coyote hunting calibers

SPUSCG · June 11, 2008, 01:43 PM

im wondering what i can kill a yote at range with, without blowing the thing apart. im thinking .357, like a 1894, which i like but have no idea what type of accuracy at range ill get

Five of Clubs · June 11, 2008, 02:17 PM

Your .357 would certainly do the trick, but I think the most common caliber by far for coyotes is .223. The former should be good to 200 yards in most any rifle.

Scorch · June 11, 2008, 03:40 PM

take your rifle to the range and shoot it with several different types of ammo. The one you can consistently hit 4" or better with at 100 yds could be a choice. But in a lever action, accuracy and the quality of the sights will limit your range more than the carridge will. A good bolt action in 223 or 243 will take coyotes cleanly out beyond 300 yds, but even though you may be shooting a more powerful round out of a lever action rifle, you won't be able to hit the target consistently.

T-Ray · June 11, 2008, 05:08 PM

If you don't want to blow it apart, don't use a hollow point, which you probably know. Your .357 would suffice out to about 100-150yds depending on how good you are. A .223 or .243 or in between would be perfect if you can afford to get another gun. They're good out to 300yds and sometimes beyond.

SPUSCG · June 11, 2008, 05:34 PM

planning on hunting in woods so probably wouldnt have many shots beyond 100 yards.

Tuckahoe · June 11, 2008, 10:49 PM

If you are shooting summer yotes you can use most anything because you are not going to want to save any fur. If you are shooting for fur a .222, .223, .243 or .22-250 do a nice job. If you don't have a rifle in these calibers now you have an excuse to buy another rifle.
Some guys take em out with a shotgun using an extra full turkey choke and #4 or larger shot.
Your calling and set up are going to be as important as the weapon you use.

T-Ray · June 12, 2008, 10:08 AM

Quote:

planning on hunting in woods so probably wouldnt have many shots beyond 100 yards.

Then use your .357 and if you care about the fur or carnage, use a solid point. I think a good round is Remington Corelokt or somethin like that. I have some for my .30-30 and it's pretty good.

FrontSight · June 12, 2008, 10:19 AM

anyone know if .220 swift is ok, or too much?

Scorch · June 12, 2008, 11:38 AM

Quote:

anyone know if .220 swift is ok, or too much?

I hunt varmints with a 22-250 (essentially the same as the Swift ballistically), and I found that if I want to save the pelts I need to either take only head shots or learn to sew really well. But if you aren't worried about pelts (this time of year you are not going to get a pelt), the Swift will drop them where they stand with any solid hit.

SPUSCG · June 12, 2008, 05:50 PM

i was thinking of hunting with a shotgun but then im new to hunting and dont know if i could get into shotgun range of a yote easily

taylorce1 · June 12, 2008, 06:09 PM

Quote:

i was thinking of hunting with a shotgun but then im new to hunting and dont know if i could get into shotgun range of a yote easily

Learn to call them into range. Nothing like the rush of having a coyote come in to your call. Use a tight choke and #4 or larger shot, anyway that is what I like to use.

Centerfire close range think about a .22 Hornet. I've been center punching them in the chest with a 55 grain HP out of a .223 loaded to moderate velocities and don't get very many exits.

Sidetracked · June 12, 2008, 07:35 PM

My choices would be based upon the range I intended to shoot.
"Without blowing the thing apart" would lead me to .17-25 caliber. For me, that means .22 caliber, and quality expanding bullets or FMJs tailored to the specific cartridge.

Rimfire -
.22 WMR - 100 yards would be my absolute max. ArmsCor 40(45?) grain SPs would be the load.
Small .22 -
.22 Hornet / .218 Bee - 200 yards max. (for me) Hornady 50 gr SPSX, explosive expansion so fast there should be no exit.
Medium .22 -
.221 Fireball / .222 Remington / .223 Remington - 300 yards before I step up to the heavy guys. 52 gr A-Max or a tough Match HP from 50-62 gr.
Heavy .22 -
.22-250 / .220 Swift - 500 yards if you know the rifle. Tough Soft Points or FMJs for me. Anything from 45-68 gr.

So, yes, I think .220 Swift would be ok. In many people's minds, it might actually be a little too much gun.

