Honest opinions of 22 Magnum...

I've used my 22 mag on a few occassion, mainly out of the pickup window when I didn't have any other firearms on board. The few I've shot have all dropped in their tracks, and only 1 required a follow up shot to put it down for good. The farthest was probably 85 yards or so. I'm actually thinking about buying another 22 magnum and setting it up for my bobcat gun, close in coyote gun. My 22 magnum I am shooting now was my grandfathers pride and joy, so I don't like to take it out too often.
 
I have and do but I much prefer to shoot Bobcats with it.
Keep the range under 75 yards and place your shots
precisely and it will do the job just fine.

P.S. Just because you can hit a coyote at 100 or more yards
does NOT mean you should. Killing them cleanly is harder
than just hitting them.
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I have killed 50+ yotes with a 22 Mag and probably had 65 or so run off.

I use a Mauser 210 that is unreal accurate to say the least.

I can hit a standing yote at 150 yards easily, and guaranteed that he will probably run off. Shots at 100 yard are probably in the 50/50 range of run offs.

If you limit your shots to 65 yards or so and use a TOUGH bullet such as a Win 40g HP, your success will be great. If you use a poly tip bullet or an ultra thin jacket bullet like the Winchester Supreme, you may think that you are shooting blanks if the bullet hits a rib or a shoulder blade.

Since the auto's in 22 Mag have come out, I would sure be tempted to buy one if I were hunting yotes with a 22 mag again.

One thing for sure, the 22 magnum is a MUCH better round than the 17 HMR on yotes!
 
I use mine as my all purpose rifle on the ranch. For coyotes 75 yards is max, imo. The coyotes I shoot with it are the ones I catch trying to get at a newborn calf. I just shoot them anywhere to get a bullet in them and most run off 50-100 yards or so before rolling in the dirt.
 
I think the concensus is that a 22 magnum will cleanly kill a coyote if you are mindful of the range; 75 yards and under. Know the limitations of whatever weapon you have and go hunt with it!

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I agree 75 yards at the most. I shot one at 65 yards, right in the boiler room and he did the round and round thing but he did go down.
 
I have yet to try it myself, but most likely will in the future. I think the key is to know your gun, place your shots carefully well within 100 yards and use a good bullet that won't explode upon impact. If you and your gun are accurate enough a head or neck shot would most likely do the trick. If you shoot the yote in the vitals it may or may not run off, depends on exact shot placement.
 
I'll have to agree with above posts. I too have shot several yotes with my 22 mag. and as stated above ,my DRT rate is about 50-50. They will work in a pinch, but I much prefer using my 22-250 to put the hurt on them. Tony
 
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If you shoot the yote in the vitals it may or may not run off, depends on exact shot placement.



Yep! that's good a good enough statement for me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
 
With well placed shots you can reach out and touch them. I've seen .22 mags take whitetails out to 150 yards with a neck shot, and drop in there tracks. It all depends on your ability to place your shots. If you shoot it enough you can pick your range. My dad has taken a yote with his at 200 yards, one shot in the head, but he has shot the gun for over 20 years
 
I have shot enough of coyotes with the 22 mag to know it will work, but........... I will never use it without tracking snow. Even with the snow many aren't recovered.

50/50 on these bigger Eastern dogs. Even with my best shot. The ones I have found usually cover 75 - 200 yards before expireing.

I have never had one drop in its tracks with the 22 mag. Spinning, howling, and running is the norm.

Blood trails with the Mag gererally suck as well.

You decide...... 50/50 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
I got one set up for the boys to use. I have used it on some night hunts. I have a few spots that are close to houses that I don't want to use a big gun. It's lite and quiet. I have shot them at 120 steps but wouldrather they be within the 100 yard range. Shot placement is key. But if that was the only gun that I had I would use it. This year the majority of the coyotes that I have shot have been in a mags range.
 
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Sled dog, what kind of ammo are you using?




winchester 40 grain jacketed HP. (silver box) Tried many others, but this is the best I found for coyotes.

I have a rather unique situation with a somewhat eccentric landowner that lives in a coyote rich area on the Massachusetts/Ct border. He only allows rimfire on his land, so rimfire it is.

I've made some real good solid double lung hits and had to cover over 300 yards to recovery. I can't think of just one coyote that went down under 50 yards. Skinning tells no lies. Good shots /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Granted our coyotes get big here, so I'm sure a fella in the West would enjoy a better shot/recovery ratio.

Good luck with the Mag on bobcats/fox though..... but the bobcats seem to make it a way before dyin' too.
 
2 weeks ago I called one in for a buddy in a swamp at 40 yards and a head shot dropped it DRT small entrance just under the eye and no exit

It can be done just choose your shot wisely

he was using 40 gr.silverbox win.

PH22
 
I have to agree with a lot of what was said here. A few years back we used to wait for coyotes at the edge of a swamp at first light. They would be up frolicking all night at the chicken barns about 1 1/2 miles away. My brother would go up there and raise havoc with them and they'd come trotting over; it was really quite humorous and very predictable. Anyways, I watched this big male come right up to me, he kept looking back to see what all the ruckus was at the barns, finally he got close, the distance was like 35 yds, he turned again, quartering away, and I shot him back in the ribs, angling towards his off shoulder, he dropped and then ran right past me. There was hardly any blood and I could only follow his tracks in the thick swamp for about 75 yds. I searched, but never found that coyote. I was disheartened! I've killed coyotes with the 22mag, but find it marginal. Shortly after that experience, my 22mag was retired as a coyote gun, and it was replaced with a 17 Remington.
 
Quote:
Quote:
If you shoot the yote in the vitals it may or may not run off, depends on exact shot placement.



Yep! that's good a good enough statement for me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif



I figure I've always got a 50% chance, I'm either going to kill them or not.........
 
My grandad owns a large ranch in ND, He has probably shot 1,000 yotes in the past 20yrs with his prized 22mag. There is no middle ground with him, he always has a 22mag and an auto 30-06 in his pickup. Ranchers don't kill predators for game they do it for livelihood and usually don't worry about wounding one. I'm sure that auto 30-06 has toppled a few yotes over the years also. I have seen him shoot gophers, crows, coyotes, cattle, and almost a salesman with his 22mag. He is 82yrs old now and I would bet he could kill a yote at 150yds with a headshot.LOL
 
I killed a coyote 162 steps with my mag, useing 33 grain v max. The hit was high in the shoulder and dropped him in his tracks. I shot one 128 steps head on 2 weeks ago, and did not recover him with tracking snow. The only reason I use this little rifle is due to Michigan law, we must shoot rim fire at night.
 
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