.22 LR for coyotes??
- Thread starter onedown
- Start date
Normally I wouldn't post in this thread since the subject seems to have been quite adequately covered. However, here I am.
Would I intentionally use a .22LR on a coyote hunt? NO. Would I shoot a coyote with my scoped bolt Stevens 300 .22LR if one showed itself while gopher or rabbit hunting? Hell yes! I shoot cyclones and KNOW where the rifle puts them. Head shots out to 75yds, too easy.
Reason I posted here:
Gopher shooting this year. Sitting, facing north, on a fenceline , which divided a 1/4 section in half. I had almost emptied a magazine (25rd 10-22), and gopher action had calmed down, so I took it out to reload it. As I am doing this a dang coyote crosses the road about 100yds to the east, goes under the fence and continues to walk due west, picking up dead gophers as he goes. COMPLETELY oblivious to me and what I am doing. Since I was concentrating on getting the mag out and a handful of rounds, I was looking down when this started. I start loading the mag (I can do this without looking as most of you can, I'm sure) and look up incase some gopher had become curious as to where all his friends had gone, and I see this coyote RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!! Scared the #### out of me for a split second, he was only 5 or 6 yards away. He was still concentrating on the buffet and trotting along, so I shot him in the head the next time he stopped for a gopher. 10yds, dead yote! I thought yotes were cagey. And yet, so far this year, I have been unable to even call one in since Deer season ended.
Would I intentionally use a .22LR on a coyote hunt? NO. Would I shoot a coyote with my scoped bolt Stevens 300 .22LR if one showed itself while gopher or rabbit hunting? Hell yes! I shoot cyclones and KNOW where the rifle puts them. Head shots out to 75yds, too easy.
Reason I posted here:
Gopher shooting this year. Sitting, facing north, on a fenceline , which divided a 1/4 section in half. I had almost emptied a magazine (25rd 10-22), and gopher action had calmed down, so I took it out to reload it. As I am doing this a dang coyote crosses the road about 100yds to the east, goes under the fence and continues to walk due west, picking up dead gophers as he goes. COMPLETELY oblivious to me and what I am doing. Since I was concentrating on getting the mag out and a handful of rounds, I was looking down when this started. I start loading the mag (I can do this without looking as most of you can, I'm sure) and look up incase some gopher had become curious as to where all his friends had gone, and I see this coyote RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!! Scared the #### out of me for a split second, he was only 5 or 6 yards away. He was still concentrating on the buffet and trotting along, so I shot him in the head the next time he stopped for a gopher. 10yds, dead yote! I thought yotes were cagey. And yet, so far this year, I have been unable to even call one in since Deer season ended.
Well Ormachek, I guess that is the way a lot of us feel.
I differ from a few of the views expressed on here, though. First, I wouldn't take a head shot. One hit in the lungs and it will die quite quickly. Trying for a head shot just creates a huge danger of giving the animal a miserable wound.
For ammunition I would take ordinary, run of the mill, long rifle. For many years we had the choice of Dominion Super Clean for regular speed, or Dominion Whiz Bang for high speed, about 200 feet per second faster. For coyotes, of course, it would be Whiz Bang, but not sure what todays similar loadings would be.
Edited to say I didn't see the posting of Rookie Wildcat before I posted. People like he will be sure of the shot before they take it and will likely make a clean kill on a head shot. I was thinking of the average person out there with a 22 when a coyote appears.
I differ from a few of the views expressed on here, though. First, I wouldn't take a head shot. One hit in the lungs and it will die quite quickly. Trying for a head shot just creates a huge danger of giving the animal a miserable wound.
For ammunition I would take ordinary, run of the mill, long rifle. For many years we had the choice of Dominion Super Clean for regular speed, or Dominion Whiz Bang for high speed, about 200 feet per second faster. For coyotes, of course, it would be Whiz Bang, but not sure what todays similar loadings would be.
Edited to say I didn't see the posting of Rookie Wildcat before I posted. People like he will be sure of the shot before they take it and will likely make a clean kill on a head shot. I was thinking of the average person out there with a 22 when a coyote appears.
Well NO pics... I set up my ground blind right inbetween 2 beaver ponds, and waited about 10-15 minutes after I got settled in. I then started to call.... ( there was NO fresh tracks, couple days old in the snow I'd say. ) I'd call for 15secs, then wait about 10mins, and repeat. Not even a crow showed his face. I stayed in the same spot for just over an hour. Need to find a better spot with lots of sign.
I personally won't try for a head shot out to 75yrds either. I'll go for the lung shot as well. I know a lot of people get heated on this subject of using a .22 or not. Well I'm a firm believer in knowing your rifle, shot placement, and knowing when to squeeze the trigger!
Each to their own, but I'll continue to attempt hunting them with what I have.
I personally won't try for a head shot out to 75yrds either. I'll go for the lung shot as well. I know a lot of people get heated on this subject of using a .22 or not. Well I'm a firm believer in knowing your rifle, shot placement, and knowing when to squeeze the trigger!
Each to their own, but I'll continue to attempt hunting them with what I have.
I have personally killed 5 coyotes from memory with the 22LR. Two where with Yellow Jackets and I can't recall the rest. They all died with one shot and didn't go far. One was at roughly 90 yards. All where in the boiler room.
That said, I wouldn't hesitate out to 50yds.
I have shot a few more feral dogs with Yellow Jackets with the same result. Roughly 50-100yds on most of them and again it worked well.
Keep it under 50 and use good ammo. Velocitor, Yellow Jackets and Mini-Mags come to mind.
That said, I wouldn't hesitate out to 50yds.
I have shot a few more feral dogs with Yellow Jackets with the same result. Roughly 50-100yds on most of them and again it worked well.
Keep it under 50 and use good ammo. Velocitor, Yellow Jackets and Mini-Mags come to mind.
Careful Bruce,
That's darn near a compliment
Ted
And having never shot Stingers, I looked them up. I was impressed, got a box today and gonna try 'em.
RememberTheSomme
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
The .22 LR will require you to look for a rabbit double lung shot @ 100yds,let alone a coyote, so as this gentleman stated no its not enough. These animals have tremendous stamina and will to live after being wounded so it is totally inhumane to go after coyote with the .22LR. I know you will hear stories about Bubba's Grandpa shooting deer with it but on game that size it should be confined to the old pig medicine behind the ear @ zero yds.
- Location
- Steel Town
A stinger would be adequate with an accurate scoped rifle, but I personally believe in quick humane kills! No smaller than a 22 Hornet for me.
- Location
- Steel Town
If it hits bone first, it may "explode" too early and create a superficial and nasty flesh wound. You need something that can guarantee a kill, without overkill (if you want to eat it or keep the hide), and I'm sorry, but no .22 rimfire is guaranteed humane on an animal the size of a coyote. I have fired many .22 Stingers, and in fact I have a cabinet full of them, but they are reserved for varmint no larger than gophers or small foxes.
Had to kill a big cow moose that got hit by a semi, she was in bad shape sithing in the ditch with big suffering, the ranger was not showing up after a while i took my Paposse 22LR loaded the clip with Stingers got near the moose aim in the ear and put it out of is misery, i could not beleive the damage that Stinger made to the head, believe me close Stinger are a humane kill... Cheers.JP.
