Hunting coyotes with a 44 Magnum

Has anyone here hunted coyotes with a 44 Magnum, or at least taken one that happened to show up while hunting other things? If so, what load were you using and how well did it work on something that size?

Since the farmers have harvested the corn in many of the areas I have permission to hunt coyotes, I've been itching to get out and try to call a few up, especially some young and inexperienced ones leaving the nest. While I'll have my AR-15 with me, I'd like to take a few of my handguns out to try to kill a few. I recently got a set of dies for the 44, along with the box of 180 grain XTPs as part of Hornady's "Get Loaded 2020" promotion. I figure for coyotes, I'll run a less potent charge of Titegroup instead of a full charge of H110.

Why would you not use the 221 fireball?

Otherwise, id use the same loads you would hunt deer with in the 44. ANY load in 44 would work on a coyote. but...... a good smokin 180gr would surely do the trick.

The Fireball is definitely my first choice, but I'd love to get one with an open sight revolver if I can get one close enough.

Awhile back this Nevada coyote fell to a 260gr bullet from
454 near 90yds... When you remove all that hair you have about a liter size soda container that`s a small target at that distance...If I were there today I would do what Kyode say`s and use a hot 180gr 44mag for as flat a trajectory as possible... good luck..

I shot this coyote with a 250 grain Nosler Partition while deer hunting.

The shot was straight on at 56 paces. The bullet entered and exited the base of the neck. Obviously, that was lethal, but the wound didn't exhibit much bullet expansion.

If I was targeting coyotes specifically, I would want more speed and more expansion. Some might be concerned with pelt damage, I'm not, I want violence and destruction.

I've taken several with a .357, am going to try some other calibers this season including .327 Fed, 10mm and .44 special. And as a bonus, from Feb 1st through March 31st Missouri is going to let us use lights at night to hunt coyotes for the first time. I'm gonna see how that works out with a handgun, should be a lot of fun. Why not a .44 mag it should do fine, it doesn't take much to kill one.

I killed one with a .40 S&W once while deer hunting. I was in a pop up blind and he came out of the woods on my extreme right side where I only had a portion of the window open, mainly for ventilation. I knew I?d never get turned around to shoot him with my rifle. I caught him in my peripheral vision as he came out, about 10 yards from me. I eased my Shield out of its holster, he was already turning broadside, but he stopped. I pointed it out the window and BANG ! He saw me move of course but I guess it didn?t register until I shot. He ran about 75 yards before he fell. The load was a factory with a Gold Dot HP. He was a little mangy so no post mortem. I didn?t look for him until it was dark anyway, I didn?t even see him fall from in that blind.

I have taken two coyotes with 44 mag revolvers over the years. They were just targets of opportunity while deer hunting. Both times the bullet was a Hornady 240gr XTP, with the first load being 24.0 grains of AA5744 doing about 1350 fps. The second load is now pretty much my one size fits all using 12.0 grains of Longshot and a Fed 150 primer for a little over 1200 fps out of my 6 1/2 inch S&W 629. Both times were center of shoulder or pretty close, with the result being the coyote slammed to the ground. Both guns were/are scoped, but could have been used for the same effect if they had irons.

You know, after giving it a bit of thought, I think the first pistol that needs to see some action is my 327. Last season, I tried to make a shot on a coyote that wandered in close but struck the hay bale I was hiding behind because I didn't clear the muzzle. I just can't be 0-1 with a pistol.

That said, the 44 will give me an excuse to get another pound of H110 or W296 before someone buys it up.

What ever you decide to use, I would shoot your full house hunting load. I would probably tend to leave my AR15 or 223 Bolt Gun and open sight revolver at home, and hunt with a Contender or Encore with a scope that has more range than the open sight revolver. I have three barrels that come to mind. The 223 Encore, 260 Encore and 6.5x30JDJ Contender barrels. From a stand with bags and a laser I would think a coyote inside of 300 yards would be in real danger in a corn field.
I have no idea if your AR15 is set up for long range varmint shooting or not. Myself I would tend to just hunt with one gun.

Bob

Had a brief opportunity for a couple of setups this evening. Took the AR and the 327, but didn't get anything. I forgot how much stuff I carry and how cumbersome it is. A backpack with my caller, decoy, Bog Pod, ThermaCell, and camo tarp, and a low-seated turkey hunting chair in addition to whatever guns I have. It was fine when it was cold out, but it's way too warm to be hiking around with all that. Next time the AR's staying home unless I start calling up pairs or groups.

Stay at it Chance, it will happen. Ive hunted and killed them with a FT .44spl, heavily loaded 300gr 45 colt, and .357 magnum. Im hoping to get one with a light weight fast 41 magnum load here soon. Its quite the thrill to take one with a sixgun.