How many fpe is required for coyote?

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Hi all, a question for you hunters out there.

What is the minimum FPE required to take down a coyote at 70 yards with a .22 caliber air rifle using 18gr pellet? Let me know your velocity/fpe at the muzzle.

thanks

Alex

I spent many years hunting Ca. ground squirrels on my friends ranch, some days I would kill 300+ ground squirrels. The local coyotes would see my truck and follow me around picking up the remains. Every so often one would get bold and come inside 65 yards, and I hit them through the chest with a .22 18gr JSB. They would run 50 yards or so depending on shot placement, using my FX Royal set at 30 fpe they always went down. I always thought more power wound be better, but they hunt Deer with the same .22 30 fpe in some parts of the world comes down to shot placement.

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Kind of a roundabout approach to asking a question Max.

But to answer your question, I would only attempt that shot with those ballistics if I felt I could take a brain/spine shot. I hate to lose wounded game (even varmints), or inflict several moments or minutes of terror and trauma on my prey.
 
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@AirNGasman thanks for your reply. I agreed 100% if the shot is not there for a clean ethical kill shot, then it shouldn't be taken at all. 

I guess I was trying to find out whether people in the past have had positive experience with their power set up and with an accurate air rifle to humanely take down a coyote, either with a head or heart shot using a 30 fpe plus .22 gun. Please don't misunderstand my question. I just want to know what the minimum power should be.

thank you.

Alex
 
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Uh...any chance you can get a little closer??

Mike
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In my experience, it can be tough sometimes to get close to coyotes. They are just a wirey breed that don't take easily to close human contact unless they are sick or very distracted. A lot of times when they come in to stalk they shift side-to-side pretty rapidly which makes them even tougher to get decent target acquisition. Sometimes not so much. The only reason I bring this up is because I have taken hundreds of them over the years, and their behavior can be very unpredictable at times (even after being shot).

As far as FPE, I think it really comes down to shot placement. In a perfect world, a .223 or .22-250 etc would be the round of choice on coyotes. .17 HMR would be the lowest I would go for an accurate humane kill at reasonable range. But that's not to say that I would not reach for the closest thing available if I saw a coyote posing a threat to an animal on my property, my new-ish .22 NP2 or even a .177 if it was an immediate threat in that case. It wouldn't be my preference obviously, but sometimes stuff happens. That being said, there was a video shared not long ago of a coyote that was taken very quickly and humanely after it was caught stalking a guy's pigeon coup. It's easily found on YouTube. IIRC he used a .177 at close range, and dropped the dog instantly at impact. But as someone eluded to, I am pretty sure it was also a shot to the side or back of the head that guaranteed the kill. It seemed like a situation like I described where the property owner quickly grabbed what he could at the moment and took the shot.

From my noobishly new studies I have been doing with modern airguns, 30 FPE in .22 sounds reasonable but only assuming correct shot-placement. Sometimes coyotes can be easily put down. Other times they will take a hit (even to the head) and still run off. I had one that was breaching a neighbor's fence to get to a new calf, shot it straight through the neck (I had previous permission from the owner) and that dog kept pushing forward like it just didn't care. Must have been hungry. A quick follow-up shot to the head dispatched it righteously and the calf was unharmed. But all that said if I had a pre-determined choice on coyotes I don't think I would step any lower than my HMR for a solid fast-moving head-splattering under 125 yards. .223 is really where it's at with Coyotes (or .30 or .357 PCP?) Just my $0.02.

Bonus fact: I have never taken a shot at a Coyote with an air rifle. I can't say I am against it though, I am sure my NP2 .22 could get it done with a nice head-shot. Boiler shots are never guaranteed on coyotes though. They are just too shifty that a .17 HMR or .223 really has it's advantages with a speedier bullet. Either way, good luck and good hunting.

PT
 
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@ptthere. great info and thank you. You are spot on with your comment. Placement shot is key and a 30FPE in .22 is possible.

We were asked to help a farmer where she has seen 10-12 coyotes in her land and some even came up to her lawn and tried to steal her chickens. I have never shot a coyote before so I was very reluctant to attempt the shot given my FX Crown .22 was only tuned to 33 fpe with 18gr JSB. I am trying to finish edit my video so I can post in Hunting section.

I started this post mainly to find out whether anyone has had success with a 30fpe .22 taking out a coyote.

My short answer is a Yes. Please stay tune for my video in the Hunting section soon.

thank you all for your replies. this is a great forum to discuss and learn important lessons and advices.

Alex
 
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On the ethics (whatever) I concur with the above thoughts. Even squirrels I like a Brain shot. Shot placement is EVERYTHING. Growing up in a mortuary I learned a 3 yr old with 1/2 a crayon can be lethal - unfortunate placement- and on the Farm learned a Sheridan Sliver streak (in a pen from point blank & above) drops a 600lb Razor back Hog w/out even a twitch. IF the placement was perfect. Same pen, same range and a 38 special with a poor shot can result in a 10 minute stuggle to put it out of it's suffering. The only Deer I've taken with a crossbow was shot from above at 8 yards, clean kill.

