.17 hmr

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cougerbait

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This coyoye was taken with the .17 hmr at around 50 yards through the breast plate. the coyote was facing straight at me. Boldasabear was doing the calling with his sceery ap-6 when this coyote all most had to jump over my legs to get into the feild. Once the coyote got into the feild a little ways I barked at him to stop him. Then boldasabear barked at him to turn him around. After the shot, the coyote droped like a ton of bricks. I can't wait to use it again!!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Also the coyote was loosing a lot of hair on its tail. and the coat was loosing a fair amount also.
jb17hmr.jpg


Edit: changed photo host! hope that you can see the pic now BM!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
In the attached picture, you can see the Cougar I took last week with a 12mm ball bearing and wrist rocket at 7 paces. One shot.

Hey, if you are into coyotes with the .17hmr, it sounds like you are ready to step up to the big leagues. Get yourself a wrist rocket, some ball bearings, sneak up on something with a poor temper and big teeth and give it a whack. You should have no problem achieving the same result you did with the .17. And, Hey, if you don't, well, it's no big deal, is it?

That reminds me, I have yet to see a post where the hunter says, "I took a poke at a coyote at a hundred yards or so with my .17 hmr, and I am pretty sure I hit it, but it ran off, and I didn't see much blood, so I guess it is ok..." Wonder why that is? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
I agree. HMRs are NOT coyote guns. You may drop one in its tracks, but for every one you do, I would be willing to bet you cripple and lose 5. Is it worth it? Not to me or anyone else that likes to hunt coyotes.

peon
 
I do love my little .17 HMR, great bunny gun. I got one of the first ones in my area. Got a good measured 35 yard shot on a yote, and yes it killed it, had to follow it 200 yards before it dropped.

I am not proud, and won't ever use it for yotes again.

I reload .223 and the cost per shot is about the same as .17 HMR. Clean kill every time even if shot is not placed perfectly. .17 will work at short range but there is no margin for any error.

John
 
Big Meat, when your good...your good. I vouch for my hunting buddy, our set up would not have allowed a long shot, that's why we took the .17HMR to put it to the paces. IT WORKED!!!

Peon, thanks for the vote of confidence! We are not that stupid though, we work hard for our yotes and we don't intend to loose or cripple a bunch of them. A MAN HAS TO KNOW HIS LIMITATIONS! I believe we are mature enough to know ours.

Biker, sounds like you need some more range time!

PPH...yea! A smidgen faster and a tad more accurate in my opinion. Accurate having a lot to do with the man behind the trigger.

Cougarbait only posted this at my insistance knowing that the flaming posts would be quick to follow. Not a congratulation in the bunch for taking out a mangy coyote in a humane manner. I felt the same as many others regarding this recently but sometimes you need to experiment and come to your own conclusions. Biker did and got bad results. Cougarbait did and got good results. Others may have similar results. I guess it isn't much different than those who push the limit in yardage shots or just sling a bunch of lead out there hoping to connect with some fur. An experienced shooter + an accurate rifle + knowing one's limitations = dead coyotes!
 
Originally posted by boldasabear:
[qb]An experienced shooter + an accurate rifle + knowing one's limitations = dead coyotes![/qb]
Click to expand...
I am to assume that since I am experienced, have an accurate rifle, and I know MY limitations, that I could go Polar Bear hunting with a .22-250? Sometimes, that equation needs to read, An experienced shooter + an accurate rifle + knowing one's limitations = passing up a shot to guarantee that you don't cripple an animal.

I have shot to many coyotes that were hobbled or wounded because people wanted to use a .22 mag or a NEW .17 HMR to hunt with. I have never shot a coyote with one of these pea shooters, although I am sure I would be lethal with it. I prefer to err on the side of to much gun.
 
Bold and Cougar are talking about instances. Let them shoot (cripple and lose) many coyotes over time and if they are as intelligent as they say they are, they will come to the conclusion it wont work. Sure a blind sow gets an acron once in a while and I know a rancher that elk hunts with a 22-250. But, if you are going to consistantly hunt coyotes, you are going to cripple and lose more than you are going to kill cleanly. This season is about over. If you must, you two go calling next year and keep a talley. How many called and shot and how many clean kills. Be honest about it. Im not afraid, but hate to see coyotes, which I personally revere as a great game animal, not a "mangy varmint", suffer and die for no cause other than to satisfy your curiousity. I know people that have already tried it, it wont work.

