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Shotgun Role and Selection

Shot CraftLevel 2 — Intermediate

Prerequisites

Shooting Fundamentals for Predators

What It Is

Understanding when a shotgun outperforms a rifle in coyote hunting — close-range stands in thick cover, multi-coyote scenarios, and high-wind conditions where accuracy degrades — and selecting the correct choke and load for consistent kills in the 0–50 yard range. In team setups, designating who carries the shotgun and how roles are split is as important as the equipment choice itself.

Correct Execution

  • 12-gauge with 3-inch nickel-plated BB loads; BB penetrates well and breaks bones cleanly at 20–40 yards without leaving pattern holes
  • Modified or tighter choke (full modified to full) to keep the pattern tight enough for clean kills at 40 yards
  • In team setups: shotgunner positions 20–50 yards downwind from the rifle shooter, specifically to catch coyotes that circle
  • Rifle shooter and shotgunner agree on zones before the stand — shotgunner covers 0–50 yards or circling coyotes; rifle covers 75–300 yards
  • When carrying both rifle and shotgun on solo stands, shotgun is accessible for drive-by coyotes at under 40 yards; rifle is primary for everything else
  • Team knows to transition: once the shotgunner fires, rifle shooter is immediately on alert for additional coyotes

Progression Levels

Diagnostic Tree

Coaching Cues

  • "Shotgun goes downwind. The coyotes that circle always go downwind. That's where you want the gun." — team positioning, Les Johnson
  • "BB, nickel, 3-inch. You can't argue with the pattern." — load selection, Les Johnson / Al Morris
  • "Zones before you sit. No zones, you'll both be shooting the same dog." — zone assignment, Les Johnson
  • "Close and fast is a shotgun problem. Anything past 50 is a rifle problem. Know which one you have." — role clarity, Les Johnson

Common Errors

  1. Using T-shot or 4-buck instead of BB: Creates pattern holes that let a coyote walk through; BB provides consistent dense coverage at hunting range.
  2. Shotgunner positioned too close to the rifle shooter: Circling coyotes swing between both hunters and are hit by neither; shotgunner needs to be 20–50 yards downwind to intercept the swing.
  3. Trying to use shotgun beyond 50 yards: Pattern is too diffuse and energy too low; coyotes take one or two pellets and run → hard cut-off at 45–50 yards maximum.
  4. Forgetting to carry the shotgun on multi-coyote setups: Rifle hunters miss the close, fast coyote that ran the gun — shotgun in hand at the downwind station is the fix.

Edges

🔑 Hidden Causal Lever

Shotgunner Belongs Downwind, Not Beside

shot-craftshotgun-role-and-selection →

In two-person setups, the shotgunner's entire value is intercepting the coyotes that circle downwind of the call — which is exactly where every committed coyote goes. Positioned beside the rifle shooter, the shotgunner has no independent geometric value and is just a second rifle. Positioned 20-50 yards downwind, they become a nearly certain kill shot for circling coyotes.

What most people do
Position both hunters near the caller with the shotgunner slightly ahead or to the side — close enough to communicate, but outside the geometric zone that produces the intercepted kills.
What the best do
Position the shotgunner 20-50 yards directly downwind of the caller, specifically in the path the coyote will travel when it circles to verify the sound source by wind-checking. The rifle shooter handles everything 75+ yards out.
Why it's an edge: The circling coyote is the most common outcome at close-range stands. A shotgunner who owns the downwind slot kills animals the rifle shooter never sees; a shotgunner beside the rifle shooter watches those same animals escape.
How to exploit: At every two-person stand, physically walk the shotgunner downwind before sitting. The minimum separation is 30 yards; 50 is better. Confirm zones verbally: shotgunner owns 0-50 yards and anything that circles. Rifle owns everything else.
Les Johnson, Shotgunning (2017-03-31) — "Shotgun goes downwind. The coyotes that circle always go downwind. That's where you want the gun."

Sources

  • Les Johnson — 2012-01-13 Basic Gear, 2017-03-31 Shotgunning No Calling: choke selection, load selection, shotgun vs. rifle stand selection
  • Al Morris — 2022-08-12 Ep 231: carrying both rifle and shotgun, load selection confirmation, shotgun role in team setups
  • Randy Anderson — 2025-01-01 19 Coyotes in One Day: shotgun/rifle split roles in team setups