CHOKE When the pattern is right, there follows the consid-
eration of choke. Once again, not all chokes are made the same and in fact there can be a large deviation between one manufacturer’s full choke and another’s. Most are “within tolerances” and will meet the minimum 70 percent pattern at a given range for that degree of choke, but the serious predator hunter doesn’t want “just OK.” He wants “perfect.” For this reason it is important to decide what degree of
choke is right for your calling expertise, how close you want your animals to be when the shot is fired and how much pelt damage you are willing to inflict. I have learned to call most predators in to 20 yards, so I
often use Improved Cylinder chokes and No. 4 or No. 6 shot for a wider pattern that does not destroy a valuable hide at close range. When I’m forced to shoot 30, 40 or even 50 yards I’ll go with an Improved Modified or Full (rarely Extra-Full) choke and heavier shot (No. 2 or BB) to anchor large predators such as coyotes, especially under winter conditions when the animals’ fur tends to be thick and dense. The goal is to send a pattern downrange that is con-
sistent and sufficiently dense so as to deliver a killing blow without tearing the hide to shreds. In some cases it may be necessary to hold fire till a predator gets closer (or moves away), but this kind of on-the-spot adjustment can’t be made if you don’t know where or how your shotgun patterns a given load. Practice – it’s the only way! Shot Loads
I once thought a sturdy load of 00 buck was the way to
go on predators, and for many years there was no other real option in large shot. But, after several mishaps with torn and shredded hides, I drifted away from the high-end loads and began working with smaller shot in magnum configurations. I will acknowledge that the steel shot requirement for water- fowl which became law back in the 1970s left me with cases of heavy “duck loads” that, it seemed to me, were the ideal solution for close-range predator hunting, and they were in most cases. But, I quickly discovered that just because I had a few boxes of No. 2 magnum duck loads didn’t make them ideal for foxes or bobcats. Pelt damage is always a consider- ation and most big ducks and geese are far tougher to bring down than the average small predator. Even a raccoon, which can be as gritty a customer as any mammal, doesn’t require a full-choked blast of No. 2s to bring him down. The goal, after all, is not to destroy the target but to kill it cleanly with as little pelt damage as possible. Shotgun shooting can become quite selective under
these parameters, and it’s difficult to find a load and choke combination that is absolutely perfect for every conceivable application. This is where the hunter’s own experience, knowl- edge and common sense must kick in. For example, if I’m set up for coyotes at 45 yards (using a full choke and magnum loads of No. 2 shot) I won’t shoot at a gray fox that runs up at 15 yards and stares at me. I will follow him, let him get out another 15 yards or so and try to dump him at a distance where my shot charge won’t turn him into hamburger. When using a repeating shotgun the options are very
few, but when using a double-barrel or over-under shotgun it’s possible to show up outfitted with two different chokes and loads, one for long-range shots and another for the oc-
Any high-brass shotshell load (old or new!) designed for bringing down high-flying geese will do the job on predators out to 40 yards. Use No. 2, 4, 5 or BB shot for best results.
casional point-blank shooting opportunity. For short-range work (25 yards or less) I have had good
luck with an improved cylinder choke spouting standard loads of No. 4 or No. 6 shot. There is no need for magnum loads, 3- or 3½-inch shells and other power-packed configu- rations at such close range. Indeed, back in the day there were two options: low-brass shells for close-range shooting and high-brass (magnum) loads for anything bigger than a rabbit or quail. I am a huge fan of today’s so-called “turkey loads,” those
jaw-breaking recipes that include magnum doses of powder and shot such as tungsten, Heavi-Shot, pure lead and other wham-bam versions of a frying pan over the head, and I use them religiously for tree-top squirrels, turkeys, geese and other hard-to-kill species. I also use these stout loads for predators when shots are
likely to be beyond 40 yards and the targets are big, muscle- bound and thick-skinned coyotes and raccoons leading that pack, even beavers (in states where hunting them is allowed), nutria (ditto), and similar dense, hard-to-stop animals. With all this said, I have come full circle with my
close-range shotgunning for predators. These days I tote my Thompson/Center Encore (a single-barreled shotgun) with a modified choke and 3-inch magnum turkey loads – usually No. 5 or No. 6, preferably lead but Heavi-Shot or Tungsten a close second. After more than half a century of shotgunning for
predators I have become rather selective. I now set up to call in places where I have “my” shot (about 45 yards or so), wait for the best shooting opportunity, pass on the doubtful targets and chalk it all up to the fun this hunting experience is supposed to be. To make the most of your shotgun hunts, pick the
shotgun that fits you, spend time at the range, and select the ammo that most fits your needs as well as your style of call- ing and shooting. There is no such thing as “perfect” in this hunting sport but with a little forethought and effort you can get satisfyingly close to it!
www.varminthunter.org Page 179
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