Login

→

Best caliber for hunting coyotes in MA?

By Yahoo Answers
2007-12-08 15:42:40
I want to hunt coyotes in massachussetts, but like everything else here the laws are vauge and not well thought out. After sunset, we are limited to 22LR or 17 HMR (which I have been told is too small for coyote) or pistols .38 caliber or smaller. I have a 9mm Glock (.355 cal sounds smaller than .38 to me!), which of these would be best? P.S. - also shotguns with size up to FF shot (.23 cal) are also allowed but it is vauge if they are legal after dark. Good call on the rifle cartridge pistols, but unfortunately any pistol sold in MA has to be submitted and approved by the attorney general as "safe". The only maufacturers that have done this are S&W, Para-Ordinance, SIG, ruger, Walther, and a few other odballs but all that are legal for sale in MA are of standard pistol chamberings. And yeah, I hear ya that Glock certainly isn't very accurate. Maybe a 8" barrel .38 +p?
Answered By: fishtrembleatmyname
It might be a good idea to get a target pistol for night hunting. Since a target pistol is still a pistol, even if it's firing .223 WSSM from a 14" barrel, you'll be able to continue hunting with a cartridge that will still be as effective. A rimfire is not going to be reasonable for coyote, and a Glock isn't going to have the range or accuracy you'd need to hit reliably. So take a look at the Thompson Center pistols, Weatherby’s Mark V CFP, the Savage Striker, and anything like that that trips your trigger. Then you'd be limited to rifle calibers below .38, of which there are more than enough to kill every single coyote using a different caliber. Sorry to hear about you pistol laws like that. Would it work to get a .38 Super Para 1911 and drop a Mech-Tech carbine upper on it, or would that no longer count as a pistol?
User: fishtrembleatmyname
It might be a good idea to get a target pistol for night hunting. Since a target pistol is still a pistol, even if it's firing .223 WSSM from a 14" barrel, you'll be able to continue hunting with a cartridge that will still be as effective. A rimfire is not going to be reasonable for coyote, and a Glock isn't going to have the range or accuracy you'd need to hit reliably. So take a look at the Thompson Center pistols, Weatherby’s Mark V CFP, the Savage Striker, and anything like that that trips your trigger. Then you'd be limited to rifle calibers below .38, of which there are more than enough to kill every single coyote using a different caliber. Sorry to hear about you pistol laws like that. Would it work to get a .38 Super Para 1911 and drop a Mech-Tech carbine upper on it, or would that no longer count as a pistol?
User: flucolax35
Fishtrembleatmyname has a great suggestion. Thumbs-Up! Now, can you use .22 caliber rifles? Or is it just a .22 LR? If it has to be .22 caliber, then I would go with a .22-250. One of, if not the best cartridges for coyotes. Edit- Tom, it seems to me if you read his entire question, he stated that he could not use rifles in calibers other than .22 and .17.
User: Tom Z
30-30- or a 30 ot 6 I am a registered gunsmith & licened gun dealer,& there are some things make me mad.. this is my profession ,you want to kill the animal not hit it & make it suffer ,like with a 22 caliber ,,unless your an expert shot & can hit it in the head first time. Animals are living breathing beings too. I beleive in hunting ,,but only if your hungry.. I despize people who go out & shoot a big buck just to cut off it's rack. Their god eating if prepaired right,& there's enough kids starving in our own country,,,the richest country in the wourld.. Tom aka hawkeye51957@yahoo.com
User: Justin W
r u sure u can use any .22 or smaller ? if thats the case u can use a 22-250 or a .204 ruger or the .17 remington center fire. any of these three will destroy a coyotes at close as well as long ranges. good luck and good hunting. a 22lr will kill a coyote if u hit it in a vital area but it probably would be ineffective more often than not. i think u need to check w/ a local dnr official. good luck
User: trapperchef
i am here in maine and i hung coyotes here in maine and in pa and i use a 17 the do not know what hit then i have going over 15 now with it and i have drop ever one the there tark but when i am trapping coyotes i use a 22
User: low_hd_rider
me, i prefer the 223 from a heavy barrel ar-15, 1 shot 1 kill period
User: IRONFIST-X2
I use the 22-250 it is the only cal. I will use for small game at range! I've killed coyotes here in northern Louisiana at 400+ yards with my 22-250 and they drop like a stone. Naturally shot placement is critical! I've even killed a small doe with it at 150 yards.
User: Mr. Orangekitty
.17 Rem.

by Yahoo Answers