Last February, Texas Governor Rick Perry went for a jog with his dog. At some point, Perry shot and killed a coyote with his laser-sighted Sturm, Ruger & Co. LCP .380. Firing hollow points, apparently. In defense of his dog, also apparently.

Quite why Perry’s two security guys (on the taxpayer’s dime) weren’t around to shoot the coyote on the Governor’s behalf, and what distance/threat level was involved, remains a mystery.

But the story as told fits the “don’t mess with Texas” meme. So it remains as told. And Perry isn’t the only one cashing-in on the increasingly mythical encounter. Sturm, Ruger & Co. have created a $340 laser-less “Coyote Special” to commemorate the Governor’s pest control pistol.

Looks pretty, uh, plain, doncha think? Why not replace the Ruger logo with the Lone Star State state seal or . . . something? ‘Cause it’s only $30 more than the plain Jane pocket pistol. Anyway, wait ’til you see the other side!

“A True Texan”? As opposed to what, a fake Texan? Like, I dunno, illegal immigrants living in Texas? Think I’m being mean spirited? The packaging displays a stamp warning that the gun is for sale to Texans only.

I wonder what ID the buyer needs to provide. Driver’s license? Gas bill? Green card? Or just some dead presidents (likely). Anyway, the real artistry in on the top of the gun. And here’s the money shot: a coyote howling at the moon—moments before some Ruger-equipped “real” Texan puts a thirty-eight into its cranium, presumably.

The Lone Star is a nice touch, although a lucky star for quadrapeds it ain’t. Governor’s dog excepted. Oh, and MSNBC reports that RIck thinks the gun rocks.

The governor even has one, and “thinks it’s a great gun,” his spokeswoman Allison Castle said. She did not say if it was a gift or if he purchased one.

[Thanks to Sharp Shooters Knife & Gun in Lubbock (806 791 1231) for the pics]

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42 COMMENTS

  1. The coyote left a mate and six pups, but they could not be contacted for this article.

    • Oh so sad for the orphaned destructive predatory vermin’s pups:-( Don’t woory, it’s impossible to stop them from reproducing. If you like rabies, that’s a good place to get that too as well as a pet. If you made your living raising cattle it wouldn’t seem so sad. Losing a calf is a blow to the budget of an already risky occupation. If you’ve ever priced cattle when they’re grown you should check it out. You have to make sure they live long enough for them to get to market. I guess you live in a city, right?

      • Since you responded 3 years late, don’t mind if I respond 11 months late (or mind, I don’t care).

        That guy was making obviously a news joke. Pump the brakes, fella.

        • Couple years late but I figure it’s still something to dust off and stick a comment on. He sounds like a liberal, not a true Texan, so they shouldn’t have even posted this article. He does, however, doe like a typical liberal and mentions the gun is a .380 caliber, then states it is a .38 caliber gun, which is it liberal? Don’t answer that, I wouldn’t want you to embarrass yourself again now, you hear? By the way, there are only two types of people in this state, there’s Texans, and then there’s those that ain’t.

  2. Now if only we could get Governor Perry to go jogging along the Mexican boarder and shoot the coyotes down there…

    … those coyotes are a much bigger problem than any varmints he'll find in the hills of Austin.

    • Even better, hunt the people that lure and hire the people that the coyotes deliver.

  3. "As opposed to . . . a fake Texan?"

    I've lived in Texas longer than anywhere else I've hung my coat including years 4+ in each of her biggest cities (Houston, Dallas and San Antonio). And yet the locals tell me that I can't to claim to be a true native Texan. They really are quite finicky about this stuff. So maybe this gun's my ticket.

  4. I'm not from Texas, but Texas loves me anyway. Well, Lyle Lovett anyway. I guess.

  5. Donal do you know where they are per chance.. I just bought one of these pistols and I need finish off what the Gov started.

  6. Gt dist has ordered 10 from. Ruger. I got my name on one of them. Better. Hurry a get one before they are all. Gone. Only. 1000 produced. Special. Edition. From. Ruger. The going. Price is. $339.00. Because of the engraving. Very nice. Dependable. Little gun .

  9. There are only two kinds of people in this world….TEXANS…..and those that wish they were.

      • No problem, Texas doesan’t want you either. If your heart isn’t here we have some major highways that will carry you out to wherever you belong, probably New York City or Chicago. Wherever it is I hope it’s far away.

  11. I agree…that woman needs serious gun handling training. The moron is going to shoot somebody one day by accident. Please remove the weapon from her incapable hands immediately.

    As for the rest of the poor little mates left behind…. I too would like a map showing the areas they might be inhabiting. They need killing in the worse sort of way.

    • The commentator that wrote women need serious gun training never bothered to watch women in handgun training or go to a class, for CHL's. I shot better, than everyone there, except A Veteran. There were 10 people, including two more women. The women were very proficient at handling their guns, and shot very well. Women don't have to go around bragging, like lots of men, they just let you know the hard way. Some man probably had the woman put her finger on the trigger, to show a demonstration. As the saying goes, you don't have to brag what you can do, if you can do it. Maybe you should meet some real Texas women. Our Daddy taught us how to handle guns, when we were little girls. Don't mess with Texas Women.

      • Julia, calm down. He said “THAT woman”, not “ALL women”. My mother used to shoot my dad’s 357 Magnum with us when we went oout to shoot. Anybody can be a good safe shot if they become familiar with the gun and practice. Gender isn’t an issue. Beintg a Native Texan and from a farm/ranch family we all shot guns from an early age. We were taught how to use them safely and enjoy shooting and I’m 59 and stil love guns and have a lot of different ones. I should have my Coyote .380 next week. For a conceal carry gun it’s perfect and it’s a really cool gun too, especially for a Texan.

