[Godsdog]

He always wrote about different rifle loads that he could shoot a Coyote and the bullet stays inside and don't blow up the pelt! Yup! I tried all his good loads in everything he wrote about - - Proceeded to blow Coyotes clean to hell and gone! I've used every cartridge from the 17's right up through the 25's(which are for killing them dead and leaving them or for calling contests). It's a good thing I got a coupla good spools of tough Carpet thread and a bunch of needles is all I can say. We've dumped about 40 Coyotes so far this last 5 weeks and I'm sewing about 25% of them up more than I want. Even the little 17 Ackley Hornet Imp. with the 25 gr. Vmx can take out both sides of the ribcage and you don't even want to see what the 204/40 gr vmx @ 3900 fps does. You have to center them just deadcenter face-on to get the shots I like but have you ever got one of those guys to just stand still and get in just the right position? I call 'em "Water Bag Coyotes", where they just sound like a water jug you're shaking. Really it's a false Rant I'm doing. We are having a good fur hunt and now is the time to be calling them. Calling them in thick sagebrush is shotgun territory but we use rifles and have to shoot fast and close once in a while. When I do use a shotgun, I shoot Federal Premium Copper Plated "Buffered" BB loads. Been using the 17 Hornet, 204, 22 K hornet, 222 Rem & 223. I like the 204 best but it can tear a Coyote all to hell if you hit him wrong. Had one fall in half trying to skin it the other day. I haven't used the 32 gr. vmx in the 204 yet just the 40 gr. Anybody prefer one over the other? What's some of you guys favorite fur loads? Godsdog.

 

[snowsnake]

Didnt he make some of his own bullets ?

Seems like I remember him writing about using some kind of liquid filled bullets that he made himself for a few of his rifles. Dont remember much of the details but seems he said they were the only ones that would reliably stay inside

 

[varminter22]

In some calibers, I think the VMax bullet comes apart TOO quickly.

In .223, I recommend the Berger 52 gr MEF. With a decent hit, I don't get an exit wound.

A lot of people like the copper plated BBs. I reckon they're fine, but I prefer 12 ga 3" with #4 Buckshot. Works great.

 

[Godsdog]

#4 Buck is fine but we've found a Coyote can get thropugh the pattern out at 65 yds. The BB's will penetrate clean through the coyotes ribcage and will be caught between the skin & the muscles on the far side out to 70 yds. They just fall off on the ground when you are skinning the critter. Godsdog.

 

[Don M.]

Reduced Loads ? ? ?

Could reduced loads possibly help the skin damage on your pelts ?
Just a thought.

 

[Godsdog]

Yeah, you're probably right Don. Matter of fact, I just sorta did that by switching to my 22 K-Hornet with a 45 gr. bullet. The 204 still does great if you hit them right and it has "Rraannnggee"!

 

[Van Cent Nebr]

I know what you mean

Tried many different loads and calibers just to be disapointed on the fur damage that was supposed to be non existant. I have stumbled on great fur round though, the

19 Badger. It is not a long range round though. My farthest was around 350 and the bullet did go through the rib cage but the exit was like a 22 caliber hole. For the most part I would say 300 is max range.

 

[John in CA.]

Our fur in the valley of California isnt worth harvesting, but its kind of a shame, because the 222 and 36 Starke @ 3700 fps is just about as fur-friendly a combo Ive ever seen/used. I cannot remember a pass-thru, or surface explosion.

I still believe the quest for a real flat-shooting-hard-hitting round comes at a price. A lot of problems can be solved just by dropping 250 fps off the load.