Coyote with an Air Rifle??

Gman757

Active member
I was testing out some Luna Optics nightvision equipment I bought and just went close to my neighborhood to set up. It is illegal to shoot at this location so I had no weapon with me.
I walked into a clearing with with woodlines about 100 to 125 yards on each side of me. I set up my Foxpro about 30 yards upwind and started calling. I was dressed in all black and sitting on a stool at the edge of a small bush. No moon so it was pitch black.
About 10 minutes into calling I see a set of eyes at the edge of the woods. A minute later a coyote was in a slow trot to my call. He slowed as he got closer and was cautious but still upwind so no problem. I muted the call as he got closer and he was looking everywhere for the wounded rabbit he heard.
He sniffed all around my call and I was surprised he did not pick up my scent from my walking in the call but my snakeboots must not have had much odor on them. He hung around for about 3 minutes then trotted back to the woodline.
I called in another coyote and a fox within the next 20 minutes.

All came to the call about 30 yards away and I know I could have gotten a good shot placement with my pellet rifle. I have an Air Force Condor and I shoot a .22 caliber 26.1 grain pellet at 975 fps. It is a tack driver with the Walther barrel and my groups at 30 yards are consistently dime sized.
It will blow through 5/8 plywood at 30 yards so I don't see why it would not kill a coyote with a well placed head shot. I could take plenty of time with my night vision scope because none of them knew I was there sitting in the pitch black darkness.
I don't like to wound animals but I feel confident that I could have made these shots.
Anyone have any experience with shooting a coyote with an air rifle?

http://www.airforceairguns.com/condor.html



 
Last edited:
sneaky2.gif
Why don't you just use that little plastic tooth pick in the end of your swiss army knife?


I give up.


Chupa
 
i had a condor and nailed a few fox out to 60 yds
shota 2 yotes also with it
both under 30 1 with a 32 grain slug quartering away in the ribs ran 30 ds then piled up
the other was looking at me from 19 ds out while i was crow hunting i aimed and popper him in the head dropped him there
for those who are not into air rifles dont understand the accurac capable and the power the make
personabl id go for bigger gun for yotes more like a 308 or an of the 45's the make plent of power with well placed shot they will work fine
but for fox and smaller a condor will be just fine
 
I have to agree not sure I'd go with a .22 cal but there are air rifles out that hunters take 300# hogs with.It blew me away when I saw all the large caliber air guns out there.

SSG RED
 
Now I know why my state (Virginia) has a minimum caliber requirement for shooting deer. Too many people must have been trying to use 22's and airguns and other unsportsman-like methods to kill them.

Yes, I imagine it will kill a coyote with a well placed head shot. What about when you make a mistake? They don't call it "in the field" for nothing....

And I own 3 PCP's by the way.
 
Well,,,,,,, since sling shot's are now being used for Coyote hunting, Idon't see why an air gun wouldn't work.

I'm gonna start looking for a mask of Nancy Pellosi to see if I can just scare one to death.
If it don't kill it, at least I'll leave it with an emotional scar. You know,,, kinda like "head shooting" and just taking the jaw off.
Coyotes are just vermin anyway, right?
It's not like they're living, breathing creatures, so why should we care if they suffer.

crazy.gif
What's next?
crazy.gif
 
well you can make a bad shot with a 300 wsm also
but if you know your gun and know your range and keep them in check you will be fine
i have wounded yotes with my 243 i couldnt recover due to bad shot hit too far back and he got away
i havent lost one yet due to head shots
i understand their brain is roughly size of an Egg but i would only shoot if they are standing still not moving and in my comfort range
if i can stack pellets or even .22lr bullets ontop of each other at 50 yards i know that at 30 yards and under i WILL hit where i aim if i cant make a clean still shot ill hold off and not take the shot
i personally like the challenge of getting them in closer and using diff weapons
such as bow
i mean heck anyone can slap a scope on an ar call a yote into 200 yds and let the led fly
but that if boring to me i prefer to have them under 30 yds so they can see me blink my eyes and hear my heart beat
 
I knew when I posted this that I would take some heat from some of the die hards. I stated that I did not like to wound an animal and I meant it. I don't know why the implication is that just because you use a predator rifle ( I own 2 ) that it is a guaranteed kill.

I see enough posts here about optics and shooting to know that there are plenty of guys out there shooting at ranges that they are not familiar with and they have no clue where they are going to hit a coyote,(shot placement) if at all. Especially at running targets, and also at night with lights. Is that more acceptable than me shooting a lower powered weapon at close range but knowing where I will hit 95% of the time?

The thought just ran through my mind sitting there watching these coyotes so close and not dialed in on me because I was using night vision. I figured that someone here had tried this before so I posted for feedback.

So far I have gotten some good ideas....I just ordered a Swiss army knife with an extra large toothpick, a Halloween mask of Nancy Pelosi and a Super Duper slingshot.
 
Give it a try, can't hurt. Don't worry about the 'naysayers' you will always have them, no matter what caliber you choose.
 
Originally Posted By: Gman757I knew when I posted this that I would take some heat from some of the die hards. I stated that I did not like to wound an animal and I meant it. I don't know why the implication is that just because you use a predator rifle ( I own 2 ) that it is a guaranteed kill.

I see enough posts here about optics and shooting to know that there are plenty of guys out there shooting at ranges that they are not familiar with and they have no clue where they are going to hit a coyote,(shot placement) if at all. Especially at running targets, and also at night with lights. Is that more acceptable than me shooting a lower powered weapon at close range but knowing where I will hit 95% of the time?

The thought just ran through my mind sitting there watching these coyotes so close and not dialed in on me because I was using night vision. I figured that someone here had tried this before so I posted for feedback.

