Can’t hit a coyote in field to save my life.  Any ideas?  Sub 1” MOA at range any day I go.  Good equipment, missing like I never shot a rifle in the field on coyotes coming in, pointers?

how is your heartbeat when you see an animal? Do you shoot right away? Do you wait a little bit?

ETA: is your shooting set up different between range and field?

I wait, super patient. Even missing on stopped clear broadside shot.  I missed 4 or 5 in last week and a half.  New thermal, first year using but missed with my regular scope last season.  Heat beat fast like I’m with a woman for the first time.  Shaking as I stalk them but seem steady in bipod when I line up and squeeze off.

I don't mean to be insulting, just tryin to eliminate potential variables... you're using the same ammunition for range and field?

That's 1st. Same ammunition.

Second would be same type of shooting position. Shooting from a bench at a KR course is one thing...shooting from a field expedient position at an unknown range is different. What are your field positions compared to your range positions? Are you lasing targets for solid ranges? etc?

Yes same ammo.  ADI 55 grain Blitzking, might move to 53 gr Horandy Super varmint.  I did load 69 gr Matchking instead the night I missed a broadside a week ago but quickly went to range and went back to Blitzking and missed another 4.  I am in a chair with a light weight pair of shooting sticks fashioned in a bipod.  It’s really steady but not on a bench and table rest like the range.  I don’t have ranges whatsoever, it’s stadiametric and slow to use so I’ve been guessing.  My buddy hit 3 with same rifle I handed to him and he’s guessing on range too.

if your buddy is hitting based on range estimation, I think that may be where the issue is. Are you and him estimating the same ranges?

We haven’t talked about it.  I just assumed and we were just putting crosshairs on animals they’re all similar ranges based on size observation in optics.  I zeroed it at 100 and it was an inch or so high and confirmed at 200 where it was middle and 50 was a little high but acceptable.  I figured with the little variances between these ranges that I wouldn’t have trouble in field.

I would see about setting up a shoot with him. work with him to see what ranges you both estimate targets at on an unknown distance range...or even in a field setting. It seems like, if you're getting hits on a known distance range, but having issues in the field, and he's not that it would be a range estimation issue.

Additionally, take your sticks to your range and see how you do on those known distance ranges.

Don't be ashamed to get a Laser Range Finder, brother. Use it to help you learn how to gauge ranges if that is where the issue is.

Besides practicing more, together hopefully, can I incorporate the range finder into my thermal or do you suggest just using a rangefinder and spotlight?

I've never employed a thermal that didn't have range finding capability...or shot at anything smaller than a man with one, so I can't speak to that.

With that limitation of knowledge, I would seek to square the aforementioned variables and proceed to go from there.

My issue is range estimation, my last shot at a coyote looking at it through the scope I estimated 350 yards based on size.   I was way off, it was it was a smaller coyote than I'm used to and closer, so the first shot skated over his head.

I rectified that mistake with my next shot.

At least you rectified it.  That feels good.

What kinds of ranges are we talking here? If it’s less than two hundred yards or so, the first thing I would do is ditch the shooting sticks and get better offhand. An offhand shot that you have an extra second to line up is likely to be more accurate than a rushed shot off of sticks.

Coyotes are small targets, and they don’t often stand still for long. I fashioned a squeaker from a dog toy into a small mouth call to stop them, usually gives me about two to three seconds to make a shot.

A shot timer is fantastic for all kinds of shooting practice, and shots on game are no exception. I staple a balloon to a wooden dowel rod, it moves a tad and is the same size as the vital region on most animals I hunt. Trying to hit it from an improvised position in less than two seconds is quite a challenge if all you’re used to shooting from is a bench.

First of all, I commend you for being honest and not telling us you shoot bumblees on the wing at 1K with a 22lr.......

You say you are sub MOA at the range, but you hunt with a bipod.  Not the same.  You say you think you are as steady, but you have to be in a different position, right?

Shoot on a static range wearing the same clothes, in the same positions, and conditions if you can, as you do when hunting.  Report back.

It happens to the best of us. When you learn to control your breathing, heart rate and field position this will improve. I am old enough that I don’t need to kill anything or even care if I do. When I get my sites settled on an animal I consider that counting coupe. If I am in the mood I will break the trigger and I very rarely if ever miss any more.

Passing on a shot teaches you a lot about yourself. It also gives you time to study your position.

Best of luck to you.

That’s it. Add range finder to your gear. Whether rifle mounted or handheld.