Thanks for all the advice! Greatly appreciated!

I wasn't even going to touch the 17 issue for I feel and have seen it fail. I shot a yote some time back trapped with a 17HRM in a Taurus Raging Bull a buddy had and wanted to try out on a yote. I took him along and I had one in a trap. I took the pistol and shot the yote broadside at about 25yds in the ribs to just see what it would do. Gun goes bang, yote drops, yote pops back up and REALLY has a case of WTF!!!! I put the next round between the eyes and its DRT. Upon skining we find out the round just blew through the hide to only explode on/in the ribs and only took out the near side rib and lung that was it. Next round created brain soup!! Do as the others have suggested and get a 223 or 250 and you won't look back.

I shoot ground squirells that crawl off after getting hit with a .204.


Always bring enough gun.

Ok so the .17 Hmr is out the window! I forgot that my sister has a Remington 700 .243 so I am thinking an 80 grain bullet out of the .243 would be enough for a 200 yard shot...
What feedback do you have for that?
As far as using my Mossburg 835 Ultimag.... That may not happen because it has been pretty hard to find a choke that is not super full for it anywhere near where I live... I looked on Cabelas with no luck... Have one more place to call as well as going to Mossburg directly! So it looks like I will need to buy a completely new shotgun for the in close stuff!

Which choke are you looking for? Or which shot size are you considering?

MidwayUsa.com, everything you need. Search choke mossberg 835. Done deal for any size you want.

According to Mossberg I was told not to shoot OO buck out of the Xtra-full choke tube. Not real super familiar with choke tubes and the limitations they have so that is why I came to huntingnet for advice!

I use a .243 with 75gr. V-max bullets if I am expecting long shots or if it's windy.

Puts them right down.

Use a IC or Mod choke when shooting buckshot.

Can't beat a .243, especially if you're having trouble finding the .223 and 22-250 ammunition right now.

Plus you could use the thing for deer as well.

can you find VMAX pre loaded for .243 and 5.56 or do you have to "roll your own"?