Yes, the shot was a bit low. It would be perfect just below the ear. I haven't seen that young pup in the trail cam footages since. Only the two adult coyotes came back since. I will continue to monitor of course.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Coyote #9 - finally
- Thread starter Max115
- Start date
Thank you. I do take my time to aim at the intended target area in the temple, back of head or between the eyes. I would refuse the shot if the coyote didn't present these positions to me. Most of the time, my stalking turned out to be uneventful because of bad timing and no signs of coyote. So far, in my coyote hunts, the last two shots did not hit the kill-switch area properly and I didn't have any body to confirm a kill shot made.
I am learning each and every time and I try not to repeat my mistakes. I would like to get a higher calibre gun, but I also worried that more mistakes could be made by me with the assumption that more power at my finger tip would guarantee a kill shot each time. I will continue to practice to hit small target area more preciously so that there wouldn't be any dispute with my shots in the future.
Upvote 0
It was more than a bit low. There is a lot of area on the head that is non fatal.
We all naturally use the eye when using NV as a reference point and it is obvious from the footage that this is the case here. The head was angled down at the shot with the crosshairs slightly below the eye. Sight picture was swinging down and to the right at the shot. That pellet impacted the jowl at the base of the throat.
Upvote 0
It's only on pellet gun forums that a shot like that get's an atta boy and added to the body count. Powder burners may make bad shots but those user groups don't applaud poor shot placement. If Max had been using a shotgun, he'd have put his hands on that one.
Upvote 0
Shotgun at 65 yards? I'd love to see the " Magic Choke" one would need for that. Or are you referring to a Slug Shooter?
Upvote 0
I've killed several at 60-65 yards with a shotgun. Step up to TSS and 65 becomes a chip shot. I can produce coyote killing patterns at 85 yards that I could post if you're really interested in that sort of thing. Personally I've flattened one coyote with it much further than 85.
Upvote 0
FWIW the 85 yard patterns were shot with a beat up $200 Ithaca 37. Factory fixed full choke- not a screw in.
Upvote 0
It’s a coyote. If he was trying to hit it with a golf ball and a driver off a tee I would applaud him. Game animal? Different story.
Upvote 0
Lots of more superior shooters out there but unfortunately I am not in their class. I am just an average Joe who is trying to learn and improve my shooting and hunting skill.
I post these videos to share my raw and real experiences with fellow AG enthusiasts. Definitely not to brag about my trophies. I know a lot of us love airguns but some people don’t have places to shoot or hunt. I am lucky to have found some wonderful permissions where I get to shoot all sorts of pests.
I remembered how envious I was watching people like Ted and Matt shooting their Airguns in farms when I first started out a few years ago . This is my way of paying it forward I guess, even though I knew I would get some criticism with my videos from time to time.
I post these videos to share my raw and real experiences with fellow AG enthusiasts. Definitely not to brag about my trophies. I know a lot of us love airguns but some people don’t have places to shoot or hunt. I am lucky to have found some wonderful permissions where I get to shoot all sorts of pests.
I remembered how envious I was watching people like Ted and Matt shooting their Airguns in farms when I first started out a few years ago . This is my way of paying it forward I guess, even though I knew I would get some criticism with my videos from time to time.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
LOL, bloody unlikely because my golf game sucks big time. Luckily pellets/slugs fly straighter in my guns than I can shoot them with.
Upvote 0
That is the entire point of my posts. The lack of regard on this forum is astounding. The lack of concern on anatomy and shot placement is a theme here. They're all "good shots" as long as you put a hole in him. Pat yourself on the back. You are far removed from the viewpoint of Sportsmen.
Upvote 0
Once again, being a sportsman has zero to do with coyotes. They are a pest and don’t belong on an ethical pedestal. Don’t confuse them with game animals and sportsmen. I save all my morals and ethics for game animals. The line between a coyote and a deer is not blurry for me. But yes, I’ve commented on the just hit something at extreme distance thing too. It is a theme with airgun guys shooting at stuff beyond their talent or equipment capabilities. Max wasn’t. A hit is not a win for a large percentage of us.
Upvote 0
No one cares much how anyone kill ants, cockroaches, rats, mice, spiders. So you you consider coyotes pest like these no such thing a bad shot. Any shot that hits is one less coyote. I cannot pass any judgement on another persons shot placement. Those that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Mistakes happen, no one is 100%. I'm getting better at coons. They move much less than coyotes so are a much easier shot. Even then I think my batting average is about .900 not 100%. I had a coyote in my backyard 2 times now. I passed on trying to take it out because it wasn't causing me any problems and having only a .25 I would have to go for a low percentage head shot. I would hate for it to die in a neighbors backyard and make the local news!
