Shot gun loads for small/medium game.

mjbskwim · Sep 19, 2012

My nephew and his almost bro/in/law want to come up from the city and go hunting.
Not a problem.I'm not an expert but I'll try to help any way i can. I do have the areas to hunt up here.
So Gus comes up (bro/in /law).I've got my deer but grouse,elk,bear,cougar,coyotes,etc are open,so we can find something to shoot.
There's a coyote crossing the road! Take the shotgun (since it was in his hands).
Loads one round of 20g bird shot.Perfect,it's only 10-12 yards away and just sitting there.
He cuts lose with the 20 gun and knocks it over!I jump out with my 10mm and we start to look for it.I leave the dog inside of course.
After about 7-8 minutes of looking and prodding in the bushes,the dog starts to whine.Something was crossing the road.Gus had described what the yote had done after the shot.Spun,went down and kind of convulted a little.(legs going stiff and such)

Then I remembered a Dachshund that got stepped on that acted that way.

Gus had just knocked the wind out of the coyote at a little over ten yards.No blood or hair anywhere. Nothing.

So I'm guessing a guy wants to use at least #4 shot or bigger to penetrate the hide on smaller game like this

Do you need to go to buckshot?
Next time we'll have that and slugs.(he will,I had both for my 12g

)

theguncrank · Sep 19, 2012

HEVI-shot makes a load called "Dead Coyote" for 12 gauge, it's a bit spendy though. For 20 gauge, use a #4 BUCKSHOT load (also good coyote medicine in 12 gauge).

Swedish K · Sep 19, 2012

dang tough yote! I usually don't see them that close unless its along I5 near battleground. Usually its a rifle shot to get em at the ranges I see them.