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What's your caliber of choice, for coyotes?

Since we are not after fur, and are just trying to save our deer population, I use a .30-06 loaded with 110 gr Hornady V-Max with 54.9 gr of H4895. Have not lost a single one. You might not find all the pieces though. Devastating. I definitely do not take the kids with me for coyote hunting. Too gruesome for young eyes.gun)
 
I picked up a Model 100 in 284 Winchester, I ordered a set of dies this AM, I have 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips, and Hornady 120 grain Vmax on the desk as I type. I'll use which ever one shoots best, but no, I have no interest in pelts.
 
Hey westy,
You should find a fur harvester/ hunter to take with you. No sense in wasting a good pelt? I shoot 55gr. sierra's in 223, and 70 gr. Nosler B.T. in 243 on a windy day, but both are pelt friendly, and still crush them as dead as a 300 win. mag. Close ups a M.B. 835 12 gauge with a Carlson choke tube and some 0000 buck kills them pretty dead too. :D I save the blowing up of pelts for my Wood Chucks and 243 cranium shots.:D:D
 
Michiganhunter, even the trappers in this area aren't bothering with coyotes. Too much work for the prices they are fetching. Two years ago prime coyotes were only fetching $8. Last year they went down to $5. Most fur buyers are even refusing to buy them as they are not making enough profit off them. And since they quit trapping them around here, their population has boomed. So us deer hunters are trying to keep them in check. That is why I am using my .30-06.
 
The turkeys, and deer fawns don't care about the pelts, and when they're howling in the yard trying to pull the dogs out at night neither do I. So mark my interest down as predator control, not furbearer. If prices got high enough to interest me in pelts, I'd set winter traps around the place.
Everyone that's indicated to me they'd like a pelt always got scarce at skinning time.LOL
 
This is quite enjoyable reading...the .22-250, the Swift, the 25-06, and for very windy days, the 7 mags. are my choice..I am not a fur hunter, but a coyote hunter..for fun, read Elmer Keith's article on coyote hunting in American Rifleman..things were sure different in those days...Old coyote is our greatest game animal....love him, but love to shoot him even more....
 
this year my rack of coyote guns is full of all kinds of cool cartridges. 223 WSSM (topped off with 55 and 60 grain V-max), 22 Hornet (33 grain Speer Gold Dot), 17 Remington (20 and 25 grain V-max), 257 Roberts (non-Ackley improved topped off with 75 grain V-max), 270 Winchester (115 grain V-max).

my fave coyote loads are the 17 Rem and 22 Hornet... getting them in closer than 50 yards means that I do not have to have a hide punishing gun like the 257 and the 270... the coyotes this year have been no more than 25 yards from me when I have shot. the 17 and the hornet have been one shot DOA's. if they stop before the get 100 yards from me.. the 223 WSSM will start being employed and then if they stop before 200 yards, the 257 and the 270 will be employed.. but until such time.. the 17 and the hornet will be my go to rifles. I will be looking for a 22-250 and a 223 Rem over the winter to rebuild for next season. you just can not have enough varmint/predator guns. besides the 257 and the 270 are also awesome deer, and medium game rounds too.. so these can pull double duty. anything bigger will go for bigger game and the big bores are all 1,000 yard target guns.
good hunting this year to all.
gun)
the gunsmith is out to go play with the 'Yotes...
 
HarperC, this is for you bud.. I do this for pelt and predator control. I am not scarce or the last one to start cutting.. skinning the coyote.. I am first in line to take the skin.. I keep my skinner sharp, and at my side.. I have two masters when it comes to yotes.. myself, and the ranchers I service on my "off-time". if I get that call.. the first thing I do is check the guns, grab the ammo, don my nat-gear and check my skinning knife... then its time to call up my posse and mount up for the hunt.. we all shoot, skin, and benefit from the pelts. oh, can not forget the great meals the ranchers throw us when we come back with 20+ coyotes in a day. I do care about the money I get from the pelts; they buy me reloading supplies, coyote/predator calls, camo gear and they buy me the thanks of the ranchers that keep their herds growing.
later bud...
 
freddiej
Sounds like a lot of fun! I hope you have a great winter! I'm hitting Oregon in early December with a Winchester Model 100 in .284, 120 grain V-max this trip. Taking a 12 gauge as well, got some of the 'HEVI-SHOT DEAD COYOTE" I hope to try.
Sounds like you're in a target rich environment, with a lot of opportunity. With that kind of volume skinning could be worthwhile.
I did leave out entertainment as a reason for chasing coyotes.
Good Luck!
 
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