Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Help me out!!

I need some advice on taking out some coyote and bobcat on my hunting land....I have a .17 hmr that is extremely accurate..is this caliber enough to take some out or should I get something bigger? I also need some simple tatics to use to get some out quick(hunting techniques)..... any advice is welcome...thankyou

The 17 will kill em, but there are many better choices out there in my opinion. Spot and Stalk can work if you have good glass to spot em with. Buy an electronic caller or hand held and practice. Just go into the woods and have fun.

CK

I feel the 17 HMR is not enough for the critters you want to hunt.
A 22 Mag, or a 22 Hornet, is about the smallest round I'd shoot the animals you want to get rid of.

I'd opt for a 222, or a 223.

I would suggest you try to keep the shots within 100 yards. With well placed shots you won't have a problem.

THORNTON86, are you limited to using the 17HMR for some reason (lot size or close to other homes)? If no restraints apply, I'd just use your regular deer (or pig) rifle to get the job done. It's good practice, and you can't make those critters too dead.

I would recommend a .22 Hornet on up, or better yet, a .17 Remington or a .17 Fireball! The 17 Rimfires are too problematic for use on something as tough as a coyote, and they are splendid animals that deserve better.

Splendid animals? What's more splendider (cowboy question)about them, than say a prairie dog? What better do they deserve? The hmr has kilt a few for me.........Tough boogers.... Don

A 17HMR is marginal at best for coyotes. I think the HMR is a wonderful fox round, I would opt for a bigger round for song dogs. If you are keeping the pelts a big 17 or 20cal 221,223, 222, 22-250 or even the small 6mms if you pick your shot and stay off of the big bones. If the hides do not matter, Anything goes up to the Nitro express rounds.

+1 with 2crow and Deluge

Thornton86,

You didn't describe what sort of terrain, cover etc the land has or what sort of game you want to protect from the coyotes or bobcats..
Small game, birds or what?

The bobcats are mostly nocturnal hunters, and IF you are talking about deer hunting, bobcats are not much of a threat to deer, even fawns.

Coyotes will take fawns when they can and also attack a doe giving birth and kill the fawn, but other than that, deer can hold their own against coyoyes pretty well.Even a 90# whitetail doe can kill or run off about any coyote ever born..

Depending much of the terrain and cover, the .17 HMR should do fine for 50 yards and closer..which is what you'll get in terrain with cover esp when using a varmint caller...ESP IF it is your only rifle and you are accurate with it.

Calling in coyotes is an art but can be learned..Cats take longer to come in but will come in also.I've called them in and killed them with a longbow..usually just before they run over me in their haste to get on the small critter in distress' I'm imitating..:)

Trapping is probably the most efficient way to reduce the coyote-cat population, but that takes some learning and equipment too.Jim
as a note, IF the country has coyote food and habitat, even if you almost decimate the pack<s> other coyotes will soon move into the area and you'll be doing it again..

A .22 magnum has worked very well for me for "coyotes of opportunity" out to 125 yards or so.

I can't compare them to the HMR but the results over a "Stinger" are very noticeable.

Never shot a bobcat that wasn't in a trap and a regular .22 HP worked fine.

You really should not use a 17 HMR for coyotes. You might do Ok with it for bobcats as they are not as tough as yotes. Anyway, if you use 17HMr you should use the rounds with 20 grain bullets.

A 12gauge is a much better tool for your purposes and inside 50 yards will kill them much easier. Use #4 buck in longest shels you can shoot.