Of course; don't feel that you HAVE to use anything listed by myself or others. If you have anything from a 5mm Rem Mag to a 30-30 to an '06... use a bullet that won't expand much, but will make it to the target.
Once they're dead, they won't care what you shot them with.

L_Killkenny · June 12, 2008, 08:28 PM

Some good advice, some bad.

I use a 22-250. As stated it's very similar to the .220 swift. I have ZERO exits using medium handloads and 50 Gr. V-max bullets. Shoot em in the chest, go pick em up. Full metal are no-no's for hunting. Too many runners and to many ricochets. Use very fragile bullets and you won't have any troubles with holes

.243's and bigger usually blow a coyote up good and leave big holes.

.223: See the same as 22-250. Just not as much range as the 250 but if you're hunting in the woods it won't matter. Great caliber for yotes. Ver little damage.

.357 should be great. You'll have an exit everytime but the hole shouldn't be big even if you are using HP's

IMHO, Rimfires are too small for yote.

Shotguns: I've never shot a yote with one but know many who do. 12 ga are great. Stay away from shot shells (like #4 shot, save it for pheasant) and big buck (like 00 buck, to few pellets). Copper plated BB's and #4 BUCK are the old stand-by's. New coyote loads like "Dead Coyote" are the best. About 50-55 yards max using 3" Dead Coyote from what I hear.

Go to http://www.predatormastersforums.com...ubbthreads.php

Great Site with great info. It's where the pro's and manufactures of hand and electric calls hang out (FoxPro, Johnny Stewart, Manaska, Etc). Might as well go to the best when looking for info on this subject.

LK

10-96 · June 12, 2008, 09:34 PM

Reload?
A friend is trying to talk me into a 218 Bee. I know, it's a little on the old side- but there's no reason it shouldn't work for call-ins. You can always be unique and go the old/oddball route like the Bee or 219 Zipper. Those can be fun, restrict damage, and amaze your friends who may think that all things within the realm of critterology must fall to a magnum.

SPUSCG · June 13, 2008, 07:36 AM

how long does it take to learn that skill, or can you just pick up a call that will work good

CPTMurdoc30 · June 13, 2008, 09:19 AM

Pick up some Randy Anderson videos "Comming to the call" he is one of the best callers out there.

Calling is hard to do with mouth calls. I have been working on my mouth calling for a few years I hardly get out to use it. If you want a sure fire way to call in yotes. Get an electronic caller. They range in price from $35 to $695. For a first time caller and you are no sure you want to keep up with yote calling. I would go for the Johney Stewert Preymaster they run $100 to $200 the $200 version offers a wireless remote. The down side is they take cards to work. The be all end all in electronic calls are the Fox Pro callers. These range in price from $300 to $700. These you can get preloaded with sounds you choose or preloaded with a set pack. You can buy new sounds direct from fox Pro for around a dollar or two.

I prefer custom calls for mouth calls currently all my calls come from Kettle Creek calls in PA. I prefer the custom calls over factory calls for the simple reason as you can get some very unique calls that work great and look great as well.

As for coyote rounds for woods hunting. I personaly think a 218 bee or 219 zipper are a bit on the small side. I would look into a 221 Fireball or 222 rem for the bottom end and 22-250 or 220 Swift on the upper end.

Scorch · June 13, 2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

how long does it take to learn that skill, or can you just pick up a call that will work good

Depending on your skill and what call you use, it can either be very easy or can take years. In my experience, coyotes learn pretty quick what a dying jackrabbit call sounds like once they've been shot at or seen/heard bumpkins playing with one. On the other hand, a rodent squeaker is deadly within 100 yds, even a kid would have trouble messing it up. So go buy a mouth call and learn to use it, many of the calls have recordings of what a real animal sounds like for you to copy. Or buy an electronic call, some are available pretty cheap. My favorites are a cottontail squealer, a redtail hawk call, and a rodent squeaker.

milemission · June 16, 2008, 10:04 AM

I have never done it, but I would imagine if you were going to save pelts, your best bet would be a .223 with 40 grain V-Max bullets or a similar setup. The reason being that the V-Max would come unglued when it went inside the coyote, and theoritically, would not exit the other side (as it wouldn't retain enough mass to penetrate that far). Thus, lung shots with a V-Max would kill it right away and keep the damage limited to the inside. However, I have never tried anything like this, so while I know theory, I have no experience.

