Best gun for Yotes

[FISHINGFARMER]

I want to first off, offer a Thank You to all that might reply to my questions.

Our family is having troubles with coyotes coming into the farm and buildings that my mother lives on that we don't, but holds all the livestock there.

The past week I have seen them around and my mother hears them each night.The trouble is we are now in the beginning of lambing season.With the sounds of new born lambs and of course the blood and etc. associated with birthing it will draw many more in. I need to start clearing them out now before we have major problems.

I would like to know what type of gun and grain of ammo and scope you suggest I should be looking at for my best results in knocking them down? Most of my shots look like they would be in the 100 - 200 yard range in open field. Of course I don't want to break the bank in doing so as I will only be hunting our farm not going out looking for them.

If there is a topic on this already in this forum please let us know!

Thanks again

Farmer

[picksbigwagon]

What kind of rifle do you have access to right now? Do you have a deer gun that is accurate at 100 or 200 yards? If so, use that......are there any trappers in your area? They would do a bang up job on those coyotes as well.....

[Tom7227]

AR with a 30 round clip allows for followup real fast if you miss. Another option is to sit in the hay mow at night and call them in. A shotgun with some heavy shot would work in this situation if they come close enough.

[icehousebob]

The most economical route would be the 12 gauge shotgun at night with #4 buckshot. As for the rifles, there are lots of reasonably priced .223's that would do the job. A friend at Pine city took five of them off his farm; three with a.17 cal. and two with a .22lr, because that's what he had closest when they came by. I took out two last winter with a .22 Mag and one shot each. A Marlin or Savage .17 rimfire would do the job and be less likely to carry too far in a farming area. Another option is to spread the word at a sport shop that you have a coyote problem and volunteers would be lining up to help you solve it. Good luck.

[reddog]

The best gun for coyotes is the one thats in your hands. They dont care if they die from a 17 HMR or a 300 Win Mag. The pelts are basically worthless anyway, so bang away.

Im in NW Iowa, what part are you in?

[trolloni]

204 ruger will rock em way out!

[fishuhalik]

The only 'yote I've ever shot went down with my 25-06, love it and I think they'd work great, maybe not so great for a follow-up shot but why would ya need another shot when they're lying dead on the ground?

[FISHINGFARMER]

Thanks guys for the ideas.

Picksbigwagon - Sad to say, but no rifle owned at all, go figure. That's why it's time to find a good one is now. Deer hunting is done by 12 guage Remington.

Reddog - We live about 35 miles NW of Des Moines.

Icehousebob - Your idea of having a gun that won't carry to far out is a good one. We have alot of neighbors around. Yes, half of them are relation, but being a GOOD neighbor is always the way to go in any matter related to farming and what goes with it.

Follow up - Got a call from my mother(86 years old) around 9 last night saying she heard them again. We live 1/4 mile down the road from her. She, now don't laugh, blows a whistle at them to move them out.Went out side and heard a pack at her farm and another answering back about 1/2 mile on the other side of our farm. Place is over run with yotes, every farm dog in a mile radius was barking at them. Called a good friend and he is coming this week to do some calling to try and thin some out. Will let you know how that goes.

But it,s time I have my own rifle to shot some while he is not around. The Marlin or Savage 17 looks like it might work for what I am wanting to do.Keep the ideas for a good Non Bank breaking gun coming.

Thanks

Farmer

[gunmunky]

If you just want a rifle that is very accurate and very economical you might want to look at the H&R handi rifle. You can get them in wide variety of calibers and you can add barrels of other calibers later. You can pick up a new one for under 200 bucks, add a good scope, get some good ammo, and no more coyote! You can go the other route and spend 4- 5 figures on a custom rifle but the coyotes won't know the difference.

[picksbigwagon]

if you are looking to get a new gun, get a 223. go with a savage with the accutrigger and you won't be disappointed. Use Hornady 55 gr vmax custom ammunition

[Down2Earth]

If you are looking for "the best" yote gun like you stated in your post a 22-250 IMHO is the best there is. A 223 is good so is a 204.

[reddog]

Thanks guys for the ideas.

Picksbigwagon - Sad to say, but no rifle owned at all, go figure. That's why it's time to find a good one is now. Deer hunting is done by 12 guage Remington.

Reddog - We live about 35 miles NW of Des Moines.

Icehousebob - Your idea of having a gun that won't carry to far out is a good one. We have alot of neighbors around. Yes, half of them are relation, but being a GOOD neighbor is always the way to go in any matter related to farming and what goes with it.

Follow up - Got a call from my mother(86 years old) around 9 last night saying she heard them again. We live 1/4 mile down the road from her. She, now don't laugh, blows a whistle at them to move them out.Went out side and heard a pack at her farm and another answering back about 1/2 mile on the other side of our farm. Place is over run with yotes, every farm dog in a mile radius was barking at them. Called a good friend and he is coming this week to do some calling to try and thin some out. Will let you know how that goes.

