Pelt damage?

[threejones]

I'm heading out at early 30 tomorrow for yotes/wolves. The problem is that I wasn't smart enough to pickup some pelt-friendly ammo for any of my rigs while I was in town. I've never really worried about saving a yote pelt. But if we get into wolves (and it's very likely), I'd like to avoid turning half of it into a canoe.

The smallest caliber I've got (excluding rimfires) is a 223. The only ammo I have on-hand is- Hornady Superformance Varmint 53gr V-max, Hornady Varmint 55gr V-max Moly, Federal Premium 60gr Nosler Partition, PMC 55gr Xtac FMJ, and PMC 55gr FMJ-BT. Of these, which do you guys think will be the least likely to blow out a pelt? I've taken yotes with the Hornady 55gr and both the PMC loads, but I've never really payed much attention to how much they ripped things up, I just know they get the job done. I'm leaning on the 60gr Partition as I've had em pass through a couple whitetail does cleanly, but I've been wrong before! What'd yall think?

 

[Woody26]

Ive had good luck saving yote pelts with 55 grain v-maxes out of my 22-250.

Ridge

 

[jakelly]

The wolves in that country should weigh between 90-130 lbs. I would take a 22-250/243 class cartridge and shoot a partition or barnes x type hunting bullet. That's a fast animal (12+ mph trotting, and they are always trotting), in big country, and because of this your shot will probably be longer than you'd prefer. I think with a 223 and 60 gr bullets you may find yourself wishing you had more gun when you spot a wolf. If you don't have that option, I would carry my deer rifle, but my dominant concern would be dead wolf, I'll explain the stitch marks later.

 

[threejones]

The wolves in that country should weigh between 90-130 lbs. I would take a 22-250/243 class cartridge and shoot a partition or barnes x type hunting bullet. That's a fast animal (12+ mph trotting, and they are always trotting), in big country, and because of this your shot will probably be longer than you'd prefer. I think with a 223 and 60 gr bullets you may find yourself wishing you had more gun when you spot a wolf. If you don't have that option, I would carry my deer rifle, but my dominant concern would be dead wolf, I'll explain the stitch marks later.

Yeah, I'd prefer to use my 6mm. But my hunting partner is going to use it. He doesn't have anything smaller than a 300win and doesn't want to tear one up either. The area we're hunting is pretty tight timber along some creek bottoms. 50-75yds is about as far as you can see clearly most of the time. There's a few clear-cuts that are maybe 500yds across, but they tend to avoid them durring the day anyway. I figure the 223 should still have enough steam that close, and it's carbine so it handles alot quicker. Plus I'll have the 6mm as backup

 

[Joe King]

Not sure about how tough the body of a wolf can be, but a load that works well on yotes my just **** off a big wolf, or given room to slow down a bit might be just the ticket. But since your not worried about yote hides, go with the heavier partition. Better to have to much for one than not enough for the other. I would think that a even a doe would be more resistant to bullet damage than a wolf, dogs just aren't real tough when bullets come into play, thinner hides and constructed differently.

 

[threejones]

I'm off the hook till Thursday. My buddy got called in to work, leaving me time to run into town and pickup ammo. Now, the skys the limit, any suggestions?

 

[dogbuster0006]

Dad used 55gr hp in a 223 for yrs never had too much damage on yotes, if there was a pass through it was small unless hitting shoulder bone. As for wolves I'd say any bullet that'll kill deer would do just as well on them, 60gr partition should be fine and wouldn't think it'd tear hides up either. I've been shooting 53 vmax superformance hornady for a while now and like them have yet to have an exit on a yote. I shot a 243win for yrs and a 75g hp would kill yotes dead as can be bang flop every time wasn't too bad on hide either, I've killed several over the yrs deer hunting and a 100gr sp will flat knock em down too was quarter to golfball size exits Hope it helps happy hunting

 

[HARPERC]

Hornady Superformance 55 gr GMX would be high on my list.

 

[threejones]

Hornady Superformance 55 gr GMX would be high on my list.

That's one of my favorites for yotes. The local gun shop has been out of em for a while though.

Well, after 14 miles of hiking (most of it litteraly walking in fresh wolf tracks)... no wolves. We called 8-10 sets and ended up with 1 tiny mangy yote. The 60gr partition did the trick, leaving 1 little hole on each side. Hopefully it'll be the same on a wolf the next trip.