What is the best gun for predator hunting?

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I am going to do some predator hunting after the new year and was wondering what would be the best weapon for it? Any help would be appreciated.
 
I'm no expert... Coyotes are good for nothing but their hide. So, you want to put a small hole in it. It can be done with a .22, but for long shots (flat trajectory) you want a stronger round like .22-.250, or .223.

People say .270 is a good deer round (outside MA), and I bet it'd be good for coyotes.
 
Are you in mass, other than pistols or 22s is there anything else you can use on predators in mass ?

July 2007, the Fisheries & Wildlife Board passed changes in the coyote regulations.

The coyote hunting season was expanded by 5 weeks. This expanded coyote hunting season will begin the first Saturday after Columbus Day and end on March 8 of the following year. For the 2007- 2008 season, the coyote season is open until March 8, 2008. The 2008-2009 hunting season will begin October 18, 2008 and end on March 7, 2009.
It is now legal to hunt coyotes during the shotgun season for deer. Hunters must comply with regulations pertaining to shotgun deer season, such as: hunting hours (1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset), wearing blaze orange and using only shotguns, muzzleloaders, or archery equipment. Previously, only deer and waterfowl (on coastal waters) could be hunted during the shotgun season for deer.
Changes in Hunting Methods:
The so-called "rifle ban" in the southeastern counties will no longer be issued. Hunters in those counties, as well as the rest of the state,will now be able to use rifles chambered equal to or larger than .22 caliber (including .17 caliber rifles), except as provided below:
a. During the period from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, (nighttime hours) rifles are restricted to those chambered not larger than .22 long rifle.

b. Rifles of any kind may not be used on wildlife management areas stocked with pheasant or quail, during the pheasant and quail seasons.

There have also been changes in the allowable shot sizes. For the purpose of hunting coyotes, hunters may use shotgun cartridges with shot sizes up to and including FF (.230 inches diameter). However, shot sizes larger than #1 birdshot may not be used for hunting other game birds or mammals (including fox and bobcat), except for waterfowl as provided in the annual Migratory Game Bird Abstracts . Also, in accordance with state law, cartridges loaded with slugs, single balls and buckshot may be used for hunting deer or coyotes only during the shotgun deer season.
Checking Requirements:
The furbearer checking requirements have been clarified. Any beaver, bobcat, coyote, fisher, fox, wild (not farm-raised) mink, or river otter killed must be taken to an official check station to be sealed by an agent of the Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. Beaver, coyote, fisher, fox, mink, and otter must be sealed within 4 working days of the end of the season for the particular species. Any bobcat killed must be sealed within 4 working days from the date of harvest. Sealing is not required for muskrat, opossum, raccoon, skunk, or weasel.
Problem Animal Control (PAC) Regulations:
Reading this is it my understanding that rifles larger than 22cal can now be used Day time in mass to hunt coyotes ? hmmm

another thing i noticed reading through the 2011 masswild life booklet, page 23 says no target shooting on sundays except on ones own land or dedicated trap,skeet, range ? does this mean we can go target shooting on open space in mass on all days but sunday ? cunfused again

I know nothing about this,,,,,,,,first thing that came up with a google search
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYN1Oy4HNqI
 
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That minigun didn't do Jesse Ventura much luck, so maybe some kind of laser gun?

LOL! First thing I thought of when I saw the title was this gun

predator_1987_billy.jpg
 
I am hunting in Mass, mostly for coyotes. I will use a shotgun in the woods and if I was in a field or open area a riffle?
 
so here in mass I could hunt coyote day time with any rifle? as long as all other rules apply
 
so here in mass I could hunt coyote day time with any rifle? as long as all other rules apply

yes. any rifle, any caliber. as long as the rifle is legal. after sunset the rules change.

you can use a .22lr or a .50cal. you can use an elephant gun if you want to.

but anything bigger than a 7.62 is just a waste of money and a waste of a good pelt. a shoulder shot with a 7.62 will bring them down. a shoulder shot with a .223 will also bring them down. a .22lr is not recommended, although a lot of people use them. I don't like .22LR for coyotes.

if you are going to buy one gun for hunting, here in mass, the best would be to get a shotgun. you can sue it for any animal. and if you want to make some long shots you can use a rifled slug.
you can also use a shotgun during pheasant season in areas stocked with pheasant. you cant use a rifle in those areas during pheasant season.
 
