I vote for the Bushmaster AR also. I bought a Bushmaster AR in .204 this year for predator hunting as well. Collapsable stock, free floating foregrip (no quadrail on this one) match grade fluted heavy barrel for $900 at Cabelas. This was a sale price, I believe it was normally $1100-1200. Added my scope and bi-pod and the gun is ready to go. As soon as deer season is over here I'll be out to give the coyote and bobcat hunting a shot.
Plus for around $300 you can get a .223 upper/barrel combo and and you can swap them out in about 2 minutes for some cheap target/play shooting.