.17rem and coyotes

[L. Cooper]

I think coyotes are, pound for pound, one of the toughest animals I hunt. I can tell some stories about not quite perfect shots, or just plain determined coyotes that resulted in long tracking jobs to finish off animals. I hate those times. For that reason I think the .22 centerfires are the smallest rounds I will deliberately use or recommend for coyotes, especially if the ranges get long, and they always seem to.

The 17's will work at shorter ranges. No doubt. But I am forever seeing coyotes at longer ranges and I have a hard time passing up those chances. So I don't use or advise the use of small calibers and light bullets for coyotes.

I shoot a 22-250 with 50 or 55 grain bullets when I know I'm going to be after Wiley (or something even bigger of course). I think that level of performance is my minimum on these animals.

As for noise when calling, ignore it. The noise of a .17, although less than a .22-250 will still be heard by every coyote within a mile of your shot anyway. It is my experience that the noise of a rifle shot does not really disturb them all that much. We have often called another after shooting one in one spot. They hear lots of weird human noises in most places now days. A single distant "bang" doesn't upset them much at all.

So use a level of power that will ensure humane kills, and worry more about proper set up than the noise of your shot.