Coyote Huntin'

[Targetslayer]

Anyone have a pet load for blasting yotes with a mini-14 in .223?
Should be within 50 to 75 yards. The mini-14 is a 580 with open sights.
I'm looking for the "bullet" type and grain.

I'm looking at the Nosler 60 Grain .224 Partition.
I'm thinking a NON Ballistic Tip would work better. Anyone used the Nosler 60 Grain Partition?
Any ideas?



Targetslayer

 

[Sven]

"Someone told me" that if you're hide hunting to use FMJ -- leaves them just as dead and puts smaller holes in the hide, especially the exit hole! I've been wondering the same thing as you, except for my new M&P15. I still need to get taller rings for the Bushnell red/green dot.

 

[NKJ nut]

For all my varminting with my Ranch Rifle I am using a 60 gr. Hornady V-Max and H322 powder. I don't recall the exact charge but if you are interested send me a PM and I'll look it up.

 

[Rule3]

"Someone told me" that if you're hide hunting to use FMJ -- leaves them just as dead and puts smaller holes in the hide, especially the exit hole! I've been wondering the same thing as you, except for my new M&P15. I still need to get taller rings for the Bushnell red/green dot.

Not being a hunter, what does one do with Coyote hides?

I Googled and see some places selling them but what price does the hunter get for the fresh hide?

We have some here in S Florida but they are like feral dogs. They attacked retired folks little "powder puff dogs" I guess the Northern ones have thicker coats.

 

[38-44HD45]

Jesse gave you the best bullet for yote-blastin' with a .223, in my view, the Hornady 60 gr. V-Max. My Minis LOVE that bullet and shoot it with greater accuracy than a Mini has any right to have. I have not loaded any myself, though, but have used Georgia Arms and Black Hills versions. FWIW, a couple of my friends have been shooting feral hogs with the same load, with excellent results.

 

[Sven]

Not being a hunter, what does one do with Coyote hides?

I Googled and see some places selling them but what price does the hunter get for the fresh hide?

We have some here in S Florida but they are like feral dogs. They attacked retired folks little "powder puff dogs" I guess the Northern ones have thicker coats.

I guess 30 below winter nights helps grow nice thick pelts. I have a friend whose kids do a lot of trapping and will skin them out for me. There are a couple of fur buyers int he area.

 

[38-44HD45]

"Someone told me" that if you're hide hunting to use FMJ -- leaves them just as dead and puts smaller holes in the hide, especially the exit hole! I've been wondering the same thing as you, except for my new M&P15. I still need to get taller rings for the Bushnell red/green dot.

Only problem with that is that at the ranges cited by the OP, the velocity will still be well above the fragmentation threshold for most FMJs, and the exit wound will not be small.

 

[Sven]

Only problem with that is that at the ranges cited by the OP, the velocity will still be well above the fragmentation threshold for most FMJs, and the exit wound will not be small.

Well, I hope sometime in the next month I can test out these theories. IIRC, I have some 55gr V-Max and FMJ to try out.

 

[KSCowboy]

Well looks like I go against the grain here, I use 40 grain Ballistic Tips in my accurized heavy barrel mini-14. I use Accurate Arms 2015 powder, I'd have to look up the exact charge weight back at the bunker if you are interested.

I predominantly hunt coyotes with my custom Rem 700 in 17-222. A 25 grain bullet at 4000 fps. Only one 17 caliber hole going in and no exit. I've killed many hundreds with this 17 and have perfect hides, except for those Yoda looking dogs that have the mange and only about 3 hairs on their bodies.

I built the mini-14 for early season going after the new year's crop of pups and family. I call them and when you have 5 or more doggies over run your position having more than 5 rounds in the gun can make a difference.

 

[7P's]

Not being a hunter, what does one do with Coyote hides?

I Googled and see some places selling them but what price does the hunter get for the fresh hide?

We have some here in S Florida but they are like feral dogs. They attacked retired folks little "powder puff dogs" I guess the Northern ones have thicker coats.

A prime pelt in the raw will fetch around $8/12 - if you just bring in the hide and do a respectable skinning job you may get $12/18 a pelt. You can purchase prime pelts at a gun show that have been nicely stretched & tanned for $60 to $90 a pelt for your rec/gun room.

Fur prices are very low these days and fewer & fewer people enjoy having pelts, rugs or mounts of game animals in their home.

 

[38-44HD45]

A prime pelt in the raw will fetch around $8/12 - if you just bring in the hide and do a respectable skinning job you may get $12/18 a pelt. You can purchase prime pelts at a gun show that have been nicely stretched & tanned for $60 to $90 a pelt for your rec/gun room.

Fur prices are very low these days and fewer & fewer people enjoy having pelts, rugs or mounts of game animals in their home.

Kind of sad. I recall when a raw coyote hide would bring many times that much, and some hide buyers would pay $35+ for the dead yote, unskinned.

 

[Larry from Bend]

I use 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips in several 223s and they don't tear up pelts badly unless I smack a shoulder bone -- BTs hardly ever exit. When I used my Ranch Rifle, I used 55 grain Hornady or Speer soft points and they would sometimes exit and tear up a pelt. I think a 60 grain bullet makes sense in a mini, but you may get more exits because the slower round will expand a bit less.

Our "Alberta-Pale" coyote pelts brought $20-$25 last season and from what I read the price may be higher this year. Back in the 70s when a good pelt brought over $100, I shot quite a few from a J-3 Cub. Lots of excitement.

 

[Rule3]

A prime pelt in the raw will fetch around $8/12 - if you just bring in the hide and do a respectable skinning job you may get $12/18 a pelt. You can purchase prime pelts at a gun show that have been nicely stretched & tanned for $60 to $90 a pelt for your rec/gun room.

Fur prices are very low these days and fewer & fewer people enjoy having pelts, rugs or mounts of game animals in their home.

Thanks. Learn something new everyday. I am guessing the nice pelts of the Northern ones are almost like Wolves??

Not to many folks are into fur these days (not talking Florida) I lived up in Mn and Wi. But never knew they used Coyotes. The ones down here are feral dog like, skinny and ugly.

 

[Skip Sackett]

The hides look cool draped over the antlers of the big buck you have hanging in your study!

I mean, why else would you have a coyote hide?

They do look cool hung on nails in your rustic den too!

Here is one I shot with a 308 Savage 110FP off hand while the 'yote was running full out from my left to right @ 120 yards. Had witnesses!

Son #2 in the picture was with me. I made one of those "WOW, you should see my Dad shoot" shots!

 

[KSCowboy]

Here's one my daughter shot and had stuffed. The beagle is her pet he's not stuffed!

 

[Targetslayer]

Thanks everybody for all the replies. I'm not stuck on Nosler bullets, I found that they have a non-ballistic tip in a 60 grain. In florida we can't use a .223 for deer hunting and I was thinking it would be for yotes. I do have on hand Barnes 36 grain varmint grenades that shoot flat, but I think I would not get very good penetration. I also have Hornady 50 grain v-max, 55 grain sp Hornady, some Sierra 69 grain MatchKings, Winchester 55 grain bulk and some SS109. I was just wondering what everyone in the Coyote world was using? I'm going to shoot some yotes later this month. Me friend has 1500 acres in north Florida and has a problem with yotes killing young livestock. So I don't think I'll be saving any pelt.

Targetslayer

 

[7P's]

If there's a fur buyer in the area where you'll be shooting the coyotes that will purchase the entire coyote for $5, it might help with your gas & ammo costs.

Just check your game & fish rules as some states require you to purchase a fur bearers license if you want to shoot/harvest coyote, badger, racoon etc.