If I had a 200 FPE .357 with hollow point slugs then I would feel better that an easier double lung shot would terminate it inside of my property lines.
If I had a 200 FPE .357 with hollow point slugs then I would feel better that an easier double lung shot would terminate it inside of my property lines.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Somewhere on this forum I believe that a veterinarian said that Coyote skulls are really thin and it doesn't take much to penetrate them. IMHO Max is showing the patience of Job going after these things.
Upvote 0
Yes, the coyotes in my region have very thin skull. As long as the projectile hits the brain area, the coyote would die from head trauma with the penetration to the brain. My first coyote was shot with an 18gr pellet at a speed of 905 fps; 30ft.lb. The energy was 18 ft.lb at 70 yards and the pellet went in and out of the skull cleanly. The pictures in the above post #7 clearly show that.
I didn't know at the time that a .22 calibre 18gr pellet gun at that power could kill a coyote. I have researched online prior to the hunt and found no information. But this opportunity came and the owner just wanted us to try and scare (or dispatch) the coyotes away because they were roaming her farm frequently, posing threats to her livestocks. I only have my FX Crown at the time and it was one of my most accurate gun out to 90 yards. So I took my chance and I got lucky and dropped the coyote on the spot.
I bought my FX Impact MK2 soon after and I installed a slug liner to shoot 23gr slugs at 935fps; 45ft.lb. Almost a year later we were back at the same farm where I did exactly the same shot at coyote#2 with my Impact at 70 yards also. The slug hit a lot harder and caused more damaged to the skull and brain. The entry wound to the skull has larger cracks. The coyote died shortly after without much suffering. I have since designated my Impact to shoot coyotes with 25 and 27gr slugs at 54 ft.lb.
Now, I don't encourage others to follow my lead to shoot coyotes with .22 calibre PCP. I only have .22 calibre guns and based on my experience and success with coyote shooting, I felt comfortable to continue with this setup. However, my last two coyotes #8 & 9 had me thinking about using a higher calibre gun because I was unable to collect the bodies. I am still trying to decide whether that is the route I would take. I will decide with the outcome of my next coyote.
Thank you all for watching and commenting. My intention of my post is to share my experience and hopefully take you guys along with my hunts. I apologize if I have created some arguments and frictions between members here. Cheers.
I didn't know at the time that a .22 calibre 18gr pellet gun at that power could kill a coyote. I have researched online prior to the hunt and found no information. But this opportunity came and the owner just wanted us to try and scare (or dispatch) the coyotes away because they were roaming her farm frequently, posing threats to her livestocks. I only have my FX Crown at the time and it was one of my most accurate gun out to 90 yards. So I took my chance and I got lucky and dropped the coyote on the spot.
I bought my FX Impact MK2 soon after and I installed a slug liner to shoot 23gr slugs at 935fps; 45ft.lb. Almost a year later we were back at the same farm where I did exactly the same shot at coyote#2 with my Impact at 70 yards also. The slug hit a lot harder and caused more damaged to the skull and brain. The entry wound to the skull has larger cracks. The coyote died shortly after without much suffering. I have since designated my Impact to shoot coyotes with 25 and 27gr slugs at 54 ft.lb.
Now, I don't encourage others to follow my lead to shoot coyotes with .22 calibre PCP. I only have .22 calibre guns and based on my experience and success with coyote shooting, I felt comfortable to continue with this setup. However, my last two coyotes #8 & 9 had me thinking about using a higher calibre gun because I was unable to collect the bodies. I am still trying to decide whether that is the route I would take. I will decide with the outcome of my next coyote.
Thank you all for watching and commenting. My intention of my post is to share my experience and hopefully take you guys along with my hunts. I apologize if I have created some arguments and frictions between members here. Cheers.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
It looks to me like the shot impacted about an inch lower than it needed to for the coyote to drop immediately. I think it probably died but it might have taken days.
My experience is almost exclusively squirrels. I've killed the grand total of 1 small raccoon and no coyotes. I've taken 58 squirrels so far with airguns if I remember right. 20 with 25s, 27 with 22s and 11 with my one 177. They all work fine with decent shot placement. But the 177 is more placement dependent than the 25s, for sure. I killed one squirrel with my P35-25 when it was tuned to only 32 fpe using 20 grain H&N FTTs by hitting it on the point of the jaw. The pellet definitely did not hit the brain. But the squirrel dropped immediately because the skull was crushed. I am pretty sure the 177 doesn't do that. I don't know what airgun would crush a coyote skull but it looks like it isn't a 22. The M60b in 30 caliber still looks applicable to me. That gun doesn't seem to be able to get 357 caliber pellets to 800 fps and you are shooting what I consider pretty long range for airguns at 65 yards. So I would go for the 30 caliber which can apparently make almost as much fpe while producing more velocity for a flatter trajectory. But another impact in either caliber would make more power if the budget permits. If you consider what a PB guy would generally use on a coyote (22-250 or at least a 223) any airgun is not overkill. Another lower priced gun with more power would be a Benjamin Bulldog. I would go for the 357 in that gun for this but an argument could be made for the new 257. You may not want to mess up the tune on your impact but just switching it to 30 or 357 would also seem like an option.
