coyote shot size
- Thread starter #1antler
- Start date
Schism
WKR
Patterning your shotgun with many loads and chokes may be necessary to effectively kill coyotes. What one shotgun/choke combo likes, another may not. I personally prefer 3” #4 buck loads for the increase in pellets over the 00 buck. I’ve shot several coyotes out to 50 yards and a little farther with them and they perform well. Rarely do I get a DRT coyote beyond 40 yards but it slows them enough to get another shot into them.
Another option, one which I have not tried, is TSS. The heavy tungsten shot is very expensive but the reports I’ve read have been very impressive.
Another option, one which I have not tried, is TSS. The heavy tungsten shot is very expensive but the reports I’ve read have been very impressive.
BRTreedogs
WKR
I shot one at about 40-50 yard with a turkey choke and #6 turkey shot. So if just buy some different loads and do some experimenting.
the0thermrt
FNG
turkey choke and #4 buck for me. stack em up in the tube and keep pumping the lead til they roll
- Thread Starter
- #5
the0thermrt
FNG
I've used Hevi-Duty #4 buck with good success
BrushyHillGuide
WKR
I use Hevi Shot 3” T-shot and Federal #4 3”. I use the choke that Carlson’s made specifically for the Hevi Shot. I’ve killed coyotes out to 70yds and don’t think twice about 50yds. I rarely lose a coyote with a shotgun and most are anchored or DRT. I shoot a Win SX3 with a 24” bbl. They make terrific waterfowl loads as well. Yep, it’s pricey but when you kill more coyotes and don’t need those follow up shots, it’s actually not near as expensive to shoot as it sounds. I always have a .22 pistol with me in case dispatch is necessary. Cheap and quiet.
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- Thread Starter
- #8
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Lil-Rokslider
There's 54 pellets in a 3 1/2 inch #4 buck shotshell. I personally shoot them through a patternmaster choke tube but I'm sure others will do just as good. 50-60 yard kills are doable. The cost vs. success is moot in my opinion. The last case of 3.5 inch #4 buck I bought was under $8 a box. A box of Dead coyote is north of $50? Not worth an extra 10-20 yards in my opinion. To each there own, but don't knock #4 buck until you try it. By the way, anyone ever heard of Craig O'Gorman? If not Google him as I think he's had his fair share of experience gunning coyote with 4 buck
PathFinder
WKR
Do you reload that 3 1/2" load? I tried to find a 3.5" 4 buck load but everything is supposedly discontinued. Ended up having great results with a .680 Kicks GT and 3" 4 buck. I've got a stock pile of the old 3.5" Wingmaster HD T shot that has been great. With the same choke as above, I've made a handful of kills between 65 and 75 yards. Sights made a huge difference for my setup. Really centering the pattern up is important at longer ranges when the pattern is getting to be just barely adequate. Definitely take the time to pattern beforehand, I learned the same lesson with 00 buck.
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Lil-Rokslider
Pathfinder, no I don't reload shotshells. The round I was referring to is the Winchester Super-X 4 buck. I bought a case a few years back and haven't bought any since. I hope that they haven't discontinued such a load but now you've got me wondering. If I run across any tomorrow I'll let you know. These came from Cheaper Than Dirt catalog.
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Lil-Rokslider
View attachment 61490
Not sure if this worked but this screenshot is off ofCheaper than Dirts website. Notify when available, hope it helps
Not sure if this worked but this screenshot is off ofCheaper than Dirts website. Notify when available, hope it helps
mcseal2
WKR
- Joined
- May 8, 2014
- Messages
- 2,672
I think it's really important to pattern different loads and see what your gun/choke likes, and where it hits at longer range. I did some experimenting with my old 21" turkey 870 with 3 different chokes and brands of 3" #4 buck plus the Dead Coyote load and choke. I found that it did best with a plain modified choke and cheaper lead Federal shells with that barrel. It still didn't throw a pattern I liked past 40yds, and it put most of the loads including everything with tighter chokes 15-20" high at 40yds. The center of the pattern would have been well over the back of a coyote. I ended up using my Beretta 390 with a 28" barrel that year just because it put better patterns to point of aim with the improved modified Rhino choke I used for trap.
