Buckshot and Choke size

spotter

spotter

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I have predator hunted for many years, however I have always used my trusty .22-250 and .243. I would like to up the anti and start shot gunning for predators. My question is, 12 gauge vs. 20 gauge. Also, OO buck or what should be used? Also, Modified choke tube, Super full, Improved Cylinder? I know a lot of people use 10 gauge shot guns. I have both 12 and 20 in Remington 1100's, I also have Winchester 100, 20 ga. semi auto.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
PM's are welcomed.

Thanks,
Spotter
 
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There are a lot of post on this already but i use a Mossberg 835 with a full choke and #4 buck. It works the best for me. I also have a Carlson's dead coyote choke that works good also, the dead coyote shells in shot size T are awesome but there almost #4.00 a piece.
 
#4 Buck 2 3/4 inch has 27 pellets.. 3 inch has 41..

00 Buck 2 3/4 inch has 9 pellets.. 3 inch has 15..

We use either the Carlson's Dead Coyote or a .670 and .680 Carlsons choke w/ #4 buck..
 
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6Gun, soreloser,

Thanks guy's, that is the info I was looking for. Both of my 1100's only chamber 2.75 inch shells, however my Mossberg, will chamber 3 inch. It looks like either of my rigs will be more than enough to get the job done.

I have shot many bobcat and yote's over the years, will my 22-250's and 243's. Long and short range. I just for some reason would like to up the anti, and start shot gunning. I can now hunt the thicker cover areas, and have a faster follow up shot.

Thanks again. I knew someone would lead me in the right direction.

Safe hunting to all.


Spotter
 
If you've "never" shot coyote with a shotgun. You should also prepare to shoot them again, right quick. As they can often take a severe pounding, only to get back up & take off.
 
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If you've "never" shot coyote with a shotgun. You should also prepare to shoot them again, right quick. As they can often take a severe pounding, only to get back up & take off.



I shot over 70 coyotes this season with my shotgun and had less than 6 get back up and try leaving the scene. I think we'll all agree that coyotes are one of the toughest animals around and regardless of the wound they've received will do their best to 'escape and evade'. That being said, a well placed shell within the abilities of the ballistics typically drops the coyote. Mike dumped one at 95ish yards and I witnessed Tyler Higgins sink one at about 80 last year but these are not typical. I used to do the spray and pray shots periodically at coyotes who skirted my stands to get downwind only to have them either yelp and zoom off or worse not appear to have seen a single shot. I am now in the camp of unless you can anchor that coyote with a quality shot, pass and chalk it up to a coyote getting the best of you.

That out of the way, I have tried a myriad of shotgun shells with different load configurations from Dead Coyote in T shot ($30/10 shells) to Federals new Predator Specific Load ($27/5 shells) and even reloaded a bit myself and have decided the best bang for the buck is your typical #4 buck. I have shot #4 in 2 3/4, 3 and now 3 1/2 and when the opportunity presents itself will always side with more #4 pellets for a few extra dollars.

I have always used the Carlsons Dead Coyote choke with success in every one of my shotguns and only saw poorly poor patterning from 1 gun (Stoeger 12 ga Turkey). I am now shooting Remingtons new Predator edition 11-87 with a Carlson's choke loaded full of Federal #4 buck.

For me personally, calling in coyotes up close (20-30') and dispatching them with a shotgun is the most enjoyable type of predator hunting as it makes it an up close and personal experience.

Good luck and post some pictures of your shotgunned coyotes in the fall.
 
Hyperwrx,

Back in the 70's & early 80's. I most exlusively used shotguns. Long barreled smoothbore full choke, that is. The coyotes I shot & or killed. I stalked up on as they slept. I've been within brick striking distance to some. Most were in the 50-100yrds range.

I used mostly Remington 12ga 3" mag #3 & #4 buffered Buckshot on the coyotes. Some never got up. Others flopped for a few seconds & tried to get up. While others rolled & got up quickly. Other than a feral cat. Coyote can be Mighty hard to kill or keep on the ground after the intial hit. Unless of course the golden BB finds it's mark on the 1st hit.

One male coyote I shot last Winter with my .243WSSM 95gr Win Silver Ballistic Tip. Coyote was bedded angling me broadside, as I went prone. Hit him in the heart. Coyote rolled/flopped for 10 seconds or so. I stood up to walk across the valley to retrieve him.

Coyote then got to his feet, staggered abit & took off down the hillside. Once he got up a head of steam, he looked like a fresh coyote. I flopped back down prone, led him & nailed him again, quartering up into his chest. That shot kept him there after he quit rolling.

After examining him. The initial exit made a 2" hole where his heart was. No doubt he would've died with the 1st hit. But he wasn't going to die right there.
 
There is another thing that isn't talked a lot about when using a shotgun to shoot coyotes and that is where the major impact of your shot pattern is when you shoot a shotgun like a rifle, as in putting your face down against the stock and aiming it with the front bead on the end of the barrel. Chances are that your modern shotgun will shoot 6 to 12 inches high at 30 yards and you have to add height to the front bead or learn to aim low on coyotes to get a solid hit no matter what shot you are using. I am in the camp that for the dollar #4 Buck will do a good job if you keep your shots at a reasonable distance and that is under 40 yards for me. That is why we call them anyway, we want to call them in to you for that up and close thrill!
 
A good load for your 2-3/4" shotguns is the Federal Premium 2-3/4" magnum 1-1/2 oz of copper coated lead BB's. There should be around 75 pellets in this 2-3/4" magnum Federal Premium BB load.
 
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A good load for your 2-3/4" shotguns is the Federal Premium 2-3/4" magnum 1-1/2 oz of copper coated lead BB's. There should be around 75 pellets in this 2-3/4" magnum Federal Premium BB load.



Bob,
That is interesting that you say that--just had my 30th class reunion, and one of my classmates worked for the USDA in Nebraska. He did a lot of aerial gunning in his 16 years with them, and he told me that the load you reference accounted for almost all of the coyotes he shot with a shotgun!

Tim
 
timb,I started using the Federal Premium 3" buffered copper coated lead shells while hunting geese when they first came out with them. When I first started calling coyotes I had both the copper coated lead 2's and the copper coated lead BB's from my goose hunting. It didn't take long to see how much harder the BB's hit the coyotes than the 2's did. I had too many coyotes run off that were shot with the copper coated lead 2's when the shot presentation was not perfect. The BB's would either knock the coyotes down or flip them over so I would have a better shot on my second and third shots. On the 35 lb and smaller coyotes that I hunt I liked the BB size lead shot over the lead number 4 buckshot because there are over twice as many pellets in the BB load.
 


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