Yesterday I went calling with one of my good friends. We were hunting on the eastern half of the Ca. coastal range and had just set up at our second stand. With my back to a big oak, I had just settled my Rem. 600 Mohawk into my shooting sticks when I heard the first noise on the Jackrabbit tape.

Less than 10 seconds into the noise, a large male yote came bounding out of a gully less than 80 yards away. Just after clearing the brush, the big red dog stopped broadside to me. I placed the crosshairs just behind his left shoulder and squezzed the trigger. The yote turned at the shot and ran back into the gully, as if he was never hit.


I couldn't believe it. No way I missed. I had recently taken the .243 to Az. with me as a back-up deer rifle and had re-sighted it with the load I was shooting that day a Nosl. 100 B.T., over a max. load of H4350. I thought that maybe those 3,000 miles of riding in the tool box of my truck vibrated the scope off target.

After what seemed like the longest 30 minutes (the balance of the tape) spent second guessing myself, I walk over to where the coyote had been. The blood trail looked like it had been poured from a bucket. It led down into the gully and half way up the other side for a total of about 20 yards. The dead yote was laying in the bottom of the gully. The bullet had hit right where the crosshairs had been, maiking a small .243 hole going in and an equally small hole going out on the right side.

One bad experience isn't a true example of a load combo, but I'm switching back to the Nosl. 70 grain B.T. (and holding on the shoulder when the yote allows)!

if u hit right where the crosshairs r put take a head shot. or step up to a bigger gun for shoulder shots. i got a .270WSM im waiting to see wut it will do to a yote.

Well, I am confused. You used just about the heaviest bullet for the caliber. A bullet designed for deer and antelope. You took a lung shot at close range, got a complete pass through with great blood trail. The animal went 60 feet. Exactly what is the problem? It sounds like everything went as it should.

Pete

i think he wanted an instant kill. but my friend only headshots garentee and instant kill

Mike in Reedly: I have used the 70 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips on many Coyotes from my 243's, 6mm's, my 6mm Ackley Improved and my custom 240 Weatherby. I am not much of a pelt saver though. The accuracy and lethality of this bullet (especially on Coyotes!) is very hard to beat.
I have over the decades also shot many Coyotes while Hunting Big Game. And therefore over the years I have killed Coyotes with all kinds of cartridges using Big Game bullets. Usually with the lung hold the Coyotes will get up (if knocked off their feet) and run off varying distances or spin in circles for some time. Your coyote travelling only 20 yards after being hit with that Big Game bullet is a rather short distance compared to my Big Game bullet shot Coyote experiences.
The 220 Swift (one of my favorite Coyote rounds) using frangible 55 gr. bullets (when using the lung shot!) often imparts so much shock and damage to the Coyote they usually do not get up after being knocked down! Coyotes are tenacious creatures and even when hit with a good bullet in a good place about 10% of the time I shoot at them another time - to hasten their demise.
My criteria for bullet use on Coyotes is simply using one that will most often result in a quick humane kill. The few seconds your Coyote remained "functioning" I would still describe as a quick humane kill.
I know folks who use Ruger Mini-14's with high capacity clips full of 223 full metal jacket rounds on Coyotes! A person needs to make several body hits with this type set up to quickly and humanely kill a Coyote! I do not recommend the spray and pray with FMJ's method of harvesting Coyotes. Head shots with these bullets would probably kill quickly but why not go with a quick expanding bullet anyway?
I think your cartridge did pretty well on that Coyote!
And by the way 10 (ten) seconds has to be a new record for calling in a Yote! I have had many Coyotes come in to the call after about 60 (sixty) seconds though.
Your experience with that quick Coyote points out one of my often repeated tips to new Coyote Hunters! Approach your calling spot with stealth and paying heed to the wind! The Coyotes can be nearby just as easily as a half mile away!
Many happy returns of that successful Hunt!
Keep after them - theres way to many of them out there!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy