Coyote cartridges what have you used what is your favorite?
- Thread starter Jayph
- Start date
That's plenty fast.
If your zero works for you, leave it alone. Learn to use the elevation clicks on your scope turret, and use it with a range finder.
In all honesty, anything past 150 yds is difficult for most folks to judge, and some claim 100yds is 300yds.
I bought a Swarovski rangefinder 20 years ago. It still works fine for the distances I'm willing to shoot.
I spent a lot of time with all four of the Coyote rifles mentioned above shooting targets at 200yds to 400yds, under different temperature and elevation conditions. Then, after setting my turrets to read "0" at two hundred yds, each rifle has its separate label with elevation adjustments on the right side of the butt.
I actually just picked up a nikon range finder. Scope is just a nikon 2.5 to 7 power. Not easy to adjust turrets on it. Mabe its time to upgrade that scope. That zero is probably good as is. I don't wanna do hold unders either at close range.
And yes, pretty sure I work with a few of those hunters, who are also the "my scope was off!" Don't you check it before every hunting season
. I kinda banged that coyote gun on a fence post and I re checked zero when I got home ffs.
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Coyote chests are usually between 10cm to 15cm, from top of spine to bottom of rib cage.
Shortly after my last post in this thread, I was watching half a dozen Coyotes in the field, from one of the 2nd story windows of my house.
The field isn't mine, which is nice, because I don't have to work it or take care of it.
The Alfalfa was cut about a month ago and went to silage, and has grown a couple of cms since.
It looked to be a family unit which has been raising a bit of a stir in our area. They aren't doing any damage, that I know of, but they're getting very brave after midnight. They're venturing into the village about a klik away, fighting with the resident pack, and generally looking for a place to call their own.
They've really cleaned up the Vole population in the area, and are now looking at other food sources.
The reason I was alerted to them, a half dozen WT Does and Fawns were running across the field. No, the Coyotes weren't chasing them, but the huge white Bio-guard had them on the run. Funny, because when he got within 15-20 meters, he stopped chasing them, and walked back to the ranch house, wagging his tail all the way, without any concern for the Deer or Coyotes.
The Deer started feeding amongst the Vole/Mouse hunting Coyotes, neither of them paid any attention to each other.
My neighbors have Pigs, Ducks, Chickens, and Guinea Hens, so I think they will be on the menu later, as food gets scarce.
It was fun watching them at ranges from 50m to 600m, and I was "estimating" how far they were away from me. Even though I know the field very well, about 450 acres, flat, with easily discerned markers, in the form of high tension, wood hydro electric poles, and irrigation system, bordered by large Cottonwoods and a Creek, my estimates past 200 yds were off enough that I would have shot over or under, or maybe wounded any of the animals, if I were shooting at them.
I like Coyotes. Very few of them are guilty of the things most people accuse them of. They have intricate family units, scavenge for food, and are beautiful.
I've spent a lot of time just watching and have garnered a lot of respect for them.
One Dairy Farmer only wanted me to shoot the Coyotes that got close to his calf pens. In his opinion, which I agree with, the Coyotes were the least dangerous and most effective form of rodent control available, and all he had to do was let them coexist on his farm.
Maybe one Coyote out of a hundred is guilty of taking calves. Especially those still with their mothers.
I'm not going to knock anyone for taking them for their pelts, but I stopped shooting them just because they were Coyotes 30 years ago. I have the same issue with ground squirrels, gophers, and marmots, but that's just me, not knocking anyone for cleaning out fields infested with them.
I was happy when BC made it illegal to shoot marmots, ground squirrels, and gophers on public land, not that it's enforced.
Shortly after my last post in this thread, I was watching half a dozen Coyotes in the field, from one of the 2nd story windows of my house.
The field isn't mine, which is nice, because I don't have to work it or take care of it.
The Alfalfa was cut about a month ago and went to silage, and has grown a couple of cms since.
It looked to be a family unit which has been raising a bit of a stir in our area. They aren't doing any damage, that I know of, but they're getting very brave after midnight. They're venturing into the village about a klik away, fighting with the resident pack, and generally looking for a place to call their own.
They've really cleaned up the Vole population in the area, and are now looking at other food sources.
The reason I was alerted to them, a half dozen WT Does and Fawns were running across the field. No, the Coyotes weren't chasing them, but the huge white Bio-guard had them on the run. Funny, because when he got within 15-20 meters, he stopped chasing them, and walked back to the ranch house, wagging his tail all the way, without any concern for the Deer or Coyotes.
The Deer started feeding amongst the Vole/Mouse hunting Coyotes, neither of them paid any attention to each other.
My neighbors have Pigs, Ducks, Chickens, and Guinea Hens, so I think they will be on the menu later, as food gets scarce.
It was fun watching them at ranges from 50m to 600m, and I was "estimating" how far they were away from me. Even though I know the field very well, about 450 acres, flat, with easily discerned markers, in the form of high tension, wood hydro electric poles, and irrigation system, bordered by large Cottonwoods and a Creek, my estimates past 200 yds were off enough that I would have shot over or under, or maybe wounded any of the animals, if I were shooting at them.
