Hello, new member here...been lurking for awhile but this is my first post. Thanks in advance for the help!
I've just gotten into coyote hunting here in Western WI...first started out trying to call the dogs into the fields but never had any luck...talked to some experienced hunters and they said I'll have better luck by getting into the thick stuff and using a shotgun.
So, I've decided to try and use my 12g Benelli M2 American with a 26" barrel (the version w/o the comfortech stock). I have a Benelli .665 Turkey choke (which is actually Precision Hunter Extended choke from TruLock). I picked up some 3" Dead Coyote T Shot from my Local shop. Now, this stuff is super pricey so I only took one shot on the patterning board at 40 yards from a seating position off of shooting sticks sighting right down the barrel and putting the bead right on the target. Target was a 12" Shoot N See. I had 10 hits on the target, but upon inspection, the center of the pattern was 6-7" left...if it was centered on the target I would have had 20+ hits (15 hits just off the left of the target..)...I will take a pic and post it later...
Now, granted, I only took one shot, and it was from shooting sticks, not a bench, but I felt like I had a solid hold and squeezed the trigger just like I would a rifle...
There was however about a 8 to 10 mph crosswind that was directly perpendicular to my shot (wind was blowing right to left). Would this amount of wind be enought to push the shot a few inches to the left?
Couple other items..I've never noticed any other patterns that centered left when patterning with other chokes and loads (patterning 4's and 6's fpr turkey loads or patterning smaller shot for pheasants, etc...)...however when I've shot slugs they always seem to pattern left...
I've just gotten into coyote hunting here in Western WI...first started out trying to call the dogs into the fields but never had any luck...talked to some experienced hunters and they said I'll have better luck by getting into the thick stuff and using a shotgun.
So, I've decided to try and use my 12g Benelli M2 American with a 26" barrel (the version w/o the comfortech stock). I have a Benelli .665 Turkey choke (which is actually Precision Hunter Extended choke from TruLock). I picked up some 3" Dead Coyote T Shot from my Local shop. Now, this stuff is super pricey so I only took one shot on the patterning board at 40 yards from a seating position off of shooting sticks sighting right down the barrel and putting the bead right on the target. Target was a 12" Shoot N See. I had 10 hits on the target, but upon inspection, the center of the pattern was 6-7" left...if it was centered on the target I would have had 20+ hits (15 hits just off the left of the target..)...I will take a pic and post it later...
Now, granted, I only took one shot, and it was from shooting sticks, not a bench, but I felt like I had a solid hold and squeezed the trigger just like I would a rifle...
There was however about a 8 to 10 mph crosswind that was directly perpendicular to my shot (wind was blowing right to left). Would this amount of wind be enought to push the shot a few inches to the left?
Couple other items..I've never noticed any other patterns that centered left when patterning with other chokes and loads (patterning 4's and 6's fpr turkey loads or patterning smaller shot for pheasants, etc...)...however when I've shot slugs they always seem to pattern left...