12 gauge for coyote hunting?

[nc.hunter]

Hey guys, fall and winter is right around the corner, and from what i've read thats when a coyotes fur is its thickest, so what do yall think, is a 12 gauge 3 in. shotgun enough, impoved choke, ventlelated barrel. My dads freind used it in a turkey shoot and won 6 times. So it must hold good patterns. If so what would be the range, as for ammo how about the hevi-shot dead coyote, is it worth 32.99 for 10 shells. Thanks.

[nathangdad]

generally known to appear in shotgun range although I will concede it does sometimes happen. Perhaps you might want to consider a .223 or a .243.

[Onesonek]

I sometimes call yotes at night. It hasn't been uncommon for them to appear from an unspecting direction on me/us. I think this happens, mostly because they like to circle sometimes. I generally hunt back to back with a buddy at night because of this. One of us always has a 12 ga. when night calling. I prefer a full choke or tighter with #4 buck. Each gun and choke may pattern this load differently. So I would test pattern yours. I find with the #4 buck, if you can keep 3-4 on a 6 in. paper plate, at what ever range that is, you should be good.
Mine does that at 30-35 yds.
If they don't go down permantly with the first shot (head mass), I give them a second load. Generally they hit the ground immediately. But if they show a hint of life in them , hit them again.
Dave

[webs]

I agree with Onesonek,a full choke shooting #4 buck is deadly on close range Coyote.I also use a shotgun at night as well as in thick river bottom and creek bottom cover, where the shots are 40yards and under.It takes them down quick and they stay down.

[tippmann7]

i saw a hunting show on tv where the guy was hunting them with a bow, similar range for a shotgun, he made himself the predator. coyotes need food and water. he waited by a pond for them to come and shot 2 with his bow. although a rifle would be the best way to go it would realy be a fun challenge to get them that close

[sell33]

that would def do it, but i have only ever gotten them into rifle range once, let alone shotgun. well they may have been in range more but i sure never see them lol.

[Moss500Bantam]

My brother and I don't trust them. When we go together he has his AR I take the 12 ga.

[GlockMeister]

With a slug? Sure. With a rifled barrel and a slug, again, sure. But only if the distance is right. I don't like the thought or possibility of only/just wounding an animal, and it wandering off only to suffer, no matter what the animal. Sure, it sounds like a great challenge, but to me, again, not worth the risk of just wounding it...

Using the right gun, the right caliber, the right bullet for the right conditions and for the right animal. One can never go wrong or risk making any animal suffer doing it that way.

[Onesonek]

Originally Posted by GlockMeister

With a slug? Sure. With a rifled barrel and a slug, again, sure. But only if the distance is right. I don't like the thought or possibility of only/just wounding an animal, and it wandering off only to suffer, no matter what the animal. Sure, it sounds like a great challenge, but to me, again, not worth the risk of just wounding it...

Using the right gun, the right caliber, the right bullet for the right conditions and for the right animal. One can never go wrong or risk making any animal suffer doing it that way.

Not sure what you're driving at with "risk". There is always a risk no matter what firearm or load is used. It's the hunters responsiblity to eliminate the risk as much as possible.
I haven't personally seen a coyote wounded with #4 buck and get away. Coyotes when they are that close are seldom still. You may get them to stop, but odds are against it in my experience. It's far less risky with multiple buck shot on target, than a single slug on a moving target in my opinion. Buckshot also does less pelt damage by far. Personally I think slugs would work, but not for headshots on a moving target. A body hit will do so much pelt damage that it would be next to worthless. I hunt them for the pelts, slugs aren't an option.

Dave

[GlockMeister]

But much higher with a shotgun load, slug or not though. that was the only point I was trying to make...

As for the pelt damage, I didn't consider that as I don't or yet haven't hunted coyote for pelt or other reason. So I suppose as far as that goes, I'll have to take your word for it. lol

[Onesonek]

Well,,,, I respectfully disagree, it's not "much higher". Not if one hunts with the firearm/load combination's capabilities. Pretty much common sense and ethics are more the factors.

Dave

[frozentorso]

My very first coyote circled me and we didnt see each other till he was 20 feet from me. I shot him in the back of the head running away at about 30 yards with my .243 SSWM. Now I always have my 870 laying beside me loaded with Dead Coyote brand shells. They work well to about 60 yards.

[unclejer]

Slugs are not dependable to kill and in some states illegal #4 plated buck or dead coyote I killed allot of them over the years with 4 buck.

[ruffman]

I took two of 'em this past May with a #4 shot 3" Turkey Load... The first was at 8 feet and the second 10... Both of them came in over my left shoulder after a gobbler I was working. Saved that $%#@ bird's life twice in three days and never did get him. I hit them both square in the face as spotted me swing on them. The #4 got the job done, however the first (larger male) required a followup shot. He couldn't move, but did wake up and make some racket after 10 or so min.

IMO your set up would work out to about 20-25 paces with heavy shot, If you could get a full or extra full (better) choke tube in your gun, I'd push the range out to 30-35 paces.

[AllAlaskan]

Just use a mini Gun jk lol

[unclejer]

you can not use slugs in Illinois unless you are deer hunting and have an unfilled permit, then it is allowed. Any weapon or caliber is allowed except slugs in a shotgun.

[tippmann7]

Originally Posted by unclejer

you can not use slugs in Illinois unless you are deer hunting and have an unfilled permit, then it is allowed. Any weapon or caliber is allowed except slugs in a shotgun.

realy no slugs? in ohio we cant use any rifles or buckshot, slugs only

[Gopher3604x4]

In Oklahoma you can take them with anything, even your truck! lol

[roverboy]

Would 00 buck work ok. Meaning what kind of range? I know if you hit them it would be curtains. But just wondered if anybody had tried it.