Best shot placement - Coyotes

[daveg01]

OK - so I have shot a few coyotes over the years with my deer rifle and have always aimed for the heart/lungs with no real issues.

Now, I'm getting into coyote hunting and want to know where more experienced yote hunters are shootin' 'em.

Heart/lungs?
Head?
Neck?

Whats your preference for a clean kill on them?

 

[Levi Garrett]

Presentation , always never / never always the same eh
Range a big factor also, caliber, movement, do you want a clean pelt etc..

 

[hakx]

I lot of times the only shot you have is head on. I generally put the xhairs center chest and let the Vmax do the rest.

 

[CV32]

Shamelessly borrowed from a post on Predator Masters, these images show you where the vitals are located, and more importantly, why you don't need to be avoiding the front shoulder. Aim too far back and you'll probably be looking at a runner ...

 

[.17]

That bottom picture looks alot like the mangy one we shot yesterday.LOL. I dont know how the mangy ones live as long as they do,its been minus 20 -30 here for awhile.

 

[Levi Garrett]

Excellent illustration,
Thanks cv32

 

[Teapot]

Cayotes are excellent survivors and can adapt to almost any environment. The same cannot be said for wolves or many other creatures. The fox is highly adaptive too.

 

[dutchhunter]

shot them inthe shoulder brake the bone no run aways this way hopfully only one holegoing in not two the exit hole is always way bigger so try to avoid it

 

[daveg01]

Thanks for the feedback...

Most shots would be most likely around 150 yards, some out to 400 or so. This will be with a .204 Ruger.

I might save some pelts, but really just thinning them out for the farmers whose land we hunt.

 

[tracker]

I can't recall the last one I shot standing, they usually are flat out on the run.

 

[Levi Garrett]

Thanks for the feedback...

Most shots would be most likely around 150 yards, some out to 400 or so. This will be with a .204 Ruger.

I might save some pelts, but really just thinning them out for the farmers whose land we hunt.

Well your very lucky,
Here is what I would do having the chance you got
Its great to pop em at 400 yds, but you can have even more fun.
I would test the old girl on some cardboard cut outs of coyotes @ long medium and close range.
Then go out and get a Reed call, and a Diaphragm call .
Farmers toss some dead animals in a corner of or into a woodlot, if so you can setup on that downwind.They come to these sites running at each other for a few minutes then head off alone for a bit.
If no animals , setup downwind of a woodlot anyway where you can see tracks,(binos can do the walking for you here) then call em to you for a through the ear broadside shot , no hole in the skin.
If you get a couple heading into the field get one standing, and don't rush the second, no broadside at 40k, but if you can make heck why not, I would hold for the back of the head shot when he slows heading directly away.
Cheers.

 

[rem338win]

Use highly frangible bullet like the 32gr Vmax in your .204 and you'll never get full penetration on anything but the pups.

 

[CV32]

Use highly frangible bullet like the 32gr Vmax in your .204 and you'll never get full penetration on anything but the pups.

The 32 gr Hornady Vmax and 32 gr Sierra Blitz King are certainly less than ideal for coyotes. That was never their intended purpose. And I certainly wouldn't rely on them out to 400 yd. If you reload, go with a 35 gr or 40 gr Berger, or the custom Wildcats.

 

[7mmlefty]

Shot quite a few with a 223, and had a few runaways but found them all, tracked with the dog, and there were a few battles, but the coyotes always lost.

Makes a good gun dog love to hunt them that much more when they get shot right in front of them while in hot pursuit.

Shot a few with the 243 and all have dropped dead with the 70 grain bullets.

Shot placement doesnt seem to be an issue with the 243 Win.
With so much energy. Seems almost any body hit knocks'em out...

 

[sunray]

400 yards is too far for a .204. With a 200 yard sight in, a 40 grain bullet drops 4.3" at 300 and 13.2" at 400. Any wind will blow the bullet way off too.
"...Shot placement doesnt seem to be an issue with the 243 Win..." It is on coyotes.

 

[303carbine]

Hoop shoot'em with the 300................next.

 

[todbartell]

I always aim behind the shoulder, frontal shots are ideal for saving the pelt in my experiences. I would only take a head shot at moderate range if the coyote was peeking behind some brush at me

 

[CV32]

400 yards is too far for a .204. With a 200 yard sight in, a 40 grain bullet drops 4.3" at 300 and 13.2" at 400. Any wind will blow the bullet way off too.

400 yards is pushing it for a .20 cal on a coyote. Can't disagree with that. Seems to wreak havoc with prairie dogs, though.

I wouldn't discount it for wind so quickly. Any decent ballistics program will show that the little .20 cal does pretty well in wind compared against most .224 bullets.