Coyote ugly

[yorec]

But for coyotes, there is no such thing as overkill.

Especially true if hide preservation is not important as I suspect it is not in this case.

What kind of ranges are you looking at and are the neighbor going to be down range where you've gotta worry about flying lead?

I'd think about a shotgun if you migh be getting shots in close - #4 buck shot will give you pretty good chances of hits out to twenty five yards or so and will pretty much guarantee destruction of that particular pest... But you're likely to not get that close with a wiley yodel dog unless you know he's gonna raid the hen house and you can watch from inside or a nearby shed - AND he's careless.

So I'd go with .223. Capable on coyotes at any range you can hit them in a vital oran at. Ballistic tips or hollow point bullets expand that capability. And on the plus side, it is also a lesser probability to cause problems downrange than other hi powered cartridges. It would be my choice.

[Jseime]

My shot should be well under 100 yards and I need to drop it in it's tracks.

the .30-30 with a light soft point will work perfectly for yotes inside 100

you should try a mouth call i love mine

[zeisloft]

If you shoot IDPA, I'd assume you reload, so heres my $0.02. I put myself through college hunting varmits and building cabinets (best 7 yrs ever). In that time I learned there is something magical about a .22 cal 50 gn ballistic tip bullet moving at 3,000 fps. They just stop where they stand. This recipe is generaly pushed through a 22-250 but 2500 fps with a 35 gn thin skined Hornet bullet does the same. I worked up this load by testing on 2 leter bottles full of water and they completely destroy them. The Hornets will not penetrate the back side. Try it.
~z

[claude783]

My youth was spent in Northern Minnesota...had a neighbor who purchased the then new 22 mag.

He was overheard saying one day "Yep, I've taken 48 deer with my first box of ammo".
To which someone asked "what happened to the first two rounds?"

His reply, "had to sight it in boys".

Up to a 100 yards, I would think the .22 mag would do its job. From a personal standpoint, I would lean towards a lever action in 357mag. Although the other calibers listed would work just fine!

[USP45usp]

How about an AR .223 with night scope .

If you lived near me, I'd have you covered with any and most of the mentioned rifles (I don't have a night scope yet, not that tactical but getting there ).

.223, 7.69, 30-30, 30-06, any of them should work. I wouldn't waste my time with any lower calibers.

I've never been yote hunting but from what I understand they will learn of your position if you keep it the same (and area) and you will have to de-human-scent yourself or stand upwind because they have a great sense of smell.

In NM they actually used cyinide(sp) darts and you would see "Danger, Cyinide in use" signs everywhere. You didn't go hiking in them woods that's for sure.

Wayne

[Capt. Charlie]

Back when I worked for the Natl. Park Service, the US Bureau of Land Management was notorious for their use of strychnine laced bait. The poison didn't discriminate, and it traveled through the food chain several times over. Whatever it killed was eaten by something that was eaten by something, and all died in the end. Fish & Game, along with us, raised hell when we found a Golden Eagle dead from what was later found to be strychnine poisoning. Didn't do any good then, but I don't know if they still use it today or not. Seems like 'yotes are hear to stay.

[PaleGreenHorse]

I use a .204 ruger, Most times it will drop them right there, but once in a while you'll get one that does the "chase my tail as I bite what hurts" dance, right before they fall over. Try calling them in with an adult male howl first, a young male howl second, a rabbit distress, then a pup distress. It mimicks 2 coyotes fighting over a rabbit, and boy do they come in quick when they hear that party going on.

[Green]

alright yeah kinda old thread but Im new to hunting yotes (or any hunting for that matter ) and also have a farm problem. Im basically used to target. Im wondering if a .270 would be "overkill". Ill be shooting at about 200-300 yards.... Dont really want to make a mess :barf: lol... Any sugestions would be nice. Thanks

[Art Eatman]

Green, I wouldn't worry about the mess. Your .270 will do just fine. Buzzards don't care if it's a mess or not...