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I was under the impression you could only use 22LR and pistol cals up to 38 for hunting in mass.
 
yes. any rifle, any caliber. as long as the rifle is legal. after sunset the rules change.

you can use a .22lr or a .50cal. you can use an elephant gun if you want to.

but anything bigger than a 7.62 is just a waste of money and a waste of a good pelt. a shoulder shot with a 7.62 will bring them down. a shoulder shot with a .223 will also bring them down. a .22lr is not recommended, although a lot of people use them. I don't like .22LR for coyotes.

if you are going to buy one gun for hunting, here in mass, the best would be to get a shotgun. you can sue it for any animal. and if you want to make some long shots you can use a rifled slug.
you can also use a shotgun during pheasant season in areas stocked with pheasant. you cant use a rifle in those areas during pheasant season.
Cartridges in the .30/06 and .308 category will more than do the job. The exit wound will be about the size of a baseball and the pelt will be completely trashed, but the coyote will be splattered like roadkill. If you wish to save the pelt, I would use something MUCH smaller.
 
.17 Remington used to be the go-to factory round for coyote/bobcat, with .22 Hornet coming in close second. Since then, the Ruger .204 has come out, and does all that (speed) and more. Since THEN, the .17 Fireball has come out, which does most all of that with less report (for built up areas), and less powder (for reloaders).

You should NOT use rimfire for predators, it is just cruel and inhumane for these creatures. Shotgun is another option and the only option for night hunting (in MA).
 
Thanks for the recommendations, I have a 12ga 870 that I use for just about everything ( turkey,deer, waterfowl) I had not heard about the dead coyote hevi shot. I am going to check that out this weekend. Also I will start looking for a rifle.
 
Model Seven™ Predator

in .17 Fireball or .204 Ruger.


If you have a little more money to spend, and want to try something different and better, look at these:
http://jamescalhoon.com/
http://www.cooperfirearms.com/rifles.php?rifle_name=mtv

or anything else at http://www.cooperfirearms.com/ in one of the following calibers, particularly the ones in bold:
17 Squirrel
17 Ackley Hornet
17 He Bee
17 Fireball
20 VarTarg
221 Fireball
22 Hornet
22 K-Hornet

22 Squirrel
218 Bee
218 Mashburn Bee
17 Rem
204 Ruger

222 Rem
222 Rem Mag
223 Rem
223 Rem AI
 
Are the 17s (HMR, Rem and Fireball) and the 204 Ruger MUCH quieter than a 22-250?

Reason I ask is; I would rather have a quieter report and risk wind deflection of the bullet rather than a LOUD 22-250 where I (we all) hunt. The people around here freak out if you're in camo and lawfully hunting. The less attention I draw the better.
 
if you are going to hunt coyotes, get a rifle with iron sights, or a red dot sight and scope mount.

theres nothing worse than hear coyotes howling, but there isnt a full moon so you cant see out of your $600 scope on your $800 rifle. i know that from experience.
 
Are the 17s (HMR, Rem and Fireball) and the 204 Ruger MUCH quieter than a 22-250?

Reason I ask is; I would rather have a quieter report and risk wind deflection of the bullet rather than a LOUD 22-250 where I (we all) hunt. The people around here freak out if you're in camo and lawfully hunting. The less attention I draw the better.

Than a 22-250, yes, though .17 Rem and .204 Ruger are not going to be quiet by any means. Keep in mind the .17 HMR is not in the same league as the .17 Rem and Fireball for larger game like bobcat and coyote. The .17 HMR is more for squirrels and maybe raccoons tops. Also, a 22-250 is going to rip apart the pelt compared to the other choices, which are better in most regards.

Go read up at www.coyotegods.com for yourself.
 
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I saw in bps that the dead coyote loads are 40.00 a box. I was thinking do you need to have a hevi shot choke tube to get the advertised results? I don't mind spending the money but I don't want to spend a lot of money on patterning for these loads. Any body know off a website or have any info on this.
 
if you are going to buy one gun for hunting, here in mass, the best would be to get a shotgun. you can sue it for any animal. and if you want to make some long shots you can use a rifled slug. .

Only durring shotgun season for deer can you use a rifeld slug other than that shot size TT is the largest shot gun load
 
Only durring shotgun season for deer can you use a rifeld slug other than that shot size TT is the largest shot gun load

really? i didnt know that.

so, you can use a .50cal to kill a coyote, but you can only use a rifled slug during deer season? Massachusetts makes no sense.
 
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