Hunting the hunter… Is there a greater challenge? I’ll agree that hunting dangerous game such as Cape buffalo, elephant, rhino, and hippo takes your hunting to a new level. However, predators are skilled hunters and just as skilled at not becoming prey, which puts them at the top of many hunters’ list.
When taking on the challenge of hunting predators such as coyote, fox, or bobcat, your hunting game needs to be in top form. Perhaps more than any other type of hunting, you need to fool your predator/prey’s senses. Overly sensitive noses, eyes trained to pick up the smallest of movement, and the ability to move as silently as, well… a predator, makes the game as tough as it gets.
While hunting, I’ve been lucky a time or two. While sitting a deer stand, a coyote has plodded down the trail only to have the air let out of him from an arrow. Once, while stalking a blacktail deer, a bobcat peeked over the ledge of an outcropping and soon after gave up the ghost. However, those were chance encounters. I’m talking about the challenge of heading afield with the sole purpose of hunting a specific species of predator.
Will you try using a bait, calling, or a movement/distraction device? I’ve used them all to great effect and stunning disaster. Predators are anything but dumb. They will circle you, trying to approach from downwind. They may hear the dinner call, but if the setup is missing the right movement or flopping noise, the predator will likely become wary and bolt. Move to something bigger such as bears or the big cats, and you may unwittingly shift from hunter to prey. After all, you are pretending to be prey to attract the predator…
Hunting a predator is all about getting the predator to hunt you. That makes it a close-range affair. A coyote may pass at a dead run at less than 10 yards snatching your motion decoy. Likewise, you may take a coyote pair trotting in for an easy meal of wounded rabbit. So, your caliber should be married to chosen tactic and game.
.223 Remington
Topping the list of calibers for predator hunting is .223/5.56. The rounds are hard hitting, flat flying, and cheap. And speaking of cheap, don’t go with low cost military rounds. The goal is to put your game down, not poke small holes. Look to polymer tipped offerings designed for small game such as Federal Varmint and Predator, SIG Elite Varmint and Predator, Winchester Varmint X, or Hornady Varmint Express.
.22-250 Remington
.22-250 ammo is generally plentiful and easy to find. It is loaded with dozens of different bullets and weights, making it easy to tailor to a specific gun to eke out its full accuracy potential. The .22-250 has minimal recoil and shoots flat. It’s a great choice out to 400 yards. A few favorites are Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint, Browning BXV Predator and Varmint, and Hornady Varmint Express.
.204 Ruger
It’s easy to have too much when hunting bobcat and other furbearers. The entrance and exit holes, as well as the amount of damage done in-between, all matter. One of the two guns I regret not buying was a Ruger in .204. I used it on a varmint hunt and took two foxes sitting up at just over 400 yards. A 32-grain V-Max screams at about 4,225 fps and will remain supersonic to over 600 yards. At 500 yards, your drop is a touch under 29 inches (200-yard zero). Tip: Coyotes average about 24 inches tall.
At the time of my hunt, I was testing the Federal V-Shok TNT Green. It had not been released at the time, so the ballisticians had to handload it and put it in a generic box with a sticker to identify it. It performed so well, it still tops my list, especially for areas where a lead-free option is required. Other top choices include Remington AccuTip-V, Speer TNT Varmint, and Hornady Superformance Varmint.
.257 Weatherby Mag
Ironically, the second rifle I regret not buying (to this day) was a .257 Weatherby Magnum. The ammo is expensive, and Weatherby was discontinuing the model at the time. Used, Wetherby only offered a $50 writer discount, but it printed one-inch groups at 200 yards! Why couldn’t I have been born rich? I still kick myself for letting it go, but I digress. This is not a caliber to select if you plan on harvesting fur, but it is a hog killing machine and will likely drop your critter — big or small — in its tracks. Being that the caliber is .257 WBY, you only have one source for the ammo — Weatherby. Weatherby Select is loaded in 100- and 110-grain offerings.
Beyond ruining a coyote’s day, the .257 Weatherby Mag is ideal for the deer, antelope, and as mentioned, it’s a hog killing machine.
.220 Swift
The octogenarian .220 Swift turns 90 next year, but it still reigns as the granddaddy of all varmint cartridges. I’m far from ballistician. However, last I recall, the .220 Swift was the fastest commercial loading in the world clocking something over 4,600 fps muzzle velocity. As they say, speed kills, and the .220 Swift is the epitome that statement. Hard hitting and flat shooting are the upside, but the .220 Swift has also been known to burn a barrel or two. That being said, you’d be hard pressed to find a better long-range varmint round. Sure, marketing departments are always touting the new, sexy, long-range round, but none are as proven as the .220 Swift, and how many will still be a leader 90 years from now?
As for ammo, .220 Swift is a reloader dream. For those looking for a commercial offering, I’m a big fan of Hornady’s Varmint Express with a 55-grain V-Max, but Remington’s High Performance 50-grain or HSM 55-grain V-Max offerings will serve well.
Conclusion
If you’re really looking to up the ante when chasing varmints, put down the boom flopper and grab a stick and string. Nothing beats the feeling of outwitting a song dog with a broadhead tipped arrow for a bow or crossbow.
My choices are based on my experience. I’m a bit old school and reluctant to try some of the newer offerings such as .224 Valkyrie or 6.5 Creedmoor. Nor have I spent much time with .17s. What are your favorite varmint hunting calibers? What was your best shot? Share your picks and hunting stories in the Comment section.
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