Anyone try a 22 lr on coyotes

[pescador]

"As deadly" being the operative words. Looks like you're keen on having a debate about it, I simply am not. I've done what I've done, and seen what I've seen pescador-and I've arrived at my own opinions on what I'll use for what, and why. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, nor have I suggested that barrel heat will be an issue if hunting with HMR/17 Hornet. I've done high-volume gopher work with an HMR, and have shot plenty of groundhogs with 17 Hornet

The volume of 22 I shoot, and the accuracy I get with the caliber suits me 100% fine. I haven't had occasion to aim at a coyote with a 22, and never said that I did. I only chimed in on this thread because I find the idea of using (almost) the lowest-power option on coyotes to be highly misleading. When I read the ringing endorsements, I picture a new hunter reading the comments and taking his pea shooter out...and lobbing a 40gr SV round at a coyote 100 yards away with open sights in a 40km/hr cross wind. Again, I have no love for coyotes necessarily, but I wish there were more facts/guidance and less bravado on gun forums sometimes.

22LR is my favorite caliber if I'm totally honest, and I'd love nothing more for it to be a super power/capable of anything. If I had one trying to chew on my leg and all I had was a 22, of course I'd trust it for the job. I'm talking people PLANNING hunts, reading this thread, and coming away from it thinking 22LR is a great/decent/ethical choice.

If you think it is, we'll agree to disagree.

once again the op asked for experience and you openly admit you have none yet you are adamant that the 22lr is somehow unethical or incapable of producing a clean kill. Even though multiple people including myself have seen it done and have done it, you continue to say its "not suitable"

believe it or not. i PLAN lynx hunts all the time with my .22lr and guess what? when the lynx presents a good shot they die, quickly might i add every time. that being said if the lynx doesnt come in to me within 100yds i just dont shoot becasue i understand the limitations of my equipment, oh and i use open sights on all my rifles and i'm capable of making hits easily out to 300m with my 308 and 7.5x55 swiss. so i dont understand your point on open sights as if they aren't capable of being used for hunting applications.

are there better options than .22lr? absolutely. but that wasn't the question. if you play within the 22lrs parameters it will kill a coyote dead, ethically and quickly. key to rifle hunting is to learn your cartridges/your capabilities and play within them. all i said was within a certain range 100yd or less it will kill a coyote.

its like the op asking "can i kill a coyote with a bow?" and your answer is "no i would use a .223 for those 300 yd shots and an arrow moves to slow and field points aren't ethical to hunt with" literally nothing to do with the topic.

the amount of 22lr you shoot at targets a year is irrelevant . if you cant understand the limitations of the cartridge and its capabilities.

its amazing how someone can be presented with real world proof in pictures of dead coyotes and your opinion remains the same. makes no sense.

 

[.22LRGUY]

once again the op asked for experience and you openly admit you have none yet you are adamant that the 22lr is somehow unethical or incapable of producing a clean kill. Even though multiple people including myself have seen it done and have done it, you continue to say its "not suitable"

believe it or not. i PLAN lynx hunts all the time with my .22lr and guess what? when the lynx presents a good shot they die, quickly might i add every time. that being said if the lynx doesnt come in to me within 100yds i just dont shoot becasue i understand the limitations of my equipment, oh and i use open sights on all my rifles and i'm capable of making hits easily out to 300m with my 308 and 7.5x55 swiss. so i dont understand your point on open sights as if they aren't capable of being used for hunting applications.

are there better options than .22lr? absolutely. but that wasn't the question. if you play within the 22lrs parameters it will kill a coyote dead, ethically and quickly. key to rifle hunting is to learn your cartridges/your capabilities and play within them. all i said was within a certain range 100yd or less it will kill a coyote.

its like the op asking "can i kill a coyote with a bow?" and your answer is "no i would use a .223 for those 300 yd shots and an arrow moves to slow and field points aren't ethical to hunt with" literally nothing to do with the topic.

the amount of 22lr you shoot at targets a year is irrelevant . if you cant understand the limitations of the cartridge and its capabilities.

its amazing how someone can be presented with real world proof in pictures of dead coyotes and your opinion remains the same. makes no sense.

Guess I'll contradict myself and engage once more.

What makes no sense to ME, is having/owning/being proficient with better options/being legally allowed to discharge those options...and still picking a 22. And no, not talking about a trapper making nearly point blank shots, farmers MAKING point blank shots, 30 foot shots in dense bush, etc. I suppose a few decades of putting thousands of rounds through 22s per year (target and hunting) has taught me absolutely nothing, you're probably right there. Hunting groundhogs with 17HMR, 22WMR, 17H, 223, 204, 243 for a decade probably has taught me nothing about how small game reacts to getting shot either, so I really have no idea what I'm talking about. I never claimed to have experience with 22s/coyotes but on the other hand, I've hunted coyotes and know some guys who make it a priority. I'd ask THEIR opinions on using 22LR for coyotes, but I'm 100% sure I know what the response will be. lol

To the OP-I apologize if I've derailed the thread, wasn't my intention. Feel free to do whatever you see fit, with whatever is legal. I maintain that it's a "can" vs "should" question, and perhaps there are circumstances where 22LR actually IS the best choice. Until this thread, I would have thought very, very few people held that opinion. Perhaps I'm wrong. Can it work? I don't doubt that a well-placed shot at an appropriate distance will. I think FOR ME to endorse the idea borders on being irresponsible, but I'm talking about my own sensibilities, not those who have also posted in this thread. There is a difference. This is my own personal view, but you've read lots of differing ones if you got to this point. lol

Good luck!

 

[steamy teabag]

22LR is fine for taking yokes and it works.

My 2 cents.

 

[Unholysavage]

Shot several with a 22lr on the farm when I was a kid. Worked well, but my longest shots were only 60-70y.

 

[grauhanen]

I don't have a horse in this race, but perhaps the responses would have been different if the OP had asked either "Who recommends using a .22LR on coyotes?" or "What do you recommend for coyotes?"

 

[wasa]

If I was using a 22LR for coyotes, I would use something with as much energy as I could at the range I was planning on shooting. Nice thing about 22LR ammo is it comes in many many different bullet weights and velocities. CCI Velociters, CCI Stingers, and a bunch of the Aguilas would be my choice if I was using a 22LR.

 

[pescador]

Guess I'll contradict myself and engage once more.

What makes no sense to ME, is having/owning/being proficient with better options/being legally allowed to discharge those options...and still picking a 22. And no, not talking about a trapper making nearly point blank shots, farmers MAKING point blank shots, 30 foot shots in dense bush, etc. I suppose a few decades of putting thousands of rounds through 22s per year (target and hunting) has taught me absolutely nothing, you're probably right there. Hunting groundhogs with 17HMR, 22WMR, 17H, 223, 204, 243 for a decade probably has taught me nothing about how small game reacts to getting shot either, so I really have no idea what I'm talking about. I never claimed to have experience with 22s/coyotes but on the other hand, I've hunted coyotes and know some guys who make it a priority. I'd ask THEIR opinions on using 22LR for coyotes, but I'm 100% sure I know what the response will be. lol

To the OP-I apologize if I've derailed the thread, wasn't my intention. Feel free to do whatever you see fit, with whatever is legal. I maintain that it's a "can" vs "should" question, and perhaps there are circumstances where 22LR actually IS the best choice. Until this thread, I would have thought very, very few people held that opinion. Perhaps I'm wrong. Can it work? I don't doubt that a well-placed shot at an appropriate distance will. I think FOR ME to endorse the idea borders on being irresponsible, but I'm talking about my own sensibilities, not those who have also posted in this thread. There is a difference. This is my own personal view, but you've read lots of differing ones if you got to this point. lol

Good luck!

lol so i guess you learned nothing since the vast majority of people here are saying its totally capable within a reasonable distance.... but you haven't tried it so despite sending millions of rounds down range not a single one was a coyote so your opinion is irrelevant. ive seen 2 die with my own 2 eyes at the hands of a .22lr. how about you? how do you know the .22lr is not the best option for this particular hunter? maybe its all he owns at the moment. not everyone can own multiple rifles in similar chambering like yourself that do the exact same thing. 17.hmr, 22wmr, 17h,223,204,243.... lol redundant to say the least. good for you on owning all the above but some guys play with a much smaller budget.

once again you aren't understanding the OP's question. Can it be done is the question. the answer is 110% yes with testimonials from multiple people.

now if you want to start a thread that asks "what is the best caliber for coyotes" then maybe you can debate there about your personal preferences. i already agreed with you that it isn't the best. but it will do it effectively at 100yds or less.

seriously though. just because you shoot "thousands of rounds" doesn't make you an expert. it also doesnt mean you answered the ops question or make you right. like i said the vast majority of people in this thread dont agree with you. its like 18-2 in favour of yes you can.