But it,s time I have my own rifle to shot some while he is not around. The Marlin or Savage 17 looks like it might work for what I am wanting to do.Keep the ideas for a good Non Bank breaking gun coming.

Thanks

Farmer

[reddog]

Thanks guys for the ideas.

Reddog - We live about 35 miles NW of Des Moines.

I gotta be in Pocahontas on Friday. Maybe when we come down for state wrestling, Ill look you up-.

In the meantime, I would look up Prime Focus on the Iowa Outdoors HSOforum under "Predators" in the forums

He is in your area or close.

If you put this post there, you will get more activity. Heck, Prime and his son would probably let you tag along with them.

They are very, very good at eradicating predators.

If your going to buy a gun for big predators, I would stay with a centerfire rifle.

223 will do fine.

Unless you were talking about a 17 Rem, and not a 17 HMR.

17HMR just does not have the hammer factor needed to put them away.

Can it be done, sure, but that would not be my choice.

I shoot a 22-250 and a 17 Rem for mine.

R

[FISHINGFARMER]

Hey, Thanks again for all the info provided here on this site. Got to say this is the best outdoors related site on the net bar-none. Congrats to all who have worked to get this going and keeping it up and running!!!!

I am thinking of going with the 223, by what has been mentioned from all.

Looked on Savage's site and they have one for around 550.00 a little more than what we wanted to spend, but to protect the livestock that's pretty cheap insurance.

Here's what they have to say about it. with some questions about it since I am a novice on rifles.

Savage-223 Remington

Action-bolt

Capacity-4 rounds

Barrel length-22 inches

Sight-3-9x40 scope

mounted and bore sighted

Trigger-Accutrigger

Swing-nylon

Barrel Type- free floating/button rifled

My qustion is what the heck do they mean by free floating/button rifled?

Scope-3-9x40mm, what does that all mean?

Reddog- I tryed that site, lets just say the anti agriculture talk turned me off and leave it at that. Thanks for the tip anyway.

Farmer

[reddog]

Hey, Thanks

My qustion is what the heck do they mean by free floating/button rifled?

Scope-3-9x40mm, what does that all mean?

Farmer

It means that it already has a variable power scope on it, ranging from 3 power to 9 power, with a 40 mm objective lens.

Free Floating barrle means that the stock has been machined out to a certain tolerance so there is not any places where the barrel can come into contact with the stock. If the barrel comes into contact with the stock, it can cause your point of impact to change slightly with different temperature differentials and environmental factors.

Not sure exactly what button rifing is, but its good.

Sounds like a nice rig.

[picksbigwagon]

free floating means that the stock doesn't touch the barrel. it is connected to the guns action. Button rifled is a style of making the rifling in the barrel. Savage makes great barrels and the accu trigger is well worth the money

the scope means the magnification is 3 times normal to 9 times normal which is perfect for your application.

You used to be able to find that exact rifle at walmart for way less than 550. Fleet Farm sells this rifle for closer to 400 bucks. Go to Gander Mountain or Scheel's or what ever sporting good store you have down there and you will find this rifle for less than the MSRP.....

I suggest 55 grain hornady vmax varmit ammo.

[icehousebob]

I have a Savage .223 with a sporter weight barrel and it shoots better than I do. It does make a bit of noise when you light it off. But then, most of them do. The button rifling is the method that the rifling grooves are put in the barrel. Instead of removing metal with cutters, they swage the rifling into the barrel with a hardened button, pressing the grooves into the steel. It makes a very smooth rifling groove.

[mudslinger]

I've had my Savage .223 for about ten years now and after 1500 or so bullets blasting out of it she is still accurate as ever. My buddies all envy the tack driver. You'll love it. I too shoot 55gr but I reload mine with sierra boat tails. BUT i dont really know why since factory stuff is so good now. I like the 55gr for a little more stability vs the lighter bullets. Have fun

[FISHINGFARMER]

Hey, Thanks for the explanations on my questions I had about the gun.Makes sense now you hear the terms.

Savage 223 is the gun I think we'll try and find.

And Thanks on the ammo tip also.

Farmer

[uptracker]

.223 is the most popular with the .22-250 a close second. I shoot a .17 Rem personally and a 12 gauge. Skip the rimfires...especially the HMR. If I were you, I'd get a gun that can do double duty in the future...especially if you're not selling the fur. A .243 or .25-06 are pretty good...good for whitetails, speed goats and even mulies too.

Think about if you may want to reload in the future too.

[reddog]

In the local HSOforum:

Item Date Posted View

savage 111 30.06

Sporting Goods > Hunting

savage 30.06 111 black gun is 2 years old like new has a tasco 6x24x42 targetvarmint mil dot reticle scope on it that is 1 year old also selling with this is 120 rounds ammo, reloading die, and …bullet tips $400

[GBPackerNut]

Back south I used a 30-30 lever action with open sights. To shoot up close less than 100 yards at night I like open sights, can pull up and fire in low light quickly.

[harvey lee]

Remington 700, bull barrelled 223.

Savage 17 with acu trigger

Remington 700- .22-250

I can use any of these three to get the job done.