Should you? Probably not based on years of lack of performance on them.
I never let one walk just because I had my 17 with me.
It works and pretty good when shots are properly placed.
Do I grab it when I am for sure coyote hunting?? Nope.
I have better mousetraps but when a target of opportunity arises and I have the 17 I don't pass up the fun.
Most critters aren't nearly as tough as some believe.
This. I kill coyotes because they are pests. I personally do not care if I recover the animal. Not the best round, but always gets the job done. I usually see them dead later in the day when the tractor gets to wherever they were running. Coyotes eat our microsprinklers in the fields. Fugg everything up. Easily cost me $10,000 a year in repairs and labor.
Who says you can't train a coyote.....
Train??? Maybe you indians can, not us white boys.
"The Ballpark burgers were free, why not eat them?" - Wabi-
On the ranches I can hunt the emphasis is on killing them not retrieving them. There are better tools for the job but it will get it done. It did take me 7 shots to anchor a badger last summer but the shots presented were not ideal with him running away.
A hole is a hole but the smaller it is requires close in precision for a timely demise. I recommend a bigger hole like at least .20 or .22, .221 is fun to shoot.
Bought the first Ruger 17/77 that hit Tucson Arizona at Jensens Gun Shop, can't even remember the year, maybe 2000 or 2001? They didn't even have ammunition available yet and had to give me a rain check for when some came in. I took the whole month of November and dedicated it to only using the 17HMR. Shot 26 coyotes, a few fox and one bobcat that month. The HMR is not a coyote rifle/cartridge, and I learned that real quick. I was always aware of the range and kept it short as I could, and the shot as precise as I could, passing a few coyotes because I didn't want to risk a loss. I lost three coyotes of the 26, and had to hunt around for quite a few more because they ran off a good bit before piling up. Several were impressive drop in their tracks or a liver hit spin for 20 seconds before dropping, but enough were sprinters that I quickly learned, as I suspected, there just wasn't enough bullet weight and speed to do what a lot of people expected and I had hoped for. Fun little cartridge, great on jackrabbits, ground squirrels, grackles and pissin around, but by no stretch a coyote rifle.
Bought the first Ruger 17/77 that hit Tucson Arizona at Jensens Gun Shop, can't even remember the year, maybe 2000 or 2001? They didn't even have ammunition available yet and had to give me a rain check for when some came in. I took the whole month of November and dedicated it to only using the 17HMR. Shot 26 coyotes, a few fox and one bobcat that month. The HMR is not a coyote rifle/cartridge, and I learned that real quick. I was always aware of the range and kept it short as I could, and the shot as precise as I could, passing a few coyotes because I didn't want to risk a loss. I lost three coyotes of the 26, and had to hunt around for quite a few more because they ran off a good bit before piling up. Several were impressive drop in their tracks or a liver hit spin for 20 seconds before dropping, but enough were sprinters that I quickly learned, as I suspected, there just wasn't enough bullet weight and speed to do what a lot of people expected and I had hoped for. Fun little cartridge, great on jackrabbits, ground squirrels, grackles and pissin around, but by no stretch a coyote rifle.
I am not sure anyone expected it to be a coyote slayer.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
If you want to recover the varmint shoot a .223 if you want the varmint dead and not have to mess with it shoot it with a 17hmr. Geese can even fly 25 yds after being body shot with a 17hmr. For killing power the 22mag is far superior when using 40gr bullets.
10 that is not a good comparison. There is only one Pat Sinclair and damn few people who have anywhere near his shooting skills. He uses bigger cartridges now and I am sure there is a reason for that. He shoots predators for a living I'll bet if you asked him to use the 17hmr to do his job he'd laugh then do it because he can but still wouldn't switch.because of it's limitations at range and shooting conditions. I have both the swift and the 17hmr , the only thing common between them is that they are cartridges. With a Swift pd's come apart with a 17 most make it back to hole and bury themselves. Don't know how one can even argue about it. A head shot with anything is usually a drop on the spot deal but how many shooters aim at the head when a chest shot is availible? Out here in Dakota you can get a few dogs as standers or sitting on their mound but after a few shots they go down. Then you either move or settle down to shooting at the top half of their heads as they peek out. 222, 223 are my steady dog getters.mb
" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
Should you? Probably not based on years of lack of performance on them.
Exactly
Why would you when there is .223, .222, .22-250.
I guess the same reason some folks hunt deer with a .223
Why? Because the 17 may be what's in your hands at the time.
Deer and a 223?? Because a 200-250# animal is not a large critter and damn sure not hard to kill.
Go way back and look at the pictures of elk ScenarShooter has killed with a Swift.
Not a good argument except maybe the part about the .17 being what you have in your hands. It is foolish to hunt with a marginal rifle.
I let my grand daughter hunt deer with a .223 bolt rifle because that is what she insists on due to recoil aversion (she is 12). 2 years ago she double lung shot a 189 pound 8 point buck. He sagged down on the shot and made a run in heavy cover at dark of over 100yards without bleeding a drop on the ground. Luckily I had caught a glimpse of him making a hard right turn or we may not have found him in the dark. It would have put the deer down or at least he would have left a serious blood trail if shot with a proper rifle such as even a .243 which ought to be the minimum legally allowed for deer hunting.
It's hard to understand the mindset of someone wanting to use a minimum powered rifle to hunt animals. It borders on unnecessarily cruel in an attempt to prove shooting prowess.
Patriotism (and religion) is the last refuge of a scoundrel.
I dispatched 23 coyotes this fall using a 22lr pistol shooting CCI standards. Shot placement was behind the front leg in the ribs. Most were dead before I could holster the pistol. I have also seen coyotes that took a 100gr HP from a 25-06 and run another 100 yards.
They are tough critters for sure, but not magical. A well placed shot will still result in a dead coyote. If a guy wants to use a 17 HMR and it is legal, by all means have at it.
Found this coyote taking a nap on a big rock. Offhand shot him in the back of the head/neck with my 17HMR at about 75 yards. He just laid his head down and took the eternal nap.
A true sportsman counts his achievements in proportion to the effort involved and fairness of the sport. - S. Pope
On all public land east of the Rockies you're only allowed to use a firearm that is legal for whatever Game is in season. You can't tote a 22-250 during small game season. Centerfires are allowed during deer/bear seasons- off limits when those seasons end.
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