 

[.22LRGUY]

lol so i guess you learned nothing since the vast majority of people here are saying its totally capable within a reasonable distance.... but you haven't tried it so despite sending millions of rounds down range not a single one was a coyote so your opinion is irrelevant. ive seen 2 die with my own 2 eyes at the hands of a .22lr. how about you? how do you know the .22lr is not the best option for this particular hunter? maybe its all he owns at the moment. not everyone can own multiple rifles in similar chambering like yourself that do the exact same thing. 17.hmr, 22wmr, 17h,223,204,243.... lol redundant to say the least. good for you on owning all the above but some guys play with a much smaller budget.

once again you aren't understanding the OP's question. Can it be done is the question. the answer is 110% yes with testimonials from multiple people.

now if you want to start a thread that asks "what is the best caliber for coyotes" then maybe you can debate there about your personal preferences. i already agreed with you that it isn't the best. but it will do it effectively at 100yds or less.

seriously though. just because you shoot "thousands of rounds" doesn't make you an expert. it also doesnt mean you answered the ops question or make you right. like i said the vast majority of people in this thread dont agree with you. its like 18-2 in favour of yes you can.

Well, either I'm not getting my point across, or you're missing it. Not even sure at this point. lol Whatever the case, I actually have enormous faith the caliber's abilities and you're right about one thing-I'm not focussed on the "will it"..I'm concerned about new hunters walking away from a thread like this thinking; "cool, I have a .22=let's go coyote hunting". While I see a real effort to discredit me personally, I'm not attacking you pescador=I don't even know you. I just think as hunters, we have a responsibility to use enough power for the job. Never said it didn't work. I also wasn't mentioning my round count to boast, or give any false sense of expertise (don't think I used the word "expert"?)...rather, that I probably have more trigger time behind 22s than anyone I know, and allot of it varmint hunting as well. I've also mentored new hunters, and have seen first hand what happens when range success doesn't equate to good hits=which was my point about the # off rounds btw. I won't expand on that as this site does have antis trolling it, but read between the lines. And, if it's not incredibly obvious by now, how WOULD I know whether it's good enough for coyotes-I wouldn't dream of shooting one with a 22! I think it's a terrible idea, whether it can work or not. If you guys hold a different opinion, that's 100% fine. Internet accounts on how well it works does not sway my opinion. AGAIN, it's not that I don't believe you guys, it's just not a choice I'll make when I hunt.

I might also point out, just because I've used all of those calibers, it doesn't mean I currently own them all...or ever did. I started with rimfires, worked my way up, went TOO big by the time I hit .243, etc. Most are gone, I own 2 centerfire varmint guns. You might be the only person who ever accused me of having money. At least THAT'S a first. lol Would feel like a compliment if there was any truth to it.

Anyhow, it isn't a competition..or even an argument I feel I need to win. Just wanted to make my opinion known, sort of what web forums allow us all to do. I'm perfectly content holding a different opinion that anyone in this thread. Happy to be the voice of reason. (that's a joke btw)

 

[357Maximum]

In the winters of 69,70,71. I ran a trapline trapping muskrats. Coyotes and red fox were targets of opportunity, and I shot and killed as many as I came in contact with . They were bonus money. Used my Cooey 39 and Super X 36gr HP, for the coyotes and foxes . Imperial shorts for everything else.

Know your range and capabilities.

Would I deliberately hunt Coyotes with a 22 LR ? No Would I pass up a shoot ? No

I'd use my 22 Hornet or 222 Remington by choice for furs. Anything else if I'm just disposing of them.

 

[regulate34]

I’ve seen a lynx shot at 25yrds and a yote at 50 yards shot with a 22.
But we’re right in the lungs. Both ran less then 20 yrds.

I’ve also seen a Goose take a 22 to the chest and fly off like a sob.

 

[pescador]

Well, either I'm not getting my point across, or you're missing it. Not even sure at this point. lol Whatever the case, I actually have enormous faith the caliber's abilities and you're right about one thing-I'm not focussed on the "will it"..I'm concerned about new hunters walking away from a thread like this thinking; "cool, I have a .22=let's go coyote hunting". While I see a real effort to discredit me personally, I'm not attacking you pescador=I don't even know you. I just think as hunters, we have a responsibility to use enough power for the job. Never said it didn't work. I also wasn't mentioning my round count to boast, or give any false sense of expertise (don't think I used the word "expert"?)...rather, that I probably have more trigger time behind 22s than anyone I know, and allot of it varmint hunting as well. I've also mentored new hunters, and have seen first hand what happens when range success doesn't equate to good hits=which was my point about the # off rounds btw. I won't expand on that as this site does have antis trolling it, but read between the lines. And, if it's not incredibly obvious by now, how WOULD I know whether it's good enough for coyotes-I wouldn't dream of shooting one with a 22! I think it's a terrible idea, whether it can work or not. If you guys hold a different opinion, that's 100% fine. Internet accounts on how well it works does not sway my opinion. AGAIN, it's not that I don't believe you guys, it's just not a choice I'll make when I hunt.

