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Old February 13, 2018, 09:13 PM   #1
Bowhunter57
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Close range coyotes with a handgun?

I'd like to hear from those that have hunted close range (inside 40 yards) coyotes with a semi-auto handgun. I've hunted with handguns (revolvers and semi-autos) for years, but have never tried it with coyotes. A good trigger is a must!

9mm?
10mm?
45acp?

Your experiences are appreciated, Bowhunter57
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Old February 13, 2018, 09:17 PM   #2
Danoobie
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You get Coyotes that close? IME they stay well out past 100 yards.
I'd say anything larger than 22Mag. I've been finding they don't
put medium size game down well, lately.

Last edited by Danoobie; February 13, 2018 at 09:34 PM.
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Old February 13, 2018, 09:26 PM   #3
Bowhunter57
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I've had 'em bounce within 10 feet of me, on the way towards the electronic caller and motion decoy, sitting 50 yards from me, in a crosswind. It'll get your attention, real quick!

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Old February 13, 2018, 09:43 PM   #4
Dufus
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I haven't "hunted" yotes, but when checking the cattle with a bud, we walk the pastures. I carry the SBH under my right arm (I am left handed) and my Series 70 on my left side.

We spook some once in a while and they pop their heads up then stand, look, and run. I have dropped two with the 44 Mag. If I were intentionally hunting them, a rifle would be in my hands.

That is what I have my 22 Hornet for.
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Old February 13, 2018, 10:14 PM   #5
Tallest
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Close range coyotes with a handgun?

Caliber choice will come somewhat from intention. If I want pelts, I’ll probably use a 22mag revolver. If I want extermination (much more likely in my circumstance) I’ll use Speer gold dot 124 grn +P hollow points out of a gen 3 G17. Only killed one coyote this way so far, and it was from the truck window. Worked really well though.

Kinda makes me daydream about a Ruger PC 9mm with an ATN thermal on it.


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Old February 13, 2018, 11:10 PM   #6
Mobuck
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I've killed 3-4 coyotes with a handgun over 40 years but all were targets of opportunity rather than specifically heading out with intent of shooting a coyote.
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Old February 14, 2018, 12:15 AM   #7
Water-Man
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327 Fed Mag
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Old February 14, 2018, 02:06 PM   #8
hagar
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I have had to shoot them off my lap more than once, or had them sniff down my neck, or throw debris on me from braking, but it was always hunting with a shotgun or a rifle.

I did shoot numerous wounded coyotes, some running away, with a 357 magnum, 22 magnum, 9mm and 357 Sig. The Sig P229 357 Sig worked the best, that pistol is super accurate.
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Old February 14, 2018, 03:04 PM   #9
T. O'Heir
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Which ever one that shoots best and that you can shoot best. Wouldn't think any 9mm will be up to the accuracy though. Wiley isn't a big target at 40 yards. I'd be thinking you'd need at least 2" groups at 40.
And really good camouflage in a really good blind. Just getting Wiley to come in that close will be a challenge.
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Old February 15, 2018, 08:37 AM   #10
buck460XVR
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Don't see why Songdogs would be any different to hunt with a handgun than any other game. Don't know why it it'd have to be a semi-auto either. Comes down to the operator. Have shot many a 'yote inside of 20 yards that came into calling and decoys while turkey hunting. Most all would have been hard to draw and shoot with a handgun. For someone very successful calling in 'yotes, it could certainly be a challenging way to hunt them.
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Old February 15, 2018, 11:54 AM   #11
Don Fischer
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I am not a big time coyote hunter but have managed to shoot a few by accident. I have two rifle's I'd choose for it depending on cover. A 22 mag and a 243 w/either 70gr SMK or 75gr Hornady V-Max. The though of using a handgun never occur's to me. I love my DA revolver's and usually carry my 32 Long when out walking around. I also have a S&W 38/44 that I like to shoot but it's heavy to carry. I've been shooting DA revolver's for 40+ years but never seriously. Even with a coyote I'd like it to be a clean death and I'm not sure I could do that at 50 yds. Now if it came over in front of me looking for a milk bone, I think I could do it, I think! But if I have my 22 mag, 100yds is not safe for them and one of my 243's move'sthat to 300+ yds. Just can't bring myself to do it intentionally with a handgun. Wouldn't even consider it with one of my auto loader's.
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Old February 15, 2018, 02:01 PM   #12
fredvon4
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Like some others...we are rural and nightly I hear the coyotes but the few times I deliberately though to cull the heard... I could not find any inside of 100 yards and they shyed away from the light pretty fast