, Art

[zeisloft]

Green, glad you pulled this one back to the top. One of my favorite subjects. I'd say the 270 will do the job just fine, 300yds is a good challenge everytime, but you can call em in alot closer. Ive called coyotes into pistol range a number of times. If you reload, pack a light bullet (thin skinned hp or ballistic tip) maving fast. Where are you located?
~z

[Green]

im in rural wisconsin. Somethins been gettin our chickens and I think its the yotes. My dad has a nice collection but im 16 now so its time to get my own and Ive been looking at one but it only comes in .270 & 30-06. Just a cheapy- mossberg if youve heard of it but Ive been searching and nothing bad so far + Ill have some money for a lens... And oh yeah the red tail ive got out here would like th mess but my 7 y/o sis wouldnt

[Rangefinder]

Green--Unless you plan to use the rifle on big game also (by that I mean something larger than your average deer), I'd say go with something in the neighborhood of a .243. It's damn fast, very flat, and if you use something like a 55 gr. Nosler Ballistic tip, no coyote within 300 yds has a snowball's chance. And if you do use it for deer, the step-up to a heavier load is readily available. Plus, it's one of those rifles that you can go target shooting with, spend all day, and still say "I shoulda brought more ammo".

[zeisloft]

Ditto, 243 but I'm a big fan of the 22-250 for all the same reasons. Plus if you dont reload, you can get a "varmit box" of 50 rounds of high velocity 22-250 for just a bit more $ than a box of 20 243.
~z

[Rangefinder]

Good call on the 22-250 as well. It's one of the best varment/small-medium game rifle out there. I'd say flip a coin--heads; .243 and tails; 22-250. Either way, you just can't go wrong.

[kirbymagnum]

The 17 hmr will kill it with eas if you have a well placed shot same thing goes with a 22 magnum. If you are going to shoot it anywear just to kill it (body shots) the 222 will do the job just fine here are some guns i would use if i would make a body shot .222 .223 22-50.243 or if you want to blow them up take it up with a 30 06

[Sum1_Special]

hmm... What do I think would be the best caliber for the job?...

The biggest gun you got, Plain and simple. Don't worry about using small calibers or rimfires for coyote, if you have a 30-30 use it! Overkill does not exist for an animal you dont intend to eat or skin, so don't be afraid to blow them to pieces. If it were me, I would use my 30-06 or Mosin Nagant loaded with 200 grain softpoints.

It would be better you use a cannon and annoy the hell out of your neighbors than use a 22lr and watch as the animal runs away after being hit.

[xXStarScreamXx]

.308 hollows them out pretty well with a ballistic tip or triple shock. The one from the triple shock looked like something big had bitten it's side off.

[lil_bro]

http://www.varmintal.com/ahunt.htmThis is a good site for coyote hunting you might want to check it out and it has coyote attack storys.

I would say for shots less than 100yds use a 30/30 any thing pass that I would use a .223 or a .243 if I was going to buy a gun for coyote only I would get a .243 it will work out to several hundred yards or you could just use a your deer rifle if you don't want to buy a gun just for coyote.

[Dwight55]

Old Shooter, . . . my uncle in Kentucky had your problem years ago, but not coyotes, . . . dogs: feral, nasty, ugly critters that killed his stock and his chickens.

He had a 30-30, an 8mm and a 7mm and a bunch of others. But finally, he found the one that did the trick best: 10 ga single shot shotgun. I bought him the 00 buck shells for it and he did a great job. He took em down out to 100 yards with that cannon, . . . and more than once, . . . got two with the same shell.

I have no idea of the holdover he would use at that distance, . . . but it was effective. He'd just laugh and say he used some Kentucky windage on em.

He got to where the 10 ga got to be too much for him with the recoil and all, and he dropped down to a 12 ga but stayed with the 00 buck. I'm not certain, but I wouldn't doubt that feral dogs still stay off his farm and he's been dead for several years

May God bless,
Dwight

[Trip20]

A friend of mine has been usin' the 22-250 for the 'yotes out here in Wisconsin, on his own land. Longest shot he has to take is about 250yds unless he goes to the hill behind his house - then its a tad bit longer. Works great at all ranges according to my buddy.

[FrontSight]

This is pretty cruel, but I heard it's effective. Someone told me a great way to decrease coyote numbers is to bait them with a piece of meat on a fishing hook chained to a tree (using aircraft cable). I can't imagine ever doing that myself, and could see it being highly frowned upon by the dept of conservation & other police agencies and could probably land you in trouble BIG time, the kind that involves handcuffs and iron bars and legal bills and a record, but hey, just spreading the knowledge...

[Trip20]

Thanks for sharing, but that's the kind of knowledge that can go with out spreading.

[FrontSight]

But that's the beauty of this country - the knowledge should not be stifled, but the action should be discouraged. To keep the knowledge is to censor

[Trip20]

k.

[exoduster16]

All have at this point in time is a rifle chambered in 7mm Rem Mag. We have a coyote problem where I'm from....just wondering would this be overkill?