I might also point out, just because I've used all of those calibers, it doesn't mean I currently own them all...or ever did. I started with rimfires, worked my way up, went TOO big by the time I hit .243, etc. Most are gone, I own 2 centerfire varmint guns. You might be the only person who ever accused me of having money. At least THAT'S a first. lol Would feel like a compliment if there was any truth to it.

Anyhow, it isn't a competition..or even an argument I feel I need to win. Just wanted to make my opinion known, sort of what web forums allow us all to do. I'm perfectly content holding a different opinion that anyone in this thread. Happy to be the voice of reason. (that's a joke btw)

The problem here is you think your opinion is more valid or carries more weight than anyone else. This proves it- "I just think as hunters, we have a responsibility to use enough power for the job" (as if all these guys in this thread are somehow irresponsible for using the .22lr) followed by "Hunting groundhogs with 17HMR, 22WMR, 17H, 223, 204, 243 for a decade probably has taught me nothing about how small game reacts to getting shot either, so I really have no idea what I'm talking about" (so because you did something completely unrelated you claim to know more than anyone on this subject? thats like me wrenching on my chevy then claiming to know everything about how to repair and maintain a Rolls Royce...seem ridiculous doesn't it?) so even after seeing 20 testimonials saying that for short range coyote it "does the job" you continue to claim the moral high ground because even though you have ZERO experience on the subject you feel your opinion is more valid than 20 other hunters in this thread. NO ONE said it was an ideal cartridge, but it will get the job done, they die and quickly. Your ego is incredible, usually when i have no experience on the subject i just listen to people who do.

every time you received push back you contradicted yourself or changed your story. you said "22lr is worst suited cartridge for coyote" then go on to say "i actually have enormous faith in the calibers abilities" so which is it?

you made the odd statement about "barrel heat up issues" then never addressed how that would ever be a factor ever you just claimed it was not a hunting problem so why even mention it? or do you not care about new hunters getting misinformed anymore from seeing this thread?

you tried to use your round count as some sort of measuring stick/ego trip for how much more you know about .22lr than anyone else and then tried to walk it back like it was a teaching thing or something.....

you claim to "not need to be right" but here you are still rambling about caliber selection when the original question had nothing to do with which caliber is best suited for coyote. and since you last posted more people are saying it works just fine. but since your the moral authority on hunting we should all listen to you right?

and now your claiming the moral/ethical high ground by doing the "new hunters" a public service by explaining to them .22lr isnt the best caliber... which no one. not a single person claimed in this thread. everyone has been more than reasonable about distances and its effect on medium sized game

yet here you are still going saying "i know more than all these guys who have done it"

So what if i a hunter wants to challenge himself and use his 22 for coyote hunting. as long as they play within .22lr parameters its perfectly legal and ethical and is a challenge to say the least. the next hardest thing would be bow hunting for coyote. but im sure you are against all of it......

and perhaps the most comical thing is this "To the OP-I apologize if I've derailed the thread, wasn't my intention."... really? your first post wasn't even close to being on topic. then you go on about which 17 you love the most and barrel heating up and so on and so forth. lol

i usually dont argue with people on this forum. but you are giving the worst advice to new hunters. New hunters should use the rifle they practice with the most and learn its limitations and hunt within them. i would rather see a new hunter shoot a coyote at 100yds or less with a rifle he/she puts hundreds of rounds though which is most likely a .22lr. than tell them they "need" a .223 and have them put their faith in the caliber to compensate for their poor shooting abilities and give them the false sense they can now reach coyotes at 300yds because they have a .223 in their hand. you see it all the time.

with all of your experience maybe instead of steering them to a new caliber, you should explain the realistic capabilities of the one they are holding in their hand.

 

[sillymike]

And all this time... I'm sitting here wondering
- How big is the kill zone on a coyote ?
- What kind of groups are folks getting with their 22lr 100 yards?

 

[red-eye]

This isn`t complicated, if you see a coyote and you have a gun, shoot it.

I agree.