Full-choke · June 16, 2008, 11:28 AM

Around OH we see a lot of folks using 22-250, 223, and 243. I myself have a 22-250 pistol and a 6mm Remington that would do the trick. A good friend of mine has a CZ in 204 Ruger that he uses. Does a fine job for him. He used to use 220 Swift but downgraded because he didn't need the speed and range that the Swift offered. I think anything centerfire between .2" and .25" would do just fine and allow for enough range that it'll kill just about any yote.

F-C

thallub · June 16, 2008, 11:33 AM

Most of my coyotes are called in; most have been killed with the .22 Hornet and the .223. Also have a .22 CHeeta and a pre-64 Model 70 in .220 Swift but they are not used that much.

Luciano · June 26, 2008, 01:08 AM

25-06 Rem loaded with 75 gr V-max rules. Very flat, very deadly.

Art Eatman · June 26, 2008, 08:49 AM

If you're not calling coyotes, you don't get "within range" except by pure accident. IMO, coyotes do even better than deer at spotting a moving person. So, sitting on a hillside with a view of valley edges might well be one way to actually see and get a shot. Early morning, late evening--and sometimes even mid-day.

Sitting crosswind over bait whether or not you call can work. Table scraps, an empty Spam can or sardine can with the oil. A rag with bacon grease.

If the speakers aren't absolutely horrible, any cheap little boombox will play a tape well enough to call Wily. The Burnham Brothers wounded-rabbit tape has worked well for me. And, you can use it to teach yourself how to "play" a mouth call. A mouth call is infinitely portable.

T. O'Heir · June 28, 2008, 12:43 AM

"...Full metal are no-no's for hunting..." Military ball for sure. However, commercial FMJ's are made for hide hunting. They're not the same thing.
"...planning on hunting in woods..." Wiley will see or smell you. Do some research on Wiley's habits.
"...At range..." What's that to you? You have to sight in with the ammo you intend using and know where the bullet will be at any given range. Sighted in at 50 yards, a 158 grain Winchester SP will drop 2.4" at 100. 9.1" at 150. Sight in the 2.4" high at 100 with a 158 grain bullet and you'll be ok out to that distance. It's the bullet weight that matters though.

June 11, 2008, 01:43 PM	#1
SPUSCG Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2008 Posts: 3,004	coyote hunting calibers im wondering what i can kill a yote at range with, without blowing the thing apart. im thinking .357, like a 1894, which i like but have no idea what type of accuracy at range ill get __________________ Check us out: www.imfdb.org. Fun site for people who love gun movies.

June 11, 2008, 03:40 PM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	take your rifle to the range and shoot it with several different types of ammo. The one you can consistently hit 4" or better with at 100 yds could be a choice. But in a lever action, accuracy and the quality of the sights will limit your range more than the carridge will. A good bolt action in 223 or 243 will take coyotes cleanly out beyond 300 yds, but even though you may be shooting a more powerful round out of a lever action rifle, you won't be able to hit the target consistently. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

June 11, 2008, 05:34 PM	#5
SPUSCG Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2008 Posts: 3,004	planning on hunting in woods so probably wouldnt have many shots beyond 100 yards. __________________ Check us out: www.imfdb.org. Fun site for people who love gun movies.

June 11, 2008, 10:49 PM	#6
Tuckahoe Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2008 Location: Central eastern North Carolina Posts: 194	If you are shooting summer yotes you can use most anything because you are not going to want to save any fur. If you are shooting for fur a .222, .223, .243 or .22-250 do a nice job. If you don't have a rifle in these calibers now you have an excuse to buy another rifle. Some guys take em out with a shotgun using an extra full turkey choke and #4 or larger shot. Your calling and set up are going to be as important as the weapon you use. __________________ You know a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody's crazy Charles Manson

June 12, 2008, 10:19 AM	#8
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	anyone know if .220 swift is ok, or too much? __________________ To kill something as great as a duck just to smell the gunpowder is a crime against nature. - Alan Liere Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. - George Bernard Shaw

June 11, 2008, 02:17 PM	#2
Five of Clubs Junior Member Join Date: June 10, 2008 Posts: 3	Your .357 would certainly do the trick, but I think the most common caliber by far for coyotes is .223. The former should be good to 200 yards in most any rifle.

