Hunting Coyotes with a Shotgun

[GunDog72]

Hey guys, our Fish and Wildlife here in Kentucky just passed a new law that allows us to hunt coyotes at night with a light! But the catch is that we have to use a shotgun (and no we can't shoot slugs). So I have decided to shoot them with one of two shells, either 3" 4# turkey load, or a 2 3/4", 9 pellet buffered 00 buck. I have a few questions though, first off which do you think will be best, I expect to be shooting at mainly 30-40 yrds, and I don't have a turkey choke (yet). Second, what will pattern best at said ranges? What turkey choke should I get for this hunting along with some turkey hunting, my gun is a Benelli Nova 12ga. Lastly, when I do get a turkey choke, will it be safe to shoot 00 buck through it? Thanks, Cole

P.S.
Here's the buckshot shells that
I was planning on using.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Winchester174-Military-Grade-Buckshot/706133.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3D searchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProduc ts%26Ntt%3D00%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D0%26y%3D0&Ntt=00&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[missed]

#4 turkey loads with turkey choke!

There are some shot gun loads called dead yotes I think that are supposed to be the hot ticket.

[big honkin jeep]

The dead coyote shells are loaded with Heavi shot. Man that stuff is nasty. not smooth and round it leaves a gnarly wound channel. There are also hevishot choke tubes specifically for coyote hunting. You might Google em up

[sharpshooter]

3" mag 4 buck, use a full choke.

[efm77]

Yep #4 buck works pretty good and you get a denser pattern than with 00 buck.

[snowgetter1]

4 buck, lead BB, I would not go smaller than lead BB.

[shovelheadave]

I found shooting at night easier with a shotgun than a rifle.

3-1/2" DC T-Shot through a DC choke works really well for me.

[Apache]

3.5" 10 gauge #4 buckshot or lead #TT's will reach WAY out there and smoke 'em. Just be careful.........it kills at both ends! :o

[Mach2]

SC has nighthunting too. You can use rifles from a tree stand. I hope this doesn't thin out our deer population too. Personally I can't see using a rifle at night. The Kentucky shotgun method sounds better.

[mnhntr]

3in #4 buck is the preffered load by most coyote hunters. It will pattern well with tight chokes and will do the least amount of pelt damage. You can take them out to 70yds if your gun is patterning well at that distance.

[J.J.]

Yes sir! 3" #4 buck for me as well!
The Dead Coyote(T shot) is not bad, but it is expensive! About $40 for a box of 10. But it does what it is suppose to do! But so does a box of Remington "3 #4 buck for $5!!
In Arkansas they do not allow anything larger then T shot on coyotes so #4 buck is out when I hunt there. Then I will use either BB or BBB, both in 3".
In Texas we are allowed to shoot a coyote anytime, by any means and with any firearm. With the proper light and a decent scope target ID is not a problem.
If your deer population suffers it is because they were the target! ;)

[foxx]

Yes sir! 3" #4 buck for me as well!
The Dead Coyote(T shot) is not bad, but it is expensive! About $40 for a box of 10. But it does what it is suppose to do! But so does a box of Remington "3 #4 buck for $5!!
In Arkansas they do not allow anything larger then T shot on coyotes so #4 buck is out when I hunt there. Then I will use either BB or BBB, both in 3".
In Texas we are allowed to shoot a coyote anytime, by any means and with any firearm. With the proper light and a decent scope target ID is not a problem.
If your deer population suffers it is because they were the target! ;)

Texans seem to make policy and do things that make a lot of sense in a lot of ways. :)

[desertdog]

i have been thinking about a shotgun for coyotes #4 buck would be good. what about the gun pump or semi auto?
which would be better?

[snowgetter1]

Shotgun, your choice. If you want cheap buy a pump. Do not buy cheap foreign auto loaders. The can be a roll of the dice for reliability. Just went through this with a stoeger turkey model. Turkey style shotguns are good for coyote hunting though.

[mikein]

GunDog, the important thing, once you decide on the shot size you're going to use, is to buy several different brands and pattern each one in your shotgun/choke combination at 30,40,50 yards to see which one throws the most dense shot pattern. You'll be absolutely amazed at what a tremendous difference you will see from brand to brand! Select the one that gives you the densest grouping that is the closest to your point of aim. You don't want to night hunt and have to figure out a lot of Kentucky windage to ensure that Point of Aim = Point of Impact!

[ShawneeB]

Gun dog, We can hunt them here right now at night with a shotgun but Feb 1 starts night lights on shotties thru May 31 I believe cutoff is. I have "dead coyote" 3" 1.5 oz #4 buck loads on the way. I'd have no prob using BB shot or good turkey loads but hear the DC is the cats behind. Like Mike mentioned, patterning is everything.

Here's the "revised" page on coyote as they keep moving the url. Go to KYFW and "season dates" > "coyote"

Coyotes may be hunted year-round during daylight hours.
Coyotes may be hunted year-round after daylight hours; however, the following restrictions apply:


Lights or night-vision may be used: Feb 1 - May 31.
Lights and night-vision may not be used: June 1 - January 31.

Other items of note:


Artificial lights and night-vision equipment shall not be connected to or cast from a mechanized vehicle.
Only shotguns may be used to hunt coyotes after daylight hours.
Single projectiles (slugs) are prohibited.

[mikein]

i have been thinking about a shotgun for coyotes #4 buck would be good. what about the gun pump or semi auto?
which would be better?

What snowgetter says: don't buy an El Cheapo, foreign import. Get a name brand, like Mossberg, (I prefer a pump for night hunting), and a good tight choke, and you're good to go, once you've patterned it.

[ShawneeB]

Ditto on Snow and Mike. Many of the foreign semi autos out there have problems, many are just cheap, some not so bad just haven't had bugs worked out yet. It may be a name you have heard good about but they don't make all their own shotguns. Yes Stoeger is one of them, the CZ s-autos, the new Weatherby 08 s-auto. Take Stogie for instance, it's made in Turkey, their OE is made in Turkey and not so hot either, the Weatherby 08 is Turkish. (yea I know someone has a turkish shotgun and it's the best they ever had;) ) Turkers have nice walnut though!

However some are good, "some",,, just read alot and ask questions of people have these and it's not their only or first, are gunsmiths or shotgunheds. Don't want a Mossy or a Rem Express? Get a Benelli Nova pump, strange looking but affordable and very proven.

If you are on a budget there are midrange, even some of the more affordable guns that will last you several lifetimes.

There is one affordable made foreign shotgun I can't get enough of. Baikals, :biggrin-new: I love em to death. But that's for another thread. I'll give you some history, link to vids, info and a review/pics on a couple.

[452b300]

Copper plated BB or dead coyote T shot, 3in 12ga and turkey super full choke or a 10ga TT, or CP BBs, the farthest I've hit a coyote with the 12ga and BBs is 56yds. head shot drops them, pattern your gun, different choke tubes produce different patterns.