22 win mag enough hun for coyote

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Amelio

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It's been awhile since I posted been swamped at work the last while. Haven't done much hunting/fishing much anymore.

Anyways one of my favourite rounds is the 22 win mag I have two a semi auto and a Henry lever. I shot at a coyote once with the semi but not sure if I missed him I wasn't able to find any blood. It here than that I shot a few grouse some rabbits. Largest animal I shot with a 22 magnum was a jack rabbit. Took him down easily blew big hole out it's chest.

Anyone have success with a 22 magnum on larger animal coyote and such
 
I have killed a few coyotes with a .22 LR, all under 50 yards, one shot in the lungs. A good friend of mine has been using a .22 Mag for coyotes for 30 years. He keeps his shots under 100 yards and has taken dozens of animals with center lung shots.

Personally, if you are targeting coyotes, I would move up to a smallbore centerfire... .204 Ruger, .222, .223. .22-250 etc...
 
Amelio said:
I shot at a coyote once with the semi but not sure if I missed him I wasn't able to find any blood.
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The reason you could not find the coyote was because you shot "at" him... with a diminutive cartridge precise aiming is critical... aim at a very specific point, hold, squeeze. Place your shots carefully.
 
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As a matter of opportunity, I would use a 22mag on coyote. If I was out grouse hunting and happened upon a coyote or something...

I don't think I'd specifically pick one to go coyote hunting though. Too many better options out there IMO, especially due to the range limitations you'd have to put on yourself. I don't have a 22mag in the safe, but I would reach for my 243 for song dogs around these parts...
 
If that's all you got use it. But stick to the suggestions above. Limit your and range, aim carefully. Ideally bumping up to the centerfire .22's is your best route if coyotes are the intended target, again already suggested.
 
I use a 22 mag for a unique method of hunting. I wait until the creeks freeze over and the banks are heavily covered in windswept snow. I dress in full white with white wraps on my rifle and call and wait. I ambush the coyotes on the ice. Shots are rarely over 15/20 yards. Sometimes 30-40 but a 45 gr tmj hits them hard enough and gives good expansion. I haven't had one make it off the ice yet. Usually they just drop on the spot
 
brybenn said:
I use a 22 mag for a unique method of hunting. I wait until the creeks freeze over and the banks are heavily covered in windswept snow. I dress in full white with white wraps on my rifle and call and wait. I ambush the coyotes on the ice. Shots are rarely over 15/20 yards. Sometimes 30-40 but a 45 gr tmj hits them hard enough and gives good expansion. I haven't had one make it off the ice yet. Usually they just drop on the spot
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Sounds like a great strategy.

I have done quite well with the wee mag out to 75 yards with a shot behind the ear, farther than that ( 120 yards max) I take the lungs but this is almost always with some tracking snow as the bullet almost never exits and blood trail can be poor. Nock on wood I haven't lost one and I do know my little Sako quite well.
 
brybenn said:
I use a 22 mag for a unique method of hunting. I wait until the creeks freeze over and the banks are heavily covered in windswept snow. I dress in full white with white wraps on my rifle and call and wait. I ambush the coyotes on the ice. Shots are rarely over 15/20 yards. Sometimes 30-40 but a 45 gr tmj hits them hard enough and gives good expansion. I haven't had one make it off the ice yet. Usually they just drop on the spot
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Small world , I used to do essentially the same thing back when fur was worth something . I had an Anschutz , I forget the model number , in 22 mag . All my shots were well under 100 yards and , like you , never had to look very far . Most dropped very quickly , the furthest one went was about 50 to 60 yards . I pulled the shot a bit , so it was me , not the caliber . That being said , there are more capable rounds out there .
 
It’s like anything else in my opinion..... .22 mag is a 50 yard round at best on a coyote in my opinion .... and that takes for granted good shot placement etc....

It wouldn’t be my choice..... but if it was in my hands and the coyote presented itself within range I would likely take the shot....

That being said, my personal criteria for a shot seems to differ from most of cgn....
 
I've got mini 14 I wanted one for years but where hard to get in Canada for awhile. I find them bulky heavy and uncomfortable to handle/carry/shoot. My Henry lever action is a joy to carry it's so lite and comfortable you can walk all day with ease. It's a ton of fun to shoot as well same goes with my Remington. I usually walk either come across rabbits or a coyote sometimes and was wondering if it would be okay to use on them.

Usually I end up empty handed but love plinking with the henry. I never put a scope on it just rifle sites i find it accurate shot a rabbit running through thick brush with it. Very cool gun can't talk it up enough seems to be my go to whenever I get a chance to go out.
 
When I used to run them with dogs, a buddy of mine used 22 mag for them. He was a very good shot and shot quite a few with it, but I never seen him even attempt a shot over 75 yds or so. As many others have mentionhed, shot placement is key. I have shot a couple at close range (30 yds) with head shots from a 22lr. I deffinatly wouldn't take the 22 purposly for coyotes but was rabbit hunting both times and that was what I was carrying.
 
I think the fact the question got asked is proof the answer is "no".

Now, it WILL kill a coyote from close enough (and lots will be just on the tempting edge of too far) and in some very specific spots (and some not so good spots will eventually get shot). But, if I wanted to hunt coyotes, I would get a coyote gun. For me, that is at least a .223
 
When hunting coyotes I take a 12ga or 25/06. Close shots with either really wreck a pelt. I almost cut one in half with a shot measured in feet not yards from my 25/06
 
I met an old salt who lived on a boat , he would take the boat to all the islands around here every fall and head shoot deer with a .22mag . ( yes it’s illegal , no he didn’t care ) Told me he never had a deer take more than a step - all shots within 100 yards . Zero wasted meat , zero issues with the islanders who relied on their gardens to feed them through the winter .
 
gallen270 said:
Yes, but be conservative with your range and good shot placement.
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Exactly. I used a 22 Mag all the time when was actively hunting 'yotes. It's a great cartridge at appropriate ranges. All the ones I shot over the years were one shot DRT (Dead Right There) because I hunted within my perceived limits of the cartridge. That being said missed out on a few that hung up on me further away, as I didn't take the shot. YMMV.
 
I like this guys style ...

broadhead67 said:
I met an old salt who lived on a boat , he would take the boat to all the islands around here every fall and head shoot deer with a .22mag . ( yes it’s illegal , no he didn’t care ) Told me he never had a deer take more than a step - all shots within 100 yards . Zero wasted meat , zero issues with the islanders who relied on their gardens to feed them through the winter .
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