I've meet a few hundred airgun shooter at matches and know a couple that could/would take such a shot and even those few only under perfect conditions and all head shots.

With my shooting skill level at a bench with bags and a career 707 .25 IF it presented a perfect 3/4" kill zone, sure. Otherwise with my current ability a 30-06 accelerator even at 80 for a more human kill.

In TN a neighbor with over a million dollars in prime breeding stock (and NO Hunting thank you!) allowed us to hunt Squirrel - due only to how responsible "airgun hunter" are and only after using one himself- on a few hundred acres with only 1 restriction "if you see a coyote I don't care if all you have is a red ryder I want you to poke a hole in it". Fortunately it never came to that.

Bring them in closer, most anywhere they are an actual problem ( Dairy farm/other) it isn't that hard to get right in them.



John






 
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@spysir - coyote is a major problem and they are to be shot at all cause if possible. At least that was from one farmer who told us that in one night 14 of theirs goats were killed by a pack of coyotes. So coyotes, humane or not, are to be shot on sight.

Again, shot placement is key regardless of the FPE, obviously the more the better, but not necessary.
 
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How many people would or would not take the shot as you stated. I doubt a full honest consensus from the forum will reveal any revelations.

I personally don’t even shoot Groundhogs anymore like I use to. So don’t think I’m some shoot everything I see that moves guy. 

Only you know your ability at that distance & if “ethics” enters this question than absolutely not. Yes your set up is capable of putting one down with a lung/heart shot or brain through the ear but too many variables at that distance if ethics are your concern.

As a farmer who’s let you shoot on their property to rid problems then I’d want every dam problem gone. Livestock isn’t cheap & coyotes don’t care so I wouldn’t care if it’s not a clean kill as a shooter in those circumstances. I don’t know if you’re limited by your laws, farmer not wanting louder centerfire/rim, or anything else but why not take something with a lot more snot if you’re not actually set up to call Coyotes in closer? As it stands now you’re kind of training the Coyotes to come there for a sure meal. 

A badly placed shot could kill a Coyote within 1-72 hours. Maybe even longer. That’s not ideal. Some would call any problems death from infection or starvation cruel. Others may even call it or even a clean kill justice. It all depends on perception & truths which we won’t get into. 

I’d personally want a custom .257, RAW .30 or .357 A .22-250 would be great & be sure to kill anything I mean to out to 400 yards with a good range finder.
 
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@JamesD. Thank you for your reply. It was a tough decision for me to make at the time. We did use an electrical call to lure them in from the woods. Two came to investigate but stopped at 70 and 80 yards. They were curious and didn’t leave for a long time. It was a great opportunity for us to watch and study their behaviour. And of course I was hoping they would come closer. Needless to say, I was very hesitant and anxious since this was my first experience with coyote pesting. I trusted my gun and my ability to shoot at that distance as I have done many testings and shooting targets up to 100 yards. But this was not a dot on a piece of paper. I was battling with myself with the ethical question and the uncertainty about the power to drop a coyote with a carefully placed head shot. 

Bit we were there to pest and help the farmer to get rid of the problem. So I took my time and took care of it. I will post the story in more detail in the hunting section once I am done with the footage.

thanks guys for the replies.

Alex
 
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Even with a 22-250, 243, 204, 17 Remington and the list goes on and on shot placement is key. If you hunt them long enough you’ll make a less than perfect shot, it happens. I’ve seen them die with they’re own intestines in their mouth. Tough and smart customers those coyotes are. I’ve got great respect for them these days and I know some other hunters do to. I’ve passed up shots while out with my air rifle and it’s over 30fpe because of that respect. Coyotes around here have memorized most of the e-callers sound list now and most have their GED in hunter education or they’re dead. Since you asked, once you call them in don’t blow it being under gunned because they get smart fast and the next time might be awhile a long while. 
 
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@bos. I agree if we are going to shoot an animal, we need to dispatch it as quick and humane as possible regardless of the type of pests.

@pmg. Unfortunately I don’t have any powder burner rifles. I don’t hunt but only pest what was asked with permission.

Farmer reports that she hasn’t seen any coyotes since Saturday night when we were there. Only hear their calls at night, so I guess they are learning and it will be more difficult to call them in again like we did the first time. But hopefully we are making a difference and keep them away from the property so the livestock’s are safe for now.

as for myself, I might not attempt to go for another long shot (70yards) again unless the condition is perfect with no wind and side profile of head is presented. My first kill shot might have been a lucky one. But at least now I know it can be done with the setup I have with only 30fpe.

Alex
 
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An 18gr JSB does lose energy fairly quickly out to 70+ yards. What starts out at 30fpe ends with closer to 19/20 fpe just to give an idea.The goal is to get a great headshot centerpunched between the eyes and the ears. Your looking at about a 2" killzone at that range, pretty difficult shot unless that yote is calm and still. Usually they don't stay very still for long so the opportunity goes quickly. 
 
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