.22 MAG too small for coyotes???

[Reno1]

Originally Posted by texasmeathunter

I loved your question because it gives me a chance to brag about a shot that my Dad made last year. While out checking his fall calf crop he caught a coyote lurking in a nearby ditch eyeballing the new calves. So, he pulled out his open site lever action marlin 22mag and dumped the dog from 570 yards away. No scope no range finder just using the force Luke Skywalker style.

It was actually the fourth shot when he finally hit the coyote. On the first shot the coyote was about 300 yds away and he missed. This got the coyote running. Then Dad missed on two more running shots and then this coyote stopped and looked back after crossing another ditch and the 4th shot nailed him in the chest and he dropped. Dad and I were both stunned. When we paced it off it was 570 yds and the coyote was graveyard dead.

That day I learned a few lessons. 1) Dad can still shoot. 2) If the 22 mag hits the Coyote it will die. 3) If you are being shot at, don;t stop to look.

Have fun hunting.

Great shot. It's likely nobody on this site has ever heard of a coyote being killed by 22wmr from +570 yards and in my opinion a completely ethical attemp, and result, and extremely lucky.

"If the 22 mag hits the coyote it will die." Based on where you hit it.

What ammo was he using?

[Topgun 30-06]

"Great shot....and in my opinion a completely ethical attempt, and result, and extremely lucky."


Answer to your question: He was using ammo where he only had to hold 6' high, instead of 8' with that caliber and open sights, LOL!

[texasmeathunter]

Reno,

I'm not sure what brand of 22 mag ammo that Dad was shooting, but it was a hollow point. The shot was definately a lot of luck. He guessed he was holding over about 7'. But with open sites, the guess of 7' may have been 10' or so. Who knows.

[kweidner]

Hey, anybody watch swamp people? A 950 pound gator is a bit tougher than a Coyote. 22 mag seems to get the job done just fine out to 75 yards or so on a frakin alligator. Coyote? Whatever. I shoot them with what I have available. Even shot them with my turkey gun as they tried to come pounce my decoys. Shot em with a muzzle loader during deer season, whatever is in the truck at the time while riding in the off season. I keep a .22mag in my truck when in the woods. Not much of anything I ever pointed at it that didn't DRT with the right shot placement.

[scottyd2506]

Originally Posted by jcooper1389

i have a .300 win mag and a 22 mag and i wasnt sure if the 300wm is too big or if the 22mag is too small...what can you do with a coyote carcass?? food?? slippers ?? tail souvenir or what? very new to coyote hunting and decided i wanna try it out..plus my uncle has a pest coyote problem thats trying to attack his dogs lol..so i got a spot..now just need a gun...ANY ADVICE????

Leave the .22 for small game they are nothing but squirrel guns.. I know peiople here swear by em but research and people will tell you the truth, jst because some freak 22 mag kills a coyote at 600 yards doesn't mean it will happen again soon.
in real life people have taken hits in the chest from .44 mags and lived, and people have died from chest hits from pocket .22's.. a FREAK happening is not normal.

Never hunted them with a .22 mag, but my friend who has killed numerous coyotes with his 22.250 has a hunting spot he can only use rimfires, him and his buddy go there. Every time he goes there he calls and tells me what happened, and the TRUTH is that the .22 mag is 50/50 kill or not killed, this is Indiana coyotes at 20-100 yards.. of course he does not add up the 50% and thinks it's 99%. those 7 killed and 7 ran away are more like to him 13 killed and one ran away now.

i've seen deer killed with .22 lr, it can be done, but ethical? not really Even coyotes being smaller need not to run away and suffer.. 2000 fps and 20 grains is not much weight or expansion, unless a perfect shot

use the .300 win mag, load up some 110 Vamx at around 3300 fps for massive damage and 100% kills or some heavyweight 200 grain matchkings for low expansion and long range wind bucking.
a cheap .223 is deadly also.

[Topgun 30-06]

"I've seen deer killed with .22 lr, it can be done, but ethical? not really Even coyotes being smaller need not to run away and suffer.. 2000 fps and 20 grains is not much weight or expansion, unless a perfect shot"

Good comment! I'm not sure why a lot of people want to use a minimal or even less than minimal caliber just because we're talking varmints. IMHO they still deserve to be killed quickly and humanely and barring head shots that shouldn't really be attempted unless they're right on top of you, a 22 mag is too small to be using on coyotes.

[scottyd2506]

Originally Posted by Topgun 30-06

"I've seen deer killed with .22 lr, it can be done, but ethical? not really Even coyotes being smaller need not to run away and suffer.. 2000 fps and 20 grains is not much weight or expansion, unless a perfect shot"

Good comment! I'm not sure why a lot of people want to use a minimal or even less than minimal caliber just because we're talking varmints. IMHO they still deserve to be killed quickly and humanely and barring head shots that shouldn't really be attempted unless they're right on top of you, a 22 mag is too small to be using on coyotes.

Yeah if someone got on here talking about shooting elk at 500 yards with a .223, they would be slashed and slandered by those telling him how un ethical he is, but seems it is not unethical to let a coyote suffer. or thus take cbig hances of it to suffer. It is like people play god and arbitrate what animals deserve to suffer and what animals do not. and you;ll be flammed for those and a free pass on the others.

although they taste better Deer elk etc are not any more or less deserving to suffer than a coyote.
a Rimfire is a squirrel gun .