Small Game, Predator and TrappingFrom shooting squirrels in your backyard to calling coyotes in Arizona. This forum now contains trapping information..
Bought a call yesterday just a handheld rabbit distress. Me and a buddy went out this evening, called for about 20 minutes and had a bobcat come in. Buddy shot it, thought we got it but never could find it. Shot it with a .17 hmr, only about 30 yards but never could find it. But we had fun, think we are going to try this coyote hunting more often.
Despite the fact that the HMR is a GREAT small game and varmint round, you MUST be sure of shot placement. Only a vitals or head shot will bring these larger animals down. Otherwise, you could just cripple it and it would suffer for a long time before something else killed it. I'm not trying to criticize your accuracy so much as state that unless you are absolutely certain of the placement, I'd suggest you not go smaller than a .243. The larger rounds will cause enough damage in most situations to cause the animal to die quickly, even if not shot in a vital area.
I agree, that is too small of a gun for the tougher varmints. Bobcats and coyotes are a lot tougher than many people think. That 17 grain pill the HMR spits out just isn't enough power to cleanly penetrate into the engine room of either one. I say leave the HMR to the squirrels and ground hogs.
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No less than .243, are you kidding, a .223 or .22-250 will do it easy and you can shoot for a lot cheaper. You can even go less than .223. IMO .243 is merely a shoot em and leave em gun for yotes.
I agree with sixgun. a 243 does alot of pelt damage to a yote. and you can go smaller then a 223 but when you start getting smaller shot placment and distance becomes a larger factor.
Went coyote hunting today