June 11, 2008, 05:08 PM	#4
T-Ray Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 288	If you don't want to blow it apart, don't use a hollow point, which you probably know. Your .357 would suffice out to about 100-150yds depending on how good you are. A .223 or .243 or in between would be perfect if you can afford to get another gun. They're good out to 300yds and sometimes beyond. __________________ In God We Trust. www.texasguntalk.com/forums

June 12, 2008, 05:50 PM	#10
SPUSCG Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2008 Posts: 3,004	i was thinking of hunting with a shotgun but then im new to hunting and dont know if i could get into shotgun range of a yote easily __________________ Check us out: www.imfdb.org. Fun site for people who love gun movies.

June 12, 2008, 07:35 PM	#12
Sidetracked Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2008 Location: Henrietta, FL Posts: 306	My choices would be based upon the range I intended to shoot. "Without blowing the thing apart" would lead me to .17-25 caliber. For me, that means .22 caliber, and quality expanding bullets or FMJs tailored to the specific cartridge. Rimfire - .22 WMR - 100 yards would be my absolute max. ArmsCor 40(45?) grain SPs would be the load. Small .22 - .22 Hornet / .218 Bee - 200 yards max. (for me) Hornady 50 gr SPSX, explosive expansion so fast there should be no exit. Medium .22 - .221 Fireball / .222 Remington / .223 Remington - 300 yards before I step up to the heavy guys. 52 gr A-Max or a tough Match HP from 50-62 gr. Heavy .22 - .22-250 / .220 Swift - 500 yards if you know the rifle. Tough Soft Points or FMJs for me. Anything from 45-68 gr. So, yes, I think .220 Swift would be ok. In many people's minds, it might actually be a little too much gun. Of course; don't feel that you HAVE to use anything listed by myself or others. If you have anything from a 5mm Rem Mag to a 30-30 to an '06... use a bullet that won't expand much, but will make it to the target. Once they're dead, they won't care what you shot them with. __________________ Feel free to disagree with my opinion. -I do it all the time.

June 12, 2008, 08:28 PM	#13
L_Killkenny Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,676	Some good advice, some bad. I use a 22-250. As stated it's very similar to the .220 swift. I have ZERO exits using medium handloads and 50 Gr. V-max bullets. Shoot em in the chest, go pick em up. Full metal are no-no's for hunting. Too many runners and to many ricochets. Use very fragile bullets and you won't have any troubles with holes .243's and bigger usually blow a coyote up good and leave big holes. .223: See the same as 22-250. Just not as much range as the 250 but if you're hunting in the woods it won't matter. Great caliber for yotes. Ver little damage. .357 should be great. You'll have an exit everytime but the hole shouldn't be big even if you are using HP's IMHO, Rimfires are too small for yote. Shotguns: I've never shot a yote with one but know many who do. 12 ga are great. Stay away from shot shells (like #4 shot, save it for pheasant) and big buck (like 00 buck, to few pellets). Copper plated BB's and #4 BUCK are the old stand-by's. New coyote loads like "Dead Coyote" are the best. About 50-55 yards max using 3" Dead Coyote from what I hear. Go to http://www.predatormastersforums.com...ubbthreads.php Great Site with great info. It's where the pro's and manufactures of hand and electric calls hang out (FoxPro, Johnny Stewart, Manaska, Etc). Might as well go to the best when looking for info on this subject. LK

June 12, 2008, 09:34 PM	#14
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	Reload? A friend is trying to talk me into a 218 Bee. I know, it's a little on the old side- but there's no reason it shouldn't work for call-ins. You can always be unique and go the old/oddball route like the Bee or 219 Zipper. Those can be fun, restrict damage, and amaze your friends who may think that all things within the realm of critterology must fall to a magnum. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two. Last edited by 10-96; June 12, 2008 at 09:35 PM. Reason: fingers got ahead of themselves.

June 13, 2008, 07:36 AM	#15
SPUSCG Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2008 Posts: 3,004	Learn to call them into range how long does it take to learn that skill, or can you just pick up a call that will work good __________________ Check us out: www.imfdb.org. Fun site for people who love gun movies.

