I agree with you, sirs. I never said it should be a dedicated yote rifle.

I have slaughtered cows with a 22 Mag before.

I once killed a +/-200 pound hog with a .22mag. using body shots. It took 3 solid hits, but he went down.

In my experience a .22 magnum is an adequate coyote/raccoon/beaver cartridge at under 100 yds or so, and 50 yds is better. However even a .22 Hornet is much more decisive on anything over foxes in size.

They will put down 1,000 lb steers with a flat on between the eye/ears shot. A 22 LR will deck them, but 5 minutes later, they're back up staring at you.

Well at the end of the day I'd rather not worry about stretching it and simply use more gun. I don't like the idea of loosing sleep about a wounded critter and when I considered the cost of 22 Mag ammo vs. 223 or 204 Ruger well I sold mt 10/22 mag.

That reminded me of a story my mom's cousin told.

He went out in the field and one of the cows needed to be put down. He shot her, the next day she was standing at the gate waiting to be fed. "I shot her between the damn eyes and she was there the next day wondering where the hay was!" Said he re-shot her...

Here in Michigan we are required to use rimfires at night when hunting predators.
I use a 22 mag limit my shots to 80 yards but I only hunt over bait with it. And limit my self to head shots.

With the Winchester 17 Super Magnum Rimfire coming out I think it would be a better choice than the 22 mag.

I think fox and raccoon are no bargainers, yotes not hit we'll with a 223 can run a half mile so for me they are off the list - unless that is you can let a bad angle go- however most guys won't do that on a yote.

I don't think I'd go smaller that a .22 hornet for coyotes, and I know I wouldn't go smaller than a .243 win/.250 Savage for deer(that's just me though).

I guess I have put down cows with a .22 lr though...