Just wondering if any of you are using your 15-22 for hunting.
Squirrels, rabbits, coyotes....?

I've been thinking about getting some hollow points and trying to thin the coyote population. They are putting a hurting on our deer population.

I've been using Blazer bulk 40gr for plinking and Steel Challenge, but I would want a hollow point for the 'yotes.

any thoughts / experiences / pics....???

I really don't think the hollow points make much of a difference. I've been exterminating gophers with my .22's since I was old enough to hold a rifle up. I've used just about every kind of ammo out there through my bolt guns and semi-autos. The hollow points just make a different plop noise, but don't appear to do any more damage to the little critters. I like to use stingers out of my 77/22 the best, but for coyotes I would just use the heaviest bullet you can. I'll stick with my 30.06. The last thing I want is a bunch of gimpy coyotes coming in for the calves and yearlings because they can't hunt otherwise.

I got my 15-22 after the gophers went down their holes for the winter. Can't wait for the warm weather so I can continue slaying with a new tool in the box.

GS,
we don't have the little gopher critters here....I can only imagine that they would be fun target practice.
Do your cattle have a problem with the gopher holes / dens...???

Losing a calf or yearling to a yote would really piss me off...I would be in all out kill mode if that happened to my babies.
Do you keep large dogs...???

I'm with Gopher Slayer; there no enough difference in performance of HPs over solids to give it any thought. After all, the HP is simple a very small hole, not anything approaching a real hollow cavity. The only way it actually expands is if it hits something solid, like a large bone. Simple squirrel flesh won't do it - even head shot, which is what you should be going for with them anyway.

Hunted a lot of rabbits with a 22 years ago.Used solids for headshots.Tried stingers when they first came out,made a hell of a mess.I wouldn't use a rimfire on coyotes,too much luck needed for a clean kill.jmho.

Coyotes are big enough that you need a centerfire, IMHO. Back in the 70s in Texas I use to call them in and use a .357 or .45 Colt. If I were doing it today, I'd just use a JSP in .223 and go for head shots.

Just go ahead a pick one up, you know you want one. Then get a cheap .223 for the yotes.

If you want a nice AR platform .223, that won't break the bank, the M&P15 Sport looks good. I'd consider one if I didn't already have a semi-pimped out Mini-14.

naw.....I've got a 7mm08 that is my deer rifle....it'll work for the yotes.

might plink some squirrels with the 15-22 tho....

Love hunting squirrels with mine! As for rabbits a 20-gauge is much better suited.

I wouldn't hesitate taking a head shot at a coyote or fox inside of 50yds, but even that might not be good enough and the bullet could ricochet off the skull as well.

To try and shoot a coyote in the body with anything but the fastest rounds and at CLOSE range I think borders on inhumane.

That will do it! I have a Contender in 7mm TCU (.223 necked up to 7mm) that does a good job on them, too.

Majorik, in my humble opinion, that is not a good reason for not buying an M&P15 Sport.

If you have confidence in your shot placement dropping animals up to yote size isn't a problem with 22 lr high speeds. Like many here I don't believe there's much difference between the HP's and solids. I do think 22 high speeds on squirrels is overkill and messy. I use shorts only on squirrels - quiet and very effective.

background
I work on my grandfather's cattle ranch seasonally, until the day comes that I have to run it myself.

The gopher holes were a big problem for awhile. Not so much anymore, but they still claim the occasional leg or front end of a small tractor. Just a few weeks ago we lost a bull. He must have broke his leg in a hole. He got turned upside down and that was the end. My grandfather always told me after they outlawed strychnine, gophers came back in record numbers. Then I came around and balanced things out a bit. Sometimes I think that's why I was born . Know he has some old friends that come up to keep the numbers in check since I'm not there all the time.

As far as coyotes go, they'll get a newborn calf every once in awhile, but they typically just want the afterbirth. He doesn't have any large dogs around these days. Use to have a great dane, but it made a terrible ranch dog so he sticks to the border collies now.

The wolves are the big issue these days. The packs have been getting closer and closer to the ranch. My uncle lost his boxer to them last year. He had to pick up body parts for days after that happened. If we see them killing cattle, it's all over for them. Luckily, it hasn't happened yet to us.

Same here. We lost a pregnant heifer that way.

As far as Coyote hunting, if I could get one in around 25 yards even forty yards, I'm confident enough in my shot placement that I could take one.

Sounds expensive. The bull we lost was our best breeder. He stayed busy. Gotta get two now since we killed the one that broke my moms leg a few months back. He got turned into ground beef a steaks. We have a new saying in our family, you **** with one of us and we'll eat ya!

GS........where are you....???

My house is in Washington. The ranch is in Montana. It's worth the frequent trips. I have a decent setup in the old bunkhouse.

It works on badgers!!
P4010009.jpg

the other side of the world from here.....I'd love to see it.
Big Sky country...

How about no more room in the vault? <gg>

I'll post a couple pics in your thread if you'd like. PM's work too though. If you hunt and fish, it's hard to beat. The property is right on Rock Creek, home of some of the best fly fishing. It's not uncommon to see 100+ head of elk in the hay fields in the summertime. I just hope when my grandfather is gone the family won't start a stupid feud like so many do. I can't imagine loosing it.

BTW, I never knew why they called it Big Sky country until I slept under the stars.

GS
your killin' me.......
would love to see some pics...! How many acres...???

been a hunter / fisherman all of my life...in fishing bizz for 20+ yrs...
never been any further northwest than Spirit Lake Iowa and Souix Falls SD.
never been to big sky country.....

it's on my bucket list.....with not too long to go...lol

100 elk....your killin' me....I've never even seen an elk...altho there are some transplants a couple hundred miles from here in NC.

cattle ranching in the big sky...........sounds good to me.

I am from the Big Sky country. There have been days where we have shot over 1,000 rounds at gophers--or, times where we sit and shoot for almost an hour before running out of gophers in range to shoot at. It is a great place and easy to find farmers and ranchers to let you shoot gophers. Just got my 15-22 so am anxious to see how well it works on the gophs this spring!

Right around 5,000 acres if I remember correctly. I'll ask tomorrow.

If you ever make it to Montana, we let people park at the bridge and fish all they want. He's part of the block management so all hunters are welcome too(walk-in only).

up in the hills




when she was 1 week old




Rock Creek in the winter


Took this one from the backyard. Some hunters chased them down to us. A kid with a cow tag got one out of the bunch.


born during the night


twins






the bunkhouse I call home (sometimes).

I'm not a hunter, my weapons are for defense and fun. The only hunting I do is at "Safeway". But IF I were to hunt, the M&P is not a bad platform to use since it is accurate and flexible in it's build to fit what ever hunting need you may want to build it toward. Here in California, we don't eat squirrle, rabbits or gophers, and we can't shoot our weapon for rodent control in the city, so I only kill Zombies..

i wouldn't even consider a 22 on a coyote and i don'tknow why anyone else would either have used my 15-22 on squirrel for several years now

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

welcome to the forum mr gopherguts!

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

absolutely beautiful scenery....that's really big sky stuff. Can see why you want to hold onto that.

Nice cows too. I love to farm...my only farming these days is food plots for whitetails.

GG,
welcome and be sure to take some pics......

Gopherslayer. I am from SW Montana ( Anaconda ) and that looks pretty famaliar country alright but just put a finger on where. Sent you a PM but not sure if it went.

On the subject of shooting gohpers I agree that a .22rimfire isn't the gun to be using on coyotes as it is not a reliable killer. Oh sure you might get one to drop but the other 5 might limp off to die somewhere you can't find them. I only shot one coyote behind the front shoulder with a 22rimfire HP at 50yards on the skyline and by the time I got the top of the ridge it was nowhere in sight. I looked and looked but couldn't find it so lesson learned for not using a .22rimfire for coyotes. I hate leaving a wounded animal out there.

Love shooting gophers in the spring before the grass gets so high that they can hide from you. I sometimes take my 15-22 while I shed antler hunt for gophers. I like finding gophers in the high country where they are seldom shot at. Can hardly wait till spring.

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44 Garrett Defender Ammo 4 me.

Just past the lake and down the windy hill. PM inbound

OK. Now I got it. Thanks

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44 Garrett Defender Ammo 4 me.

Gopher Slayer. Fantastic piece of heaven you have there. The site seems to be having some problems today so will PM later. Thanks for the reply

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44 Garrett Defender Ammo 4 me.

Please forgive me pb803 for getting off topic with my posts.

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44 Garrett Defender Ammo 4 me.

Well I can assure you squirrel and rabbit tastes a lot better than some of the stuff "you people" in California call food...

I'm pretty sure if you ate a gopher, you would become a zombie.

I don't hunt gophers, I SLAY them. They are a nuisance.

I've been known to take my 15-22 out squirrel hunting. Even got a few squirrels with it!

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Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22

Sidewinder.....

hey.......not a problem.......I got off track too with Slayer's beautiful piece of property....
would love to come and visit.......problem is....I might not leave.

I grew up in MT. Shot a lot of gohpers over the years with an old single shot mossberg. Proudest shot was two gophers with one shot. Perfect line up.....

The damage to animals legs, etc. and the combining machinery during harvest typically has the property owners putting a small "bounty" on each gopher. My uncles always kept us supplied in ammo.

My younger cousins still go out to the ranch to shoot gophers. Now they are using .17 HMR rifles with 12X scopes, bipods and nailing the critters a long way off....

I've always dreamed about taking a couple week vacation to Montana. I love the scenery.

Quit dreaming and git out here. Life is too short.

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44 Garrett Defender Ammo 4 me.

Do some "serious" target shooting...

what is the weather there now.......???

72 here today...

Well it is +20 this morning and no snow on the ground here in town. Actually it has been a very mild winter so far.

On the hunting thing that is the only reason I buy any gun including the 15-22. I may pop some cans or a paper target now and then but mostly I carry a gun for hunting something.

I have been spending most of my time over on the S&W revolver side as I purchased a S&W 629-6 5" 44mag a couple of months ago and am getting all the ins and outs of the gun. I have carried my 15-22 for gophers while shed antler hunting in the spring but last year ran into a mountain lion so thought I better start packing a little larger weapon. The area we shed antler hunt isn't that far out of Yellowstone park so a bear confrontation is also possible.

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44 Garrett Defender Ammo 4 me.

mountain lion.... Holy ShXt batman...
yeah, I think something with a little more ummph might be in order.

I also have been spending a lot of time over on the revolver forum...just took delivery on a 66-2 this week.
I am really liking it. I made a post w/pics earlier this morning about it.

my new to me 66-2