I've shot 2 coyotes 1 with a bow , a 48 lb recurve with a 125 gr Bear Magnum total wt 527 grs,passed through at 20 yrds that 25 lb dog ran a mile to get hit by a Mack. The 2nd 1 I shot with a 12ga from my duck blind ,30yrds 1 steel dead dog in 50yrds ruined the decoy too. Funny thing the shotgun dog had just 1 bb thru-through the ribs maybe 6 under the skin. The bow dog based on equiptment shoulda been dead on the spot but ran a long way and would of gone further. The shotgun dog was just unlucky as hell.

While I agree that a 223 is about as light as you should go I can see no reason why used responsibly taking best shots at short range woould be any worse than the glorified turkey loads suggested by others here.

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Its got plenty of punch up to about 100 yd. If your gonna be killin a further distances than I would step it up a caliber or two.

My dad shot a coyote at about 30 yds last year and he only ran 30 yds tops and then rolled. He shot him right in the ribcage. Granted our coyotes out in the desert of west tex aren't as big as their northern brethren, but it still cleanly killed the coyote. I have also trapped and shot two in the head with a 22 and they anchored on the spot. Would I suggest it no, but it can be done with a well placed shot and ammo that expands pretty good.