So far I have gotten some good ideas....I just ordered a Swiss army knife with an extra large toothpick, a Halloween mask of Nancy Pelosi and a Super Duper slingshot.
x2......... dont knock the slingshot ;)check out my post down the page it is no joke this thing is nasty
and id go with a metal tooth pic though deeper penatration and will chip bone easier
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Gman757

I see enough posts here about optics and shooting to know that there are plenty of guys out there shooting at ranges that they are not familiar with and they have no clue where they are going to hit a coyote,(shot placement) if at all.

Couldn't agree with you more.

I also agree with those who get a thrill out of calling a Coyote in close.
I mean,,, that's really what it's all about.

I guess I'm just disappointed in the direction this "Sport" is taking.
Electronic Calls,,, battery operated decoys,,, Night Vision,, etc, etc.
Like I said, "What's next"?

If ya just want to make it more challenging, try leaving all the electronic gadgets home and go hunting with a rifle and a hand call.
IMO, "Predator Hunting" has been replaced with just killing chit so I can post a hero shot on the internet and then kick it in the ditch.
I don't begrudge anyone doing anything that's legal. I do however dislike the casual disregard for taking a life that I see all to often.
Not pointing fingers at any one in particular, just making a point.

I will stand by my comments on head shots though.
Anyone that knows anything, will tell you that it's a low percentage, unethical shot. Period!

Luck
Charlie
 
Last edited:
My air gun would kill a coyote inside 50 yards. It's a 45 cal. PCP, though, and it's shooting a 200 gr. lead bullet at around 750 fps.
I'm a little dubious about a .22 cal. killing one before it ran off. I dispatched a skunk once with a Crosman .22 and it took about 5 shots to finish him off. They all passed through, but there wasn't any "knock-down" power.
My 45 would put one clear through a coyote, and I still wouldn't expect it to be DRT.
 
I took one a few years ago with a .22 pcp. Don't remember the exact distance but it was around 20 yards. Would have taken the same shot with the .20 pcp. It will blow a 29 gr pellet through a 2x4.
Also killed a coon with it and countless skunks. Cats became a regular thing, often with requests.
Once dumped a cat at 30 yds when some people stopped by. One guy said that's no ordinary pellet gun.
When talking around 20 yards or so with a gun that is accurate to .329 @ 50 yards well it has a better chance than many people shooting coyotes with a .223 @ 250 yards.
I don't take my pellet gun into the field. just for critters around the house. It is different having a coyote standing here at home.
I firmly believe in minimums for game meat hunting. It can be argued both ways since the butcher kills 1000 lb animals with a .22 rifle. This does not account for the people factor while hunting.
 
Originally Posted By: RePeteWell,,,,,,, since sling shot's are now being used for Coyote hunting, Idon't see why an air gun wouldn't work.

I'm gonna start looking for a mask of Nancy Pellosi to see if I can just scare one to death.
If it don't kill it, at least I'll leave it with an emotional scar. You know,,, kinda like "head shooting" and just taking the jaw off.
Coyotes are just vermin anyway, right?
It's not like they're living, breathing creatures, so why should we care if they suffer.

crazy.gif
What's next?
crazy.gif


After every thread that is similiar to this one, I tell myself "I'm not going to get involved in any more", But I can't help it when it happens again. Do people not understand what "It can kill, but it's a bad idea" means? It's not a hard concept......you're dealing with very low percentage and a large margin for error. There is a 1000 ways to skin a cat, pick a more effective method. I agree whole heartedly with Repete.

Chupa
 
Last edited:
58 ft lbs at the muzzle is way shy of a 40 grain 22 long rifle at 100 yards.
They'll range from 75 ft lbs for a subsonic to 100 or so for a regular
long rifle. Can be done, but I wouldn't.
 
Chupa...I know a guy that was a sniper in Iraq and he told me about how they deal with coyotes on their hunting lease. They bury sections of large plastic pipe at a sharp downward angle and then throw some chicken parts into the bottom. The coyote forces himself down into the pipe to get the chicken and it's too steep and slick for him to back out...so now he is stuck.
They check them the next day and if they find one in the pipe they stick a .357 magnum up his butt and put a round in him.
I guess you would call that a high percentage and low margin for error, but it's not for me. To each his own.
 
if your confident with it go for it. if it does a poor job or gets the job done then lesson learned either way. everyone can fuss and argue back and forth but it's your call.
 
Originally Posted By: Gman757Chupa...I know a guy that was a sniper in Iraq and he told me about how they deal with coyotes on their hunting lease. They bury sections of large plastic pipe at a sharp downward angle and then throw some chicken parts into the bottom. The coyote forces himself down into the pipe to get the chicken and it's too steep and slick for him to back out...so now he is stuck.
They check them the next day and if they find one in the pipe they stick a .357 magnum up his butt and put a round in him.
I guess you would call that a high percentage and low margin for error, but it's not for me. To each his own.

man,
there are easier and less challeging ways to get coyotes! i wouldnt even use a 22 lr and that seems to have more power than the airguns youve mentioned!
 
If you could only hear how many times I have heard that one of these days my 22-250 would let a deer get away from me.I have had someone say something like to me every year for 20 yrs. and it still has not let me down. If your sure your gun will do it then have a good hunt.
 
Originally Posted By: Chupathingy
sneaky2.gif
Why don't you just use that little plastic tooth pick in the end of your swiss army knife?


I give up.


Chupa Dont give up chupathingy! Its post like these that I look forward to almost everyday. Haha, a mask of Nancy Pelosi....I get so much entertainment here it should have a subscription charge.
 
Back
Top