Best .243 Rounds for Pelts
09-19-2017, 04:23 AM
#11
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: WI&UP
Posts: 751
If you want the hide you want pencil thin exit. Bigger hole is probably bigger recovery. Probably depends where you hunt a bit. If you can hind him,
You can google this and find a great deal on the topic. I loaded up some 58G v-max, just cause the speed mesmerized me. But I suspect they might make to big of hole for some. I will tan myself, and just hang on wall if I get a nice one. So not a huge deal.
But I have yet to get one. I got them howling aroun the house, and would like to thin them out, just keep forgetting to do it.
You can google this and find a great deal on the topic. I loaded up some 58G v-max, just cause the speed mesmerized me. But I suspect they might make to big of hole for some. I will tan myself, and just hang on wall if I get a nice one. So not a huge deal.
But I have yet to get one. I got them howling aroun the house, and would like to thin them out, just keep forgetting to do it.
09-19-2017, 07:17 AM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,904
Not that I think tanning hides costs that much, but it's sure gonna cost a lot to buy a new house every couple of years because I've completely wallpapered the house with ruined hides.
It might be a huge deal for some of us who call in between at least a few dozen coyotes every season - not sure what a guy is going to do with that many for themselves...For the OP: The 243win is only really suitable for 2 of the animals on your list - coyotes and groundhogs, and only barely so for either. It's going to be work (which is why you asked the question) to stop the 243win from tearing up hides. Nobody is collecting fur on groundhogs, and blowing them apart is kinda the point, but it's a bit much on recoil and ammo cost compared to a 223rem which would do that particular job just as well.
If you're using an over powered cartridge for coyotes - which the 243win IS overpowered for coyotes brought to the call - then a guy needs to use a stouter built, non-varmint bullet, and be sure to stay off of the shoulder. In other words - no tipped bullets of any brand or creed - they all expand too violently.
You're going to ruin more cats and fox than you don't with a 243win - I've yet to find a bullet which wouldn't mess one up pretty badly most of the time.
As you're considering your "varmint rifle" or "predator rifle," keep in mind the realities of the species you're hunting, because their differences in physical form and differences in how they are hunted are critical.
In most of the Midwest states, considering average sized adults, an adult Coyote will weigh roughly twice as much as an adult bobcat or raccoon, and 2-3 times more than a fox - you have groundhogs on your list, which are around a third to half the size of a fox... Itty bitty things. A coon and a bobcat of equal weight have VERY different body shapes/types, and respond to a bullet very differently.
Cats and raccoons will generally be best hunted in cover and fox are best called in cover or on edges, whereas coyotes are more easily hunted in open spaces, so shots on cats, coons, and fox on average will be a lot shorter than those for coyotes - couple that with their smaller bodies, and you're talking about a VERY different demand. I generally figure on shots between 75-300yrds for my coyote sets, but for most of my fox, coon, or cat sets, 25-75yrds typically.
For coon, I almost exclusively use a 22LR, pistol when treed over hounds or in traps, rifle when called. For called badger & coon, I typically use a 22LR rifle and target head shots, but will often employ 22WMR, 17HMR, or 17WSM - rarely but occasionally a 22 Hornet.
Cats and fox are really best hunted with 22mag, 17 HMR, 17WSM, 17 or 22 Hornet, 17 or 221FB, or up to 223rem. The super fast 17's and 20's can be messy as well on these, but but 17FB/MachIV, 204rug, or 20 practical are good qualifiers as well - especially when loaded down. It's just too easy to tear up hides on these smaller game species. I don't take headshots with these, as I do with badgers and coon, so I run a little more cartridge, in general.
In decades of doing it, and hundreds of predator hides sold, I can't say I really believe there's a bullet loaded in a factory round for the 243win which is actually good for fur hunting fox and cats - especially when you consider a cat is usually worth 10x what a coyote might bring.
09-19-2017, 06:10 PM
#13
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: WI&UP
Posts: 751
Myself, I'd like one for the wall. Ive done hair on tanning before. If it has a hole, I probably won't care that much
If you are jsut shooting, to keep the popualtion down, doesn't matter.
If you want to sell, then you have to choose bullet and load, as well as caliber.
What does the guy want to do?
09-19-2017, 09:27 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
I've tossed way more pelts for poor quality than I've messed up shooting. The really good pelts are few and far between, acceptable pelts are maybe half. These are wild animals, they get torn up in fights, catch diseases, some barley survive, are starving, emaciated and the fur is splotchy and thin. Acceptable pelts are maybe 5 months a year, prime are usually for 2-3 months a year here.
I have no idea the real numbers, best guess is 20-30% of the young male Fox survive the first year. Male Fox don't tolerate other males and are territorial, survival of the fittest. Contrary to popular belief, male Fox are often polygamist.
I have seen an old male on numerous occasions, almost as big as Yote. His fur looks like heck, likely the reason he survived.
I have no idea the real numbers, best guess is 20-30% of the young male Fox survive the first year. Male Fox don't tolerate other males and are territorial, survival of the fittest. Contrary to popular belief, male Fox are often polygamist.
I have seen an old male on numerous occasions, almost as big as Yote. His fur looks like heck, likely the reason he survived.
