Hunting & Fishing Varmint Shotgun ammo recommendations

[DoNotReply]

So long story short, have had a predator(pretty sure <40lbs roughly) that has over the past couple of weeks gotten bold by getting out poultry. Even to the point breaking into the coup. Traps have not worked for this thing.

It happens sometime during the night and we are at the point where I’m just going to setup around the coup and be on watch for a night. I don’t have any fancy NV or thermal. So to ensure I either get or wound the shit out of the thing I will be having my shotgun and pistol with me.

What shotgun ammo would you suggest using to ensure a hit. Will have a redlight headlamp and posted on top of our coup so will be shooting at a downward angle.

Thanks in advance for help.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Prairie Storm, 5 or 6 shot. Stuff hits like 2 tons of bricks.

 

[jd9770]

I agree prairie storm will do the job.
If you can’t find it, look for HeviShot-T shot.
Or go old school with some #4 shot if you can’t find the others.
Good luck on getting the varmint.

 

[264win]

If you want to kill a 40 lb animal
Use coyote hunting ammo such as BB BBB T #4buck. Dead Coyote ammo is lethal to 70-80yds

 

[krw]

#1 3” magnum buckshot

 

[acudaowner]

or could be worth the effort if you have a lot of them . the dogs seem to enjoy them self . the video's of mink killing rats is pretty impressive as well . killing that many rats could get expensive ammo wise .

 

[308Gunner]

I use #4 buck and have killed everything from song dogs to 300 lb pigs

 

[WoobieJ]

Hornady Varmint Express 12 Ga #4 buck ammo.

 

[WoobieJ]

If feasible, you may consider also creating a “dead pile” in the vicinity and sitting over it with an AR. You can also rent thermal from ultimate night vision for this.

 

[RTH1800]

Traps will work. Just find a trapper.

 

[JG26_Irish]

T buck is a great option. Up close the #6 or #5 are going to be in one wad and hit hard but they spread and slow quickly and are not going to be lethal out past 30-40y. T-buck on the other hand is a 20 cal round pellet and a 1-1/8th oz load will have about 40 pellets at about 1200 ft/sec. That should give you decent knock down power out to at least 70-80y, possibly further. Do you have any evidence if this is a fox, bobcat, coyote or other predator? Game cam film would aid you in setting up. An old Panther killer trick is to place five or six chickens outside in a kill zone near your hide and tie heavy twine to each hen's leg and stake them about 10 feet apart. When the predator approaches the chickens will alert you and by placing a small red light beam to illuminate the area, you will have enough light to shoot the target. If you take out a chicken in the process, PM me for my Granny's chicken n dumpling recipe.

Just remember cats are tough as nails. You being out West, it could be a Mtn Lion. If you shoot it, be sure to shoot it again. And when you get close, give it one more to be sure. With the SG, I would aim for the neck and let the pattern cover the head/neck/Chest zone unless they are very close. Use autoloader, high capacity and aim fast, shoot slow. My personal preference is a rifle but that is just me. SG is devastating up close. I don't trust it out past 50y. If I see one at 200y, I want to be able to take it down.

 

[DoNotReply]

T buck is a great option. Up close the #6 or #5 are going to be in one wad and hit hard but they spread and slow quickly and are not going to be lethal out past 30-40y. T-buck on the other hand is a 20 cal round pellet and a 1-1/8th oz load will have about 40 pellets at about 1200 ft/sec. That should give you decent knock down power out to at least 70-80y, possibly further. Do you have any evidence if this is a fox, bobcat, coyote or other predator? Game cam film would aid you in setting up. An old Panther killer trick is to place five or six chickens outside in a kill zone near your hide and tie heavy twine to each hen's leg and stake them about 10 feet apart. When the predator approaches the chickens will alert you and by placing a small red light beam to illuminate the area, you will have enough light to shoot the target. If you take out a chicken in the process, PM me for my Granny's chicken n dumpling recipe.

Just remember cats are tough as nails. You being out West, it could be a Mtn Lion. If you shoot it, be sure to shoot it again. And when you get close, give it one more to be sure. With the SG, I would aim for the neck and let the pattern cover the head/neck/Chest zone unless they are very close. Use autoloader, high capacity and aim fast, shoot slow. My personal preference is a rifle but that is just me. SG is devastating up close. I don't trust it out past 50y. If I see one at 200y, I want to be able to take it down.

Well it only attacks at night and our Tom turkey got away one night but feathers were all over the ground, he usually sleeps on top of the coop because he’s a dumbass bird. So that’s why I was going with one of the animals you listed. Also maybe a abandoned dog that one of the neighbors have noticed wandering around. I haven’t seen it but another option.
Don’t really have a good line of sight far out, roughly about 70yds give or take, and we do have neighbors around and I don’t want to run the risk of a rifle rounds ending up where I don’t want it. Hence the SG at night, just want to have some buffer.
Never thought about stringing a couple of chickens, might have to try it.

Thanks for the advice @JG26_Irish