.22 MAG too small for coyotes???

Let me put it this way. I have only killed 6 coyotes with a 22 mag. None ran far. All were shot inside 50 yards. Most spun around and died on the spot. I have killed 1 with a 17 HMR. 100 yards. It was a pass through the ribbs. I was surprized the17g bullet went all the way through. Coyote went 10 yards. Hey if a 22mag is all you have, pick your shots, hit them right and it will do the job. No, it is not a center fire,but it will kill them at 100 yards, better at 50. Coyote hunting I would rather use my K Hornet or 223 or 22-250 or my 220 Swift. Depends on the terrain and what I feel like at the time. Some guy on U Tube shot lots of coyotes with his 22 mag 10 -22 mag. He went with the 22mag because of mounting the camera on the rifle and the recoil didn't kill his camera. He had to shoot some of them several times to bring them down.

scottyd2506 said:

You're simply fighting a battle that you can't win with logic. .22 WMR will kill coyotes. Are there better calibers that do more damage, even with poor shot placement? Sure! But "won't do the job"? It'll do the job if you do yours.

you can search coyotes and 223 and failure on google on forums where people have failures with the 223 Remington on coyotes, even using the vmax.
I have read many stories of coyote running off after being hit with a 223 and a good varmint bullet.
If they'd hit 'em where they're supposed to there wouldn't be any runners. Just because you use a "good varmint bullet" doesn't make up for poor shot placement. If you're not gonna pass on the bad opportunities, maybe you should rethink your shot selection.

So your trying to say the .22 mag has more knock down power than the 223?? OMG!!!
OMGOMG!! I didn't suggest that. Spurious accusations will gain you no quarter in this argument


a low velocity .22 mag that pencil through a coyotes lungs will not expand much if at all. it may die, but it will run 50 miles and die a week laer.

Dead is dead. I'd like coyotes dead sooner and make every effort to make sure they are. .22WMR does that when I do my part.
While a 22-250 and a 40 vmax at 4000 fps in the lungs will still expand and blow the coyotes insides up.
killing it instantly.

Only if you hit him where you're aiming.



it will !! if you like 50% or lower chances.

My experience doesn't bear out your statistics. Maybe I'm more careful about shot selection. Could it be?
Good luck on ur hunts

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Same to you. .22 WMR will work on coyotes. You may not be willing to only take the shots that are appropriate to the caliber and your abilities, but that's a different problem.lightbulb

patience said:

Same to you. .22 WMR will work on coyotes. You may not be willing to only take the shots that are appropriate to the caliber and your abilities, but that's a different problem.lightbulb

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In my younger reckless days I've killed animals bigger than a coyote with quiet subsonic 22 shots out of a 22 Long rifle, not DRT, but they died! Very well placed shots inside of 50-70 yards.. and 70-90% success.

a perfect shot does make a huge difference. where we hunt in the midwest, coyotes get big and do not sit still for long, always on the move running or trotting, you can make a bark sound and get them to stop for about 2-3 second tops and then they are gone. You do not always have time to aim a heart shot. a less than perfect shot is the norm and they will run away most of the time from 22 mag hits.

If all I had in my truck was a 22 mag or even 22 lr, sure I'd take a shot at a coyote, but I would not pick it to do the job when I have the right tools.


Some people have there own ways of thinking, like less gun means less gruesome and looks nicer.

I've made mistakes in my younger days and know better. I do not mind killing game. but a quick humain death is what most hunters strive for. I'm not into torturing animals . I'd rather be shot and blown to bits than left to suffer a slow death for days in agonizing pain. And I would like to give them the same treatment. To me a deer is no more or less deserving to have to suffer than a coyote or any animal.

That is just my view, I respect all hunters and they have the right to chose the equipment they like.

Out west where coyotes are dinky and sit still for hours for the perfect shot. I guess a 22 mag or.22 lr would be plenty.

take care

rosborohunter said:

Some of you fellas would stroke out if you had to hunt public land in Arkansas. We are limited to rimfire and shotguns with T shot or less. I have not hunted any of this land yet but intend to this year. It is chock full of yotes and they are wiping out the turkey population. While bow hunting, I have heard multiple packs fire up at the same time from where I was hunting. I hate that I can't cary my little baby (X bolt shot show special in 22-250). But I try to follow the law, so this Christmas I am hoping Santa brings me a new Savage model 93 in 22wmr. I will 2 gun it when I go and bring along my Benelli with 3 1/2 #4 turkey loads. Hopefully, I can share some stories and pics later.

