Is the .22 LR a sufficient weapon to hunt Coyotes with under 50yd???

I was just inquiring about the rules of the .22 accuracy Challenge. because it seemed rather open ended.
I also don't see why the coments of, themikeman chapped Rich's ass so much. It just got my curiosity up is all.
To tell you the truth since Rich's ass was getting so Chapped on the, themikeman's comments to .22 accuracy. I thought it was rather funny.
I did not see the harm in adding my 2 cents and pushing a few buttons........ ;)
If someone would actually bet a G-$ against my 500 that I could Not (do the deed) with such loose rules, There is a large possibility that I could be up an easy 500.
Or.... maybe I am just a big bag of wind, like Rich thinks the themikeman is & I don't know my ass from a hole in the ground.... I know you, about as well as you know me..... :) ... Just my .02 cents.
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Will it work?

Will it work? Absolutely. Would it be the best? No.

I've killed brother Coyote with a .22. It was not the ideal thing to do, but what was necessary, and the only thing available to me at the time. They don't die quick, and they don't die clean. NOT a good thing.

12 gauge would have worked at the range I fired from, but I didn't have one then. I have fixed that issue.

(Another advantage of the 12 gauge with buck shot, you get 9 #00 pellets heading down range in a pattern.)
 
Raymond-
First calm down; then reread my posts. It doesn't appear that it's my butt that's "chapped" here. Nor does it appear that it's my buttons that have been pushed. ;)

I've already stated that this is not a World Class feat. You can do it? Good on ya. On a good day, so can I. I just wouldn't try it on a living varmint with a 22LR. Said varmint deserves more respect than that, unless as has been stated, you're involved in pest control and all you have is that .22.

On to my issue with TMM's claim:
Off handed "that's a no brainer" comments like these, encourage people to believe, because they can hit stationary squares of paper, they can just as easily hit the "eye" of a moving, bobbing, weaving coyote. This leads to unnecessary wounding; which in turn gives the (apparently few) hunters among us a very bad name.

I'm not against varminting; I engage in it regularly. And I have wounded more animals than I find personally acceptable. But I don't court such error.

So, when a recently registered Member refers to feats of daring-do as "no prob", my response is simple: Show Me.

Finally, I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from putting words in my mouth...ever. OK? I've not stated that TheMikeMan is a "bag of wind"; you have. I simply challenged him to do what he states is easy. That's called a gentleman's wager; not a High Noon call out.
Rich
 
Trackman-

I have killed several coyotes with the cheapest .22 LR solids I could find; the blasted things had gotten so brazen that they had made of with a couple of our kids kittens, so I really didn't give a damn if the coyotes particularly enjoyed the killing process. I would have strangled them if I could have gotten my hands on them.

Hit once through the shoulders with the aforementioned load, they nearly always hunched up and bolted for 60-70 yards, and then plunked over dead as a hammer. Penetraton was complete whether or not ribs or shoulder bones were struck.

I have seen deer hit with the .44 magnum & .30-06 react just about the same, so I don't consider the .22's performance on coyotes "poor" or inhumane by any standards.
 
Sarge-
Agreed as to all you say. But let me ask you this:
If you were going to introduce one the neighbor's kids to hunting Coyote, would you select the .22 LR for the task?
Rich
 
If you were going to introduce one the neighbor's kids to hunting Coyote, would you select the .22 LR for the task?
Rich
Click to expand...

I'd have to honestly answer that one- "It depends".

Depends on the age/experience of the lad or lass in question, what other firearms they could handle or had available, how heavily settled or noise-sensitive the area where we are hunting is, etc. etc.

My first concern would be to make sure the youngster could and would handle their firearm safely. Second order of business would be to insure that they could shoot their firearm well. Third would be selecting the most suitable load (HP's, Stingers or whatever) for it, and insuring that their gun was re-zeroed, if necessary. After that you take them out & get them used to sitting still and waiting (which ain't no small feat).

So I guess the answer is "yes", in certain cases and under controlled circumstances. If the kid could shoot a .223 well and the area we were hunting in would tolerate that, I sure wouldn't take his poodle-shooter away and hand him a .22 LR.

My earlier answer was directed to Trackman's original question, and IMO and experience the .22 LR is "sufficient". It is not ideal, but it will certainly kill them.
 
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Sarge-
I agree mostly....again. Now look back at Trackman's opening query in this thread. I think my answer for his case (or mine) is, "If you're planning a Coyote hunt, use more gun".

YMOV
Rich
 
I must admit that I have, in the distant past, taken a .22 bolt gun out looking for coyote. I was a teenager, and was assured that, with careful shooting (this was a very accurate rifle and my hunting host had an inflated opinion of my abilities) at close range, it was fine. Even then, however, I questioned it. I never got to try it, as I moved on to centerfires for coyotes later.