My solution since has been to go to the Dead Coyote choke and load in the 870, but I bought a 20" Rem Choke barrel with adjustable rifle sights from Midway. I adjusted the sights to get the center of the pattern where I want it. It works well now, but I spent a lot getting to this point. The rifle sights being higher than the bore probably helps quite a bit getting the pattern down a little. The Beretta worked fine from the start but I didn't like the long barrel in places I'll use the shotgun instead of a rifle. I don't call with a shotgun a great deal, most of the time my shotgun is used its in the hands of whoever is hunting with me. When calling alone with nobody else to watch the downwind I usually have the call 60yds or so from me and like the range of the AR.
The shotgun usually only goes out a dozen or so times a year and most of those are the few local tournaments I hunt that the youth shooting sports clubs put on. If I used more shells through it I'd probably want something cheaper than the Dead Coyote loads. The tournaments are fun and the money and coyotes go to a good cause. We hunt some thick brushy stuff mid day when we probably wouldn't be hunting if it wasn't a tournament and the shotgun comes in handy there. In there one of us carries the shotgun, the other the AR. Since my partner doesn't have an AR and isn't used to one he usually sets up with my shotgun as the primary shooter. In the more open stuff I carry an AR and he carries his bolt 243. I'm the primary shooter then unless something hangs up past my most effective range of 250yds or under with the AR. Hunting the thicker stuff I'll sometimes carry my 16" AR with the 1-4x Trijicon scope instead of the 20" DPMS Prairie Panther with the 2.5-10x. If I can't see over 100yds the short carbine with heavier, tougher bullet is better at getting through a little grass or a small limb. No 223 load is great at brush, but tougher bullets seem better than a V max. The Black Hills 60gr SP reman loads are my pick from the carbine, they shoot well from it and aren't to expensive. Save more money for those high dollar shotgun shells!
My solution since has been to go to the Dead Coyote choke and load in the 870, but I bought a 20" Rem Choke barrel with adjustable rifle sights from Midway. I adjusted the sights to get the center of the pattern where I want it. It works well now, but I spent a lot getting to this point. The rifle sights being higher than the bore probably helps quite a bit getting the pattern down a little. The Beretta worked fine from the start but I didn't like the long barrel in places I'll use the shotgun instead of a rifle. I don't call with a shotgun a great deal, most of the time my shotgun is used its in the hands of whoever is hunting with me. When calling alone with nobody else to watch the downwind I usually have the call 60yds or so from me and like the range of the AR.
The shotgun usually only goes out a dozen or so times a year and most of those are the few local tournaments I hunt that the youth shooting sports clubs put on. If I used more shells through it I'd probably want something cheaper than the Dead Coyote loads. The tournaments are fun and the money and coyotes go to a good cause. We hunt some thick brushy stuff mid day when we probably wouldn't be hunting if it wasn't a tournament and the shotgun comes in handy there. In there one of us carries the shotgun, the other the AR. Since my partner doesn't have an AR and isn't used to one he usually sets up with my shotgun as the primary shooter. In the more open stuff I carry an AR and he carries his bolt 243. I'm the primary shooter then unless something hangs up past my most effective range of 250yds or under with the AR. Hunting the thicker stuff I'll sometimes carry my 16" AR with the 1-4x Trijicon scope instead of the 20" DPMS Prairie Panther with the 2.5-10x. If I can't see over 100yds the short carbine with heavier, tougher bullet is better at getting through a little grass or a small limb. No 223 load is great at brush, but tougher bullets seem better than a V max. The Black Hills 60gr SP reman loads are my pick from the carbine, they shoot well from it and aren't to expensive. Save more money for those high dollar shotgun shells!
mcseal2 hit the nail on the head.. U have to pattern Ur gun.. I am trying a shotgun for coyotes this year.. Its a 870 3.5 inch turkey gun.. Picked up a box of hornady heavy magnum coyote BB shot.. Bought a two pack of Carlson choke tube.. One long range one medium range.. Went to the range to test... I figured my extra full turkey tube wouldnt work.. And it didn't.. The medium range choke tube worked the best to 50 yards...
the0thermrt
FNG
also a note: I use a Burris fastfire mounted really low on my Rem 1100. center the dot in the middle of the pattern at your preferred range. boom
- Banned
- #16
what he said.
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