best caliber for coyote hunting

[Wile E. Hunter]

732 yard kill with a 35 grain bullet

Nothing to it, I had a 733 yard kill with my 17 HMR, in 40 mph wind................ while it was raining.................at night.......................shooting off hand..................with a C-cell flashlight

No problem

I think you'd be hard pressed to name one caliber "best" for coyotes. I shoot the .223 in a 24" bull barrelled AR, a Swift in a 26 3/4" bull barrelled 40XBKS, and a .25-06 in a Sendero. I love all three for different reasons. Always see the ones just below the horizon when I have the .223 (not enough juice). Always see the 60 yd. dogs with the .25-06 (too much juice!). Call in the doubles and triples when I have the Swift (single shot). One caliber that does it all in all situations? If I knew of it, I'd have it. BUT, when it's all said and done, that quote is DAMNED FUNNY!!! No matter what rifle you're packin' that guy's gotta be fun to hunt with.

[FALFire]

732 yard kill with a 35 grain bullet

Nothing to it, I had a 733 yard kill with my 17 HMR, in 40 mph wind................ while it was raining.................at night.......................shooting off hand..................with a C-cell flashlight

No problem

I think you'd be hard pressed to name one caliber "best" for coyotes. I shoot the .223 in a 24" bull barrelled AR, a Swift in a 26 3/4" bull barrelled 40XBKS, and a .25-06 in a Sendero. I love all three for different reasons. Always see the ones just below the horizon when I have the .223 (not enough juice). Always see the 60 yd. dogs with the .25-06 (too much juice!). Call in the doubles and triples when I have the Swift (single shot). One caliber that does it all in all situations? If I knew of it, I'd have it. BUT, when it's all said and done, that quote is DAMNED FUNNY!!! No matter what rifle you're packin' that guy's gotta be fun to hunt with.

Thanks Wile E Hunter for the comment. It was meant to be funny and, with all due respect, never intended to sound like I was calling anyone a liar.

I can't agree more with you on your statement regarding best caliber for coyotes, simply because there IS no best caliber. What works for a guy in the thick brush of the coast may simply not due for us wide open wheat field hunters on the east side of the state. A few times I have needed a shotgun, but never take one to my stands. On more occassions than not, I need a flat shooting tack driver for those shots well beyond 600 yards, just wished I could hit something that far away. The other day my neighbor and I went to a ranch were we figured our nearest shot would be close to 400 yards, turned out the two shots we did make were well under 200 yards, easy medicine with a 223.

So I never get caught up in what is the best caliber nonsense, there are just too many varibles to contend with and to each their own for likes and dislikes and more importantly their needs. I don't hunt for fur, I just want them dead to help protect the livestock. But those that want to cash in on fur or perhaps wish to mount a nice kill, then they should pick accordingly. 

[flipperball]

If you know your limitations and your guns limitations you can kill them with most anything.  Stay within those limits and success will follow.  And yes Wiley E. he is a kick to hunt with....................when he's sleeping.

[Huntbear]

600 Nitro Express!!!!!!!!!!!  Who cares about picking up pieces!

[wackmaster]

I would rater have a 22-250 and I do

[alanger]

yeah that's why i am in route to buying one of dem and a .223 so i dont have to decide whether i want 1 or the other.

[Slider]

If a 6mm is the best? Then wouldn't a 6.5mm be even better?    264 Win Mag 100gr at 3540fps!!! 

[300UltraMagShooter]

300 rum   


if you don't want the hide, just aim center mass.  if you do, just graze them on the head.   no problem   

[alanger]

anyone on here grazed one on the bottom of the stomach and the gutsfalling out??

[Ricochet]

Killed two in one day with my .22 handgun, so its my favorite!  Seriously, it was the only gun I had along (scouting for antelope) and I couldn't let them run off without trying.  Got lucky.

[bowhunterforever]

Nice shooting ricochet! How far were the shots?

[509er]

anyone on here grazed one on the bottom of the stomach and the gutsfalling out??

Our crew has "gutted" a couple this year

[Ricochet]

I should just keep my mouth shut, somebody is gonna call me a liar or a fool, but here goes.  One was at about 25 yards. It must have been asleep, because it just stood up, stretched, and stared at us, like it couldn't believe its eyes.  One shot behind the shoulder, it ran about ten yards and piled up.  The other is probably the luckiest shot I've ever made in my largely misspent life.  My hunting buddy spotted the dog and jumped out, spraying lead at it with his Beretta .22  I just watched, as that coyote got into high gear in a hurry.  He got off about five quick shots before his gun jammed.  He yelled at me to shoot him. I figured what the heck and touched off a couple rounds and the coyote got even faster.    Just before he disappeared over a low rise, I took one last shot, just to say goodbye.  My buddy yelled that I'd hit him and I called BS.  But we walked out and there he was, stone dead at 140 yards!   At the time I'd been doing a lot of metallic silhouette shooting with the gun (S&W Model 41) but that shot was pure luck.  I couldn't do it again in a million years and wouldn't even try.

[bowhunterforever]

Thats an awsome shot!

[Gutpile]

anyone on here grazed one on the bottom of the stomach and the gutsfalling out??

Our crew had "gutted" a couple this year

I've blown a few open. Usually chest shots with the 30-06 but did one with the 220 swift this year.