I like Coyotes. Very few of them are guilty of the things most people accuse them of. They have intricate family units, scavenge for food, and are beautiful.
I've spent a lot of time just watching and have garnered a lot of respect for them.
One Dairy Farmer only wanted me to shoot the Coyotes that got close to his calf pens. In his opinion, which I agree with, the Coyotes were the least dangerous and most effective form of rodent control available, and all he had to do was let them coexist on his farm.
Maybe one Coyote out of a hundred is guilty of taking calves. Especially those still with their mothers.
I'm not going to knock anyone for taking them for their pelts, but I stopped shooting them just because they were Coyotes 30 years ago. I have the same issue with ground squirrels, gophers, and marmots, but that's just me, not knocking anyone for cleaning out fields infested with them.
I was happy when BC made it illegal to shoot marmots, ground squirrels, and gophers on public land, not that it's enforced.
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.22
.17 hmr
.22 mag
.222
.223
.22250
.243 win
.300 rum ultra mag
22 worked alright if you were close and they are standing. Watched my brother jump out of the grain cart tractor once and drop a big 40 IB dog at a dead run at 80 yards. He dropped deader than ####. One of the nicest coyotes I ever sent to auction. Shot one 2 minutes later with the 22250 and ruined the hide lol.
Shot a few with the 17 hmr because thats what I had. Worked alright. Same with the 22 mag.
Shot a pile with the 222 and 40gr vmax. Works great out to 300 yards. Haven't tried any further. Just like a 223 I guess
22250 is like the 223 just flatter. Hits almost as hard as the 243.
243 with the 87gr vmax is brutal at close range. Furthest Shot is a hair under 620. Crawled a few feet and that was it.
A friend shot one running away with the 300 rum mag at 402 yards. 190 grain berger at around 3200 fps at muzzle if I remember correctly. Even at 402 yards parts went flying. NOT fur friendly. Whole front leg gone huge exit.
.17 hmr
.22 mag
.222
.223
.22250
.243 win
.300 rum ultra mag
22 worked alright if you were close and they are standing. Watched my brother jump out of the grain cart tractor once and drop a big 40 IB dog at a dead run at 80 yards. He dropped deader than ####. One of the nicest coyotes I ever sent to auction. Shot one 2 minutes later with the 22250 and ruined the hide lol.
Shot a few with the 17 hmr because thats what I had. Worked alright. Same with the 22 mag.
Shot a pile with the 222 and 40gr vmax. Works great out to 300 yards. Haven't tried any further. Just like a 223 I guess
22250 is like the 223 just flatter. Hits almost as hard as the 243.
243 with the 87gr vmax is brutal at close range. Furthest Shot is a hair under 620. Crawled a few feet and that was it.
A friend shot one running away with the 300 rum mag at 402 yards. 190 grain berger at around 3200 fps at muzzle if I remember correctly. Even at 402 yards parts went flying. NOT fur friendly. Whole front leg gone huge exit.
Sights4Nights
Member
- Location
- that One Time in the CT Parking Lot
New to coyote and definitely a weekend warrior here, so the shelf 73gr eldm 223 works well for me. Need all the help I can get sitting in fields on those windy days.
I have killed coyotes with 22LR, 22WMR, 222 Rem, 243 Win, 6.5CM, 260 Rem, 7mm-08 Rem, 308 Win, 20g slug, 12g 00 Buckshot, and archery gear. My dedicated coyote rifle is my 243 currently using factory Hornady 58 and 87 gr Vmax but I am working on loading 70gr Nosler BT as I am tired of the wide spread of muzzle velocity that Hornady is giving me. My 222 Remington is my fair weather coyote rifle as it is a blued/walnut Sako Vixen that is pretty much mint, currently shooting Hornady 50gr Vmax, but also suffers from poor quality from Hornady so I am working on it with 50gr Nosler BT as well. I like the 243 because it generally anchors them on the spot, never had a runner or a spinner with it, it just seems to hammer them which I like. Never had massive holes either in regards to pelt damage, maybe I have just been lucky.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
.22 Hornet
.222
.223
.243
.257 Rob
.25-06
I've used the .222 Cartridge the most and really like it. Have had several .222 rifles and they all shot well with 40 gr. NBT or VMax and it's a deadly coyote bullet that doesn't ruin fur.
Lately I've almost exclusively used my Sako M85 HB .223 with fast twist and Sierra 68gr. BTHP. Shoots flat enough, bucks wind better than the .222, and usually doesn't ruin fur. Always deadly if the bullet is placed where it should be.
If I was just wanting to kill coyotes without saving the fur, the .243 or .25-06 are deadly at long range or in wind. More cartridge than I care to use though.
.222
.223
.243
.257 Rob
.25-06
I've used the .222 Cartridge the most and really like it. Have had several .222 rifles and they all shot well with 40 gr. NBT or VMax and it's a deadly coyote bullet that doesn't ruin fur.
Lately I've almost exclusively used my Sako M85 HB .223 with fast twist and Sierra 68gr. BTHP. Shoots flat enough, bucks wind better than the .222, and usually doesn't ruin fur. Always deadly if the bullet is placed where it should be.
