17 HMR on Coyotes?

[Jeremy]

I am looking for everyone's [glow=red,2,300]experience[/glow] with the 17 HMR on coyotes.

I would like to know shot distance, location, and wound description.

The reason I am being so picky is that there is a lot of rumor on the Internet about this topic, and lots of people will talk about what they have heard or read - but few actually share any real-world experience.

I have witnessed a few coyotes shot with this round - all under 100 yards - and all have dropped at the shot. Still - many people warn against its use on coyotes (at any range).

I am wondering what you guys have experienced?

[SW]

A friend of mine has shot 4 foxes at up to 90yds and all went down immediately. All with Horn 17 original. I think the 20g Hornady will be better. Accuracy is identical fo me - 20g strikes 1/2" lower at 100yds. No reports on coyotes. Foxes are close to 1/2 the size.

[Jeremy]

I popped one last weekend at about 50 yards - he was DRT.

That was with the 17 grain bullet.

I just got some 20 grainers to try out.

[DannoBoone]

I have a real bad coon problem (we have a nice creek
running through our woods, which also attracts them). We
have rheas and emus.......coons love their food. It's legal
here to dispose of coons out of season if they are doin'
what they're doin' to the food supply. I used to spotlight
them over the food pans and shoot them with the Tac 20,
but started using the .17 HMR (Marlin) after getting it. MOST
are DRT, but some have run off, even with a lethal, broad-
side shot (found them later......sometimes over 100yds
away). All coons were shot within 50yds, and I cannot
explain the "run-away's" -- they SHOULD have been DRT!!
I imagine the same thing could happen with coyotes with
the .17.........not the Tac 20, though!!

[whyohe]

danno
currios why you doin body shots? it should be accurate enough to do head shots to 100 yard with no problem??
as to the body shots with the 17 grn body shot its too fast and light i think IMO. i shot ground hog at 25 and had that but ont went 15yrds. but i love the 20s!!!

[ABinMD]

Jeremy,

No yotes, but groundhogs to 77 yds.-- Dead with .17

[DannoBoone]

whyohe said:

danno
currios why you doin body shots? it should be accurate enough to do head shots to 100 yard with no problem??

Using a good rest (tree trunk, tree branch, etc.), I have
consistently head shot a lot of squirrels @ 100yd. However,
when shooting these thieving little masked bandits, I am
holding a pistol type lantern, resting the forearm on top of
my lantern-holding wrist, and usually shooting off-hand.
When steady enough, I do go for head/neck shots, but
sometimes have to revert to the larger lung area. No coon
has been any other than DRT with the head/neck shots.
MOST have gone no where with a lung shot, but very few
(the ones ya really remember) have gone some distance
with a lung shot identical to another shot in the same
place and didn't go 10 feet.........my guess is fragments
get into the heart of most, but not all of them.

[whyohe]

ahhh me see danno you have a hand full !! you need a friend to hold all that. lol

[IndianaHunter]

I just picked up a Savage bolt action in .17 HMR. I'll do mostly head shots on squirrels and plink with it…

[ABinMD]

IndianaHunter,

You're going to love that little rifle.

[IndianaHunter]

I think I will as well...I picked up a Burris Fullfield II 4.5 x 14 x 56... The scope is more expensive than the gun but it should be a good combination.

[MasterHunter]

Jeremy, Where did you hit the coyote at ? How much damage was there?

I bought a used Savage .17 HMR tonight with a super light trigger, will go site in tomorrow. I bought 2 boxes of 20 grs. & 2 of the 17 grs.

[Jeremy]

Dead center in the chest - facing me. I didn't skin that one (it was early in the year and the yote was causing trouble at a friends farm) so I have no idea what his insides looked like. He went down in a big heap, though...

I plan on doing some serious youte hunting this winter - so I will have more to report in the months to come.

[osageriverrat]

I have seen lots of yotes shot in lots of different situations, mainly in front of dogs. They are very tough critter to kill at any range.
Most of the people I know use the .22 cal. or larger that are shooting the animals in front of dogs. But the fact is even a .22 cal. round placed less than perfect and the animal can still run long distances before the dogs catch them.
I think a lot of your ? depends on the situation you are hunting the yotes in, still hunting and head shots is the best you can hope for with the 17HMR. Any thing less then that is more than likely just going to be a wounded animal.
If you are wanting to hunt yotes seriously I think you need to step up to a larger .22 cal no less than .223 shooting 55s will work best. The longer range of a 22-250 or even 6mm would even be better.
Good hunting

[jrbhunter]

Shooting a coyote between the eyes with the 17HMR will put him down, just like a 22lr. A lung shot will produce a lengthy bloodtrail that is hard to follow and lord help you if you hit a bone. Head and neck shots are most efficient but a hot CCI Stinger from a 22lr is not much different.

I like 22 centerfires for coyote.... the HMR is great for fox sized game and smaller.