comparison purposes, my Golden Sabers cost me a $1.00 per round and my Remington Match .22s less than $0.20 per round, up here.

    nk (db4a41)

  49. I agree with you about the .22, all good points. Even if one moves on to a bigger caliber the .22 has a place for practice and fun. It is also the best survival gun as the small ammunition allows a good quantity to be carried without much bulk or weight and it can take small game for food with much less noise than a centerfire and usually less damage.

    One advantage of a .38 or .357 revolver for more experienced shooters is the ease of reloading ammunition for it. I can load .38s or .357s for less than that $.20 a round. It allows much more practice and provides ammunition when the store shelves are bare. The range of power available in factory loads makes it easy to match recoil and blast with one’s personal tolerance as well.

    Machinist (9780ec)

  50. #45 AD – RtR/OS!:

    Good marksmanship is the result of the same work ethic that gets you invited to Carnegie Hall:
    Practice, Practice, Practice!

    Start now with a good, Certified, instructor. Learn the basics,

    As AD says, practice makes perfect: but it’s also important to practice good skills rather than ingrain poor ones so finding a good instructor/coach that you connect with is important.

    After shooting from my childhood through an enlistment in the Navy, I found a coach that was able to get me to focus in a way I had never before~improving my accuracy by an order of magnitude.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  51. I haven’t costed out the “Satan Rounds” my brother makes up for my .30-30, but he says it is good up to a Black Bear. I use Barnes Triple Shok-X 150 gr slugs, and a case stuffed with powder. Still experimenting with different brands, but right now it is little kick and all HIT!

    At home, I’ve got my Ruger Mark II, 2″ barrel using Remington truncated cone Vipers. I do practice and I’ll poke your eyes out and scramble your brains at better than 50yds.

    I’ve got a scoped Marlin Model 70 to reach up to where I’d use the Winchester. And a Belgian Browning A5 with alternating buck and deer slugs for riot situations.

    PCD (1d8b6d)

  52. PCD, if you can hit an eyeball with a two-inch barrelled Mark II at fifty yards we need to preserve your DNA for cloning super soldiers.

    nk (db4a41)

  53. But the off the shelf Ruger Mark II is a wonderful little gun, Leviticus, and I recommmend it to you as your first one.

    nk (db4a41)

  54. Don’t shorten the barrel or otherwise mess with it.

    nk (db4a41)

  55. nk and Machinist,

    Thanks for the advice. I think my uncle has a Ruger .22 magnum – a little eight-shot revolver. It’s pretty nifty – accurate as all get out, no real recoil.

    I guess a revolver might be a better choice as a first gun – easier to clean and maintain and whatnot, until I’ve got the basics down pat. Then move up to more interesting stuff. I’ll have to think about that. And I’ll certainly take your assessment of Taurus into account, Machinist – my interest in the Judge stemmed more from curiosity than anything else.

    Regarding developing a flinch from starting off with too much gun, I can certainly appreciate that warning. The same uncle I mentioned earlier has a .357 revolver, a .45 semi-auto pistol of some sort, and a .44 Ruger Redhawk (among others). I had more trouble with the .357 than the Redhawk, for some reason – maybe because the .357 barrel was so short – but was pretty accurate with the .45 at about 20 yards (albeit shooting at saw-blades, not quarters).

    Leviticus (a89520)

  56. And AD-RtR/OS! and EW1(SG), too – thanks for the advice.

    Leviticus (a89520)

  57. Leviticus, I’ve a Ruger Redhawk in .41 Magnum myself. Great shooting gun. You probably did better with it because it was heavier – weight moderates out recoil. Great hunting pistol.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  58. Leviticus – Try this http://www.remingtoncustom.com/HunterGrade_700ABG.aspx in the 458 Win Mag version, or my personal favorite, http://www.remingtoncustom.com/HunterGrade_700APR.aspx, 375 Ultra Mag version.

    YMMV, but they are hella good toys 😉

    JD (3b62be)

  59. Leviticus,
    Your first handgun is exciting. Many automatics are actually easier and faster to clean but I still recommend a revolver. In a .22 I really recommend .22 LR over the Magnum unless ammo cast is no problem and you really like that cartridge. LR ammo is much cheaper and there is a wider variety of loads available.

    There are a wide range of opinions here, some from people with much more experience than I have, and you probably get good advice from your Uncle. Good luck and have fun.

    Machinist (9780ec)

  60. Better buy them before Congress sets their sights on the 2nd Amendment.

    JD (c1a2b8)


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