What Gun?

[henry1]

I own .20 ga a .12 ga 7mm mag 30/06 30/30 .22's .45acp .44mag blackpowder(trad) Compound bow, what would you guys use for yotes? I would rather not use the shotguns as I cant get them in that close. Thanks fellas. Henry

[Ladobe]

Too many questions still left open to give you a real opinion based on what you calling situation is.   How close can you call them?   You want to shoot them for the pelts, ADC, just to be hunting (sport), etc?   Is this going to be just a once in a while or "opportunity" thing or do you want to get serious about calling?  

None of the guns you mention short of the shotguns and bow are really "normally used" coyote rigs (and I don't use scatterguns for them myself), but you could make do with almost any of them... depending on your skill with them.   If you don't care about saving pelts, the Thirty or the '06 would get the job done, so would the 44 or the compound (but if you can't get them in shotgun range - bows out too).   Yeah I know, most of the others could work too, but leave the 22's (I assume 22LR) and the 45 blowback at home, and only take the 7MAG if you'll be shooting 3-400 yards at them.

With the exception of my 6X47 Stealth (for the larger predators), all of my calling rigs are 17 and 22 centerfires bought FOR predator calling, and are user, pelt AND landowner friendly.    Also have 32, 36 and 45 cal black powder rifles just for varmints/predators.

Just one guys ideas - other will vary and disagree I am sure.   HTH anyway...

Ladobe  :bye:

[NRAJOE]

30/06  

[DesertRam]

Unfortunately, you're really not set up that great for predators at this point, especially if you want to save the hides.  I suppose if you're just there for a little fun and want to whack 'em and stack 'em, either the '06 or the 7 will do the job.  It'll be ugly though.  Like Ladobe, I use a .22 centerfire (.223) that I bought just for calling.  I also back it up with a shotgun for the close ones.  You'd be surprised at how often you get them in close enough for the scattergun.  I probably kill 35-50% of my coyotes with a shotgun.  

Recommendations?  Take the shotgun, try to get them in close, and have the '06 handy if they hang up.  I would suggest regular old 180 grain soft points.  You might luck out and have minimal exit wounds with bullets that stay together.  If you handload, try loading some big heavy bullets way down slow to ease the pain on your shoulder and the coyotes' hides.

Good luck.

[henry1]

Thanks alot guys, I might just have to go out and get me a .22 caliber. Thanks so much you all have very good ideas and I appriciate (SP) the info. Thanks Again guys. Henry

[Jim n Iowa]

Here in central Iowa we really go after the song dog in the winter after deer season. With snow on the ground and very little cover its really hard to call them in close. They will set out 100+yds. So a range finder is more important than a call. One rifle I use is the 7mm mag. 139 hornadys work great now, but its possible to load 100, and 120 grn bullets for this gun. Pelts have been of no value for some time. The big 7 is a great varmint gun.
Jim

[DesertRam]

Chris, I started out just using my dove/quail gun - a 12 ga. BPS.  I found that it was a bit shiny and a bit long (28" barrel), so I bought me a cheapie-chugger Mossberg 500 Turkey special from Wally-World.  It's fully camo with a 24" ported (not too keen on this, but...) barrel and sling studs for easy carrying.  I've been shooting the modified choke, but that's mostly because I can run into quail at any time here in the desert and want to be prepared for them.  Last year I shot 3" 00 buck, but this shotgun doesn't pattern it nearly as nicely as the BPS, so I switched to 3" #1 buck (24 pellets per shell compared to 15 in the 00).  I haven't shot a coyote yet with it, but it seems to pattern pretty well.  I used to keep a #4 buck in the chamber backed up by some 00 in the mag, but I got tired of keeping track of multiple loads (remember I've got bird shot floating around too), so I'm hoping the #1 will do it all.  I'm pretty confident out to about 40 yards with the shotgun.  It's real handy in the thick mesquite and dunes down here.  You never know when ol' Wiley will try to crawl in you lap

[Old Griz]

Henry,

From the choice of weapons you listed, if the shotgun is out, I'd go with the .30-30. Maybe a 150-gr. won't do too much damage if you're saving the pelt. (Maybe it'll zip on through without making a huge hole.) I don't think the .22 LR is enough gun for a clean humane kill. Of course, some guys will tell you how they take yotes all day long with .22s, but for the rest of us mortals it usually just ain't enough. Ah, I'd take that .45 with you, too. I love handgun hunting, and if one comes in close, it's a lot of fun taking them with the old handgun.

Before you go out and buy something else, try the .30-30. Then if it just doesn't work out for you, you've got a good reason to say, "Well Honey, I tried, but I gotta get a new gun . . . "

Good luck! :cb2:

[hillbilly]

In my opinion the 30-06 would be the choice, a handload of 110-125gr polymer point(V-max, Blitz King, or Ballistic tip) around 3000fps. 1.5 inches high at 100yds should cover nearly all coyote shooting situations from 0-300 yards. and just a point of interest i once saw a coyote killed at ninety yards with a 12g 3" shooting BBs, it was sneaking into our goose dekes and when it peaked over a small rise one of my hunters let fly. One pellet had hit it between the eyes i wouldn't suggest this shot but apparently it can be done.

[Old Griz]

Yeaaaaah! I like what hillbilly said. I don't reload or have a .30-06, but what he said sounds a whole lot better than my idea! Now I've heard of some little-bitty saboted bullets for the .30-30, but I've never seen them or know anyone who has. So go with the '06 and hillbilly's bullets!

Then of course, post pictures of the results! :cb2:

[hillbilly]

hey old griz I actually have used and still occasionally use the sabots in my 06, I began useing them when it was all i had, 180gr for deer, 150gr for antelope, 110 for coyotes and the sabots for gophers. the accuracy is great 1-1.5MOA velocity was around 3800fps. (i didn't chrono them as i was worried about the sabot hitting the chrono.) I've also tried them in my brothers savage 30-30 bolt gun but let's just say they didn't group, they patterned, and in my cousins 308 once again great accuracy. I got the sabots out of utah the ad was in Shotgun news so if anyone is interested drop me a pm, and i'll see if i can find the ad.

[Old Griz]

Instead of trying to make my .30-30 do something it wasn't created to do, I'll just reach for something more to the task: either my Savage in .223 or Marlin 1894 in .357. Either should work on coyotes.
:cb2: