Bullet proof coyote.

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OKRattler

Well-known member
Yesterday a buddy of mine and I went out coyote huntin and an opportunity presented itself. I had my .22mag just because I felt like it'd be fun to take it out and get one with it. Anyway a coyote shows up and I can only see his head. I settled the crosshairs between his eyes and let one fly. It didn't sound like a hit. I didn't hear a "thud" or a "thwack" or anything but I did hear my bullet ricochet.

I asked my buddy if it looked like I hit him he said yeah you did he went straight down. I said well I heard it ricochet so I think I missed. Something must've deflected the bullet. He said it probably went through and bounced off the ground. He said he could have seen it if it ran off. I knew that 30 grain bullet didn't go clear through its skull but I went out there and looked since he said I hit it. I got out there and sure enough I seen a coyote laying there. He saw me too because he lifted his head up and was looking at me. The bullet had hit him on the bridge of the nose and looked more like a cut than a bullet hole. I finished him off with a .22 pistol.

I've never had a bullet bounce off a coyote. I've seen some take a glancing blow from a bullet and get knocked silly but never have seen or heard of a bullet ricocheting off of one. That was a first for me.

Shot was around 110 yards with a CCI 30 grain TNT Green hollowpoint.
 
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That kinda thing always interests me and I've seen some weird stuff over the years. When I was in LE we had a couple of cases where an Officers bullet bounced off somebody's skull and they lived. Had another Officer that got shot in the forehead straight on with a 25cal pistol at 10 feet. Must have been a squib load or something because the bullet stuck half way in his forehead and he pulled it out with his own hands. His nickname was "hard head" the rest of his career. The bad guy wasnt so lucky when he was hit with a 45. I guess it all depends upon the angle, the hardness of the head, and several other factors.
 
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Originally Posted By: borkonI really doubt that bullet ricochet?
That a super frangible bullet.
My 2 cents worth.

I heard it ricochet. It sounded like it hit the ground. Made the pewww sound....

It's not that fragile of a bullet though either. I shot an old piece of metal at 100 yards with one and it stuck in the metal and just got smashed up a little. Didn't blow apart or anything.
 
Neat story. I've heard of a handful of deer that got knocked out but not killed by head/antler hits but never a yote.
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotnot surprising. surely you have heard stories about bullets shot out of a 223 bouncing off coyotes?
rolleyes.gif


I actually have heard something to that affect.LOL Just haven't seen it for myself yet.
 
Incredible, I bet that hurt like a mother! Only thing I've had similar is a 40 gr bt zip open the chest on a facing shot instead of penetrating through.

I have heard of a taxi driver being shot in the back of the head with a .25 and not even knowing it till someone told him he was bleeding. I also like my odds if the enemy is using one of those tiny 22 revolvers. Hit a water filled beer can with one once and the bullet was in the can.
 
Last summer my partner shot one in lungs with a .243 it dropped . We went for retrieval and as we got about 15 feet from it and it lifted its head looked straight at us and jumped up. Once it hit its feet it looked like a “Halloween Cat” with his back arched and it charged straight at us running sideways while growling . I pulled Kimber out and cracked it in head just above eye socket on 2nd shot. The 45acp Speer gold dot knocked it out cold but bounced off his head, never went thru his skull. It looked like the skin was burnt around edges where bullet hit, skull was visible.

Left us both speechless after we caught our breath . Very tough animals
 
Helping a rancher with his coyote control a few years ago when he asked me to take out all the hogs I could, as well. Shot 10-12 hogs broadside with the 55 gr. NBT placed half way between eye & ear w/DRT results. Then a boar came straight toward me, over a rise about 30-35 yds and I put one right between his eyes, actually saw the red splash in scope right between his eys. Hog went down but jumped right back up and disappeared back over the rise! Last frontal head shot I ever took on a hog with that round. Figured the bullet ricocheted off the flat slope of his skull.

I'd bet that's what happened on your coyote and the ricochet sound could be made by a bullet fragment spinning off his skull.
Hit 'em at 90* angle and the lighter bullets will penetrate, but hit at a flat angle can result in "ricochets".

Another time I was hunting deer using my 375 h&h in order to get more familiar with the rifle in preparation for an upcoming eland hunt. I don't give coyotes a pass when deer hunting, so when one showed up coming toward my blind 90* to my right a tad over 100 yards, I took the shot. I was in an awkward position but the coyote went down in place.

I was walking toward the "dead" coyote; when I was about 60 yards from him, he jumped up and started running in about a 3' circle....what the heck!??

Finally got on him for an offhand shot and stopped the nonsense. My first shot with the 260 grain accubond (which I am sure did not expand)hit right at the base of his left ear, leaving a golf ball size hole in the skull and the ear attached only by thin strips of tissue on either side of the hole.

They're some really tough critters.

Regards,
hm
 
Originally Posted By: Shooter222Last summer my partner shot one in lungs with a .243 it dropped . We went for retrieval and as we got about 15 feet from it and it lifted its head looked straight at us and jumped up. Once it hit its feet it looked like a “Halloween Cat” with his back arched and it charged straight at us running sideways while growling . I pulled Kimber out and cracked it in head just above eye socket on 2nd shot. The 45acp Speer gold dot knocked it out cold but bounced off his head, never went thru his skull. It looked like the skin was burnt around edges where bullet hit, skull was visible.

Left us both speechless after we caught our breath . Very tough animals


To recap:
Your buddy shot it in the LUNGS with a .243..... then when it got up you bounced a .45 bullet off its head.

I only have one question...

DID YOU GET IT???
 
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Yes , we got it. The third shot from the 45 was a heart shot. By the time I got the third shot off the coyote was 3-4 feet from me.
The first shot I’m assuming I missed the coyote as it was charging . The second shot is the one that hit him in head and bounced. But when it did it stopped it , knocked it out.
Things happened so fast, I was almost just reacting . No time to think.
 
Several years ago two buddies and I entered a varmint hunt. Headshots counted as an extra point on any animal. Well my buddy shot a coyote walking down a two track away from us. He barely hit it in the top of the head with his 22-250 and its legs buckled. As we were getting up to pack up it gets back up and starts hobbling away. My other buddy shot it again in the head with his .243 but that one was a direct hit. Not that interesting. We didn't hear the bullet ricochet or anything but he was off just enough that the bullet clipped its head and knocked it goofy. I never fired a shot at that coyote but I must say I was impressed they both hit it in the head. I was more impressed that the coyote got up after the first one.

As we all know they're tough animals. If you're off just a little you can wound them with a headshot. It's a low percentage shot so I don't shoot for the head with a centerfire unless it's all I have. With a shotgun or rimfire excluding the .17WSM that or a neck shot is what I try and take. I don't like wounding animals or having to track them down. Inside of 100 yards the .22 mag does a good job if you hit them in the neck or head. At least 98% of the time anyway. Guess I shouldn't sound so matter of fact. Just when you think you've got somethin figured out when it comes to dealing with coyotes they'll eventually prove you wrong. It's bound to happen. That's why they'll still be here long after we're gone. You have to admire them for that. We owe them that much.
 
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I took a coyote with a 40gr fmj from a 22 mag at about 25yrds. Couldn't tell I even hit him! However, I knew I didn't miss at that distance.. I went & followed him thru the brush & he lay about 40yrds from were I shot him. I hit the coyote in the neck as he was at a slight angle toward me.. Couldn't find a exit anywhere! When I skinned him, I found the exit right beside the anal cavity.

Not a fan of the polymer tips! Hard to beat the ole 40gr in this little cartridge.. IMO, It is good in the brush were the action is fast & usually short range.. My favorite 22 WMR rifle for this is a CZ512.
 
Originally Posted By: Coyote#1I took a coyote with a 40gr fmj from a 22 mag at about 25yrds. Couldn't tell I even hit him! However, I knew I didn't miss at that distance.. I went & followed him thru the brush & he lay about 40yrds from were I shot him. I hit the coyote in the neck as he was at a slight angle toward me.. Couldn't find a exit anywhere! When I skinned him, I found the exit right beside the anal cavity.

Not a fan of the polymer tips! Hard to beat the ole 40gr in this little cartridge.. IMO, It is good in the brush were the action is fast & usually short range.. My favorite 22 WMR rifle for this is a CZ512.

So, you're saying a .22 mag went full length through a coyote and exited?
 
Originally Posted By: Shooter222Yes , we got it. The third shot from the 45 was a heart shot. By the time I got the third shot off the coyote was 3-4 feet from me.
The first shot I’m assuming I missed the coyote as it was charging . The second shot is the one that hit him in head and bounced. But when it did it stopped it , knocked it out.
Things happened so fast, I was almost just reacting . No time to think.




Gotcha - sounds like an intense moment! I figured you got it, just trying to be humorous.
 
My oldest boy was gonna skin it and save the skull from that one and do a mount for me but he did like teenagers do and procrastinated and it went sour so bad he couldn't stomach doing it. I was disappointed, but couldn't be too upset with him cause i couldadone it myself if I wanted


Woulda been a cool one cause you could see the mark in skull from jacketed hollow point
 
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I was hunting with my dad and shot a coyote with a .308 150 grain bullet. Very loud whop and dropped like a rock. Lucky I carried the shotgun with me to walk out to get him. When I got close he jumped up and took off with just three legs, fourth dragging. My shot had connected with the shoulder joint.(had to be angled away).
#4 buck finished him off.
I think pound for pound coyotes might be the toughest animal out there.
Dad wasn't a hunter and this was a little too much. He never went with me again.
 
I’ve had several coyotes in my 38 year trapping career that have deflected 22 bullets ,.. it’s common with 22 shorts and 22 cb caps. It all has to do with the angle of the skull. Regarding hunting w a 22 mag ,.. it will work however keep in mind ,.. it takes foot pounds of energy to kill a Coyote ,.. Coyotes are tough critters ,.. this is why a 55grain bullet from a 22-250 or the awesome 220 Swift is a superior choice.
 


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