.17 HMR for coyotes?

[Len Backus]

There was a very controversial thread on Rimfire Central a while back. Even though some very successful yote killers use it some...other guys almost went ballistic (no pun intended) over the idea.

I would try it close in.

 

[milanuk]

Len,

Having grown up in a poor rural area... I've seen a *lot* of coyotes downed with a .22 LR... just like I saw a good number of deer taken with .223 and .22-250 (both legal deer calibers at the time in Nebraska). Distance (close) and shot placement (in the head) make up for a lot of perceived ballistic inadequacy.

There are those who throw a fit about anyone doing things they themselves aren't comfortable with (people shooting p-dogs w/ .223 Rem @ 600+ yards bugs the hell out of me), but for some reason they think the Internet a) gives them the right to pass moral/ethical judgement on others in public, and b) that anybody who is already doing so is going to listen to a **** thing they are saying when they go off the deep end about an issue.

YMMV,

Monte

 

[7mmSendaro]

As a point of refence, a friend of mine who hunts alot tried to use a 17HMR on racoons. He was shining them up in the trees and shooting them. After 3 out of the first 4 coons hit the ground still alive and escaped, he went back to his old reliable 22LR and killed 6 straight with no issues.

I have never owned or shot one but based on what my buddy saw, it may be a bit marginal. However, like the previous post said, shot placement is critical. Shooting a coyote in broad daylight versus a coon in the dark may not be the best comparison.

Not sure this answers anything ....just informational.

 

[Len Backus]

As with any gun, bullet choice has to be smart. Almost any 22LR bullet won't blow up but some of the 17HMR bullets are designed expressly to do so.

 

[longbomb]

i own a 17 hmr and have used it coyotes and foxes. for shots 125 yards or closer it definitly does the trick. i have had the gun for over a year and have killed about 25 yotes and a few foxes with it. A 17 hmr also works good on racoons i shot a big old coon at about 50 yards and he didn't go anywhere. shot placement if the biggest factor in effectiveness for this gun but with half inch groups at 100 yards its not hard to be sucessful with the 17 hmr.i say if your confident with your gun and your shooting go for it. happy hunting

 

[comfisherman]

17 hmr on yotes

I hunted yotes with one when it was the only thing available (sophomore in college with no money for a new rifle and only a 22lr a 17 and a 12 gauge). I killed a few within 80 yards, and wounded/ tracked for many hrs/ finally killed several in the 125 yard range. I am a rimfire junky, it was my origional firearm love, I pride myself in my accuracy with all the rimfires I own, and I will gladly admit to them being drastically underpowerd for yotes. My final hoorah was a sub 80 yard coyote shot prone four times in good vitals that only fell to a off chance fifth shot behind the ear. That same day i gimped a badger and spent 4 hrs digging an ornery wounded badger out of a hole.

They are just not designed for tko power which coyotes sometimes need. I switched to a 22 mag handload with a 40 grain v-max and it extended my kill range to about 125 and then shortly went up to a 300 wsm and no longer have to worry about questionable tko power.

I think maybe the yotes back east are rather small or wimpy, seems like folks back there put them down faster with the lil 17. I just have not had the same luck, and I love my hmr. I do shoot a lot of foxes around south kodiak, sitkanak, and the ak peninsula and the 17hmr is the cats meow for that.

But the fox is thinner skinned and way smaller than a yote, and does a little flop/dead all the way out to 150 with the hmr.

just some thoughts

 

[dogdinger]

hhhhmmmmmm

22 mag handload????? have i missed out on some new technoligy available out there? AJ

 

[jeff 300]

I have killed yotes,bobcats,hogs,deer,and a hell of lot of coons with a 17hmr. if a coon is shot with a 17HMR and run off he was hit with a real bad shot!! I dropped a 100# hog at a 100yrds witch was the first animal i shot with one. I have dropped does in there tracks with it. but shot placement is every thing. i shot for the head only with a small round like that. Will the 17HMR work yes. but there's better rifle to use 17rem fireball is a good round for yotes as well as 204,223,22-250. if you only have a 17HMR use it but shot for the head it will do the job.

 

[WunderDog]

While I concur that the 17 HMR is only suitable for coyotes at shorter ranges (say under 100 yds) and when good shot placement is likely, there is also now a bullet consideration. I use my 17 a lot for fox hunting and I have started using the 20gr XTP bullets as opposed to the 17gr v-max. Either is okay for fox but my chances of getting a shot at a coyote while fox hunting are pretty good and I want to maximize the likelihood that I can put them down. I don't have a large enough sample size to draw a conclusion yet but the theory seems sound!

