MuleyMadness Hunting Forums

So how many folks on here hunt coyotes with a shotgun and what is the best shotgun load for hunting them? Hevi-shot offers a "dead coyote" line of 12ga shells, but for the price i may as well carry my .270win.

I got two dogs last year during turkey season. I was using 3 1/2 inch turkey loads. They never went another foot.

There is a show on the Sportsman Channel entitled "Preditor Quest" The host uses a Howa rifle for long shots, and an Escort Shotgun (?) for coyotes that come closer to his calling. I sent an e-mail to his website asking what load he uses in the shotgun, as he shots them up to 60+ yards away. His wife answered me back that he uses 3" mag loads of #4 buckshot.

I'll stick with the .204 Ruger, its served me good up to now. I poked a fox about a week ago at 550 with it

I can only think of a couple of stands in the last few years that I wished for a shotgun instead of my rifle. Usually I hunt in country open enough that I can see them comming a ways away, and have a chance to shoot the yote way before it is in shotgun range. Even the hard chargers meet with a .223. (usually ) Unless you hunt in heavy cover I think the rifle is the way to go.

camodup wrote:I'll stick with the .204 Ruger, its served me good up to now. I poked a fox about a week ago at 550 with it

550 yards on a fox! Heck of a shot camodup. .204 is the right round for it.


Most Yotes that i've seen coming in to calls are better suited shots for a rifle. My brother has taken a couple with his 12 ga benelli and 00 buck.

NotEnufTags wrote:

camodup wrote:I'll stick with the .204 Ruger, its served me good up to now. I poked a fox about a week ago at 550 with it

550 yards on a fox! Heck of a shot camodup. .204 is the right round for it.


Most Yotes that i've seen coming in to calls are better suited shots for a rifle. My brother has taken a couple with his 12 ga benelli and 00 buck.

Thanks man Its fun stuff to shoot em far away i think, i been trying that kind of stuff lately. my buddy shoots a .223 and he has been shooting at like 500 for a few years now and hes gotten good at it. im jealous of him

When they keep coming and get real close the shotgun is real handy. I usually take both. I just use any buckshot.

Rifle of choice for distance, 12 gauge with buckshot for close range. Not much more exciting than calling a coyote in to less than 20 yards.

i agree i like to have the shotgun iv had coyotes come in from behind me and haul hind end by me about five yards away and stop easier to swing the shotgun real quick and tag him. some times its hard to see where your hittin with a scope so i carry mine for those cases and i usually just shoot #4 buckshot