12ga for coyotes

6.5x55swm

6.5x55swm

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Does any one here use a 12ga for coyote hunting, the regs here say BB or smaller. What would be the effective range with this load? I have a 30" barrel with a full choke.
 
I picked up a Carlson's 'Dead Coyote' choke for my 28" 870 and by the way it patterns it should 'Sicken' them pretty good out to 40-50yds.

I tried it with Lead #4's, #2's, BB's your 30" full choke should be decent too.

Don't know of anyone around here using strictly shotguns but you see lots of the guys on TV down south having good luck with them.

Haven't shot a Coyote yet this year... frigin' work!
 
When just a kid on the prairies my dad participated in two coyote drives and all they were allowed to use were shotguns. #4's would sicken' them pretty good.
 
No,
He has it right.Here in NB the only time you can use Shot larger then BB or Steel shot larger then F if if you are a holder of a valid big game licence and hunting in the appropriate season for that particular licence.

So for example you could use #4 buck in deer season for coyote as long as you have a valid deer licence without the tag removed.Once the tag is removed and you use it to tag a deer you are back to using BB,F or under.

So when most people here hunt Coyote (Late Fall.Winter) there is no big game seasons open so you can only use the Sizes BB,F or under.

Stupid,stupid regs if you ask me.

Anyways,I did try a shotgun and lead BB with a extra full choke here one year.
Patterned well but i was less then impressed with the performance on actual coyotes.

With The smaller ones and shooting them in the head it seemed to work well enough on them (at close ranges) but with the larger one's even at ranges of less then 30 yards on more then one occasion i had to shoot them more then once and i even lost a couple.

Twice,the same thing happened to me, i called in double's , shot the first one's in the head standing straight on looking at me flattened them and when i swung to shoot the other one saw the first getting back up out of the corner of my eye and had to shoot them again so i lost out on the double's.

Never had that trouble with centerfire a rifle before.

To me it seemed like that smaller shot got all balled up in the fur and didn't penetrate very well.

So if it's all you have and you do use it i would try to only shoot them in the head with it if i was you.

I decided along time ago that i much preffered using one of my .22 centerfires and a variable scope with it set on the lowest power setting for the stands that will have close action.

I personnely would even prefer a .22 Mag shooting the 50 grain Federals over a shotgun and BB any day of the week but that is just my opinion.

Now, if we were allowed to use Buckshot other then in big game season's.... i think that a shotgun and #4 buck would be a whole different story.

I have shot a few with it in deer season before and was quite satisfied with it.It's a shame we can't use it .Would make a excellent calling rig i think.

Good luck with the coyote's.
 
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I use a 26” barrel with a Pattern Master choke tube and three inch Magnums filled with #4 buckshot and they just fill a 30 inch circle out at 60 yards for me.
 
SAKO220 said:
No, He has it right.Here in NB the only time you can use Shot larger then BB or Steel shot larger then F if if you are a holder of a valid big game licence and hunting in the appropriate season for that particular licence. So for example you could use #4 buck in deer season for coyote as long as you have a valid deer licence without the tag removed.Once the tag is removed and you use it to tag a deer you are back to using BB,F or under. So when most people here hunt Coyote (Late Fall.Winter) there is no big game seasons open so you can only use the Sizes BB,F or under. Stupid,stupid regs if you ask me.
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Agreed. Less than ideal regs.

Anyways,I did try a shotgun and lead BB with a extra full choke here one year. Patterned well but i was less then impressed with the performance on actual coyotes. With The smaller ones and shooting them in the head it seemed to work well enough on them (at close ranges) but with the larger one's even at ranges of less then 30 yards on more then one occasion i had to shoot them more then once and i even lost a couple. Twice,the same thing happened to me, i called in double's , shot the first one's in the head standing straight on looking at me flattened them and when i swung to shoot the other one saw the first getting back up out of the corner of my eye and had to shoot them again so i lost out on the double's. Never had that trouble with a rifle before. To me it seemed like that smaller shot got all balled up in the fur and didn't penetrate very well. So if it's all you have and you do use it i would try to only shoot them in the head with it if i was you.
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Yep, BB (and smaller) is marginal for coyotes.

I decided along time ago that i much preffered using one of my .22 centerfires and a variable scope with it set on the lowest power setting for the stands that will have close action. I personnely would even prefer a .22 Mag shooting the 50 grain Federals over a shotgun and BB any day of the week but that is just my opinion.
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I'd have to agree with that.
 
In the 70's when "coyotes were worth 100 $ and a new truck was around 4000$"; my dad and uncles used to hunt a pile of them with hounds and trucks. One of the favored weapons was a Marlin Goose Gun. All concerned swore with #2 or BB it was better than a .22. "The hardest part was getting it into action out of the truck"
80 - 100 yards no problem. But do the stories get better with age...:)
Stay safe; good hunting
 
tokguy said:
In the 70's when "coyotes were worth 100 $ and a new truck was around 4000$"; my dad and uncles used to hunt a pile of them with hounds and trucks. One of the favored weapons was a Marlin Goose Gun. All concerned swore with #2 or BB it was better than a .22. "The hardest part was getting it into action out of the truck" 80 - 100 yards no problem. But do the stories get better with age...:) Stay safe; good hunting
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There are no absolutes and plenty of exceptions, of course, and a Marlin goose gun is no average 12 GA. But generally speaking, I'd probably grab a .22WMR for close range action over a 12 GA if I had to use BB or smaller. On the topic of exceptions: the Federal Premium Ultra Shok is available in 3 inch BB, and might be the ticket for the OP.
 
in ontario you can only carry small shot well big game season is on .after it is closed you can shot all the yotes you want with slugs or buck shot .# 4 buck is the way to go for a shot gun hunting yotes .DUTCH
 
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