After recently getting into coyote hunting now that we have so many I've been wrestling with a question. I got great advice on this forum on how to hunt coyotes and have been having success but now I want a designated coyote gun. I like the TC Pro Hunter and I don't think being single shot is an issue since they bolt if I miss. I'm probably going with the .204 Ruger. In heavy woods I take the 870 with #4 (again as suggested here). So here's my question to all you yote hunters, if you can only take one gun what is it? We're talking coyote ONLY here. Just curious
Favorite gun for coyote, what do you bring
- Thread starter BLS700
- Start date
rem870hunter
New member
beings how i have 3 choices here,although only one can be used day or night.
i'd say my 12 gauge 870 with #2 or lead BB overnight and buckshot or slugs by day.
i can use either one of my muzzleloaders during the daytime, but i can only shoot coyote/fox if i see them while deer hunting.
the shotgun, i can use deer ammo if i see coyote/fox while deer hunting.
basically you need a gun w/ammo,a call or 2,and patience.
i'd say my 12 gauge 870 with #2 or lead BB overnight and buckshot or slugs by day.
i can use either one of my muzzleloaders during the daytime, but i can only shoot coyote/fox if i see them while deer hunting.
the shotgun, i can use deer ammo if i see coyote/fox while deer hunting.
basically you need a gun w/ammo,a call or 2,and patience.
If you don't care about the hide its hard to beat a 6mm(243 or 6mmREM) When I was hunting for the pelts I used a 17 Rem and it was a killer to 150yds. A 222 or 223 are good also with FMJ bullets. For long shots a 220 swift will do the job as will the above 6mm's. I always like the 6mm REM but I handload. As you can see there are guys who live by the shotgun and its a good choice for close in called dogs.
One gun, it would have to be the 6mm, either a 243 or the remington version.
One gun, it would have to be the 6mm, either a 243 or the remington version.
crowbeaner
New member
I use my .222 or my kid's .243. It depends on the calling and shooting setup, where I'm hunting, and whether I think I might get a shot longer than 300 yards. Neither gun misses if I do my part, and the 222 doesn't tear up the pelts badly. I can also use the Deuce with cast boolits if I'm hunting thick woods where shots will be close in.
The Terminator
New member
I think that 243's are great, as a 223's. I've used a 223, and a 270 on them. I'm taking this with me the next time I go to Alabama to get one. Its a .308
A lot of people use too much cartridge for coyotes; a fair number also use too little.
I've used several of the small bore centerfires, and have even shot them with handguns and rimfires a time or three. IMO, the .243 is great if you aren't that great of a shot, or for whatever reason need something extra if you make a bad shot. Pretty much any solid body hit stops them quick; all the way out to...well, way out there.
The 22-250 is about equal to it for stopping coyotes, and does about the same damage to fur, if you're going to save it.
The most fun cartridge I've used is the .17 caliber centerfires. They stop coyotes DRT with proper bullet placement, but won't make up for a bad shot like the larger guns do. The .17 Rem is a fun and very accurate cartridge for small bore vermint shooting, and loaded right it doesn't tear up the fur. I consider it an experienced caller's cartridge, although beginners often use it with great success.
The best for general use is probably the .223, with the .204 Ruger about the same. Ammo is cheaper for the .223 if you don't handload.
I've used several of the small bore centerfires, and have even shot them with handguns and rimfires a time or three. IMO, the .243 is great if you aren't that great of a shot, or for whatever reason need something extra if you make a bad shot. Pretty much any solid body hit stops them quick; all the way out to...well, way out there.
The 22-250 is about equal to it for stopping coyotes, and does about the same damage to fur, if you're going to save it.
The most fun cartridge I've used is the .17 caliber centerfires. They stop coyotes DRT with proper bullet placement, but won't make up for a bad shot like the larger guns do. The .17 Rem is a fun and very accurate cartridge for small bore vermint shooting, and loaded right it doesn't tear up the fur. I consider it an experienced caller's cartridge, although beginners often use it with great success.
The best for general use is probably the .223, with the .204 Ruger about the same. Ammo is cheaper for the .223 if you don't handload.
I paid my way through college with the GI Bill and coyote pelts back in the early 1980s when the pelts were worth some money. I thought I wanted a 22-250 for those 400 yds shots, so that's what I built. And it worked fine for those long shots, but there are a lot more shots closer in, and for those I can tell you the 22-250 is too much and the 223 is just about ideal. The same applies to 222, 222 Mag, 219 Zipper, 256 WinMag, 250 Savage, and a whole slew of similar cartridges that throw a lightweight bullet at 2,700-3,000 fps. Any faster and you ruin the hides, any slower and you have to have the perfect shot.
I think Daryl just called me a bad shot(LOL). I am just kidding there Daryl. You are correct the 6mm's do make up for variables like range and wind plus sometimes I could not get the dogs in close thats where the 6mm shine.
