# Will Any Caliber Do For Coyotes?



## straight shooter (Oct 15, 2007)

I've read with interest the discussions in this forum on which caliber to use for hunting coyotes. The majority here says not to use a .22lr, .17hmr, or .22 Mag, because they don't pack enough punch to drop a coyote in his tracks. Instead, they say to use a flat shooting .22 like a .223, 22-250, or .243. But, using even these more powerful cartridges these same hunters claim even they have had wounded coyotes that have run a couple of hundred yards or completely run off after taking a good hit. So what is the ultimate caliber for dropping a coyote in his tracks with one-shot everytime? There isn't one!


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

I once shot a nice, doe, whitetail with a 12 ga. 1 oz. slug at about 15 feet. Hit her right in the boiler room too. She turned, bolted and ran, as my luck would have it, away from me and out into the middle of a plowed field before piling up. She made it about 150 yards or so. I would of thought that this doe would have piled up where she stood but still, with a good hit from a large slug at close range, she ran.

Now you would think that 1 oz of lead at that range would be a monumental and telling force when impacting flesh and bone. But the deer still ran. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the 12 ga. and rifled slugs are often used by brown bear guides on the AK coast when they have to go into thick cover in pursuit of a wounded bear. This is, most likely, because of the immense shocking power and knockdown that these larger chunks of lead possesses, as well as the large amount of firepower they can bring to bare...against a bear, if need be.

I think that you'll find that the majority of experienced coyote shooters here will advocate the use of centerfire rifles for the animal that they so passionately pursue. I believe most use .22 centerfires, but I'm sure that the calibers used run the gamut from these smaller bored centerfires to larger caliber deer rifles. Myself, I have a .308 Win. that I plan on using. I don't plan on shooting far, as I'm not that good of a shot. But I know that if I'm lucky enough to bring this gun into play against a 'yote, a solid hit is going to put it down or create an animal that is so mortally wounded that won't go far.

All of my experience with centerfire has been while shooting groundhogs in Ohio with a 22-250. Woodchucks, while not large, are tough, burly, animals in thier own right. But, I've seen them run a few feet after being hit a 250 or my buddies .17 Remington. These were oddities however, as most just folded up and dropped where they stood, never knowing what hit them. I've also seen young 'chucks killed by the near miss. More than likely, it was the shrapnel from the bullet jacket coming apart, that blasted through their thin, soft bodies. I've never seen anything like that with a .22 rimfire or magnum at say 200 yards, or even 100.

Animals may, and often do, run when hit by any caliber of gun. This is never going to be totally avoided. But by using something other than a rimfire rifle in the .22 or .17 configuration against, big, hardy predators that have a zeal for life and the wit of the ages, the number of running wounded can be cut down on considerably. You may fool yourself into thinking that the .17 HMR or the .22 rimfires will consistently take coyotes or other predators/varmints. You may have even bagged a few with these calibers and think that they are the ticket for these animals. Think again. With the bullet selection and reloading data for centerfire rifles, not to mention the velocities and shocking power that they deliver, the centerfire rifle, of any caliber, is far superior to any rimfire going.

Good luck,
Dan


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Nice post Dan. :thumb:


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

any one of the rifles you listed will do fine, bullet placement is more important than size, I have had dogs run from my 243, but have dropped em with a 222, I know people that have dropped them with a 22lr. don't expect everyone to drop every time, it doesn't happen


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## coyote_buster (Mar 11, 2007)

Do you guys think it has anything to do with nerves. Like where people say chickens run around without a head for a few momnts.


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## kevin.k (Dec 31, 2005)

I shoot a Remington 222, it works great i love it very accurate i have not had a problem with it putting down coyotes, i shot my doe tags with it this year as well.

One doe was out there 230 yards and i dropped her i was very impressed the way it performed.


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## setterman (Nov 29, 2007)

I have a .260 and am putting 85 gr hp's through it. I just wondered if anyone has had any experience with this caliber. Seems like a good choice from what I have read although I havent shot at a yote with it yet.... Also I havent seen this caliber mentioned.


