.22 magnum for coyotes?

[Guvnor]

What are everyones thoughts on hunting coyote using the .22 magnum? Ive read some conflicting opinions, but haven't heard many first hand experiences.

Would something like a 40 grain soft point have to power to humanely take down a coyote with a well placed chest shot? By humanely I mean the yote dropping dead soon after being hit and not getting far.

Shots would be limited to around 50 yards. Its mostly dense woods around here and not much opportunity for a shot past that distance anyway.

Thanks for the info.

 

[rcmodel]

For the most part, yes.
Many will not just drop on the spot unless the brain or spine is hit though.

I have used the .22 Mag some for calling, and can usually make head or frontal chest shots.
Sometimes they drop DRT, and sometimes they don't, and can make it a ways before falling.

rc

 

[snowpro440]

22 mag

yes no problem for chest shot on coyotes at 50 to 100 yards ,they always go down an if they dont stay down they dont run too far . I have shot them further than 100 and they dont run much more than 50 or so yards in most cases, hunted them quite often in arizona

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

stick one in his ear and DRT for sure.

 

[tbrowning87]

You fellas will probably think I'm wrong but I really see no point in coyote hunting. I have some hard feellings towards coyotes because they have gotten a few dogs and lots of cats out of my area but this doesn't make me want to go out and shoot a bunch of them for fun. I'm going to quote the red hot chilli peppers in saying that "true men don't kill coyotes."

 

[Ankeny]

"true men don't kill coyotes."

Yikes...I shoot 75 to a 100 per year depending on availability. The govt. trapper in my area gets 900-1100 per year and the state spends millions killing them by the truck loads. Maybe our circumstances are a bit different than yours?

 

[tbrowning87]

I'd say so. You must live in the southern half of this country. Up here where I live the coyotes arn't that thick. Hey if you like coyote hunting, more power to you. You live in the United States and coyote hunting is legal, so shoot all of them that you are allowed. I just don't see the fun in shooting something I'm not gonna eat. I do howerver wish they would open a sealion season up here on the Columbia river, because I think I might participate in that hunt.

 

[Art Eatman]

It's all about the use of the .22 Mag on coyotes, not about coyote hunting...

 

[shaggy430]

Shoot the filthy bastards with whatever you got. If it happens to be a .22 mag then more power to you.

 

[paintballdude902]

i think it depends on you more than the round the .22 mag is def enough for yotes if you are good with the gun

just take your time and plan the shot placement and the .22mag will deliver a fatal shot that will either drt or probably make it less than 100 yards


btw what rifle are you using

 

[bang_bang]

I would imagine ammo choice would be important. I've got some CCI TNT JHP that are brutal on groundhogs, but more often than not, stay inside the varmint. They expand and fragment on impact, turn whatever is on the inside into mush. Not very deep penetration though. Perfect for head shots.

On the other hand, I would imagine the Ballistic Tips to perform well. Those are my favorites in the .22 Magnum. Although, I've never shot a coyote with them, they do very well on every other animal bigger and smaller than a coyote.

 

[Guvnor]

Thanks for all the comments.

I dont have a .22 mag yet but shopping around, thinking of the marlin 925M or similar bolt gun with a good scope. I like the idea of the .22 mag because given the cheap cost of ammo (compared to centerfire) I could afford to shoot it every weekend. Id like to think that as a result, id be a darn good shot with that particular gun.

CCI makes a 40 grain soft point called a "gamepoint" that they list as a small game round on their website. Im thinking that might give me the best penetration.

 

[kanook]

if you can find the honady 22mag ammo give that a try. they say its a little better(faster). haven't got anything with it yet, plus its hard to tell with headshots

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I use CCI 40gr hp Maxi Mags in my Savage 65M bolt gun. I glass bedded the barrel and action years ago and scoped it with a 1" Bushnell Sportview. Everything from grey squirrels to coydogs are prey up to 125yds(my longest).

 

[T.R.]

75 yards is still lethal range for 22 MAG. Coyotes are not armor-plated at all.

TR

 

[dagger dog]

There are the new loadings with a 30 gr Vmax by Hornady 2200fps and will expand and leaves only an entry hole, as not to damage the pelt.

 

[gunsandreligion]

I know a few people who use a 22lr.

 

[rcmodel]

There is a huge difference between killing them and finding them.

If you hunt for the pelts, it is always nice that they don't run off in the scrub brush and die where you can't find them.

If you just want to kill them, a .22 LR or even a .22 Short will do it eventually I suppose.

Not too sporting, or ethical though, in my opinion.

rc

 

[CoRoMo]

A .22wmr has taken a slew of yotes off my dad's farm.

They got wise to the range limits of that gun, so Dad now has a .25-06 to reach out and touch someone.

 

[gunsandreligion]

If you just want to kill them, a .22 LR or even a .22 Short will do it eventually I suppose.

Not too sporting, or ethical though, in my opinion

I,v seen good shots drop yotes like a stone whith a 22lr.

 

[Specialized]

A 22 Mag will do just fine for coyotes. Just make sure your shot is an ethical one -- not further than the effective energy of the round or your gun's capabilities with you driving it.

I personally hunt coyotes for the fur, and to do my part in helping the DNR control coyote numbers to the balance and greater good of all species in the states where I live and hunt. The fur is valuable and provides enrichment in the form of income for my family, much as my hunting of species like deer, turkey, grouse, pheasant, and others provides sustenance. Not to mention an abiding appreciation for and understanding of the natural world we live in.

As for the measure of a man as opined by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, I would ask the following: what would a post-teen bunch of quasi-musical, meat-averse pillow-biters know about coyotes, or hunting, or the balance of nature? I'm sure there are a multitude of country songs that address their ilk more succinctly.

Oh, I'm sorry, was that an opinion? Was that my outdoor voice?

 

[rcmodel]

I,v seen good shots drop yotes like a stone whith a 22lr.

So have I.
I grew up on a cattle farm and my dad kept a loaded Winchester 06 on the back porch.

I've seen a lot of them drop, and dropped them myself.

And I've also seen a lot of them get back up and run clear off the farm, to die a slow painful death somewhere else.

Soon as I was old enough, I got a bigger gun!

rc

 

[.45Guy]

I,v seen good shots drop yotes like a stone whith a 22lr.

Good old Winchester Super X does the job here. Of course the yotes here look like scraggly over grown grey fox. Which consequently I've yet to see a resurgence of since the decline in trapping. Maybe the population is just too far gone.

 

[redneck2]

I suspect that, as with most things, placement trumps caliber.

I got my son-in-law a brick of Hornady's last Christmas. Haven't got a chance to use them on 'yotes, but accuracy is there. I'd try it within reason. A .22 mag has pretty good whack.

 

[jordan1948]

I've never actually shot any yotes but people I used to work witha dn live near have dropped them with .22lr mostly because they didn't want to waste their deer rifle ammo. With that I'd say .22mag would be fine for up to 75yds, anything past that and you might want something that packs a bit more punch.