If I was just wanting to kill coyotes without saving the fur, the .243 or .25-06 are deadly at long range or in wind. More cartridge than I care to use though.
Ive been shooting over bait. 365M to the bait from the deck. Was using 22-250 with 55grn vmax with food results. Switched to the 6mm Creed for the wolves. Definitely a better choice but not fur friendly with the 108grn eld match. Not many took another step.
The first coyotes I ever took were with 7mm magnum and .308 win. big game bullets They were pretty hard on pelts but that was no problem at the time
Then I acquired a .222 Rem to save the pelts ,I remember shooting from a blind at about 125 yards and having many run away.. One day followed a blood trail to the nearest bush patch and found 3 dead frozen coyotes.The CIL 50gr.PSP bullets were not expanding to give quick kills.
I then switched to a 6mm rem. I found the light varmint type bullets were to hard on pelts ,but the 100 gr sierra worked very well most times. Once in a while they would rip up a pelt depending on angle of hit. but most time about a 1" exit hole could be sewn up. So that became my go to coyote rifle for fur harvest.
Fur prices plummeted one year and and that was the last time I shot coyotes.
I agree with bearhunter, coyotes do more good than bad. At least in my part of the country. Free range chickens and turkeys are a thing of the past and in 60 years in the cow calf business I never experienced a coyote killing a live calf.
I do not necessarily agree with bearhunter about ground squirrels, (gophers)
I remember as young fellow reading Guns and Ammo magazine and Elmer Kieth said a 7mm Remington Magnum was an exultant coyote cartridge .
So I will go with Elmer.
Then I acquired a .222 Rem to save the pelts ,I remember shooting from a blind at about 125 yards and having many run away.. One day followed a blood trail to the nearest bush patch and found 3 dead frozen coyotes.The CIL 50gr.PSP bullets were not expanding to give quick kills.
I then switched to a 6mm rem. I found the light varmint type bullets were to hard on pelts ,but the 100 gr sierra worked very well most times. Once in a while they would rip up a pelt depending on angle of hit. but most time about a 1" exit hole could be sewn up. So that became my go to coyote rifle for fur harvest.
Fur prices plummeted one year and and that was the last time I shot coyotes.
I agree with bearhunter, coyotes do more good than bad. At least in my part of the country. Free range chickens and turkeys are a thing of the past and in 60 years in the cow calf business I never experienced a coyote killing a live calf.
I do not necessarily agree with bearhunter about ground squirrels, (gophers)
I remember as young fellow reading Guns and Ammo magazine and Elmer Kieth said a 7mm Remington Magnum was an exultant coyote cartridge .
So I will go with Elmer.
In your situation, ground squirrels, gophers can be a problem. I have no qualms with shooting them out to clear fields. It's way better than poisoning them. More humane, and if other animals/birds feed on the carcasses, they don't become collateral damage.
Marmot populations in some areas of BC were completely wiped out at one time. Now they're becoming visible again.
These creatures have their place in the scheme of things and, when we wipe them out, the predators switch to the next available species, and it escalates from there.
The other issue with cleaning them out is that's often when the "rats" start moving in to take their place, and they are serious scavengers, predators.
I read an article about gophers and ground squirrel control on grazing rights property in Montana and Colorado.
Back in the 1920s, rodent eradication became mandatory, as did the eradication of the "predators" who hunted them.
The State governments, as well as the Federal government, provided all sorts of incentives, from bounties to prizes for the most critters brought in.
They even provided the farmers and ranchers with poison to make it easier.
Similar things went on in Canada.
It didn't take very long for them to see the error of their ways. Turned out, gophers were a necessary cog in the environmental wheel to keep prairie and high elevation grasslands viable.
Their holes aerated the soil, allowed more moisture to be retained, and the critters themselves were responsible for spreading the seeds from the grasses and other items they ate/processed.
They made shooting the critters illegal on public lands, but it took 25 years for the populations to become useful and the grasslands to work again.
Marmot populations in some areas of BC were completely wiped out at one time. Now they're becoming visible again.
These creatures have their place in the scheme of things and, when we wipe them out, the predators switch to the next available species, and it escalates from there.
The other issue with cleaning them out is that's often when the "rats" start moving in to take their place, and they are serious scavengers, predators.
I read an article about gophers and ground squirrel control on grazing rights property in Montana and Colorado.
Back in the 1920s, rodent eradication became mandatory, as did the eradication of the "predators" who hunted them.
The State governments, as well as the Federal government, provided all sorts of incentives, from bounties to prizes for the most critters brought in.
They even provided the farmers and ranchers with poison to make it easier.
Similar things went on in Canada.
It didn't take very long for them to see the error of their ways. Turned out, gophers were a necessary cog in the environmental wheel to keep prairie and high elevation grasslands viable.
Their holes aerated the soil, allowed more moisture to be retained, and the critters themselves were responsible for spreading the seeds from the grasses and other items they ate/processed.
They made shooting the critters illegal on public lands, but it took 25 years for the populations to become useful and the grasslands to work again.
Not nearly explosive enough to skin them...Try a 300RUM throwing a 110 vmax at 4200fps. It turns one coyote into multiple coyotes...
