The hornet is perfect, a .223 is too much. Ideal is one of the 17 CF's but you don't have one of those, so the hornet is it. Howls don't always work, depends on their mood, I hear more howls in the spring/summer, I think the only thing that is consistant is a sound of something they can eat. If they show up in the day time I would just hang out a little until they walk out into the open, just don't miss, you will never get a second chance. The hornet is a 100 yard gun, The 22 Mag is a 50 yard gun, so if it is more than that then go bigger. Larry