I've seen a lot of yotes shot and shot quite a few myself,and a couple of our guys bought .17hmrs and shot several yotes. The results is 1/2 to 1/3 of them would run off from solid hits in chest cavity(based on those we recovered). The problem seemed to get worse past 100 yards with .17s. I'm sure head shots should make a difference tho. These observations was based on 14 yotes shot with .17s and 10 of those of them recovered,either farther away on same farm,or next farm over. In MY opinion,shooting yotes with .17 CAN be done with precise shot placement but personally I'd MUCH rather have a .22 magnum,.22 K hornet,or bigger.
ORIGINAL: sngehl01
i'm no coyote hunting connoisseur by any means, but that .17 HMR is a bad (bad, as in FREAKIN AWESOME!!!) cartridge. I actually have never hunted coyotes, but I have killed them with my savage 9r17. I have killed them and dogs with them, some out as far as 100 yards too. I would suggest head shots at those ranges, but I also know from experience that a body shot at that range will also kill them. I like the hollow points for larger body animals, either that or the heavier bullets you can get for them, not the 17 grainers. The regular ballistic tips everyone shoots are fine too.
If you had a 22 mag and could use it, that would also be a good bet.
but .17 hmr is hands down more capable of killing the coyote more quickly and efficiently that the 22lr.
hope this helps.