09-20-2017, 04:06 AM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: MICHIGAN
Posts: 2,568
In my 243 I hand load Serria 85gr. HPBT game kings with IMR 4350 to about 2600 FPS. Does a exellant job for me even with head shots there is no exit holes.
I use thre 55gr. HPBT game kings in my 220 swift at 3800 FPS.
We sell all our hides except spring ones and ones taken with a shot gun.
. Al
I use thre 55gr. HPBT game kings in my 220 swift at 3800 FPS.
We sell all our hides except spring ones and ones taken with a shot gun.
. Al
09-20-2017, 06:46 AM
#16
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: East Coast
Posts: 44
I wouldn't use a hollow point or a soft point bullet.
Put it in a six inch circle behind the shoulder and it isn't going far. The trick is patience, wait for your shot. Always nice to know someone with a blood tracking dog, just in case.
I'm far from a Cat expert, I've only taken one Bobcat and one Lynx. I messed up the Lynx, took a head shot, the only part of it I could see above the Wheat. Lynx are a shoot them when you see them animal in the Czech republic, classified least concern on the endangered list. Side note, a Czech Lynx can get up to 50-60 pounds.
Bobcat are so rare where I live in the States I don't bother them, they don't bother me.
I tend to hunt pests and prolific animals. I always figure part of my responsibility is helping to keep the balance. Thin out the animals that need thinning. The vast majority of my hunting now is Fox and Hogs, both are prolific here, we are encouraged to thin them out.
Put it in a six inch circle behind the shoulder and it isn't going far. The trick is patience, wait for your shot. Always nice to know someone with a blood tracking dog, just in case.
I'm far from a Cat expert, I've only taken one Bobcat and one Lynx. I messed up the Lynx, took a head shot, the only part of it I could see above the Wheat. Lynx are a shoot them when you see them animal in the Czech republic, classified least concern on the endangered list. Side note, a Czech Lynx can get up to 50-60 pounds.
Bobcat are so rare where I live in the States I don't bother them, they don't bother me.
I tend to hunt pests and prolific animals. I always figure part of my responsibility is helping to keep the balance. Thin out the animals that need thinning. The vast majority of my hunting now is Fox and Hogs, both are prolific here, we are encouraged to thin them out.
09-20-2017, 07:30 AM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
Alleyyooper had a good suggestion. Sounds like it works out for him. Loading them down sounds like a good idea. IMO a lot of the real damage is from the hydrostatic shock and not the bullet itself, exempting bullets that fragment easy. I've gut shot a few Fox and Yotes, something about the stomach contents of a meat eater gags me up pretty bad.
I'd use a Deer bullet, Core Lokt or Accubond and hopefully you don't catch a bone wrong and it holds together. I have no idea how the interlock 100 grn .243 SPBT Deer loads perform, sometimes it is just trial and error.
Most of my Fox shots are bang flop and little damage done. I am careful of my shot, I like to catch them mouse hunting broad side. Though I have been lucky and shot a few head on and not done much damage.
Hard to tell sometimes what you have for a pelt, they get soaking wet early morning hunting mice in the tall grass. You don't really know what you have until you dry them out and brush them.
09-21-2017, 05:16 PM
#19
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: East Coast
Posts: 44
Pretty bad, bullet went in face first and exited the right shoulder. I wouldn't do it again. I was kind of glad it was early summer and not something I'd want to mount anyway. My guide said later, another one bites the dust and thank you. Lynx for them is like Yotes for us.
Alleyyooper had a good suggestion. Sounds like it works out for him. Loading them down sounds like a good idea. IMO a lot of the real damage is from the hydrostatic shock and not the bullet itself, exempting bullets that fragment easy. I've gut shot a few Fox and Yotes, something about the stomach contents of a meat eater gags me up pretty bad.
I'd use a Deer bullet, Core Lokt or Accubond and hopefully you don't catch a bone wrong and it holds together. I have no idea how the interlock 100 grn .243 SPBT Deer loads perform, sometimes it is just trial and error.
Most of my Fox shots are bang flop and little damage done. I am careful of my shot, I like to catch them mouse hunting broad side. Though I have been lucky and shot a few head on and not done much damage.
Hard to tell sometimes what you have for a pelt, they get soaking wet early morning hunting mice in the tall grass. You don't really know what you have until you dry them out and brush them.
Alleyyooper had a good suggestion. Sounds like it works out for him. Loading them down sounds like a good idea. IMO a lot of the real damage is from the hydrostatic shock and not the bullet itself, exempting bullets that fragment easy. I've gut shot a few Fox and Yotes, something about the stomach contents of a meat eater gags me up pretty bad.
I'd use a Deer bullet, Core Lokt or Accubond and hopefully you don't catch a bone wrong and it holds together. I have no idea how the interlock 100 grn .243 SPBT Deer loads perform, sometimes it is just trial and error.
Most of my Fox shots are bang flop and little damage done. I am careful of my shot, I like to catch them mouse hunting broad side. Though I have been lucky and shot a few head on and not done much damage.
Hard to tell sometimes what you have for a pelt, they get soaking wet early morning hunting mice in the tall grass. You don't really know what you have until you dry them out and brush them.
