If you're a decent shot, 22lr inside 100 yards is OK. It will, without a doubt, kill them. It will drop if you hit it precisely. But it's heavy ammo and takes time to reload. Outside of 100 yards, it's more of a question of damage done rather than precise shooting. At 15 yards, a well-placed shot should do the job. At 30 yards, it's possible to shoot them in the head with a close-range weapon like a rifle or shotgun. Coyotes are very tough animals. Even when they're not running away from something, they tend to be hard to find. That being said, there are only so many shots available for each round you load. So unless you get multiple hits, you'll need more ammunition. Heavy bullets like those used in 22lr can cause major injuries to humans. The force of the impact drives them into the tissue of their target. This can easily break bones, crush organs, and even penetrate vital organs like the heart or lungs. But effective range is much shorter with 22lr than it is with other types of ammunition.