Now, I can fully understand why one would wish to use a .22 LR for pest control. Quite often, pests need to be popped in suburban or residential-rural areas, where the sound needs to be abated. We live in odd times, in which the use of a noise-attenuating device for this purpose would be considered criminal.

May I suggest looking at the .22 Hornet? This is one of the most efficient rounds ever created, when it comes to powder burned vs. energy output. (With the right load, a pound of powder will give you 1,000 rounds!) Likewise, it's one of the quietest rounds, when comparing noise vs. energy. The apparent noise of a .22 Hornet pushing a 45g bullet at 2690 fps is not considered much --if any-- louder than a .22 Magnum Rimfire pushing a 40g bullet at 1910fps. You can even buy a 35g loading at 3100fps! 50 rounds for about the cost of a 20rd box of regular centerfire rifle ammo. I bought mine in the form of an NEF Handi Rifle for around $200 new.


Now, as to Rich's challenge-- I'm utterly astonished that this isn't being jumped on, but quick. A varmint's eyeball is only about 3/4" across or less, and Rich is giving a full inch, plus most of the diameter of the bullet. Comparatively, this should not only be "not a prob" but easy money!

For the record, I think I could do it... sometimes. That's the thing, isn't it? This allows no makeups, no "oopsies," no "do-overs." While I'm pretty sure I could hit a 1" circle (or was it a square?) 5 consecutive times if you gave me ten tries, I'm NOT certain that I could do it the very first time, from a field position. Maybe back in my college rimfire competition days. Now, however, I'd have to admit that it would be a luck bet. (Which is the very point my friend R. Luci is making.)
 
Rich:
"Off handed "that's a no brainer" comments like these, encourage people to believe, because they can hit stationary squares of paper, they can just as easily hit the "eye" of a moving, bobbing, weaving coyote. This leads to unnecessary wounding; which in turn gives the (apparently few) hunters among us a very bad name."
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Hey Rich no big deal, just goofing on ya (just a little)
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NO ONE, I KNOW, hunts Coyote by planning to... "shoot them in the eye-ball @ 50 yrds".
I agree with the majority of Posts on this thread. - No - Do Not, use a .22 for coyote. (if you can help it)
Better to have a little more behind the trigger than the Bare Minimum to get it done.

Now, If you were to take a Coyote and Duck Tape him up to a stick @ 50 yrds and prop his eye-lid up with a tooth pick.
This will be about the ONLY way most people will be able to shoot Coyote in the Eye @ 50 yrds...... :)
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When I was younger, one of my big past times was to hunt wood chucks with a 22 rifle. It was head shots or nothing, so that the animal didn't needlessly suffer. There was no hunting season on them. The activity required learning to sneak up on the chuck, lots of practice with a 22, learning their habits, and careful realistic aiming and shooting within no more than 75 yards, preferably 50 yds or less. (And no shots under 15 yards.) It was great fun. I literally only aimed for an eye or an ear and usually hit percisely that location (give or take a 1/2 inch).

Taking the same approach to Coyotes... they are more wary, but if you limit the kind of shot you take... it is feasible with a 22LR, but a 22 magnum or larger would be more appropriate.
 
Soo...have you taken/shot at any coyotes with your .22lr? What was the result? Update?

And yes, a .22lr will kill a coyote a 50 yards, maybe more. But it probably wouldnt drop on the spot unless it was a head shot. I don't remember if you stated you had a 12 gauge or not, but if you do, I'd use that instead.
 
I'm a rancher with a huge coyote problem. I'll kill them with anything I can find (I even threw rocks at one once. Doesn't work every well..............) I've killed them with everything from a 12 guage shotgun to a Beretta 92FS. What I've found works the best is a .223 (preferably in a semi-auto for quick follow up shots if you have a pack of them. I use an AR-15 with a bi-pod :D ). But what I mostly use is my AK-47 loaded with cheap HPs. Since this is my Ranch rifle, I always have it with me, and when I hit them in the chest they have never made it more than 50 feet.
A .22 is better than nothing, but I'd go for a .223.

P.S.- I know a guy who likes to use a suppresed UZI (yes, full-auto) to hunt them, and apparently it works pretty well.
 
Oddly enough the best coyote killing rifle I have ever seen is a standard old 30/30 lever action. It rolls them right over on the spot, is quick and easy to aim and well just does the job without any fuss.

When I was a youngster our school bus driver kept a 30/30 leaning there next to him. We were way out in the boonies and coyotes were such a problem that there was a bounty on them. He would often see one while driving the bus and stop and pick them off quite nicely up to 150 yards at times, open sights of course, and sometimes running. We never saw one run off from the spot they were hit, ever.

On a side note the drivers side of the bus always had all of the passenger windows all the way up, even in 100 plus degree heat, caused he chewed tobacco. Hows that for country?
 
I shoot stray dogs at 50 yrds and under with a .22. Can't see how whackin' a yote at that distance would be any different.
 
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