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

coyote_buster said:


> Do you guys think it has anything to do with nerves. Like where people say chickens run around without a head for a few momnts.


Yea, I think it has a lot to do with nerves. I think that wild animals are a little on edge all the time, even when they are relaxed. Just a thought though.
I know that I've shot deer with a bow already and had them trot off and lay down. I think the report of the guy is what gets them moving, more so than the wound. That and they probably see or hear the hunter then too.

Happy Holidays,
Dan


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## sflem849 (Mar 4, 2004)

Ditto to everyone!!! Great responses!!! But most importantly, hunt them with the gun you own. :wink: I don't think it is necessary to spend a house payment on a coyote gun...that is until you are financially in a position to do it.
Good luck, I am going to go use my 10 ga with big turkey loads on them right now. Works great!


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

setterman said:


> I have a .260 and am putting 85 gr hp's through it. I just wondered if anyone has had any experience with this caliber. Seems like a good choice from what I have read although I havent shot at a yote with it yet.... Also I havent seen this caliber mentioned.


Shot one last year with my 260 using a 100 gr Nosler BT. With a little stretching and shoving, I think I could have shoved a volleyball through the exit hole. The 85 gr HP might blow up inside and not exit, but I'd bet on a huge exit wound. Otherwise, it is a great yote caliber.


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## huntnfish08 (Nov 10, 2007)

I once read an article on why some deer drop when shot and why they don't when heart shot. I can't remember what magazine published it. The theory went like this:

Deer that drop to heart shots happen because the heart has just contracted at the moment the bullet impacts the heart. this sudden shot forces pressurized blood to the brain causing an anurism. DRT.

On the flip side. Bullet impacts heart when relaxing and deer runs til blood stops getting to the brain. Deer runs short distance and dies.

moral of the story is: Shoot what you have and hit them where it counts. Caliber is relative. A 12 gauge is the best gun to anchor a yote up close. Any rifle you can deliver a kill shot with beyond shotgun range will do, from 22lr or 17hmr to 243 or 30-06.

Adam :sniper:


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

moral of the story is: Shoot what you have and hit them where it counts. Caliber is relative. A 12 gauge is the best gun to anchor a yote up close. Any rifle you can deliver a kill shot with beyond shotgun range will do, from 22lr or 17hmr to 243 or 30-06.

Adam :sniper:[/quote]

I will have to agree. The 12 ga. shotgun is a fearsome weapon when useed at close range. On the flip side of this, however, is the size of shot being used in the shotgun that does the anchoring. Shot that isn't big enough, isn't going to do the job well either.

A story:

I remember, years ago, going rabbit hunting with my dad. We were in the corner of a woods and there were some guys hunting fox in the same section that we were hunting.

Well, as luck would have it, the red fox that they hounds were running came by us at about 40 or so yards and pop took him under fire. Dad, of course, had his Model 12 stoked with bunny loads. Winchester use to make shells called Upland loads (White box with a big red and blue U on the front and the word UPLAND printed under the U) if I remember right. These were very light game loads and were perfect for rabbits. Fox, on the other hand, are, a bit tougher than bunnies.

That poor fox. Everytime that Model 12 would crack that fox would flop on his side and then get up. Each time he regained his feet, pop would have another shell in the tube and ready. I think I took about 5 or 6 shots to put that fox down for good. Light 6's just aren't a good fox load. By the same token, I've seen fox shot with 3" lead #2's at similar distances, that never even quiver when the went down. So, shot size does make a diff.

I guess from a practical standpoint, if the heart or lungs is pierced by a bullet, the animal is going to give up the ghost. I don't think the question is, whether a .22 or .17 rimfire will do the job or not. I think the question is, how quick will it get the job done. Anyone who thinks that these rimfires will quickly put a coyote sized predator down at...say 100...yards with the same authority as a centerfire rifle, is just wrong, and I must disagree with this.

Happy Holidays,
Dan


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## 308 (Jul 10, 2007)

Kevin K. What bullets do you use out of your 222 :beer:


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

They all work, except for the 30-06. Doesn't work....... :wink:


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