Yote choke and shot size?

C

Chainsaw.

New member
I intend to go grab a new mossberg for yotes up on the hill behind my house (shotgun only) and I’m just looking for pointers on shot size, chokes etc...?

Probably pretty situation dependant but figure I’ll start with #4 buck and take a couple of chokes with, then decide with to run depending on where I post up.

Thoughts?
 
Dead Coyote (T shot) and #4 buck are by far the most common. #4 buck most widely used because of cost I'd say but a lot of guys love the Dead Coyote stuff. Some guys use copper-plated BB. I use #4 buck.

Choke size, most people prefer an extra full turkey choke but I've had good patterns with everything from modified to full to extra full. My main predator gun has an extra full choke and patterns well, the backup has a standard full and patterns well.

Get some loads and pattern them is the best way to do it.

I've been impressed with the way this patterns and kills, it's nickel-plated which should help with penetration, and it's relatively inexpensive:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...4-buckshot-27-nickel-plated-pellets-box-of-10
 
Most of the ones I have shot have been with Federal Flite Control 00 Buck, or so close it did not matter. I carry a few on my belt when I am upland bird hunting and with the mod choke, that does the best for me.
 
Penetration always good when trying to kil something. Little round lead balls are at the low end of the performance spectrum. At 20 yards it doesn’t really matter. At 40-50 yards it might.

Shotguns are easy on pelts. Little holes.
 
No #4 buck is hard to beat. 00 will kill them father but at the distance will give
the target a good chance of not being hit in the pattern. We used #4 buck on
fox with call at night with good results. Fox & coyote are about the same as far
as body make up. In the woods I have shot fox with 2x4 Turkey loads at 30yds
some of the 2s exited opposite side. As far as choke you will have to find out
what your gun likes. In newer guns made in last 30yrs, the modified choke will
shoot large shot better than full choke. 00 & 000 seem to do best out of Cylinder
bores.
 
new Winchester load

I can't say the exact load label, but Winchester has applied the "shot-lok" technology (the same clear, epoxy like substance that yields the best performing lead turkey load in the business, the XR) to a varmint load. Seems like I read that the load is 1-5/8 oz of BB's. Hornady also has a 1-1/2 oz load of BB's as well.

At one time I had access to a lot of #4 Buck, and experimented with my shotguns and assorted chokes. Seems like I modified choke tube did best in bamaboys 835, but I could not swear to that. I just could not get a dense enough pattern to really suit me, and dropped to smaller shot sizes. T-shot, or BB puts a lot more pellets in the air, and fills the gaps in nicely.
 
I've shot a few coyotes with a shotgun--mostly while turkey hunting. I used #2 lead to wound a few in front of hounds but didn't ever kill one DRT. Actually, the only yoties that were DRT -- 1 hit with #4 buck and 1 with lead #4 both about 35 yards. The #4 buck was a single lucky hit behind the ear but the 1 3/8 ounce of #4 riddled the carcass from shoulder to flank.
I've never been satisfied with the results of using a shotgun on yoties and just don't even try anymore.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys, got a cart full of different shells to try out. New gun has 4 factory choke so, Ive got lottsa work to do!

Mobuck, I would MUCH rather use my AR on these turds but this is for on the hill behind my house which is shotgun only.
 
Find a load that patterns and it works great. Inside 40 yards, #4 buck is very effective and is quite popular amongst predator hunters. It also fun. Shotgun is my preferred gun for predators. Finding a load that’s good is worth it.
 
Penetration always good when trying to kil something. Little round lead balls are at the low end of the performance spectrum. At 20 yards it doesn’t really matter. At 40-50 yards it might.
Click to expand...
I have never shot a coyote with #4 buckshot. However, I have shot many deer with #4 buckshot, out to 40 yards. I found that the #4 buckshot pellets would penetrate the deer's deers body completely and most often be found under the hide on the opposite side. In other words, the penetration on deer was adequate so my question asking about penetration on coyotes was facetious.
 
Wow, I wouldn’t have thought #4 buck would penetrate THAT well. Cool.

That being said I patterned some S&B 27 pellet #4 yesterday, with a mod choke I got 18” x 18” patterned at 20 yards. Then swapped in the full choke which gleaned slightly better results. Not terribly good but it will have to do, my buddy killed a deer last night and left the gut pile, Im gonna go sit on it this afternoon.
 
yup

That was my observations too, the 27 pellet/2-3/4" load was just a bit thin. I shot some 41 pellet, #4B , 3" mag loads, and they obviously put more shot in the air and on target, but at a price, money and recoil wise.

All my "called" coyotes have been shot while spring gobbler hunting. And if I'm working a gobbler, I will not shoot, but if calling blind, I might. At 20-25 yds, a turkey load from an X-full choke will sieve a 'yotes noggin and that's it from him, trust me. I think coyotes get a lot of spring turkeys, strutting or on the nest. I've talked to guys who have had 'yotes roll their turkey decoys.

Every year I threaten to get serious about calling 'yotes (intentionally) and buying some of the BB loads and putting a combo together, but I've yet to do it.
 
Welp, went out and sat for 4 hours today on my buddys deer carcass. Saw one yote. Musta been 110 yards out, looked right at me, waited, looked at me again, stood sideways as if to give me the middle finger, then puttered off into the dense woods. So far out I didnt dare lob a shot at him, simply would have been an educational moment for him.

So there I sat, in a little hole, waiting for yotes. Had my electronic muffs tirned up high, heard an odd animal noise out behind me, clearly over the Forest service road, ravens were making lots of racket so I didnt think to much of it. Things quiet down. About 2 minutes later I hear a twig snap right behind me, The hair on my neck ignites, I wheel around just in time to see a monster buck spinning on his heels and bolt not 10’ from me!! He runs off around a big slash pile, gets ti the other side, stops and looks back at me like “What was that!?” I counted 10 points (western count would be 4 point plus eye guards) as Im cursing out loud repeatedly. WOW. That got my blood pumping!

I ended up sittimg for another hour but I’m pretty sure every coyote in the county know where I was after that!

Try again in the morning.

Oh, I did pick up some hornady 3” nickle played BB shot made for coyotes, BUT, havemt had a chance to pattern it yet.
 
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