RE: shotguns???
During the day, I don't usually use shotguns, when you've got a scoped .22-250 that'll reach out to 600yrds, there's no sense in not using it.
AT NIGHT, I only use a shotgun, usually a 12ga with 4shot, that way you get a good pellet count, but big shot too. I've used 12-shot 00buck and liked it an awful lot too, as long as I wasn't keeping the pelts, at close ranges, it SCREWS your pelts-big hole in the front and bigger in the back. I've also used .410's a lot, slugs only for the most part, they're not really great, a little more range than 12ga buckshot, but far less than a rifle, I don't use them much because they need to be aimed instead of just pointed, but they don't give enough range to compete with a CF rifle.
at night, most of my shots aren't longer than 10yrds lately, probably the longest I've taken at night has been 25yrds...so 12ga shotshells with heavy shot is great.