Shotgun pellet count for coyotes?
 

I know both buckshot and all the way down to BB is good for coyotes (or at least from what I have read). My question is how many pellets/BBs do you consider a good pattern for successfully harvesting coyotes out to 40 yards/ 50 yards max? What I mean by successfully is humanely killing the coyote. I have been using 3" #4 buckshot by federal in both the blue (lead buckshot) and red box (copper plated buckshot) with a Carlson coyote choke tube but the patterns aren't consistent. At 40 yards I will shoot both loads and sometimes I get 12 hits in a 12" ring and sometimes I will only get six. I had a friend give me a box of Federal Premium Wing Shok 12 gauges 3" 1 7/8 oz copper BBs but I have no idea how many BBs should hit inside that 12" ring to be consistent for that size of a BB. I looked up how many BBs will be in that load and it said about 90 but again shotgunning is very new to me. I have only been doing it for about a year. I don't want to go out and buy different chokes yet if these can provide decent patterns at 40 yards. Most of my shots here in Florida, especially sitting on the ground, will be no farther than 40 yards. Excuse my ignorance to this still on the learning curve.

40 yards is max for your first time "trying" to kill a yote !

Use your rifle, unless they are in your lap....................

No need to worry about pellet count inside of 10 yards - unless it's your aim.

Thirty five yards is about my limit. Fifteen-twenty yards for a good percentage one shot kill.

I've actually had poor results with any kind of Buck shot, though I haven't tried 3 Buck. I get better results with 2 shot (Goose loads) or BB, magnum or 2 3/4 semi magnum.

Just my experience. I'd expect better results with 00 Buck, but it has *never* turned out that way for me.

I'm saying 40 yards is about the max range I can shoot because of the brush. I live in Florida and when I find coyotes or every coyote I seen except one has always been in the thicket brush or planted pines. Down here they hardly ever run across these clear cuts during shooting hours. I don't have opportunities to shoot coyotes past 50+ yards unless I get in my climber and then I will possibly get maybe 100 to 150. Even the deer except two I have shot down here has been under 75 yards. Most were under 50 yards.

HNI Predator Hunting Tactics Sub-Forum Thread: Shotgun Loads & Chokes for Coyotes

Take a read through my post there.

Your Carlson's Coyote choke will pattern just fine with BB shot, but copper plated BB is a really bad choice for long range coyote hunting. Penetration with small shot - especially copper plated lead - is pathetic. If you want to put coyotes down, you'll need both high density and sufficient penetration.

I've killed hundreds of coyotes with shotguns, starting almost 25yrs ago. Saying that copper plated BB can work is much like recognizing that a 410 with #9 dove shot will kill a coyote at short ranges, but at 40yrds, the BB is not a good choice.

When we use the shot gun we use just a plain mod choke and #4 buck and they pattern well with about 50% of the pellets hitting the pattering board coyote in a vital area at 40 yds..
We have also started switching to hevi shot #4 part number 42049.

:D Al

I will have to look into that thank you

I read over that and I am thinking about getting a full choke. I have a feeling that coyote choke tube is constricting it to much. Now my other questions is how many pellets do you think you need inside the 10" circle? I just want to know what I should be looking for when I pattern the buckshot.

Hmmm that is interesting.

#4 buck is a very different game than BB.

Pellet count on target has to take into account penetration. A lot less pellets of #4 will kill a coyote than BB. I've killed coyotes with ONE 00 buck pellet hitting the vitals, I've rolled coyotes with #5 turkey that would have had 50+ pellets on target at that range, that got up and ran, sometimes anchored by follow up shots, sometimes not. If 00 buck had a higher shot count, that'd be all I'd ever use. #4 buck gives up penetration and KO power, but it has the perfect blend of shot count and power, so THAT is all I ever intend to use (except for when it's hard to find, or I'm just trying other things).