I paid my rent with Pelts,Yotes and Fox, 90% of them shot with a 17mm Rem called in the others were shot with a 220 swift. That was in WA state by the way in the early 80's. I had a TC contender in 6mm TCU that did a good job on them also. Over here on the east coast where I live now I see coy dogs deer hunting now and then and I would not even take the time to skin them. They are very poor looking dogs. If I shoot at them its with a 308 or 243 that I deer hunt with. Bottomline I would never want just one gun for anything. I pick the gun I think I will need for the Animal/conditions I am going to hunt.
I paid my rent with Pelts,Yotes and Fox, 90% of them shot with a 17mm Rem called in the others were shot with a 220 swift. That was in WA state by the way in the early 80's. I had a TC contender in 6mm TCU that did a good job on them also. Over here on the east coast where I live now I see coy dogs deer hunting now and then and I would not even take the time to skin them. They are very poor looking dogs. If I shoot at them its with a 308 or 243 that I deer hunt with. Bottomline I would never want just one gun for anything. I pick the gun I think I will need for the Animal/conditions I am going to hunt.
HAMMER1DOWN
New member
I used to use my 17 HMR but after i bought my AR-15 that is all i use any more its just to great to have that super quick follow up shot if you really need it..
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Crosswire3
New member
I use a 22-250 and feel that it is perfect for the job. As has been said, it's a little much if your shots are close, but it can really reach out for the long shots.
fisherman66
New member
Whatever rifle that's with me. A 280 is not good for the pelt, but we have Homer Simpson 'yotes down here, so that's not a problem.
L_Killkenny
New member
Serious about coyote hunting? Go ask the pro's Predator Masters.
22-250 is a long way from being too much gun with proper bullets. .243 will blow up about yote you see but can be used more effectively for larger game. I here good things about the .204 and it shoots WAY flat!
Basically, I don't know if you can go wrong with any centerfire .17, .20 or .22 caliber gun.
Single shots are great if you're a great shot. Considering you think you'll miss and the yote will bolt means you are not. Get a repeater for quick follow up shots on wounded yotes.
LK
22-250 is a long way from being too much gun with proper bullets. .243 will blow up about yote you see but can be used more effectively for larger game. I here good things about the .204 and it shoots WAY flat!
Basically, I don't know if you can go wrong with any centerfire .17, .20 or .22 caliber gun.
Single shots are great if you're a great shot. Considering you think you'll miss and the yote will bolt means you are not. Get a repeater for quick follow up shots on wounded yotes.
LK
armedtotheteeth
New member
I bring my Ar 15 . Id take a yote out to 400 yards with it. Id call it as accurate as any bolt gun, and my bolt cycles by itself. If you tried out one of the new varminter type ARS, you would probably leave your bolt gun at home for the foreseeable future. If yo like, you could even get a 204 ruger upper for your Ar.
L Killkenny my comment about missing wasn't meant to imply that I'm a bad shot. To be honest if I am not very confident in the shot I'm about to take then I don't take it. I think the most disgraceful thing hunters can do is take shots beyond THEIR capabilites. However, I have seen coyotes shot at and missed. They tend to vacate the area quickly. In the area where I am there are always woods for the yote to head to in a short distance. So getting a decent follow up shot is rare. As far as a wounded coyote I would either reload the single shot as quickly as possible or if in range finish with the .357. I know many hunters that use single shot rifles on a very wide variety of game and I would not call them irresponsible because the follow up shot may take a little longer. I'm not sure if that was what you were implying but I'm just throwing it out there. No doubt the bolt action has the edge for a follow up.
Joke taken well, since I would also have been calling myself a bad shot, even tthough I'm not. You'd be amazed at how many callers I've seen that can't hit a moving coyote though; even if it's walking. Coyotes don't often stop too long when responding to a call, so I like to be able to shoot 'em as they come. It can get a bit more tricky to accurately place a bullet on a coyote that's ducking through the mesquites, rather than one standing there looking ata you.
I pretty much hit what I shoot at, but I used a .243 for about 20 years for calling coyotes. I switched to a 22-250 for a couple of years; it damaged the fur just as bad on close in shots, stopped them just as well, but didn't buck the wind as well as the .243 with the loads I was using in each.
So, I went back to using the .243. A lot of it was my own ignorance, as well as my inclination to use what I had rather than experimenting. As a result, I ruined a lot of good hides back in the days when they were worth more than lately.
I bought a .223 in the mid-1990's, and it worked great for coyotes. It was enough for far shots, and didn't blow up hides too bad at all on the more often made close shots.
Until one day several years ago when I blew up a nice bobcat, and pretty much ruined THAT hide. That's when I started using a .17 Remington for coyotes. I typically get a little tiny BB entrance hole, and no exit. For the occasional bobcat, a carefully placed shot saves those hides, too.
It's a bit much for our little grey foxes, but almost anything centerfire is. I think that's the one really good use I've found for the .22 mag. It's just right for the little greys, while still giving me enough for the occasional coyote or bobcat that might appear in the brushy stuff I call greys in. It's no long range rifle, but it works well enough for what I use it for.
Daryl