Rifle Caliber

[Double00]

What caliber is the most popular for coyotes in TN? It seems Eastern and Western hunting would be quite different. What do most hunters use?

 

[Plateau Hunter]

Any cartridge will work if you can hit them properly. Personally I like the .223 in the AR. A 22/250 would be my second choice for a pure coyote rifle. PH

 

[Double00]

Thanks for the reply. What would be a realistic coyote range for the 223, 200 yd., 300 yd? How far out could you take the shot and the 223 still be effective?

 

[reloadxx]

I use a 223 in a my ar and a 243 in my bolt gun and the fatherest i have shot a yote with the 223 is 317yrds with a range finder and he did not like the 55gr v-max

 

[easy45]

I prefer my. 243

 

[Nhill]

Thanks for the reply. What would be a realistic coyote range for the 223, 200 yd., 300 yd? How far out could you take the shot and the 223 still be effective?

It depends on how good you and your gun are. I think the bullet's effective range is probably past your effective range on a coyote.

 

[redblood]

if you are calling coyotes 200 yard shots should be very rare. we kill more at 60 than we do at 100 +

 

[Yotehntr]

Are you wanting to save the fur's? If so the .223 is about the biggest I'd go. If you just want to knock 'em down it's hard to beat the 22-250 or 243... they really put the hammer on coyotes but damage the fur severely.

 

[Shed Hunter]

Whenever I go I take my 30-06.

 

[jakeway]

I don't own a centerfire rifle specifically for coyote hunting, but I've worked up coyote loads in my three favorite deer rifles: 90 gr 270 WIN, 85 gr 260 REM, and 80 gr 243 WIN. When I go out for coyotes I carry the 243 or the 260. I haven't owned the 243 long enough to work up a load in lighter varmint weight bullets, but the 80 gr loads my 10 year old granddaughter shoots are just fine for yotes in the close-range places I hunt.

I suspect more people in TN use the 223 for yotes than any other centerfire cartridge, so that would make it "most popular".

 

[Locksley]

220 Swift

 

[Rubberduck270]

22-250 for me.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

22-250 for me.

x2

 

[Model70Man]

Any firearm I have at the time. I like the 243 or a 12 gauge.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

0.308

 

[recurveman]

I use my trusty 243, and I buy a lot of 100gr for deer hunting so that is what I use for yotes. I also carry a 17 HMR, but this rimfire round is good for head shots within 100 yards. I've not shot anywhere but at the head with the 17

 

[Gravey]

I tell myself every year I'm going to get into coyote hunting but have yet to go for the sole purpose of it. I have a .243 I'd use on private land and a 17hmr I'd use on corp land since centerfire rifles aren't allowed. If I were buying a gun specifically for coyotes it would be a .223 or .22-250 more than likely although I've heard good things on the .204 too.

 

[gruvmann]

Hmmm... is .308 a fair answer? Overkill, I know but that's all I have for now. Building an AR that will be my yote rifle. Hopefully done by winter.

 

[tn droptine]

Anyone use just a plain ol' .22? I have a .243 that I could always use, but I plan on carrying the .22 for squirrel here in a few weeks and might try callin one in if I'm not seein many tree rats

 

[Plateau Hunter]

Yes a .22lr will work-best if range is inside 50 yds and you can get multiple hits. A head shot will anchor them-any other place may result in a runoff and death without recovery even with 'good' placement. When a .22lr is all I have I use it. PH

 

[varminthunter123]

17 HMR for 100 yards or less and 223 out to 500 yards.

 

[Swampster]

Those .17HMR are sure fun to shoot aren't they? A good one can make even a mediocre shot feel like a marksman.

 

[Double00]

Thanks for the replies. Based on your responses, I guess I am good to go as I have a 223 and a 243. However, it looks as if I will need a 17 if I want to hunt on a WMA during certain times of the year.

Would it be okay to use a shotgun on a WMA when a center fire is illegal?

 

[thejetman]

I just bought a 22 250. . . . .it's main purpose is a yote stopper!

 

[Wildcat]

22-250