Shotgun Coyote

I was afraid this was gonna be the kind of responses I got. I am in an area where we can only use muzzelloaders, shotguns, or archery equipment. There wouldn't be a problem if crossbows werent illigal too.
 
blacktail,
Can you use .22lr's ? if so I would recommend those wonderful "little" cci stingers. I have shot many a wild dog and coyote and totally amazed at how many times I got bangflops when they got hit by that little bullet.
plus they beauty of it all is the only pelt damage is a small .22 caliber entrance wound...never had an exit wound!
just for info sake I always shoot for the heart-lung area just as I would a deer too....and for the ones that do run off.....they dont go very far!
just some food for thought.
 
Buy a muzzleloader. They're fun. Although all the ones I've used would probably blow the crap out of the pelt too. I've never shot any animal with a .410 slug but maybe you should ask someone about that.
 
I would go with a .32 cal muzzleloader or archery. If it wasn't for the pelt damage you could go with a slug. Shot at 50yds might not give you the penetration you need. Buck will probably spread too much to assure a good hit in a vital area. A rifled slug will work but will leave a hole, around 1/2" or so, and I don't know if it will go through both sides or not. Saboted slugs will leave a smaller hole but has a higher chance it might go through both sides.
 
wait what about pistols? at 50 yards with a good rest, im pretty postive i could drop a coyote with my grandaddys .357. Trick is getting them that close where we usually hunt coyotes. Also a muzzleloader wouldnt be a bad idea, ive thought about it but i just havent had the time to site mine in. Also 50 yards with a shotgun aint going to liquafy the pelt, as long as you stay with good standard 23/4 and hell maybe even 3" buckshot. Just use a tight choke, so you dont blow your pattern alltogether. Also slugs are very potent. Im pretty sure a rifled slug would go thru and thru that coyote without much give. They are murder on dear out to 75 yards if you can hit that well with your ole scattergun.
 
The answer to the question asked is a slug. One big entry hole. One big(ger) exit hole. But there are better choice for low pelt damage than any shotgun load.
 
I'm surprised no one uses a shotgun for varmint hunting. I use #4 nickel plated for fox hunting at night, and try to keep #2 plated shot or BB for killing coyotes. I have taken fox at 60 yards with the #4 load. A good load of plated BB's will take a coyote down at the same yardage. Pattern your particular gun to find what it likes the best and it will give you a good idea of your maximum killing distance. I would want at least 5-10 BB's in the chest area of a pattern, maybe a few more if you use #2 bird shot. Penetration is several inches at 50 yards into a critter. These are the same loads that would drop a goose at 75 yards in the old days of lead shot.

It is hard to find heavy hunting loads in lead shot anymore, my loads are all old goose hunting lead loads that I came across. I have not used the tungstein Hevi shot loads, but I think they would be just as good or better, except for the price.
 
I am in an area where we can only use muzzelloaders, shotguns, or archery equipment. There wouldn't be a problem if crossbows werent illigal too.
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Yeah, I hear you. I live in an area where the biggest rifle you can use is a .22 for rabbits, squirrels, and the like.

If you're going with a shotgun, I'd suggest 12-gauge Magnum, #4 buckshot, and a full choke. You may or may not have pelt damage, but that would be my first choice for a shotgun.
 
Go with the 12ga, magnum buckhammer loads from Remington. Or Magnum copper-solid sabot slugs from Remington. Give it a shot, and tell us what happens.
 
Well, I might add that maybe a good 20ga slug gun, would be one of the best choices for coyotes, possibly with a scope. It won't make that big a hole. And a 410 slug might work pretty good also, if you can find a good gun that will group well enough. Come to think of it, I wonder if one of those Winchester model 94/410's would do the job. It just might be the one practical job for that little leveraction shotgun.
 
what area are you in. Because my area doesnt allow rifles either but you can still use anything .22 cal. or smaller. Double check your stuff. I wouldnt recommend slugs either. Trust me, mine leave a hole about 1 in. in diameter. Go .22 cal. but better make it magnum. Forget about the pelt if your gonna use the shotgun.
 
I live in one of those communist states too,,,,,cant even use a 22 for squirrel or rabbit hunting,,its shotgun, ML or Bow only,,no handgun and no crossbow....pattern your gun, I have taken fox with buckshot and no big deal with pelt damage
 
i live in southwest washington state, the unit i am in specificly says "no rimfire or centerfire rifle may be used" pistols yes, but revolver style only,
 
When I lived in AZ I shot many Coyotes and back then I would get from 50 to 75 bucks for a hide ( and I didn't have to skin it, just bring the carcass in). It didn't make much difference to the taxidermist or the skin collecting guy what I hit it with, They would simply use a needle and thread to sew the hole closed and you could't tell what the Coyote was shot with. I damn near made a living in AZ shooting Coyotes and i never had a dealer complain about the "holes" in them. They simply close up the hole and nobody is the wiser. These guys are not stupid, so unless you use a gun that blows incredable holes through the hide, they can fix it.
 
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