I know, dumb question and depends on where it's hit. Here's the story: I spotted then stalked to within 120 yards, a coyote while out groundhog hunting today. Easy shot, as he was laying down and staring right down my scope as I shot. Sounded like a hit and thought he jerked, but, to my horror he got up and ran off at what looked like a fast lope: not a full-bore run and not a trot, either. Got into the woods before I could fire again. Could detect no limp, yelp, etc.The .204s are great for letting you see your shot and could see no dust puff of a missed shot. Would like to think that he took a 32 grain NBT in an area of the body that would still let him move at a slower-than-normal pace and not leave a blood trail. I'm probably in denial about just plain missing his ass, but still leaving open a slight chance that I hit him. Don't get too many chances at one -- about one a year in this part of central OH, so I need all the "help" I can get, although I'd never claim it as a kill without a body.
Thanks for any info.

I'd have to say it was a miss. No hair, no blood. I've hit one at 275yds with the 32gr and was very clear that it was a hit with the "pop"and had pass through also. At your distance it should have been clear with a hit, something would have flew..

Sometimes an unseen stalk of weed or grass can mess up a well aimed high-speed & highly frangible varmint bullet

from what I've seen if you hit one with a 204 it will drop in its tracks
you probably missed

Yep, probably missed. Was shooting under low-hanging trees, had noticed some flyers in this box of factory ammo and was too cheap to not use 'em up for hunting; probably mashed the trigger in excitement, and probably shouldn't have been trying for a head shot even though that was the largest part of his body exposed. Doubt if actual skull on these puffballs is much larger than a softball. Rookie mistakes.
Thanks.

It's hard to say. On more than one occasion I thought I'd missed, saw it run off appearing to be in tact, and then watched it pile up a 100 yards away. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. In some cases I've seen almost no blood depending on where the bullet strikes.

I'm not suggesting that you did hit it, just that it's possible to have made a killing shot and not be able to see signs of it on every occasion.

Just one little stalk of johnsongrass will really foul up an otherwise good shot....had it happen more than once. If you'd hit that yote you shouldve heard a smacking pop with the 204.

How Does A Wounded Coyote Run?

FAST !!

They can run away from any caliber bullet also! A 204 is no excepition.

Lung shot with a 2" diameter broadhead- ran 200yds
Lung hit with a 243win 70gr Nosler BT (excellent bullet)- ran 150yds
Front to rear shot with a 7x57Ack 160gr Matchking- ran 100yds.
They can take allot of abuse. It's amazing what they can still move with. Though if it didn't turn to bite at the impact, and was not hunched over as it ran, it could be a clean miss. I hope so. I tell everyone that I hunt to kill animals not torture them. Sometimes bad things happen and you never know.

OH that cuts deep Rocky!! Say it ain't so.







FWIW, I shot a deer with a 12 gauge slug, thru the heart at 40 yards or so. I watched it quickly cover 100+ yards with another deer as if nothing was wrong and they dissapeared into a thicket. I sat there beating myself up for a coupla hours wondering HTH I could have missed that shot, etc., kept replaying the incident in my head. Finally it occured to me that while I watched them run off, only one had it's tail up. Once I got out of the tree and began to look...lotsa blood and sure enough, it had croaked just inside the thicket. Heart shot animals can cover a lot of ground in short order.

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OH that cuts deep Rocky!! Say it ain't so.








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Wasn't dogging the 204 Red!

I've shoot them with more rifles and calibers then most people will ever own or have even heard about. They will get away from all of them. Yeah, shot placement maybe the factor on lots of it but, they do take plenty of abuse and keep on going. They are tough SOB's

naw I know, was just foolin with ya. I'm sure you have better access to more coyotes and more calibers than most.

I had the chest blown out of one with a 22-250 (55v-max) and he still covered a lot of ground. Granted, I could certainly tell he was hit but when I finally caught up with him and put him down, I couldn't believe the huge gaping hole I'd made with the first shot and that he was still alive, much less still trying to get away. Yep, they're tough.

The yotes I ever had run off when hit properly were with hollowpoints. The bullets were erratic in that one time that performed in bomblike effect and then acted as FMJ on another. Switched to 55 gr Hornaday SP for 22-250 and the 87 gr SP in 243. Never lost another. Haven't shot enough yotes with the 204 to form an opinion but I sure like what I see so far.

As fast as they can on all four legs, if possible!

We jumped two coyotes once and roared after them to cut em off and get a shot. Danged if the 3 legged one was just as fast as his normal counterpart. Someone had likely shot it off long before. Couple of shots from a 22-250 and a screaming 100 gr 25-06 ended their day.

I shot one in the butt with a 44 mag a couple of months ago..........he ran about 20 yards on his two front legs.......both hind legs in the air.......one of the funnest things I've ever seen........never did find him! Shooter is right on.......they can run from anything....lot's of factors involved....but it does happen!

Just to toss my 2 centavos into this:
I would bet money, marbles or chalk that no coyote that Rocky has shot in the face with the 7mmSTW Thingy has gone very far

Merry CHRISTmas, Rocky!!!
Bob

Haven't been out much this year, but BOB just gave me an idea .

I'll be shooting something in the face real soon!!!!

Those NM coyotes voted to put that STW Thingy on the list of banned WMD's.

I'm certain that's why those that advocate for the .22-250 or .243 over the .204 do so. Of course, most of the time the heavier and faster bullet will kill more quickly. Just my two cents.

About 2 years ago, I nailed a yote running from me about 75yrds away with my 6mm Remington 70grn balistic tip I hit him in the left rump, he hit the dirt immediately, upon walking up to it I noticed the whole left side of it was ripped open, i got right up to it and it tried to turn and bite me! Now most of what was inside it was now most on the outside, and it still had enough fight left to try and attack me,,

A few seconds later it had expired, and no longer posed a threat, They are incredibly strong creatures, and nothing will surprise me anymore.