Hello,

If you had to choose between one the following options for defense against a coyote which would you decide on;

Glock 22 .40 FMJ
Glock 35 .40 FMJ
Glock 31 .357 SIG FMJ
or
P226 9x19 124 FMJ

P226 but I'd use a 124HP

Please search the forum for innumerable threads on critter defense.

Your proposed ammunition in fmj lacks performance.

Handgun against wiley coyote seems challenging.

quote:

Originally posted by taguin:
Hello,

If you had to choose between one the following options for defense against a coyote which would you decide on;

Glock 22 .40 FMJ
Glock 35 .40 FMJ
Glock 31 .357 SIG FMJ
or
P226 9x19 124 FMJ

I would absolutely recommend the Glock 31 w/ +p hollow points; however the 226 w/ +p hollow point ammo (124gr+) should be good.........

thanks for all the feedback, i currently live in a restrictive state...may have to go the copper ammo route to avoid problems w/ game wardens

Using a pistol is a serious deficiency on this. As one who faces off with coyotes on my property all the time, all of the rounds are fine with respect to performance, actually beyond fine. Ammo doesn't matter in this at pistol ranges. Suggestions it does not are simply wrong on the ammo side. But there is the actual issue of shooting one. You are never going to get a classic range pistol shot on a coyote that is not seriously diseased. And it would be unethical to actually try on a healthy one, they are going to avoid you at all costs. And I would not pick a pistol for a rabid or diseased one coming at me or even near me. Use a shotgun for that. In my terrain I use #4 buck but others use bigger.

Of the choices you listed I would choose the Glock 22 with 180 grain FMJ ammo. Federal makes an expanding FMJ that would be an improvement.

40 CAL HANDS DOWN. But, extreme penetrator ammo has expanded what is acceptable for four leg defense.

I'm curious: Since coyote typically go out of their way to avoid humans, in what scenario do you foresee employing a handgun with which to defend yourself from one?

ensigmatic
There is a nature preserve area that I frequent often where multiple coyote sightings have been reported.

quote:

Originally posted by taguin:
ensigmatic
There is a nature preserve area that I frequent often where multiple coyote sightings have been reported.

"Nature preserve" suggests that shooting wildlife there will be frowned upon?

Besides: What means "coyote sightings?" Have they approached, much less attacked anybody?

We have coyote in our neighborhood. Usually only see them 'round about dawn or dusk all the way at the back of the back yard, or in the surveillance cams at night. One time, recently, we had one come up the side of the house, down the front yard, cross the street and into the sub across the street in the middle of the day.

The rabbit population seems down. That's about it.

One of my best friends has a cabin so far off the beaten path it didn't even have decent cell coverage until 5-10 years ago, and, even today, "decent" might be stretching the definition. You can bet there are coyote. Neither he, his family, his nephew and his family with a nearby cabin, nor anybody who's hunted up there have ever been bothered by them.

You're probably more at risk from two-legged predators in that nature preserve than you are coyote.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
I'm curious: Since coyote typically go out of their way to avoid humans, in what scenario do you foresee employing a handgun with which to defend yourself from one?

You can walk down your neighborhood streets that are generally safe and run into a threat, and yet we carry for that one out of a thousand chance.

Why not the same reasoning when hiking, it might be safe 99 times out of a 100, but there is a chance you could encounter a Mama Coyote protecting her babies, or rabid, or you just walk up on one that determines attacking is it's best defense.

JMO no different than why you'd carry when going to the store, we carry to guard against that rare occasion, you never know what you'll run into.

The likelihood of actually needing to defend yourself against a coyote is extremely low. They are skittish, smart, and really good at avoiding people. Should you encounter an "altered" one that is diseased or starving or something and has lost is fear of people, pretty much any traditional defensive caliber would be more than adequate for the job. They're not big critters, and I've killed plenty of stuff that size quickly and humanely with a .22. A 9mm will do the job just fine.

To put their skittishness into perspectove, my buddy hunts them and uses a .22-250, because most shots are at pretty significant range, as they have a great sense of smell and drawing them in is tough. They want absolutely nothing to do with people. The flat shooting bullet makes things easier, and light varmint bullets make short work of them.

Personally, I don't have deer hunting property that I manage, nor do I own livestock, so I've got no beef with 'yotes. When out hiking and camping in the backcountry, I enjoy listening to them at night. When I was working nights, there were plenty of times I could hear them from the edge of town. They make some interesting sounds, and it's nice to know that nature is still out there despite all the development.

Where I live in the Yoop, there are 2 small creeks that join together right behind my townhouse. The creeks flow year round and attract wildlife, which in turn attracts Coyotes. I have seen them both on my back patio and in the parking lot. My only concern would be in stepping outside at night and surprising them. Several years ago, a lone Coyote would stroll up and down my front sidewalk. I was outside getting something from my car and when I walked back towards the front door, there was Wiley about 20 feet away from me, which is very unusual behavior. And alarming. He watched me carefully and when I took a step toward him, he circled me, all the while watching me. I talked to some of my neighbors about this and they told me others in the complex had been putting out dog food for the Coyote, thinking he was a stray dog! I saw him several times after this happened, but he never really approached me again.

Distempered, rabies and even an animals injured by porcupine quills can be aggressive. Why not carry on wildlife walks. Not to mention, your chances of running into a two legged predator in the middle of nowhere. A very nice couple were just killed on a hiking trial in my state, not far from their home.
https://seacoastcurrent.com/co...led-while-on-a-walk/

If mandated to fmj, I'd do with one of the 40's from the options you listed. I'd want to punch the biggest hole I could.

I'd use 9mm NATO. Any of the calibers however are more than sufficient. But others are right; a coyote will typically go out of its way to avoid humans...unless it's become used to being around people. Right now coyotes are running amok in the big city. One neighborhood in Seattle is losing their pet cats and small dogs like crazy, and the state game dept. won't do a damn thing about other than telling those residents to keep their pets indoors. I suppose if local government allows habit-feeding methheads to run free throughout the city, why not coyotes?

quote:

Originally posted by monoblok:
I'd use 9mm NATO. Any of the calibers however are more than sufficient. But others are right; a coyote will typically go out of its way to avoid humans...unless it's become used to being around people. Right now coyotes are running amok in the big city. One neighborhood in Seattle is losing their pet cats and small dogs like crazy, and the state game dept. won't do a damn thing about other than telling those residents to keep their pets indoors. I suppose if local government allows habit-feeding methheads to run free throughout the city, why not coyotes?

We have coyotes in our neighborhood, I've seen them a number of times and they don't appear afraid of humans at all. They do stay away from us and keep an eye on us, but they don't run away, they walk.

quote:

Originally posted by taguin:
There is a nature preserve area that I frequent often where multiple coyote sightings have been reported.

I cannot fathom how traumatic it must have been to actually see wildlife in a nature preserve. My God, the horror. Hopefully the affected were able to escape back to the safety of their Prius vehicles, then quickly schedule an appointment with a therapist.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:
I cannot fathom how traumatic it must have been to actually see wildlife in a nature preserve. My God, the horror. Hopefully the affected were able to escape back to the safety of their Prius vehicles, then quickly schedule an appointment with a therapist.