New coyote hunter

[HANDGUNNER]

Hello, I'm new to the board. I live in NH and I'm going after coyotes for the first time. I got some around my house. We heard them at night last summer and this summer and the neghbor came runnin over yesterday reporting two at the end of the road that showed no fear. I'm also pissed off. Since we started hearing them last year we haven't had any rabbits. I went up and down the power lines this winter and I couldn't even find tracks. My oldest boy just came of age to go and that's how I was brought into hunting when I was a kid, huntin rabbits. The Town of I live in is limited to shotgun and .22 rimfire. I bought a Marlin .22 mag and it's dead on out to a hundred yards. Hope it's enough gun. There was a great article in Foster's Daily of NH about yotes a couple of weeks ago. The biologist were perplexed by the size of North East coyotes (60lbs and up,) and did a study, testing the DNA looking for cross breeding with domestic dogs. Turns out that none of the coyote DNA tested postive for domestic dogs, but it did test postive for the gray wolf. I'm trying find the article on-line so I can post it. I'm still practicing with the calls, (the wife is really pleased with this,) I hope to get out soon.

[Skinny Shooter]

Hi Handgunner, good luck on killing those varmints. I have zero experience killing coyotes but I wouldn't use a 22mag unless the dog was 25 yards away and could take a headshot.

Do you have any centerfire guns?
How abut your GP100?
How about a 12gauge shotgun with #4 buck?

[HANDGUNNER]

I've got other guns, but my area of Southern NH is limited to .22 rimfire or shotguns for coyotes. I may use the 12 gauge with the turkey choke and #4 shot. I'm right on the border with MA. In MA they are limited to .22lr. for night hunting. Doesn't seem like much gun. The .22 mag packs a punch and my furthest shot would be about sixty yards. I'm gonna try the .22 mag around here, but if I go down the power lines I'll use the .12 gauge. I'd really like to take out my '06 or try my Sig. .357, but I can't do it.

[jmarriott]

Federal makes 50 grain .22 mag loads that work well in my win 9422 mag. If you want to recover the coyote make sure he is close and chest shoot them or head shot. If you don't worry about recovery and just want rid of them extend the range and chest shoot them. They can travel miles but a lung shot is a death shot.

P.S. I used my .22 mag on wild/semi wild dogs in my youth that were killing the neighbors sheep. Even a german shepard mix would die normally within the 1 mile field the sheep were fixed in with a chest shot. The insurance company for the farmer was paying 5 dollars a dog if shot chasing the sheep.

[Andy L]

Leave the rimfires for squirrels and such. Your only gonna end up wounding a bunch of animals.

One of my favorite calling guns is a shotgun with #4 buck. Out to 45 or 50 yards, they will consistantly kill coyotes in their tracks and leave you a good clean fur to boot.

Dont listen to the BS about rimmys of any kind being coyote rifles. Do yourself a favor. They are too slow and too small. You may kill a few dead, but you will lose far more to go suffer and either die later or live maimed. Your gonna hear alot of BS from people that have had success with these things, but most have never killed more than a few animals. Not nearly enough for a test. I have never personally done it, but have talked to enough serious coyote hunters that have tried it all, over the years on many coyotes. Centerfires or shotguns are the way to go.

Best of luck and just ask if you want any help with calls or setups or whatever. Theres some good callers here. Plenty of help. Be forewarned that you are entering into a very addicting sport that will consume alot of your time. Buts its a good disease.

Andy

[gumpokc]

I'll agree to partially disagree with Andy.
He's a good guy, and i am always interested in what he has to say. In this case, i agree with shotguns/centerfires are preffered, but if you do your homework, the .22mag _can_ be used reliably on coyotes.

As we all know, if you do your part, the rifle will normally do it's.

I have used a.22 mag for coyotes. It is _not_ my preferred weapon, but it will work. I normally use a savage .243, or 8mm mauser when i can, but thats a different story.

I keep the shots as close as possible 75 yards max, pref 50 or less. I only use headshots with the .22mag, if i can't get the headshot, i don't shoot him.

A shotgun would work well, your limiting yourself to roughly the same ranges, although the shotgun will hit harder within that range.

Blackpowder rifles may also be an option.
I've hunted yodeldogs with my BP, and it was alot of fun.
you only get one shot, but it does do a number on them.
again headshots are preffered, i've flipped a coyote end over end and completely around spiining, and he got up and took off from a chest hit. He didn't get far, but he did get up and run, surprised me quite abit.

That is all just my opinions, take it with a grain of salt and let it simmer.

[Andy L]

gmpk,
Thanks for the kind words. God knows I dont get many. LOL.

Handgunner,
With all due respect to gmpk, before you subscribe to that, try something. Take 10 playing cards. Round the edges off with a pair of scissors. That should be roughly the size of a coyotes skull. Poke a hole in it and hang it from a string about 18" off the ground. Coyotes dont always stand still and do move their heads at the last moment. Thats why hangin from a string is used. The slightest breeze will move it, just like a coyote.

Now go to an honest hunting range and from an honest hunting position, tell us how many out of 10 times you hit that thing. Not grazed, but the whole bullet goes thru it. Anything but that, and you got a coyote missing teeth, lower jaw, ect.... And if you body shoot them, unless its perfect shot and conditions, you got a crippled coyote. Even if you do well, say hit 8 of 10, there will be two maimed coyotes running around. Is your conscious ok with that?

Its just not worth it. If you can hunt with a shotgun, get a 12ga with some #4 buck. You wont be disappointed.

Andy

[Catfish]

Listen to Andy,
I have kill alot of hog and beef with with a .22 rimfire, but all were at point blank range. Get a 3 in. 12 ga. and load it with #4 bucks. Taht load will will due a better job at longer ranges than a .22 rimfire.

[gumpokc]

actually andy has a good idea there, and it would make for excellant practice, no matter what you want to hunt.

Granted i doubt i could do 10 for 10 consistantly with that setup, but thats where common sense comes in.
You wait for the "right" shot, if you don't get it, you don't shoot.

[HANDGUNNER]

Thank you for the replys. I have allot to think about. I may just go with my turkey gun (extra full choke w/heavy turkey loads.) Again my area is limited to rimfire and shotguns, (no buckshot loads either, I'm limited to BB shot and up.) I really like the .22 mag. The guns shoots dead on out to 100 yds. I may still use it just off my street because of the neighborhood. My area is limited to shotgun, BP, and handguns for deer, no cenerfire. I don't know why, (other than the statue,) I can't use a pistol for yotes, but the law says no. I'm workin on my calls. I have two and one is junk, waste of time. The other works pretty good so far as I can tell. Oh by the way, my neighborhood is a mix of anti hunters and those who don't care what you do. The yotes have even the anti's encouraging hunting. I'm gonna sell the pelts so I'm waiting for the weather to turn. I'll be out soon, I'll post when I get one.

[Andy L]

Hey,
Sounds like your on the right track.

#2s out of the that turkey gun would probably do well....

As for your calls, are you mouth calling or electronic? If your using mouth calls, there are a couple that pretty much do all you will ever need. If you want to know, I will PM you with them. Easy to use and very versitle. I got several mouth calls and a Western River Predation (mp3) and a JS Cassett call. But, the Predation and two particular hand calls seem to get the nod. One even works for an elk bugle, as well as howls, barks and distress sounds.

Good Luck
Andy

[HANDGUNNER]

Disregard all the .22 mag crap. I just found out it only applies to night hunting. I read the abstract and everyone I spoke with echoed the .22 rimfire only. But one guy told me that it only applies to night hunting. I EMail Fish & Game and a conservation officer confirmed it, for day time center fire is fine. Time to get a .223. I sold my mini 14 some time ago but still have a bunch of ammo. I'm looking at different bolt guns and a NEF handi rifle. I gotta see whay turns up used at the gun shop.

I was real worried about the .22 mag. I just read an article where a guy up here shot a yote with his .223 and the thing took off and didn't go down until the guy's father took it out with a .6mm. The yote weighed in at 50lbs.

[Andy L]

Now your talkin....

Get a good 223, 222, 22 hornet, 204, 17rem (not rimfire) and you will be in coyote calling heaven.

Good Luck!

Andy

[gumpokc]

it may take some looking, but if you like the NEF handirifle style, check the used racks for a savage model 24x (x = whatever letter).

they had one in .223 over 12 guage, break open over/under.
damn nice little rifle, i sold the one i had years ago like a ignorant fool.

Your in alot better shape with the centerfires, just find what you like. Hell i can't even think of a "bad" centerfire cartridge for shortrange coyotes.

[Andy L]

I can think of alot of bad calibers. Basically anything over 223....

But, I really hate to ruin those big bushy beautiful furs. They are gorgeous animals when furs prime......

I always thought that 223 over 12ga would be a nice callin gun. Never had one. They arent cheap either....

Andy