  12. Governor Perry SAYS he shot a coyote. No one saw it before or after it was supposedly shot. Based on Perry's liberal background, I do not believe him. Hey, it's election time and he has a knack for the melodramatic when he is in heat.

    • So defending your dog has to be political? Wake up, this was not a political thing. If you have to look that hard to find something political you probably don’t look at the real issues correctly. He’s just another Texan who has a nice gun. I don’t think he was fantasizing that the coyote had one philosophy or another. I’m an extreme conservative and I disagree with a lot of his viewpoints but I wait until he does or says something political to criticize him. Besides, it’s too easy to find things to criticize a liberqal for. You don’t have to look for things.

  13. Leave the lady alone. She apparently knows how to safely handle a handgun. At least she knows that you have to put your finger on the trigger to make the gun shoot. In a real situation she would be pointing it right at the camera. Besides, no matter what you’ve heard, never in history has anyone been shot by an unloaded gun. My wife, a born and raised native Texan, has had her CHL for over eight years. She bought a Coyote Special yesterday and already likes it’s light weight when fully loaded with one in the chamber and the fact that she doesnt have to mess with a safety lever. If the time comes they’ll never see it coming. She’ll just have to buy a new purse.

  15. I'm not a native Texan. . . I'm just a Texan. 22 years and counting.

    And I carry a .380 as well as a .45 (not at the same time). . . but if I shot a coyote, I think Plano PD would arrest me.

  16. I bought one for my wife , My best friend chuck bought one for his wife . thay say only 1000 were made.

  18. Making a gun to commemorate that time Governor Perry killed space aliens and thus saved the planet Earth, yeah that would be commemorative-worthy. This is not. Maybe Kohler should make a toilet to commemorate that time Governor Perry took a dump. You know…for Texas.

    • Props to Mox. And thanks for the laugh.

      I’ve chased coyotes out of camp, etc., several times. They’re small and timid and are no danger to a man. And anyone can run them off. I don’t believe the coyote stood there staring at him while he yelled and charged, forcing him to shoot it to protect himself or his dog.

      Also, a Labrador Retriever is more than a match for a coyote. Coyotes are scared of them. This one is referred to as a puppy. I’d like to know its age. It was apparently grown enough to go jogging. (And what was it supposedly doing during all this?)

      Also who carries a .380 for snakes in February? (1) You are very unlikely to hit a snake while it is actually an imminent threat. (It’s best to back away.) They are hard hit even when you have plenty of time. And IF you wanted to use a pistol, you’d have it loaded with snake shot (multiple pellets). (2) Snakes are quite inactive in the Winter.

      The whole story stinks like 7 day old fish.

      • I don’t know if you’ve ever been to West Texas where I was born but have you seen the barbed wire fences on the ranchland. The cattlemen kill the coyotes and hang them up on the fences to keep the coyotes away. They travel in packs and they will run down a calf, wear it out and kill it. This is the ranchers living that is threatened. These aren’t cute little puppy dogs to cuddle. You have to remember while your heart bleeds for the coyotes, those cute little buzzards have to eat too.

  19. Mox-E-Pooh sounds a little upset, maybe because he didn’t get one or just jealous of Texas and Perry? Always funny to see people start to run their mouth when they want to be something they can’t, makes them feel better I guess.

  20. the gov did a favor if not only to cattlemen and farmerss and deer hunters and domesticated cats and dogs ya know why? coyotes eat all of the above. so you sissies who replied negative to this story ——– ” get over it”!

  21. He had to have been pretty close in order for him to have hit it. The .380 is not very accurate at long distances. And why are you complaining about not selling guns to illegal aliens?? Your digging for fault makes you sound like a whacko.

  22. This is a classic story and I want one of the firearms . My favorite on Perry when asked ” What did think about gun control ?” his answer ” Use both hands ” the laser light is cool too !!

  23. I live in Michigan, and a coyote worked to get my Chocolate Lab away from the house, to do a pack attack. Coyotes are known to attract a single dog away from its area and a pack of them will attack the dog. A single Coyote against a Lab, probably won’t have a chance. So as a last resort I WILL SHOOT any coyote I can get sights on.

  24. I have to agree with Andy B. The story may or may not be true, but what little we do know sounds credible enough. Even coyotes get rabies, and a cheerful puppy used to a safe environment and separated from the litter too early (common with popular pure breeds) might not have the experience necessary to defend itself against a wild animal. It all is a matter of experience, temperment, and luck.

    For that matter, I have seen a cat (felis domesticus) take out a pitbull.

    The dog got in the cat’s yard, and chased the cat up a tree. THe cat jumped off a high branch and landed on the dog’s back, clinging to it’s spine like rodeo rider.
    After a few minutes of flying fur (the cat remaining relatively stationary), the dog made a strangled sound and it’s hind legs collapsed, useless. The pit bull dragged itself away at full speed, yipping. The cat sauntered off to take a nap.

    In case you were wondering, it was not Zydeco. The cat’s name was Hitler.

    (Don’t look at me. I did not name it. Though I’m one of the few people in history the cat let pet her… she even curled up in my lap, like an ordinary cat, and fell asleep. The owner hit the roof, as it was half wild and she’d never seen it civil to a human being in her life.)

    As for the dog, it needed a vet bad, though it did eventually recover. The spine wasn’t broken, just inflamed, then infected. Had it been wild it wouldn’t have survived.

    I know it doesn’t have much to do with guns; my point is, when you have animal stories, even things that sound unlikely have happened.

  25. “before some Ruger-equipped ‘real’ Texan puts a thirty-eight into its cranium”? It’s a .380, not a .38. They are not remotely the same thing, you genius.

  26. I came to these comments to see stupid people advocating the murder of illegal immigrants and insulting people outside of Texas and I was not disappointed.

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