number 4 birdshot on coyotes??

kasper2254

New member
hey everyone, i just got back from basspro and i had bought a box of winchester 12 guage 3 1/2 inch shotgun shells for my benalli nova. and by accident i bought number 4 lead birdshot instead of buckshot. they are 2 1/4 oz. will they still do the trick on coyotes and other predators or should i go back and buy a number 4 buck instead?? thanks for any replies!
 
The only 2 coyotes I've ever killed with a shotgun happened while I was turkey hunting. I used #6 shot for one and #5 for the other. However, I would't use that size shot if I was specifically hunting with a shotgun for coyotes. I've also killed coyotes with a 22 rimfire, just because that's what I had with me at the time. Number 4 buck oughta be just about right.
 
You need to kill em, not wound em. Nothing worse then sitting there watching a dogg squirm, wiggle and bite at them selves until and if they die, and your just yards away.
I perfer rifle shots, but do take a shotgun along.
 
thanks everyone for the opinions, i figured number 4 birdshot wouldnt be good enough. ill save em for turkey season and go back to basspro and get sum number 4 buck this time. such a stupid easy mistake is gonna cost me an extra 15 bucks in gas money back and forth to basspro but oh well. itll be worth it rather than wounding coyotes.
 
Here in N.J. during small game season you cannot use anything larger than #4 fine shot. however the special season for yotes it must be no smaller than #4 fin and no larger than T. I wonder why no buckshot. kinda bothers me with all the recommendations for #4 buck. I guess I need to suck it up get some T dead coyote? what some 3" T steel shot I use on geese?
 
Originally Posted By: imskippyHere in N.J. during small game season you cannot use anything larger than #4 fine shot. however the special season for yotes it must be no smaller than #4 fin and no larger than T. I wonder why no buckshot. kinda bothers me with all the recommendations for #4 buck. I guess I need to suck it up get some T dead coyote? what some 3" T steel shot I use on geese?

Comparative to lead, steel shot has horrible penetration.
 
Seen it done, but wouldn't personally recommend it. Had a guy want to go out, he asked what he needed so I told him to get some #4 buckshot. He went to Wal-mart, and we were ready to roll the next morning. I should have known to check his gear, but he was supposed to be an experienced deer hunter. Of course he showed up in white tennis shoes, hint #1. Out we go. I called in a coyote, he let it get in to about 35 yards, and popped it. It dropped right there, but when I approached it, I noticed an odd pattern. He had gotten #4 birdshot and taken out the coyote with his 20 gauge. He did have an extra full choke, so the pattern was pretty tight, and the shot did go all the way through the coyote. But had I known what shells he had, I would have grabbed some buckshot from my stock.
 
A healthy dose of 2 birdshot is ok for smaller varmints at shorter ranges but IMO nothing less than BB is a much better choice regardless.
 
I disagree with some of the info here. When I was still doing lots of calling, I had a better kill percentage with the 3 1/2 inch #4 turkey loads with copper-plated shot than with #4 buck. I think the denseness of the pattern is the difference. I had a far better chance of getting a head hit with the denser pattern. The buckshot does not have near as dense of a pattern. Shoot a piece of plywood sometime with the copper #4 and see how well it penetrates.
 
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