MuleyMadness Hunting Forums

I can't believe it! I called in a coyote this weekend to under fifty yards. I hit him square behind the shoulder with my .223 and he went right down flopped around and out of sight behind some tamaracks. It took me a minute to cross the fence but when I got to where I last saw him he was gone. I found plenty of blood, some bone and a trail that lasted about ten yards before it dried up. I am shooting 65 grain bonded bullets. Am I expecting too much of the .223 to anchor a coyote with anything but a head shot? Somebody suggested hollow points. Any thoughts on the subject?

Sounds like the round you are shooting is made more for long distance (greater than 100 yards) because it appears it is passing through without expanding at all. I'm not sure of the brand or name but there is a bullet on the market that is designed to fragment immediately after impact. I know it is made in .223 as the round is from an experimental round the military had worked on in 5.56, which is the same as the .223. The military version is an amazing round as it will penetrate from over 200 yards out yet will still fragment when shot from 20 yards. Maybe someone else on here knows who makes the round. My suggestion if you can't find this round is go with hollow points if you will be shooting less than 100 yards. Bonded rounds are designed to penetrate and maintain as much of the mass of the bullet thus sacrificing expansion. To get one aspect of a bullet you've got to give on the other. The trick is to find a bullet that will perform to shooting distances. The .223 is a great varmitt round even for coyotes.

Hey. use hollow points or ballistic tips. they blow up when they hit your target. I'm sure if you shoot a coyote with a hollow point he wont go anywhere. I've shot deer here in oregon with a 222 mag with 65 grain hollow points and they don't go far so i don't think a coyote will go far at all. Well give it a try. Team_Predator_6

First off those bullets are fine, I think most hunters underestimate coyotes. Pound for pound the toughest animal on the planet. I have hit them square in the chest, had the bullet exit the rear and had them run 50 yards. When recovered the insides were turned upside down and inside out.

You may have hit him in the ball joint of the shoulder. I have heard they are very tough animals.. check out the coyotegods website. John Henery talks alot about the shoulder shot.

I tend to shoot them with my 180gr Fail Safe. The coyote doesn't do much but explode.

i cant remember the kind that my pa shoots but its a hollow point and hes killed tons of yotes using them. ill half to ask him what he shoots and post back later

I would use hollow point if I were you.

i dont really think you can go wrong with hollow points

drop down to a 55 grain soft point or 60 grain softpoint. I have had no problems dropping yotes. the bullet expands very nicely and when hit they tend to stay.