caliber for fox and coyote

[506th]

In my part of the world, 22LR was the only caliber legal in a rifle if you wanted to hunt fox or coyote. Now the regs have changed. I am looking for something that will take both animals and I want to keep the pelts. The woods are thick so almost all shots will be under 100 yards. I live in an area that is developing quickly so houses will be near. I was leaning towards the .22 Hornet but also considered the .223 Remington. I've seen alot of gray and red foxes during archery season and many big coyotes (not sure on the weight but they look huge). Someone mentioned a .22 WMR, which I would consider if it can do the job.

I plan on reloading for the center fire calibers.

thanks for any info

[~Ace~]

I consider the .223 the Min, and probably the Best caliber for Eastern Yotes if you want them DEAD And save pelts. If you reload, you can make reduced velocity Bluedot loads for Fox / Cats, or just make sure not to hit bone. If your Calling them, and in thick stuff, a Shotgun may be your best bet tho.

[Jerry Lester]

My primary calling rifle is a 22 Hornet. I'd likely be using a 17 of some sorts(NOT an HMR), if I didn't have the same dilemma as you, and need to use the same rifle on coyotes, "and" foxes. A 223 will blow a fox up horribly with any factory ammo, and anything but a down-loaded combination (basically within 22 Hornet velocities) that you come up with yourself is gonna blow'em up too. Honestly, it's even hard trying to find a good balance with the 22 Hornet, but it's at least somewhat easier to do than with all the other centerfires.

The 22 Hornet will positively dump a coyote consistently at normal calling ranges. With a medium, to slightly below maximum load combo using a fairly tough bullet that'll offer just "enough" expansion, you'll kill coyotes just fine, and your foxes will have exits ranging from dime sized(rarely) to quarter sized(acceptable) to tennis ball sized(rarely again) when something goes wrong.

I second the shotgun line of thinking. It's truly the only way you can kill both without hurting the foxes hides.

[rex6666]

When i was 13-14 years old in SW Oklahoma i killed lots of coyotes with a 22lr
when i got my hand on a 22mag i thought i would surly eradicate the coyote
in that part of the world, truth be know i have killed a few deer with it
but that long ago before i knew better.
Under a hundred yds the 22mag will any coyote.
might have ti decided between fmj or hp for fox.

[backstrap]

I second the 223 i shot a bobcat last winter with mine she was out there about 60 to 70 yards hit her right behind the front leg like i was shooting a deer and did not have any exit wound i shoot 50grJHP and it worked great, there is so much ammo available for the 223 and cheaper than others to

[Catfish]

The .22 Hornet will do everything you need done with well placed shots at 100 yrds. or less. The .223 has the advantage of being able to find ammo easier and a better selection. If you wanting to save hides the .17 Rem or .17-221 would be a better choice. If you load your own and like to wildcat my pick would be the .17 AH with a 19 gn. Calhoon bullet, but this one might lose to much as it nears 200 yrds.

[Jerry Lester]

The .22 Hornet will do everything you need done with well placed shots at 100 yrds. or less. The .223 has the advantage of being able to find ammo easier and a better selection. If you wanting to save hides the .17 Rem or .17-221 would be a better choice. If you load your own and like to wildcat my pick would be the .17 AH with a 19 gn. Calhoon bullet, but this one might lose to much as it nears 200 yrds.

Do you have a 17 Ackley Hornet? I've been "very seriously" thinking about having one built. I have no doubts that it'd be the ultimate fox caliber, but I'm a little worried about it's effectiveness on a big coyote.

[506th]

Catfish

A .17 Rem is something I am interested in but it looks like very few factory guns are made in this caliber. Is the .17 Rem Fireball a suitable alternative? I'm not looking for a 300 yard gun so at the ranges I'm interested in, the difference in velocity and energy between .17 Rem and .17 Rem Fireball should be negligible.

[jamaldog87]

I have used 22LR on coyotes here all the time and for fox's i don't know you can't hunt them here(FL) but the 22mag should do very nicely cause i have killed coyote cleanly at 30-50 yards with a head shot. Maybe you should try a 12,16, or 20GA shotgun cause i know down here when foxs do come the come running to a call.

[PartsMan]

The 22 hornet sounds like all you need,
but the 223 ammo is more common and less expensive.
I have never shot a fox but mine works great on coyotes.

[Catfish]

Jerry, The .17 AH I have is a Bullberry barrel for a Contender. My favorite load for it is the 19 gn. Calhoon bullet with 10.4 gn of H-4227 and a 6 1/2 Rem. primer at 3,600 fps. That load will leave a hole in a coon that looks like a .22-250, and it shoots point blank to abt. 290 yrds. It`s 1 great little round.
506th. The .17 Mach lV or the new Rem. round are very close to the the .17 Rem. in velosity and no game hit with eather will be able to tell the difference.

[FourBee]

The range I hunt is viewable to over a 1,000 yards, and a lot of Coyotes are seen around 200+ yards.   For that reason I'm going to try the .223.

Years back I tried it with a .22LR, but couldn't get them to come in close enough most of the time.    The .270 I use is okay for medium range.   But usually, at a long 200 yards I kick up dust in front of them.   

[sportsman223]

  If your going to reload for it 22-250 This is what I use and is safe in my rifles
 Same bullet same powder Fox Load This is a reduced load IMR 4064, 26.0 Gr , Hornady 55Gr spire point under 200yds deadly I use this load for night hunting .
   Coyote Load IMR 4064, 35.0 Gr  Hornady 55Gr spire point,
 As for gray's I have had them almost run me over after I started my call a shotgun is just fine
  I went to a Dennis Kirk seminar and most of the time he was using a 22WRM or a shotgun for fox, Western Coyotes he used centerfire rifles

[Glanceblamm]

I had a lot of good years with the .22WMR and Red Fox. I went to a centerfire when the Coyotes started showing up here.
I would agree with the .22 Hornet (within calling ranges) as said already on up. I am currently using a .22-250 which I handload for.

Catfish, It was good to hear someone say they used the Calhoon bullet. OSO45-70 would use those exclusively.

[Ladobe]

For fox and coyotes to 100+ yards my choice would also be the 17 Ackley Hornet.   I have 3 of them and they are very fur friendly even on fox, yet still have plenty of punch for coyotes well beyond 100 yards.  Otherwise I'd opt for a 17M4 if you feel you need more (but you don't if you can place your shots well).

When I got into the 17 wildcats about a decade ago, all of my 22 caliber rigs became safe queens.   Guns come and go, but I have thirteen 17 caliber rigs right now and have never looked back to the 224's for either predator or varmint hunting here in the wide open spaces of the west.