I hate hitting them and having them run off. I upped the fpe on my Prod, my first PCP, when a couple squirrels ran off with the stock 12-13 fpe tune. With it's current 18 fpe tune I haven't had that problem. I think you have a gun that has proven it can kill a coyote. But you don't seem to have the power to get the desired result when the placement is a little off. I'm not sure what caliber or fpe that takes but I think I'd skip the 25s. I'm guessing you are not that close to where at least I would want to be.
My experience is almost exclusively squirrels. I've killed the grand total of 1 small raccoon and no coyotes. I've taken 58 squirrels so far with airguns if I remember right. 20 with 25s, 27 with 22s and 11 with my one 177. They all work fine with decent shot placement. But the 177 is more placement dependent than the 25s, for sure. I killed one squirrel with my P35-25 when it was tuned to only 32 fpe using 20 grain H&N FTTs by hitting it on the point of the jaw. The pellet definitely did not hit the brain. But the squirrel dropped immediately because the skull was crushed. I am pretty sure the 177 doesn't do that. I don't know what airgun would crush a coyote skull but it looks like it isn't a 22. The M60b in 30 caliber still looks applicable to me. That gun doesn't seem to be able to get 357 caliber pellets to 800 fps and you are shooting what I consider pretty long range for airguns at 65 yards. So I would go for the 30 caliber which can apparently make almost as much fpe while producing more velocity for a flatter trajectory. But another impact in either caliber would make more power if the budget permits. If you consider what a PB guy would generally use on a coyote (22-250 or at least a 223) any airgun is not overkill. Another lower priced gun with more power would be a Benjamin Bulldog. I would go for the 357 in that gun for this but an argument could be made for the new 257. You may not want to mess up the tune on your impact but just switching it to 30 or 357 would also seem like an option.
I hate hitting them and having them run off. I upped the fpe on my Prod, my first PCP, when a couple squirrels ran off with the stock 12-13 fpe tune. With it's current 18 fpe tune I haven't had that problem. I think you have a gun that has proven it can kill a coyote. But you don't seem to have the power to get the desired result when the placement is a little off. I'm not sure what caliber or fpe that takes but I think I'd skip the 25s. I'm guessing you are not that close to where at least I would want to be.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
@JimD. Thank you for your input. Yes, 30 calibre would be more suitable for coyotes with the right power output and body shots can be taken as well. I only look for head shots if the shot was available, otherwise I would not take a shot. I practiced a lot shooting tight groups at my target box using my FX Impact MK2. If my Impact does not shoot well for whatever reason, I would not attempt to hunt any coyote until I have sorted out the issue.
I understand the need for a 30 cal gun for coyotes, but given how expensive this hobby is and the limitation for me to use such gun for my other purpose. So in my opinion, it is not justifiable for me to own one. I know there is a lot of arguments when it comes to being ethical and humane. But based on my own experience and my strict requirement to go for a head shot only when it is available, I will have to live with that choice. If I have lost the confidence in my ability to shoot accurately, then I would stop hunting coyotes all together.
I understand the need for a 30 cal gun for coyotes, but given how expensive this hobby is and the limitation for me to use such gun for my other purpose. So in my opinion, it is not justifiable for me to own one. I know there is a lot of arguments when it comes to being ethical and humane. But based on my own experience and my strict requirement to go for a head shot only when it is available, I will have to live with that choice. If I have lost the confidence in my ability to shoot accurately, then I would stop hunting coyotes all together.
Upvote 0
If you're confining yourself to brain shots only your 22 is just as effective as anything much larger. A hole in the brain is a hole in the brain is drt. Doesn't matter if you use a 22 slug or pellet or 12 gauge slug the results are the same. The only advantage of larger calibers is the option to take boilerplate shots which are a lot easier to make. In that case I would go for 357 or greater so they don't run off too far. Even a 30 caliber air rifle is not ideal for boiler plate shots I would skip that caliber if buying a gun for coyotes and move up to something larger. If legal to use in that area a powder burner would be less expensive than most air guns to do the job with boilerplate shots.
Upvote 0