After all of the testing and field experiences I've had killing coyotes with shotguns, it's really too easy to try screwing things up with trying other things. A 22 Hornet will kill a polar bear, a crescent wrench can drive a nail, and goose or turkey shot will kill coyotes, but that doesn't mean any of them are the right tools for the job. If I have access to a 0.660-680" choke and #4 buck, that's what I use. When #4 Buck has gotten scarce, I swap out for a light modified choke with 00 buck. I've never seen any other shot options do better than #4 buck, and none are more prevalent than 00 buck, so without those two, I'd just take a rifle.

I generally live by a 40 by 40 rule of thumb. I won't hunt with anything that doesn't have 40% of the shot on target at 40yrds, it just doesn't get my attention. Essentially, take that to mean that I want 40% of my shot count on target at whatever range I want to kill game, but balanced with the fact that getting much past 40yrds, shot doesn't have the punch - hence, 40% at 40yrds. If a load and choke combination is LESS than that, I never try it afield.

For #4 buck, whether lead or heavier-than-lead, I'm comfortable at any range that patterns consistently with ~15-20 on target at range (give or take 40%). Keeping in mind, the heart of a coyote is only about the size of a small fist. For BB, 40% should be somewhere in the 35-40pellet ballpark.

Double check me on that number, but without looking, I'm thinking that BB is 50 pellets per ounce, but it's been a long time since I did much goose killing, so I might not be right on that. If I AM right, 2oz would be 100pellets, minus 1/8oz, aka ~6 pellets, for 1 7/8oz loads, so 94 pellets, 40% of that is 38 pellets.

I'll admit, I'm still not into copper plated BB shot for coyotes. Even though 38 pellets sounds like a lot, I'm not hugely confident in BB's killing power on coyotes at 40yrds - BB shot doesn't hammer dogs, so it's more likely that you won't get that one shot anchor at 40yrds that you need. So then you're looking at a 45-50yrd second shot, and a 65-70yrd OR MORE 3rd shot on a running coyote, and BB just doesn't have the punch to anchor dogs at those ranges. I killed a bunch of dogs with Winchester Hi-Density loads that are B shot, but heavier-than-lead, and frankly, 40yrds just wasn't a good option even with that. I've killed several with lead BB and some copper plated BB - it's NOT an anchor at 40yrds.

Any shotgun will kill one up close, but at 40yrds, you need an anchor. Even though BB and #4 Buck aren't much different in diameter, it's still a BIG difference. There's 22% more momentum and energy on each #4 buck pellet compared to each BB pellet, so you're talking a BIG difference in penetration and knockdown power.

I've been thinking about why I've had such poor results with Buck. Maybe I've just got the flight of bird shot ingrained in my mind and Buck flies higher?

Maybe my full choke barrel patterns badly?

Maybe the ammo I'm using. 2 3/4 semi magnum seems to have the best punch in my 1100. Just a good match up.

Most likely is I get very few side shots, the vast majority are either head on or going away. Mostly between say 15-25 yards. An the 2 shot, BBB, or BB just sees to knock them down better on ass shots.

Most cases they are coming at me, either I've set up a good ambush or I've managed to call them in. If I happen to have my shotgun barrel pointed in the right direction, I drop them on the way in. If I have to move, they swap ends and put it in overdrive before I can lay and shoot. Which usually ends up in an ass shot. I don't use a sight, I instinct shoot.

Took me awhile to figure out 00 Buck just wasn't getting the job done.

I figured out the Goose loads worked better on chance encounters while bird hunting.

It may just be a quirk, in my shotgun, the way I shoot and where on the animal I typically hit. But I've had good results with ass shots using 2 shot semi magnum in my 1100. It always seems to plant there face in the dirt, most are DRN.

As far as patterning goes, I look at the spread. My full choke barrel seems to pattern the most pellets on the high side of the circle, a little left and right. My guess is most/many barrels are different barrel to barrel and it also has a lot to do with what sort of shot cup that particular manufacturer is using.

I've had pizz poor results with a standard Winchester 00 Buck. I was totally underwhelmed by the performance.

Thank you for the information. I appreciate the 40/40 rule.