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Shot a yote 3 times with the 17 and didn't find him...

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Shot a yote 3 times with the 17 and didn't find him...

Old 11-10-2009, 08:14 AM
  #1  
Typical Buck
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Default Shot a yote 3 times with the 17 and didn't find him...

Had to vent so here is what happened and you tell me if I'm being tough on myself. I went scouting for deer sunday at a farm that I hunt. The owner of the farm asked me to take my 17 hmr with me kill a ground hog or two if I got the opportunity. This farm is massive. Somewhere around 2500 acres and he raises beef on it. But anyway, I'd been scouting and glassing for for about four and half hours and and I see a group of ground hogs about 400 or so yards away. So I circled around to an adjacent ridge and got to 165yards from them and set up. Had a great set up and was just taking aim when I saw a coyote trotting down a trail toward the ground hogs. The wind was blowing in my direction from where they were so it wasn't a huge deal. I just waited. They saw him and ran ten yards in my direction to their borrows and when in. He gave chase and pursued them. Now He's got his head in the hole trying to get at them. I take my first shot. I see the impact, a good front shoulder/lung area and I see him stumble. I reload and shoot again this time just missing his head (low). He starts to lope off and I shoot another shoulder/lung area shot and he stumbles down a hill into some thick cover. I figure dead dog, no hurry so I grab my pack and reload my rifle and keep going toward where I saw him go in. I follow the blood trail across the feild to the cover. I looked for 3 and 1/2 hours and nothing. I feel like a SOB for shooting him and not finding him. I took the opportunity and I pursued him til dark. and I had to leave for another engagement. I know I was undergunned but I was thinking ground hogs and yote just happened to a target of opportunity. Next time I'll take my 44 mag or another gun. Thanks for reading and tell your thoughts. Did I do the right thing in taking the shot or no? A, I being to hard on myself?
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Old 11-10-2009, 08:44 AM
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The range was a bit long for that gun on a yote but I would not feel bad about it. I doubt you were going to eat him, right? Assuming this was in Indiana, you did all other game a favor by dispatching a coyote as there are way too many of them, regardless of whether you recovered the pelt or not. Not saying I'd shoot them with no intention of recovery, just that it's not like you took a shot of opportunity at a deer similarly over range for your gun.
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Old 11-10-2009, 08:46 AM
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165 yards with a .17HMR is very reasonable !



I have shot my fair share with my .204, "most" one shot one kill, but there is always the exception(I rolled one and thought the same thing-never found him).



I would try to take head / neck shots on coyotes if using a .17HMR.



No need to take your 44 mag to shoot coyotes !!!



Keep your chin up.........................
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Old 11-10-2009, 11:09 AM
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also depends on the ammo you are using....I've noticed the Poly-tip variety have very low penetration because they break apart so fast.....the JHP variety are much better for that size game. I keep the polytips for smaller stuff like racoons (and ground hogs)

Last edited by jeep4x4greg; 11-10-2009 at 11:12 AM.
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Old 11-11-2009, 08:47 AM
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Even with two hits, you say you missed the 2nd shot, it doesn't surprise me a bit that he ran off when the range was over 150 yards. Heck, I've seen prairie dogs hit at that range with my .17 hmr make it back to thier holes! Just not alot of energy left for that tiny bullet to quickly dispatch a coyote. He'll probably die from the first shot if it made it into the lungs, so I wouldn't worry about not finding it. They can go along ways with a lung hit from a center fire rifle sometimes.
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Old 11-11-2009, 09:11 AM
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everyones ethics are different, maybe to you ...you may not be hard enough on yourself..but to me, it was jus another stinkin yote and leave er lie..i aint makin no pelt from it when i shoot em...jus another predator needs to go!!!
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Old 11-11-2009, 01:59 PM
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Thanks guys... I don't regret shootin it because this place is over ran with them and like others of you, I shoot every one that crosses my path. I just normally find em. I guess the 17 is just a little small.. hmm, funny thing is I never lost one with the 22mag.
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Old 11-11-2009, 05:38 PM
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I never lost one with my Saiga .223 either.
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Old 11-13-2009, 12:04 AM
  #9  
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17 HMR isn't really that great of a choice for coyotes I know guys who use them all the time but I don't and won't there just isnt enough gun there to do it cleanly. My best advice is keep your shots under 80 yards or step up to a .223.
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Old 11-16-2009, 11:40 AM
  #10  
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Like others have mentioned............400 yds is just to long for the .17HMR................Many are using the .17HMR for ear shots on hogs up to 150 & 160 yds....
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