 

[comfisherman]

17 hmr

dogdinger

To explain the 22 mag handloads would take a long time just think 20 year old college student at a tech school with about a dozen lathes and mills. Way to much time on his hands.... little to no money... only rimfires to choose from in his possesion. Add to that a girls parents complaining about their coyote "problem" and walah you have yourself rather effective 22 mag handloads

Not very cost effective - 8.79 for the loaded rouds, 14.59 for the v-maxes and you have some spendy rimfire rounds not to mention it takes double the time to load compared to centerfire and there a one time use deal. But they served their niche for the time, now its 300wsm and 208 a-maxes and no regrets.

Jeff300

Thats cool that you have had the opportunity to whack that large a variety of critters with the 17. I think it would work on the sitka blacktails but its not legal and I have better caliber choices now.

Wunderdog

I quit using the 20 grainers cause I had some pelt damage close in on the foxes. (peninsula foxes are tiny imho) The hmr has one claim to fame and thats velocity and when i chrony the 20's in my cz they are around 2150 and my 22 mag comes close to that with 30 grainers. They also don't feed in my cz mag so I stick with the 17 grainers. Darn near the perfect caliber for these foxes cant wait to get back up north and hammer a few more.

 

[VarmintGuy]

I live amongst Coyotes!
They live in every direction from my home. I also have killed Coyotes with many types of rimfire rounds including 22 Special, 22 Magnum, 22 Long Rifle and the 17 HMR!
The 17 HMR is indeed capable of and an able Coyote killer!
I personally have killed 3 Coyotes with my 17 HMR Rifle. Each Coyote was killed with one shot apiece.
Careful shot placement is required with the 17 HMR and distances must be within reason.
But make no doubt the 17 HMR is Coyote medicine when used with discretion.
I have quite a number of friends who use the 17 HMR for both Coyotes and Fox Hunting. They use this cartridge when night spotting/calling especially when in areas where ranch houses and cattle are around. The rimfires don't seem to alarm the residents or the livestock. And the rimfires allow for closer distances between shooting sites! The sound simply does not carry so far. And the 17 HMR is very pelt friendly. Many cattle ranches in my areas allow Varmint Hunting with rimfires only! The 17 HMR helps out on these places as well.
I use my 17 HMR exclusively to thin Coyotes now in an area that I also Hunt Deer and Elk in. The 17 HMR is along when I am Hunting Big Game here. The rimfire does not alert the Elk and Deer like a 220 Swift would!
Long live the 17 HMR!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

 

[jeff 300]

I live amongst Coyotes!
They live in every direction from my home. I also have killed Coyotes with many types of rimfire rounds including 22 Special, 22 Magnum, 22 Long Rifle and the 17 HMR!
The 17 HMR is indeed capable of and an able Coyote killer!
I personally have killed 3 Coyotes with my 17 HMR Rifle. Each Coyote was killed with one shot apiece.
Careful shot placement is required with the 17 HMR and distances must be within reason.
But make no doubt the 17 HMR is Coyote medicine when used with discretion.
I have quite a number of friends who use the 17 HMR for both Coyotes and Fox Hunting. They use this cartridge when night spotting/calling especially when in areas where ranch houses and cattle are around. The rimfires don't seem to alarm the residents or the livestock. And the rimfires allow for closer distances between shooting sites! The sound simply does not carry so far. And the 17 HMR is very pelt friendly. Many cattle ranches in my areas allow Varmint Hunting with rimfires only! The 17 HMR helps out on these places as well.
I use my 17 HMR exclusively to thin Coyotes now in an area that I also Hunt Deer and Elk in. The 17 HMR is along when I am Hunting Big Game here. The rimfire does not alert the Elk and Deer like a 220 Swift would!
Long live the 17 HMR!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

the sound doesn't alarm much is right. I hunt yotes behind my house in the middle of corpus christi on the bay i have a 100 ac back there with the bay in the back ground. it makes for some gun hunting. the yote come out to feed on the shore line. hell i shot 3 javelins in my back yard and the neighbors never herd a thing.

 

[7mmSendaro]

WOW!

Guess I'll find out for myself.....just got a message that I won a .17HMR in a gun raffle!

 

[Len Backus]

Fantastic!