Ran over one with my ATV once, poor placement, so had to hit it on the noggin a few times with a big rock.
I consider that a win.

 

[.22LRGUY]

And all this time... I'm sitting here wondering
- How big is the kill zone on a coyote ?
- What kind of groups are folks getting with their 22lr 100 yards?

^agreed, to say nothing of the pitiful kinetic energy at that distance with any 22LR load.

As for the circuitous discourse with my friend pescador...I'm questioning/challenging the choice of 22LR for the job, and care far less about the "can it" be done. I think I've managed to make my opinion known without offending anyone's sensibilities, but clearly I've failed at that to at least one CGN member. It isn't/wasn't ever a personal attack, and I maintain that it's a choice I don't plan on making=for my own reasons. Other posters don't have to agree with me, I don't have to agree with them. I'm OK with that arrangement. It's not a conversation I'll continue to be involved with beyond this point as I've think I've made my own opinions known. Sorry to hear that someone thinks I was boasting about my experience, I only made those statements to reveal that I'm out there hunting avidly, and take a real interest in seeing what works, at what distances, how effectively, etc. Anyone who actually knows me, or has hunted with me, knows how much effort I make to ensure shot angles are safe, distances not too great to risk bad shots, practice lots to ensure hunting shots land where they should, etc.

Anyhow, if this were a popularity contest I clearly wouldn't be winning in this thread...but...I don't feel this discussion needs a "winner" either. I would welcome any personal attacks via PM going forward, I have a little room in the in box.

 

[MiG25]

As someone who has missed a lot of coyotes I'm not a fan of the 22LR for such use, it has been my experience that, while very much dead, they can be a pain to find in the grass as they will often run quite a ways.

 

[trevj]

And all this time... I'm sitting here wondering
- How big is the kill zone on a coyote ?
- What kind of groups are folks getting with their 22lr 100 yards?

Zone is bigger than a gopher.
I have hit enough gofers at 100+ yards with my .22, to not feel too bad about where I hit a yote.
Had enough chickens taken by the yotes, that I am not too worried about their feelings on the whole matter either.

Some day, an archaeologist is gonna be downright puzzled about the significance of all those mixed bones in one place, I figure...where the coyotes, culls, road kill, and morts all get tossed.

 

[Bad Bob]

If the average urban dweller ever saw what coyotes do to chickens, turkeys, sheep & lambs, calves and yes, even household pets, then they would understand that when a farm boy or most rural people see a coyote, they shoot it with whatever gun they have access to at the time.

 

[Freedom shooter]

If the average urban dweller ever saw what coyotes do to chickens, turkeys, sheep & lambs, calves and yes, even household pets, then they would understand that when a farm boy or most rural people see a coyote, they shoot it with whatever gun they have access to at the time.

Lol. A few years back I was returning from cutting a field of hay, when a lady jogging down the road flagged me down. I thought see was in trouble the way she acted, but she pointed to a coyote in the field and asked me what it was. When I told her she said how beautiful it was and how good it looked. I replied it would look a lot better with a piece of lead in it, which really didn’t impress her much.

 

[Bad Bob]

Lol. A few years back I was returning from cutting a field of hay, when a lady jogging down the road flagged me down. I thought see was in trouble the way she acted, but she pointed to a coyote in the field and asked me what it was. When I told her she said how beautiful it was and how good it looked. I replied it would look a lot better with a piece of lead in it, which really didn’t impress her much.

Yeah, I`ve "leaded" a few in my day (still do, always will)

 

[thegazelle]

If the average urban dweller ever saw what coyotes do to chickens, turkeys, sheep & lambs, calves and yes, even household pets, then they would understand that when a farm boy or most rural people see a coyote, they shoot it with whatever gun they have access to at the time.

I agree, and I think this can apply to a much more broader spectrum. I think people don't get or understand what predatory creatures do. Until they see with their own eyes the destruction, there seems to be a "I feel sorry for that poor (fill in the blank)", and make all sorts of excuses. I used to know a guy who had a significant raccoon problem. We are are talking massive damage to his roof/attic and his wife was screaming at him to do something, call animal control or whatever. He decided to get a high powered air rifle, but once got it, he couldn't dispatch the raccoon and started making excuses that is its nature, who is he to take its life - meanwhile damage and disease spread in his property. He ended up calling animal control to remove it weeks later (at his wife's likely ultimatum demand). I told him later - this is a rodent - you need to see it that way. I guess some people would rather succumb to the continued damage of a predator rather than act. I think this applies beyond the animal kingdom.