Very interesting. Always wondered about that clearly ridiculous shotgun only rule and why we can't hunt turkey with rifles. Head shots with the 17HMR or 22LR are gonna kill a turkey just as dead as a 12ga with 3.5" shells. Guess it's just rifles are more efficient and more hunters would fill their tags more easily than with a shotgun.
Legality of 17HMR for hunting in Canada
- Thread starter CV32
- Start date
Very interesting. Always wondered about that clearly ridiculous shotgun only rule and why we can't hunt turkey with rifles. Head shots with the 17HMR or 22LR are gonna kill a turkey just as dead as a 12ga with 3.5" shells. Guess it's just rifles are more efficient and more hunters would fill their tags more easily than with a shotgun.
The fun in turkey hunting for me is calling them in for the shot. Something about using a rifle to kill a turkey doesn't sit right with me. To each his or her own though, every one has a different opinion and no one persons is better than another's in a situation like this.
badgreenbird
Regular
- Location
- Dawson Creek, BC
I've only tried hunting them twice in southern BC. First time I had my .22 (recommended by my local friend) and shot a nice tom at about 25 yards! Shotgun would have worked fine. Next time I got to within about 50 yards before I was busted and the bird took off. The range was just a bit long for the SHOTGUN I had brought... If I had my .22 that day, I would have had him for sure!
The shotgun only rule in most places seems to be an effort to make things more 'fair'.. If the bird is in shotgun range, it has a better chance of seeing the hunter & escaping. A .22 rimfire extends that range somewhat.. but the flat-shooting .17 HMR has an even longer range. Turkeys often stroll about in the middle of a field when feeding; knowing that they'll see any predator long before it gets in the 'danger' range. That no longer applies with the .17 snipers... err, hunters. They can easily creep to the edge of a field & pick off feeding turkeys from 100+ yards out.
Just a different type of hunting I guess. Field hunters use rifles and forest hunters use shotguns. The turkey tastes the same!
The shotgun only rule in most places seems to be an effort to make things more 'fair'.. If the bird is in shotgun range, it has a better chance of seeing the hunter & escaping. A .22 rimfire extends that range somewhat.. but the flat-shooting .17 HMR has an even longer range. Turkeys often stroll about in the middle of a field when feeding; knowing that they'll see any predator long before it gets in the 'danger' range. That no longer applies with the .17 snipers... err, hunters. They can easily creep to the edge of a field & pick off feeding turkeys from 100+ yards out.
Just a different type of hunting I guess. Field hunters use rifles and forest hunters use shotguns. The turkey tastes the same!
It's 2025 now...
I wonder if anything has changed regarding hunting coyotes with only .17hmr ammo in NL?
Ie. Can i still use my .17hmr rifle to hunt coyotes after small game season closes (on 9th Mar. 2025)? Or do i have to switch to a centrefire less than .225 calibre?
Regs. say "MAY USE .225 centrefire after close of small game season". So it's subjective and optional to use ie. .223/5.56, since i "MAY" use and not "MUST" use or "ONLY" use?
2025 NL coyote season runs from 15th Sept 2024 till 15th July 2025. But 2025 NL small game season ends this 9th March 2025.
I wonder if anything has changed regarding hunting coyotes with only .17hmr ammo in NL?
Ie. Can i still use my .17hmr rifle to hunt coyotes after small game season closes (on 9th Mar. 2025)? Or do i have to switch to a centrefire less than .225 calibre?
Regs. say "MAY USE .225 centrefire after close of small game season". So it's subjective and optional to use ie. .223/5.56, since i "MAY" use and not "MUST" use or "ONLY" use?
2025 NL coyote season runs from 15th Sept 2024 till 15th July 2025. But 2025 NL small game season ends this 9th March 2025.
I haven't killed any but I know a rancher who has taken many with his 17HMR.
Cat
I called the MNR in Ontario in regards to using the 17HMR to shoot coyotes during/simultaneously with various deer hunts in the province. The staff reviewed it and included it in the same category as .22LR and .22WMR because it had similar energy levels as the .22magnum. It was ‘okayed’ within the week and the regulations were updated the following year, so many years ago I can’t even remember. I certainly don’t necessarily recommend it for yotes but I’ve killed at least 3 dozen with the 17HMR and a couple with a 17HM2. If they run it’s usually about 75 yards before they roll. I thought that was pretty amazing but a buddy of mine killed 7 coyotes in one season over a bait pile with a .25 cal PCP Airgun. Headshots drop them instantly and others run about 75 yards into cornfields. As for the 17HMR on yotes I prefer the 20g bullet but it seems the 17g VMax does equally well, at least for me.
My 17 hmr sits by the door in the house and it’s what I use to shoot gophers, magpies, coyotes and what ever else is around the farm house. I carry my ruger m77 in 357 around the property with me for the same purpose. I took the 17 grouse hunting a few times and it’s not the gun for the task. If you are alittle low on a head shot there is no forgiveness, you waste a lot of meat with it. 22 is the way to go from grouse. I will be doing some traveling to bc for the spring & fall turkey season this year and I will be bringing along my 22mag and shotgun.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Def not NS, still just say 22 rimfire. I even argued to them that there are very under power 22 rinfire cartages that be inhumane to hunt with, when I tried to add airguns to be used for small game hunting. But no preval.
Some ranges even ban the use of the caliber. CFO said to ask the club why, club said ask the CFO.. Some claim ricochet hazard.
Some ranges even ban the use of the caliber. CFO said to ask the club why, club said ask the CFO.. Some claim ricochet hazard.
I have killed 5 coyotes with the 17hmr, three were in the 150-175 yard range. I carry a 20 tactical when hunting coyotes, but I carry a break action 17hmr in my pack when running my hunting dog.
