Coyote hunting during a full moon....
 

I've always heard you can't call in coyotes during the "full" moon phase because they hunt so much more at night. I havn't been coyote hunting but a couple years and I have never gone during a full moon just because what I've heard and read. Just wonder if any of you veterans can testify to this topic as being true or false? Have any of you guys tried? And was the hunting better, worse, horrible, or the same as any other day??? Just curious.... Thanks and happy hunting!

Well, the simple answer is to hunt them at night. It's not legal in all states, but luckily for me, it is in KS and OK. (Legal without the use of lights that is). Some states even allow the use of lights at night for calling predators.

Night hunting/calling is a rush. On moonlit nights, especially over snow cover, you can pick up coyotes a lot farther away than you'd think. The other method we use is to call over a carcass using shotguns and buckshot or turkey shot. Coyotes are bold at night, much moreso than during the day. They'll come right into your lap.

Grab a partner and a call, and find a dark shadow to set in during the night and you'll be good to go.

I agree...its going to be so much more exciting and productive hunting Coyotes at night under the Moon,and even more so if there's a nice white blanket of snow on the ground.I would think they would come in to "Calls" much more readily if its cold out and in the dark,they feel much safer then and usually have the upper hand in the dark...but if You are well hidden and have a night scope or light (where allowed) its going to be even better in the light of a Full-Moon!

Ditto except instead of buckshot "T" shot "Dead Coyote" loads.

I have been wanting to try these Dead Coyote loads, just haven't found any on a shelf yet. The big down side is the $3.50-$4 per shell.

I HAVE tried the Winchester Xpert 12ga Coyote loads (bismuth BB shot, vs the Hevi-shot bismuth T shot) and the new Winchester Blind Side "Hex BB", frankly, I wasn't impressed. If you're going to cost twice as much as 00buckshot, I'd expect substantial range improvements, but I didn't get them.

In the past, I have used bismuth T shot for coyotes, and just didn't get the same range I do with 00 buckshot. I'm sure the "precision molding" of the Hevi-Shot products will make a huge difference at range compared to standard shot, and T shot definitely has greater spread and density than 00buck. The advantage, in my book at least, is that 00buck is basically like firing 15 22mag shots all at once. As long as they get out of the choke happy, I'm golden.

To each his own, both will dang sure work on dogs at night. I like bigger shot, some guys like wider sprays, hit what you're aiming at, and a coyote won't argue with either.

What kind of choke have you found works well with the 00 buck? Thanks!

In general, I like a light modified or improved, something in the 0.715-0.720" range. I ran the numbers a few years ago and figured out that's the minimum diameter for 3 00buck pellets (in a triangle) to get out the muzzle at the same time without significantly deforming, and started trying out different chokes in that range, and sure enough, they gave the best patterns. Some modified chokes are a little too tight, some improved chokes are a little loose, just have to mic them out, or better yet, pattern them and see what your load likes.

I HAVE heard guys claiming that buffered 00buck loads are able to use Extra Full turkey chokes, I'm assuming there's something about the way the buffering helps hold the pellets so there's never more than 2 stacked side by side trying to exit. I've tried it with a few loads through my turkey chokes, but haven't had much time to really work on it to give a definitive answer whether it's better than non-buffered shot in a light modified. In that case, I'd suppose you'd need a 0.670" or larger choke (since 2 pellets would be 2 x 0.33" = 0.66"). I run a 0.680" choke that does well with buffered loads, whereas I got a few obvious fliers out of my 0.655" chokes.

I DEFINITELY noticed better performance from buffered loads out of a turkey choke compared to non-buffered loads out of a turkey choke, but whether they're better than non-buffered loads out of a light mod, I haven't had time to prove yet one way or the other.

Ultimately, you'll just have to try them out in your gun. Take 2 shots on a target through each choke, you'll have $30 into it and an afternoon's worth of fun.

I would think they would come in to "Calls" much more readily if its cold out and in the dark,they feel much safer then