question about Coyote hunting?
by admin on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 | 11 Comments
I want to get into Coyote hunting and I would like to use a rifle instead of my .20 gauge. since i live in a relatively urban area and will be hunting in corn fields with some surrounding woods and scrub i would like a relatively low caliber rifle. can you hunt coyote with a .22 long rifle? or do you need something bigger? because of my stipulations i think a lever action in .357 mag would be a good option.
can someone recommend a good coyote rifle for me based on my needs?
what about a .220 swift? how are they for coyote hunting?
A lever action 22 Magnum or the new Ruger .10/22 in 22 magnum (new this year) check , several up for auction.
Coyote Hunting Rifles
When searching for a weapon there are a couple of questions you should answer yourself. One of them is : How accurate does a rifle need to be ? Every weapon ( rifles more specific ) should shoot with such precision that its user may be sure that a simple miss is his own fault and not the weapon’s. This means that it should drive its bullets as close to the desired target as an expert rifleman can hold, under normal conditions. Such a man would not be pleased with a rifle unless it could be relied upon to group nearly all its shots in or on a one inch circle at 50 yards, or two minute of angle. At this state of accuracy, hitting the vitals spots of a coyote is possible out to 300 yards or more.
Another vital question is : How will I shoot with my weapon accurately ? First of all, a hunter needs to practice with his firearm regularly because by doing this they become familiar with their action, firearm and also they will gain confidence. Another thing a hunter should do is to try different loads in the firearm because all firearms have a preference for one load or another so in order to find the most accurate one, a hunter must try many kinds. Also, one must keep his weapon clean and well lubricated, bore fouling if excessive can really affect accuracy.
When it comes down to purchasing a second hand gun there are a few things every hunter should be aware of. First of all, choosing the type of action, this depends on the area and the style of every hunter. Bolt actions are very accurate, they can handle a wide range of calibers and pressure levels and most importantly, are available in a wide range of styles. Single shot guns come at an affordable price, they are reliable and also they are available in a wide range of calibers. Second of all, choosing a caliber is a very important aspect that every hunter should take in consideration. Hunters should choose one that offers enough power to the game their hunting ( in this case, coyote ) at the range that they will be shooting.
Also, a hunter should choose a cartridge that they can shoot with well, hold control and offer enough power. Last but most importantly, the matter of warranty should not be neglected. When buying a used rifle, check and see if the person which sells you the weapon will give you a couple of days to try the rifle. Usually if we are talking about a dealer, he/she will offer a short trial period ( between 7 and 10 days ) for the potential buyer to try the rifle and make their decision.
In the matter of rifles used for coyote hunting, popular calibers include the fast 22’s starting with the 222, anything smaller, like the hornet or rim fire and you risk wounding the animal or severely limiting your effective range. Many hunters hunt coyote with their deer rifle, if you are only hunting coyote for the purpose of getting some off season practice this will work just fine. However, if you are hunting coyote to sell the pelts, a 30/06 will pretty much ruin the hide.
If you aren’t a rifle fan, maybe a shotgun will do the trick. A shotgun with #4 or smaller buckshot is a very effective and accurate close range coyote gun. If the area where you do your hunt is relatively thick and shots are going to be under 40 yards, a shotgun with the right load may well be the perfect firearm for this situation. In more open areas the use of a shotgun will really test the hunters skill, as coyotes will need to be called closer in order to have a successful shot.
.22 LR would be good enough for most coyotes, but yeah, i’d go with the .357, just in case.
people hunt coyotes with anything from .22lr to .30 cals.
persoannly i’d think a .22lr is too small and
your bottom line would be .22WMR
which has a low report and wont scare the neighbours, otherwise the smaller .20 calibres, .223 is ideal. .204, .22-250 will all do. i exlude .222 because i dont like them, .270 and .284 are too highpowered.
i dont know if silencers are legal in your area, but the 223, 204 and 22-250 can all be silenced quite well. you mention fairly short-range calibres so maybe you would do better with a .300 whisper (wildcat) or as you say .357 (is magnum really neccessary?) . there are some production 9mm rifles which should also suit your purpose, comes down to preference and shooting ability…
Your best choices are 22 Hornet, 218 Bee, 222, or 22-250, 22 Magnum.*
I have varmint hunted for over 25 years. I own a .204 now. Back twenty years ago, I used my grandpa’s 22-250. Both are very good varmint rounds…two of the best! Why, because they are flat trajectory’s with very good rounds for killing a coyote efficiently with minimal pelt damage. The downside is that if there are a lot of houses around, you could accidentally hit someones home.
I used a 12 gauge shotgun with Hevi Shots “Dead Coyote” load, which works well out to 60 yards or so.
If you use a 22 LR, I suggest CCI’s Stinger (1,640fps) or Aguilla’s got a round that travels at 1,750fps. The downside to a 22 rimfire, a coyote will usually run a very long distance after being shot. Guys that come into the store I work at even tell me all the time that the .17 HMR does not kill a coyote, he runs very long distances!
A 22 Mag would probably be the best rimfire as you can get loads up to a 50 gr bullet, loaded by Federal. The heavier bullet means more energy which translates into getting a coyote down and keeping him down.
Good luck
22 cal
a .204, .222, or a .223 would work well for your situation.
.17 hmr
A lever action would be good for quick follow up shots but have a lok at a .223 semi auto.
I usually hunt coyote with a .223 rem. Accurate and not so messy.