Not willing to invest in Night vision scopes.... if I did I am sure I could drop 10~30 per night

Funny and yet sad story of my county... my retirement location now for 23 years

County has two paid shooters for predators...$32,000 per year (tax payer funded $64,000....). annually they report 35~49 Kills of coyote

As a Kid in Minnesota I got paid $5 for each female coyote my dad and I killed
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Old February 15, 2018, 07:30 PM   #13
Don Fischer
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49 coyote's for $69k a year? $1408 a coyote? Da*n they should just put a bounty on them.
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Old February 16, 2018, 04:50 AM   #14
bamaranger
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one

I've shot exactly one coyote with a handgun.....likely the most unlucky critter ever. Seventy paces plus with a 10mm Glock 20, shooting off my walking stick. Held on shoulder, hit him in the head. Other than a 3.5# trigger, the pistol is stock. Not to long ago either.

I'd want a single action trigger, and I'd lean towards the 1911 in 10mm. Any of the cals you list would take a coyote cleanly under 50 yds, but the 10mm is flatter than the .45acp, and delivers more punch than the 9mm, plus you could hunt bigger critters with it if you wanted. If you eyes are good, great, but I would want a RMR sight.

I shot quite a few groundhogs back in the day with a 6" Dan Wesson .357, and later a M27 'Smith. That's when we had groundhogs, and I could see!!!!!
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Old February 16, 2018, 04:08 PM   #15
fredvon4
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Don
Like you I seem to be the only citizen with any math skills... I sent countless mails to my elected reps that the cost per kill was severely excessive...IMO

Their claim is "the hunters they pay are professionals certified to hunt in built up areas"

Unfortunately I am such a minority that the point gets lost in the common sense debate

Too much "this is how we have always done it" mantra

Seems to me the culling of everyday predators is most effective managed by letting loose hg school RURAL kids and providing a BOUNTY per kill

OF course the two paid shooters are probably KIN to the elected officials.. such is small town rural life.....but I digress
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Old February 16, 2018, 05:12 PM   #16
OzeanJaeger
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The only time I come close to yotes is when deer hunting. The only time I come close to deer is when coyote hunting.
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Old February 16, 2018, 05:34 PM   #17
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Most of the coyotes I’ve called and killed have been under 50. I think any of those cartridges would be fine.
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Old February 17, 2018, 08:26 PM   #18
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I’d think an AMT III would work quite nicely for such an endevour. Or a Blackhawk chambered in such. Never figured the .30 Carbine being good for much but I suppose it would shine nicely for this.
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Old February 17, 2018, 11:09 PM   #19
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I think I'd want a nice scoped single action revolver in .357 mag. Ruger's .30 carbine blackhawk could be a neat coyote gun.
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Old February 18, 2018, 05:58 AM   #20
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coyotes and handgun

got one several years ago 31 measured yards with walther 380 it dropped like a rock surprised this old man
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Old February 18, 2018, 09:54 AM   #21
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I've taken coyotes with a .357, but they were far enough away that noise of cocking the revolver wasn't a factor. Otherwise, like deer hunting, when the game is close, just cocking, or pulling through a double action revolver, makes enough noise to spook them. For that reason alone, I'll stick to my XD-40; besides, that's what I always carry.
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Old February 18, 2018, 12:47 PM   #22
Oliver Sudden
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A long time ago in a place far away I shot this coyote with the government model using a 200 grain Speer JHP at about 30 yards. Not a hunt but an opportunity.
coyote (2) by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
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