FWIW
peon
 
Shot placement is the key. I know ranchers that routinely kill yotes with a 22lr, however the shot is about 10 yards with the coyote eating chickens or in a trap.

The statement about hunting polar bears is silly. Its apples and oranges. A small thin skinned non dangerous game animal at close range. Sure the 17 will work. If you dont have the discipline to keep your shots under 75 yards then you shouldnt be using it.

A 243, 22-250, 223, 17 are pretty much the same if you are a bad shot. Yotes can run off with all of them.
I think you all need to cut the guy some slack.
 
In actuality the Enuits in the polar regions of the Artic do use 22 centerfires to dispatch polar bears on a regular basis. But, and that is a big BUT, they are in a region that has absolutely no trees and all snow and can follow said bear if it runs with their snowmobiles. Usually, though, they have already chased brother bear for a couple of miles and then shoot them as they sit to catch their breath. They are not in it for sport but for their substance. Big holes in fur are a pain to sew up and no meat is ruined. It can take minutes for the bruin to succum to the blood loss. I've watched a coyote shot multiple times with a 22 lr in the chest as it was held in a snare and it clung to life much longer than I would have imagined and it is something I don't want to happen again. A round behind the ear quickly ended the situation.
That said, we who are in this for sport/recreation/ADC work need always to be striving for the most immediate and humane manner to exhust a canine's life. Even the best caliber/bullet combination can fail to ancor a coyote with every shot but at least the person conducting the kill has better odds to complete his objective consistantly.
Couger, congragulations on your coyote. There, somebody said it. But I will never agree with the use of the Hummer on dog size game.
 
I have only shot one coyote with the HMR. It was about 40 yards, and dropped like it was hit in the head with a 12 Lb. hammer. I was squirrel hunting, and lip squeeked him in. Would I say that the .17 is ideal-----no, but in capible hands it sure works. A guy I know loves the HMR for fox, but has killed a pile of coyotes that responded to his calling. He keeps his shots under 50 yards, is an excellent shot, and has NEVER lost one hit with this gun. Shot placement is the key to quick kills with any caliber.

Cut the guy some slack!! OH, and by the way CONGRATS!!!!!
 
Cougerbait,

Nice shot. I'll also congratulate you on that dog.I don't understand all this whining. When a guy makes a 400 yd. plus shot with a .17 Rem. it's all a wonderful thing. You make a kill at 50 with a .17HMR and the lectures begin.

Funny though, if you compare Rem. factory specs. between the two, the .17 Rem. 25 grn. factory load generates 42 ft./lbs. LESS energy at 400 than that hummer at 50. And at 50 yds. I'd say you have a WHOLE LOT more control on your shot placement. Go figure. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Well, congrats. again. Rabbit season is still in here so I guess I'll go grab the 12 ga. and a box of hevi-shot turkey loads and go bag a few. I sure don't want to lose 5 out of every 6 . :rolleyes:

Let the games begin,

Cro-mag /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Sounds like you guys had that stand put together. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Good job. And good shooting Coug.

Cro Mag, I missed the post about the 400yd.shot with the 17 rem. Have you got a link for it.
 
Last season I shot @30 yards a wolf with my .17. My partner and I had to track it for several hours, spanning many miles.

We did eventually recover the wolf but that isn't the point. I took a shot at an animal with a gun that wasn't even close to adequate even at a relatively close range.

Normally I would have been packing my -250 but I just bought the 17 and was anxious to use it.

After that, I wouldn't even feel cofortable using it on coyote. Fox, maybe but I doubt it.

It does wonders on grouse at a hundred yards though! Talk about a tack driver. AW
 
I dont think a 400 yrd shot with a 17Rem is nothing to be applauded either. Thats beyond its effective range and whoever did that needs to practice their calling or stalking skills, whatever the case may be. Dont see many instances where that long of a shot is needed unless you are road hunting or playing sniper on a ridge or something, and then you should probably use a caliber that is more suited for that range.

