Shotguns and 'Yotes

[Aaryq]

Howdy, folks. I've only been Coyote hunting once in my life and my weapon was a camera. Would a 20 gauge be humane to kill Coyotes? I don't have a rifle that could humanely take down a 'Yote and my shotgun is as close as I can get. If a 20 gauge would work (2 3/4"), what type of shot/slugs would you recomend and what range would you recomend?

 

[kungfuhippie]

I don't think a shotgun is good for yotes in so-cal (I'm in the inland empire) you need more range. A .223 will work as will any centerfire IMHO. .223 and other small caliber rifle rounds are chosen for their long range accuracy. I'm no expert, this is just info I have gleaned-I never heard of using a shotgun to hunt coyote before your post.

 

[Art Eatman]

A full-choke 20-gauge with 00 Buck would work okay IF you get shots inside of around 40 yards. 30 yards would be better...

Art

 

[El Tejon]

Yes, I grew up in Southern Indiana killing coyotes and coydogs. I used a lot of different weapons (usually in .223, my uncle's Sako or a Ruger Mini-14), however I did use a Rossi 20 gauge double barrel. I remember using #3 buckshot though, not #00 as Art mentions, but if you handload no reason why could not load #00.

You have to call him close, so close you can check between his teeth. 30 to 40 yards is good.

50 yards and beyond is pushing it. I remember having to reshoot two coyotes and a large German Shep (which I shot in the eye with my .22 pistol while standing on top of it [still remember those teeth], which will certainly make sure you are alive and your heart is beating) which suddenly "came back to life" when I shot them too far out with a 20 gauge shotgun. Plus sometimes you could pick them up and shake them and buckshot would fall off (well, couple of times it happened but I was young and anxious and shot too soon).

I usually sat in a fence row (so they could not circle around me) in snow camo and called them in. Lots of good calls, but Uncle Sonny was fond of the cork on the bottle call so I grew up with that one.

The terrain that I was in (hilly, thick forest) may be a lot different than where you are. I would imagine a .204, .222, .223 or the like would be better for you out there.

 

[marksman13]

If you have a 22LR then you have enough rifle to kill a coyote humanely within 75 yards or so. Use a high velocity, solid nose bullet like CCI's Velocitor, and shoot them in the head or neck. Know your rifle and practice shooting at 25, 50, and 75 yards. If you can hit a golf ball at 75, you can kill a yodel dog at 75. They are not particularly tough animals, and though I usually hunt them with a .243, I have killed more than a few this year with a 22. Good luck.

 

[Shadow Shock]

A 20ga would be fine, but I usually use a 12ga with 3 1/2 Magnum 00 Buck. Makes who groups of cayotes fall down at once.

 

[RubenZ]

Get yourself to Wal-Mart or Academy and get yourself a Marlin .17HMR for 150.00 May not be super effective but the gun is so darn accurate you can take yotes easily out to 100yrds. I'd take a .17HMR over a .22 any day for any type of hunting.


Heres my baby.

 

[rantingredneck]

Never tried it, but hevishot makes some "dead coyote" shotgun shells. I believe it is size T shot and is denser than lead so more penetration at longer ranges. Don't know if they load it in 20 but I've seen the 12 ga shells at GM for about 28.00 for a box of 10. Expensive.

 

[skidooman]

my dad shot one with bird out of a 12g at about 20 yards. he was dove hunting with my lab and came over a little rise and saw the yote, he didnt mind my dad so much and trotted over to the next little gulley, and headed back toward the river my dad was walkin, my dad thought the second time was enough of a mistake. made quite the mess.

 

[koja48]

Having hunted 'yotes for 40+ years & having developed a world of respect for their intelligence, endurance, & tenacity, I have to sound an emphatic NO WAY on both .22LR AND .17HMR. Unless they are point-blank & you can hit them in the head, these calibers are NOT appropriate, period! I'm sure dogs have been successfully & quickly dispatched with said rounds, but more have run away to die a lingering death. A 12 gauge with buckshot will be effective at 30 yards or less, but a good centerfire handgun or rifle is the best tool . . . .17 Remington (200 yard gun), .204 Ruger, .223 . If I'm anticipating long shots, I use a .243 or .25-06. Be responsible & fair to your quarry. Coyotes are TOUGH!

 

[RubenZ]

I don't hunt yotes, but I do shoot them when I see them. And usually its with my .308 and very light loads or my great uncles old REM .244 yes .244 or 6mm.

 

[El Tejon]

Koja, I agree, if humane treatment is a factor, then I would eschew the .22.

I was on top of the coydog that I shot with a .22 pistol and I hit it in the eye.

 

[kungfuhippie]

I agree, stay away from rimfire calibers. You were asking about humane hunting-any centerfire should work fine. Just remember that a mosin means a hard to find softpoint and FMJ is not allowed for hunting in California. Where you are you'll need some awesome skill/luck to call a coyote in closer than 50 yards, it also helps if the coyote is really dump or has a sinus infection. Plan on making 100 yard shots.

 

[Mannlicher]

I have found that a Browning A5 and #4 Buck work well on both feral dogs and cyoytes. I use a full choke, and the combination will take coyotes with consistancy out to 40 yards or so.

 

[Big Daddy K]

I've never seen 20 in 00 buck. I guess #4 buck is most common and I saw some #3 buck at Midway.com.

That #4 buck is some pretty bad stuff. My 10 year old uses it pig hunting in shotgun only areas. It hits hard and has a good pattern out to say 40 ish yds At that distance it will pass through a 55 gallon metal barrel.

So I would say yes to #4 buck out of a 20 at close range.

I kilt a coyote when I was a kid at about 20 yds with an Ithica single shot 20 and #6 shot while squirrel hunting. He dropped like a rock and was DRT. He was running right at me. i dont think he ever saw me though.

Not sure about slugs. Depends on what kina gun and sights your using. If ya hit one with a slug no doubt it would go down. But with a bead sight it would still need to be relativly close.

I have an 870 dedicaited pig gun with a 20" smooth bore and fixed 4x scope. It shoots tight groups easy out to 100 with cheap green Remington fosters. I would feel comfortable lobbing one out to 150 with a good rest.

BTW, Gander Mountain has their Rossi in 223 on sale now for $130.00ish. Not a bad rifle for the money and with decent glass make you deadly to 300 ish yds.

 

[Big Daddy K]

Side note

We were out shooting today. I got out my 10 year olds 20 ga 870 youth with IC choke. I was ringing 12" steel plates at 100 yds with only a bead front sight shooting remington 2 3/4 fosters. I was very surprised at how easy it was. Also those slugs hit with authority. Sounded like the steel was hit with a sledge hammer. Did the same with my little ruger 44 mag carbine sept it has a scope.