June 13, 2008, 09:19 AM	#16
CPTMurdoc30 Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2008 Location: Stafford VA Posts: 969	Pick up some Randy Anderson videos "Comming to the call" he is one of the best callers out there. Calling is hard to do with mouth calls. I have been working on my mouth calling for a few years I hardly get out to use it. If you want a sure fire way to call in yotes. Get an electronic caller. They range in price from $35 to $695. For a first time caller and you are no sure you want to keep up with yote calling. I would go for the Johney Stewert Preymaster they run $100 to $200 the $200 version offers a wireless remote. The down side is they take cards to work. The be all end all in electronic calls are the Fox Pro callers. These range in price from $300 to $700. These you can get preloaded with sounds you choose or preloaded with a set pack. You can buy new sounds direct from fox Pro for around a dollar or two. I prefer custom calls for mouth calls currently all my calls come from Kettle Creek calls in PA. I prefer the custom calls over factory calls for the simple reason as you can get some very unique calls that work great and look great as well. As for coyote rounds for woods hunting. I personaly think a 218 bee or 219 zipper are a bit on the small side. I would look into a 221 Fireball or 222 rem for the bottom end and 22-250 or 220 Swift on the upper end. __________________ Solving Virginia's Ground Hog problems 50gr at a time.....

June 16, 2008, 10:04 AM	#18
milemission Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 102	I have never done it, but I would imagine if you were going to save pelts, your best bet would be a .223 with 40 grain V-Max bullets or a similar setup. The reason being that the V-Max would come unglued when it went inside the coyote, and theoritically, would not exit the other side (as it wouldn't retain enough mass to penetrate that far). Thus, lung shots with a V-Max would kill it right away and keep the damage limited to the inside. However, I have never tried anything like this, so while I know theory, I have no experience.

June 16, 2008, 11:28 AM	#19
Full-choke Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 617	Around OH we see a lot of folks using 22-250, 223, and 243. I myself have a 22-250 pistol and a 6mm Remington that would do the trick. A good friend of mine has a CZ in 204 Ruger that he uses. Does a fine job for him. He used to use 220 Swift but downgraded because he didn't need the speed and range that the Swift offered. I think anything centerfire between .2" and .25" would do just fine and allow for enough range that it'll kill just about any yote. F-C __________________ TC Encore -6mm Rem Rifle; Ruger 10/22; Ruger 10/22 Ultimate; Stoeger Condor 20; ; Remington 1100 12; Stoeger 22 Luger; Taurus PT1911; Ruger SR40c God gave us the gift of life. It is the most precious gift ever. To be unarmed is to be helpless to protect that gift; that is outright irresponsible. - Ted Nugent

June 16, 2008, 11:33 AM	#20
thallub Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2007 Location: South Western OK Posts: 3,112	Most of my coyotes are called in; most have been killed with the .22 Hornet and the .223. Also have a .22 CHeeta and a pre-64 Model 70 in .220 Swift but they are not used that much.

June 26, 2008, 01:08 AM	#21
Luciano Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2006 Posts: 111	25-06 Rem loaded with 75 gr V-max rules. Very flat, very deadly.

June 26, 2008, 08:49 AM	#22
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	If you're not calling coyotes, you don't get "within range" except by pure accident. IMO, coyotes do even better than deer at spotting a moving person. So, sitting on a hillside with a view of valley edges might well be one way to actually see and get a shot. Early morning, late evening--and sometimes even mid-day. Sitting crosswind over bait whether or not you call can work. Table scraps, an empty Spam can or sardine can with the oil. A rag with bacon grease. If the speakers aren't absolutely horrible, any cheap little boombox will play a tape well enough to call Wily. The Burnham Brothers wounded-rabbit tape has worked well for me. And, you can use it to teach yourself how to "play" a mouth call. A mouth call is infinitely portable.

June 28, 2008, 12:43 AM	#23
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...Full metal are no-no's for hunting..." Military ball for sure. However, commercial FMJ's are made for hide hunting. They're not the same thing. "...planning on hunting in woods..." Wiley will see or smell you. Do some research on Wiley's habits. "...At range..." What's that to you? You have to sight in with the ammo you intend using and know where the bullet will be at any given range. Sighted in at 50 yards, a 158 grain Winchester SP will drop 2.4" at 100. 9.1" at 150. Sight in the 2.4" high at 100 with a 158 grain bullet and you'll be ok out to that distance. It's the bullet weight that matters though. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!