Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Getting into Coyote Hunting?

I have a quality deer lease in East Texas this year that is pretty full of deer, hogs and coyotes. I have never gotten into any type of varmint hunting before but with all year access to the property, I would like to try it out. I have a lot of coyotes on my game cameras, multitude of tracks and hear them howling a lot basically all day long when I am on the property. When Deer season is over I plan on getting out into a stand and trying it out.


If I was harvest a quality coyote and I would want to have it mounted, would the following calibers I have be "too much" and be destructive? Having never shot a coyote before, I am seeking advice.

I have the following caliber rifles, .300 win mag ( I do have down loaded sst loaded ammo that makes it essentially a .308), and a .308.

What ammunition and bullets would you recommend for a coyote application? thanks

Texas isn't known for 'quality' coyotes....

Go with your most accurate load, some may be small and hard to get a good shot at.

For some cheap game calls, you can download the Ruger iHunt app to your phone then use a Bluetooth speaker you carry in your pocket, both can be recharged by USB port.

Use what you use for deer in your .300 WM and .308.

I strongly urge you to buy a .22/250 just for coyotes.

THIS.

And if you use the bigger bores you have, go to heavy and heavily constructed bullets going slow. They will exit but they won't be so messy.

If you haven't hunted before, you're in for a humbling and learning experience.They don't allow you any mistakes.

This +1! I tried predator calling coyotes off and on for the past 15yrs and finally called one into range a couple weeks ago. Fox seem to come in a lot easier than coyotes. Texas coyotes aren't really known as being really high quality either........

The only way you're not raining down coyote parts for a week with a 300 mag is if you drop it out of a tree on one.

I used both 125 and 150 gr. Ballistic Tips in my .300 for coyotes.. Loaded with a full charge of 4350.. Kills them dead!!! The big 22’s are my favorites!!

use your shotgun 12 gauge 3 inch copper plated BB`s,in Texas you will kill way more coyotes with that shotgun.

I fully understand about Texas not having high quality coyotes, rather I am more interested in starting out hunting them.

For what it's worth, I've whacked 20 or so incidental coyotes over the years while elk or deer hunting with a .300 Win and .340 WBY....and with stout bullets designed for elk out of those rounds at normal ranges, I have found significantly less pelt damage than I have with the more accepted hypervelocity varmint rounds and their normal bullets.

Totally agree with TI. A tough bullet put through the ribs and staying off the shoulder will save the hide.

Use what you have for now and if you really get the bug to keep hunting coyotes, you can buy an more appropriate caliber down the road.

Personally, the biggest mistake I see made when using a deer/elk rifle for coyotes is being zeroed at too high at 100 for a critter the size of a coyote. The commonly used zero of 2-3" high at 100 will have you over shooting many coyotes at 150ish, unless you remind yourself to hold low. That can be hard to do in the heat of the moment.

Coyotes like to circle down wind also so watch your back and hunt in a position to see the down wind side.

Were I you, I would pick up a .223 or a .204 Ruger for coyotes. You can get a Ruger American rifle in 223 for not a ridiculous amount of coin, and they tend to get good reports for accuracy.

If you can't afford an electronic call, get some hand calls. You'll want both regular and close range if you're going hand calls. If you use an electronic call, put it about 30 yds away from you so that when the critter comes in they are looking towards the call, where the sound is coming from, and not at you.

Once you start calling, BE READY! Coyotes tend to come in fast, and it sounds like you have lots of them. I always use a net facemask.

You might also want to watch some Randy Anderson coyote hunting videos on youtube. They are both instructional and motivational.

If you don't want the expense of another rifle, then use either of the two you have. A .308 loaded with 110's or 125's would work fine, as would most any bullet.

A coyote mount with a huge hole through the middle might look pretty cool.

Yep. They get educated quick.

My favorite Coyote call is a Haydel’s Govt Hunter:

https://www.haydels.com/products/ghj-government-hunter-jackrabbit

I prefer an AR-15 in .556 as my coyote calling gun.

Nosler 55 gr Ballistic Tips work well in .22 cal varmint rifles.

These guys carry a lot of calls...

https://allpredatorcalls.com/

If you get the Haydel's call above, order one of these, too.

https://www.haydels.com/collections/predator/products/msp-98-predator-squeaker

Go with a smaller caliber. .223, 22-250, .204, ect. Don't worry to much about the holes. A good taxidermist can fix it assuming you dont rip 15 inches down his side.