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I told you I would share a story, so here goes.
Instead of the Savage, Santa brought me a CZ 455 Varmint in 22wmr. Last Saturday, I set up on a power line between two 4 year old pine plantations. My call was app 60 yards in front of me and because of the briars and other ground cover, my shots were either going to be in my lap or at 100 yards. I took a seat on a stump and was using my knee as a rest. After 5 minutes of Cottontail DSG out of my Foxpro, I see a coyote trotting in from about 250 yards out. He never lets up and if he continues on his current path, I will be busted, so I woof him to a stop in a clearing. Try as I may, I could not keep the crosshairs on his head so I pull down on his chest and squeeze. At the shot, he bucks and runs into the plantation at full speed. I can hear him crashing through the thicket and then sudden silence. After the shot, I continue to call but have no more takers. I walked to the place he was standing and find hair, but no blood. After tracking and searching for some time, I decided to head out for another stand.

From my experience, that crashing I heard followed by sudden silence equals dead animal. However, I never found it. I was very troubled by the events, but only because I did not bring along a suitable rest. I hope to give some better stories soon.

rosborohunter said:

I told you I would share a story, so here goes.
Instead of the Savage, Santa brought me a CZ 455 Varmint in 22wmr. Last Saturday, I set up on a power line between two 4 year old pine plantations. My call was app 60 yards in front of me and because of the briars and other ground cover, my shots were either going to be in my lap or at 100 yards. I took a seat on a stump and was using my knee as a rest. After 5 minutes of Cottontail DSG out of my Foxpro, I see a coyote trotting in from about 250 yards out. He never lets up and if he continues on his current path, I will be busted, so I woof him to a stop in a clearing. Try as I may, I could not keep the crosshairs on his head so I pull down on his chest and squeeze. At the shot, he bucks and runs into the plantation at full speed. I can hear him crashing through the thicket and then sudden silence. After the shot, I continue to call but have no more takers. I walked to the place he was standing and find hair, but no blood. After tracking and searching for some time, I decided to head out for another stand.

From my experience, that crashing I heard followed by sudden silence equals dead animal. However, I never found it. I was very troubled by the events, but only because I did not bring along a suitable rest. I hope to give some better stories soon.

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The crash you hear is sometimes the animal desperation running through and over thickets, esp after being shot adrenaline kicks in.
No doubt it will be dead, but only after it runs half way across the planet.

I feel sorry for people who are forced by law to hunt medium sized animals with a squirrel gun. shots need to be close and absolutely perfect for rimfire and coyotes.

"I feel sorry for people who are forced by law to hunt medium sized animals with a squirrel gun. shots need to be close and absolutely perfect for rimfire and coyotes."

The law isn't really forcing them to hunt with it. It just won't let them hunt with anything but a pea shooter in certain areas for safety reason, or at least that's what they say. I'd use a shotgun with a slug that is real accurate before wounding more than you will kill humanely with a 22 mag. at any kind of distance. I don't know why so many have the mentality that "it's just a coyote" and will shoot it whether it runs away to die a slow death or dies on the spot. That's just pizz poor ethics if you don't consider killing ANY animal quickly and humanely!

If you must use rimfire, the .17wmr is a much more powerful cartridge. In Florida and Georgia the shots are not very long. I would have no problem using a 22mag, but I take my .17wmr or use my deer rifle as it is good practice. I really don't need you to say again it's a squirrel gun, it's not really, it is too much gun for tree rats, I like to eat them!

Killed any coyotes with your 17 WMR yet?

Lights out quickly?

phorwath said:

Killed any coyotes with your 17 WMR yet?

Lights out quickly?

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It seems to hit them as hard as .223, I know it's not but the results have been good. Coyotes are small in Florida. I tried to load pictures 3 times and gave up.

Well that's says a lot!

It's an interesting rimfire option. Which rifle do you own? The limitation seemed to be the scarcity of factory rifle options when the cartridge first became available.

Perhaps that's improving / better now??

Good to hear of kills with a .22 WRM cartridge.

I have a Ruger 96/22 lever action .22 mag rifle with a Green Mountain hexagonal barrel and a Bushnell 1.75 - 4 scope. (Yes, Ruger made these ever guns in .22 LR. .22 WRM and .44 mag. for a few years. They are collector's items now.)

With the new barrel it now shoots consistent 1" groups at 50 yards which is "minute of coyote" at 100 yards, my max range IF I took it coyote hunting.

Eric B.

A 22 mag is not enough gun for a coyote at more than 50 yards and you'd better hit him perfect with it!

So my Ruger 96/22 has a Bushnell 1.75 - 4X scope. From my experience shooting groundhogs in western Pennsylvania I feel 4X should be enough magnification for 100 yards, a distance this thread has convinced me is still humane with a .22 WRM round.

Eric B.

phorwath said:

Well that's says a lot!

It's an interesting rimfire option. Which rifle do you own? The limitation seemed to be the scarcity of factory rifle options when the cartridge first became available.

Perhaps that's improving / better now??

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I have the savage b-mag bull barrel now, I had three of the pencil barrels and kept sending them back, the best 100 yard group with the best was about 1.65". The bull barrel got them down just under an inch, the Boyd's stock and some bedding has gotten it down to .5, if I do my part.