i live in fayette county, and the coyotes are bad here. i had a bushmaster ar-15 in .223, i loves that gun, but sadly my father-in-law sold it and i was gone on work and i didnt tell him not to sell the camo one. so .223 is a good choice. and yes you can hunt coyote on public land with a rifle. i usually use my rifle for evening and night hunts during deer season so that the wardens dont think im hunting deer with it. then i use my rifle all year after that. we usually go with 2 or 3 guys sometime more, and have a shotgun and a rifle. hope it helps. if i can get out before returing to work, id be glad to have u come along