I guess to each his own, but I just hate the thought of people out shooting coyotes, which personally I revere as a game animal, not a varmint, with pea shooters that will not consistantly effectively kill them cleanly. I use a 17Rem or 223 when calling. But, I never have a shot over 50-75 yards and normally much closer. Both of those rounds are test proven to give clean kills at those ranges, and beyond. Like I said, to each his own, Im dropping it here, but the HMR is not suitable for coyotes. Period.

peon
 
Redfrog,

I'm not sure how to post a link to a post but this one was posted on 1-15-04 right here in the predator forum. It is titled "Would you have taken a shot" by canis latrans stalker.

There are several replies to this post, among them references to taking 400+ yrds shots with the .17 Rem. and believe I have read more posts over the past couple of years but can't seem to get them to come up on the search. I will have to sit down spend some real time looking if need be.

I have no reason to believe these people haven't made shots like these and more. In fact, I take my hat off to them on such accomplishments. I wish I had the facilities to practice under those conditions to become a better long range hunter myself, but around my home those ranges aren't possible or recommended. Still I see no one badgering any one of those hunters on their feats.

The bottom line is that here is a member that made a perfectly good shot, using his knowledge of his chosen weapon and all he basically gets for sharing the joy of taking that coyote in Gods creation is a bunch of crap from the better than thou bunch. Cougerbait didn't even lose this animal, took it cleanly. I would like to see a list of hunters here that have never ever lost an animal due to any reason. I bet that list would be a short one.

Me, I just enjoy getting out and sharing this wonderful sport with family and friends or in the solitude of ones self. Numbers mean nothing and everyone has an opinion so I usually ignore such nonsense but these just got under my skin. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Thanks,

Cro-mag

Oh, yea. I'm still waiting to see the picture of the cougar taken with the slingshot. I myself have a vintage 60's original Wrist Rocket and have found I get great results on squirrel sized game with .36 cal swaged lead round balls. 12 mm ( just over .47 cal.) must be for larger game. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Better than thou bunch. Huh. I never been labled better than thou for stating facts.

We got more deer than we know what to do with in this area. They are easier to kill than coyotes. I think I will start deer hunting with a 17 HMR. Hell, with a well placed shot, I may actually kill one once in a while. If not, oh well, its just a deer. And, if I get tired of that, I can take my 460 WBY out and see how big of holes I can blow in em and just leave em lay. Hell, its just deer. Take some cool red mist pics and post em for my buds.

I said I was done with this topic, but changed my mind. The mentality I just expressed about deer is the same mentality that has been expressed about coyotes in alot of places, including this board and thread. I am new to this board, but not to hunting, especially coyotes,which I place above deer. (But still wouldnt do what I said above) I see there are several people on here on the same page as far as being humane and trying to perserve hides at the same time. But, I also see some taking a more cavaliar attitude toward the coyote, surprising from a board called Predator Masters.

Yeah, you may kill some coyotes humanely with a 17HMR, but it will be the exception, not the rule. You can flame and defend all you want, but thats the facts. Its not designed for that purpose and you will have disasters, needless disasters. I would like to have an HMR, but I want one for rabbits, squirrells, groundhogs, prarie dogs, you know, stuff they are made for. Not going out being a hero, seeing what I can kill with it.

Guess I have a little more respect for the coyote than whoever it was said, the mangy coyote.

peon
 
Cougarbait,

Good job on the stand and on that coyote.

I'm of the school of shoot what you want. I know a farm kid who probably took more foxes than I did without losing any with his .22LR!!!! It's all about knowing what you have and what it can do.

I shoot a .17rem and I'm one of those guys who has taken and cleanly killed fox and coyotes in that 400 yard range. I've also seen guys shooting a .243 that have wounded fox and coyotes at 50 yards and we weren't able to recover them. Does that make the .243 a bad round? Nope, made my partners a bad shot. That's all.

So, shoot what you want. Everyone has to live with their own morals and ethics. If anyone has the skill and knowledge to shoot a truck load of coyotes with the .17hmr, more power to them. And, hey, if you can't do it or don't trust yourself, break out the bigger guns or get a dog for tacking.

Randy
 
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