Coyote Loads

[Lunker]

What does everyone here shoot for coyotes? We've got quite an arsenal, but I don't think I have a rifle that's not to little or to big to fit coyotes really well. What about shotgun loads?

[Valv]

I have a .243 and use Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 55gr. very flat and fast up to 300yds.

For shotgun I have (but haven't used yet) 12ga Remington buckshot 2 3/4" 000 or 00 in a Remington 870 Super Mag

[Gissert]

Gerry Blair, who wrote for many years inthe Trapper and Predator Caller magazine used to use a shotgun frequently.

He had a Ithaca 10 gauge, and he liked lead copper plated BB's for his load.

[roosterslayer]

I have a .223 with 60 grain V-max. also rem 870 with 2 3/4 or 3" #4 buckshot. Buckshot groups well for me out to about 50 yards.

[Rost]

.223 52 grain HPBT (hollow point boat tail).

and 4 buck.

[End of the Line]

.17 remington (Centerfire) 20 gr Accutip occassionally. Mostly .223 Remington 50gr Accutip-V Boat tails or Hornady 55gr V-Max. I also have shot a 220 swift.

[hunt4food]

I tried those "dead coyote" loads last weekend. They did not work for me. I missed at 55 yards. I shot one at paper the next day and found only 3 pellets on and 8.5" x11" sheet of paper at 50 yards. I suspect buckshot would be as good or better and a lot cheaper.

[roosterslayer]

Hey hunt did you pattern your shotgun with Dead coyote before you hunted. if not i wouldn't give up on DC yet. I have found that it flys alot like regular waterfowl loads. DC groups real good for me out to 45 using mod/tight full choke used for waterfowling. Also if you use Buckshot shoot it first before you hunt. buckshot flys different out of everybodys shotgun. I do well with a normal full choke, but others will swear by the turkey choke or even mod. My real good hunting buddy shoots DC out of a mod choke and he is scary lethal with it. Well good luck and keep pounding on them!

[Lunker]

End of the line- You have success shooting the .17 cal for coyotes? I have one, but thought it might be a little small.

[Jackpine Rob]

Which .17?

Endoftheline is talking about the .17 Rem, a centerfire cartridge which is more than capable of handling coyotes out to 300 yards in the right hands. I've got one and absolutely love it for coyotes.

The newer .17 rimfire rounds are probably marginal for use on coyotes, unless in extremely competent and patient hands. Of course, if you really want an entertaining argument on the relative merits of the .17 rimfires for predators you could check out some of the predator hunting boards. More than you ever wanted to know...

[fisherking01]

Night calling I prefer the shot gun, 870 painted white, 30 inch full choke. I prefer copper plated bb in 3" next 4 buck. I can't get any kinda pattern out of 00, and have a fixed choke. I've shot a lot of fox with #2 lead, very deadly to 50 yard.

For distance it depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Will vary between .223, 243, and 257 wby mag. Being able to hit your target is the biggest obstacle most shooters have, not the caliber.

[End of the Line]

Yes, I have a Remington BDL 700 Classic .17 As stated above its a centerfire cartridge not rimfire like the HM2 or HMR. My hunting buddy Jim also shoots one and takes his everywhere. Its the only gun he likes for coyote hunting. His is the little lighter model 7 Remington. I use the 20 grain accutips he likes the 25 grain hollow point bullets. I would not use any rimfire out there for coyotes. The other nice thing about a 17 besides being light is the fact that there basically is no recoil. Great advantage for something like a youth, maybe some women, or a lot of shooting like a day of praire dog hunting. If you've never shot a 17 rem. centerfire I strongly encourage anyone with a varmint/predator taste to shoot one before you buy anything in the class of 17, 204, 221 fireball,222 223 22-250 or 220 swift. Hope this helps.

[hunt4food]

Lunker- no. I did not pattern my shotgun first. I used a full choke out of my 11-87. I will try a mod. choke this weekend and report back on my findings. I have a .44 mag. lever carbine I was thinking about trying too. it's nice and light weight and has a williams peep sight on it.

[biglake-ike]

would a ruger 22 with a good scope work well for yotes?

[roosterslayer]

If you are talking 22 rimfire your shot better not be longer then 10 feet. If you have a shotgun I would use that instead of a 22. 12 gauge 3" #4 buckshot works good for me.

[Valv]

Quote:

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If you are talking 22 rimfire your shot better not be longer then 10 feet.

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That is not necessarily true, I shot coyotes or varmint at 100/150ft with a .22 and plenty of prairie dogs at 200/250ft

I would say between a 12ga and the .22 effective range is about same with better chances for shotgun to kill due to pattern, but your shoulder will like the rimfire better especially after few 3" or 3.5" shotgun rounds....

[roosterslayer]

I agree with you Valv the 22 can be used and can be effective. I personally think to avoid a high chance of crippling something, a higher caliber rifle or a shotgun would be the way to go. Now if you have a 22 mag you could be deadly effective to maybe 100 yards and put the yotes down if you hit them right in the boiler room.

[Valv]

I should have revised my reply, I meant to say that a .22 is not that small of a gun, you have more or less same effectiveness as a shotgun, but I would recommend a larger caliber to avoid crippleds and wounded animals. I've heard too many good things about .17s but never tried one. I personally like the .223s and I have a .243 that I just bought but I am trying to swap for an AR-15.

One thing makes me happier to see using short range calibers is the danger of some of these areas around here being too populated. I used to live in central Wyoming where you can almost see the curve of the earth and didn't bother me seeing somebody with a 7mm shooting. Here in MN it makes me nervous knowing there are hunters with big guns stalking the woods around my house......and I get a little "paranoid" when I have to shoot around here, my last coyote stayed on my crosshair for a good 5 minutes untill he got a little below the top of a hill.....

[roosterslayer]

do you plan on using the 243 for big game or yotes?

[Valv]

I use mine for coyotes.

[icehousebob]

A buddy of mine has a farm by Pine City. He doesn't hunt coyotes but shoots them as targets of opportunity. Last year he got seven, all with a .17 cal rimfire. He places his shots well and doesn't stretch the range and all seven were seriously dead on the first shot. Good gun for populated areas.

[roosterslayer]

The remmy 17 cal centerfire will be my next rifle without a doubt. but the 17 HMR is not what i picture as an effective coyotes round, it may for some but for me i dont have the confidence with this round.