17 HMR on Coyotes

easygo6

Any opinions on the wisdom of using this caliber to hunt Coyotes will be appreciated. I am talking about 'center-of-mass' hits either facing the shooter or broadside. I know that at close range (under 60 yds) there is a good chance for a reasonably clean kill with good shot placement. Call me sensitive but I want a reasonably quick kill even for a Coyote.

I have some friends that have jumped on the 17 HMR wagon and are planning to 'clean out' the Coyotes from several parcels of farmland here in Southwestern Ohio. I am trying to convinve them to use heavier 22 WMR loads, a 22 Hornet, or light loads in another centerfire (too many neighboring farms are near, homes, state highways, for heavy centerfires). Tricky 'cause I Know the 17 HMR has little richocet risk associated with it.

SEMPER FI

easygo6

I have an on-going 'discussion' with a couple guys. They state that due to the effects on a 2" x 6" piece of lumber at 60 yds (shot through the 'thin' cross section) they believe the 17 HMR is adequate for coyote hunting out to 100-125 yds.

I have not shot, seen shot, or owned a 17 HMR. Can some GB members with some 17 HMR experience please share their opinion?

Without naming names there are a few guys here that I believe give sound advice and are knowledgeable of external ballistics/effects on live game. I hope to hear from you.



"They're in front of us, they're behind us, they're to our left and to our right...they can't get away now."

Chesty Puller, Chosin Reservoir, Korea

SEMPER FI

Contender Man

Nothing wrong w/ being humane. Marketing hype on the 17HMR and now the Mach2 gets some folks to believing that these are "super rounds", which they are not.

17 gr. bullets that have almost explosive properties, but little true penetration. Great rounds for small varmints and reasonable ranges, but being so light they are sensitive to even light wind (breezes) and this hampers them on long range shots.

Next comes the size of the animal, and at ranges over about 50 yards the chance for "ugly" kills goes up rapidly. True most Coyotes are relatively small, but they took one last year over toward Ashtabula that weighed just over 50 lbs. Forage is good here in Ohio and the "yotes" are living good, and regardless of size they are tough critters.

Personally I would not even recommend a 22 Mag. for Coyotes as the 17 HMR has more energy. Hornet, 222 Rem., 223 or even a 17 Rem. are better choices in factory available ammo. The new Ruger 204 dosen't have enough info. out to make sound determinations, but it's got to perform better than 17 HMR. And if the population density is such to give concern about the 22 centerfires then there should be concern for 22 Mag. and even 22 LR. Yes the 17 HMR or M2's when they hit something basically go "poof", but they still have a good carry on them.


If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!

Invicta

i wouldnt try using a .17hrm for coyotes. the .17 bullet just doesnt have enough mass to it. a .22mag might be a better choice but shots would have to be limited to 50-75 yards. a centerfire would be your best bet.

valudude

easygo, you've got mail.

temblor

I agree with Contender Man and Invicta. The 17hmr with that little light bullet is just to light for Coyotes. I've been on quite a few ground squirrel shoots since the 17hmr has been the rage and have seen nothing to impress me much other than they are fun to shoot at targets. -- A friend and I were set up overlooking some squirrel mounds last spring and shooting at the little rodents at about 80-90 yds. He made two good hits that I watched thru binoculars so I know he hit them well and both crawled off and went back down holes. I then rolled one with a ruger 10-22LR with a 40gr lead bullet that stopped him in his tracks. I've seen this repeatedly. Past around 80yds or with body hits they often don't even kill these squirrels cleanly unless it's a head shot. A 22wmr may not be quite as accurate, but when you hit them it stops them clean because they penetrate better.-- My friend took the 17hmr barrel off of his Ruger 77/22mag and put a 22wmr barrel back on it he was so disgusted with its performance after several trips out with it.-- My suggestion for Coyotes is to stick with at least a 223, and past about 250yds or so go with something bigger yet or be prepared for ugly endings. Just what I've personally seen, not just heard......good luck..........[8D]

kingjoey

Get a 6mm[}:)] 'Yote won't know what hit him[;)]

Love them Beavers

buddyb

It's a coyote.Shoot it with what ever is handy.

Skeedaddy

Use a dieing rabbit call to get 'em in closer, than use your .44 mag pistol--talk about ugly!

1KYDSTR

Tell your "buddies" that use of cartridges like the 17 HMR on an animal as tough as a Coyote that goes 40 + pounds is one of the reasons why those twits at PETA etc. have a reason to exist.(O.K., they really have NO reason to exist I KNOW!) For Christs' sake, tell them to use enough gun or don't do it in the first place. Likely the only ethical kill with this combination would be inside of 100 ft. and an eye socket shot at that!!! I am glad however you took the time to get input on this.

"When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
"Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
"History is written by winners"(Patton)
"You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)

A J Christ

Worked over a family of foxes last summer with my 17 and it did good. No explosive kills but it did kill them. I know a fox is smaller than a yote and I agree that you should use something that will do it right and do it quick but I think the 17 would be OK out to 100 yards, heck at that range you should be able to hit them in the eye easy enough if they aren't moving.

rfo1

IMHO 17 caliber is too little firepower to humanely harvest coyotes.Here is Canada the little buggers hit 50 pounds or more.Do yourself a favor-- get a .22/250.You'll find that round will more than fill the bill.[:)]
Good shooting--
rfo1

"I'm Your Huckleberry."
Val Kilmer "Tombstone"