Mixed bag ?

[BaldguyLee]

I'm out once a week or so hunting for squirrels and or crows. I usually carry an 870 in 20ga, with #6 steel shot ( non-toxic required for pellets where I am ).

If something larger comes by and is in season, like a coon, fox, coyote, etc, should I take a whack at it ?

I'm unsure if #6 is 'enough gun' especially in steel shot. I've thought about carrying a few rounds of small buckshot or slugs for this, but I doubt I could eject and reload quickly or quietly enough. And I'm using a full choke= no slugs. I do have a 10/22 also, but I can't really shoot a flying crow with it so it usually stays home.

Any thoughts ?

[landtracdeerhunter]

I don't know the reason and hopefully someone else can say. I purchased 2 full chokes for the 870's, both saying, do not to use steel shot with a full choke. I was thinking damage to the barrel.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have found that steel shoots one choke tighter than it would with lead. SO a mod would give you a comparable pattern with steel as a full would with lead.

Also you might want to check the regs. I thought there was something about possessing slugs afield when it wasn't deer season.

[noodle one]

Carring shot and slugs while hunting in New York State.is illegal. You can carry one or the other, but not both. Also I am not sure ,but I think hunting with buckshot in NY is also illegal.

[Early]

Never heard that it is illegal to carry both shot and slugs while hunting. Where did you get that from? I could find no such regulation in the current Guide.

[growalot]

Hunting Hours and Methods

• You may hunt furbearers after sunrise on the opening day of the season. They may be taken at any hour, day or night, for the rest of their hunting season until sunset on the closing day of the season. For more on hunting furbearers at night, see below.
  
• You may hunt furbearers during the day using any handgun, shotgun, rifle or bow. All laws pertaining to the use of firearms apply.
  
• You may use a rifle chambered in any cartridge, except that you may not possess a centerfire rifle afield, during the day or night, during any open season for deer in areas where rifles are prohibited for deer hunting.
  
• Air guns may be used to hunt furbearers. An air gun is defined as a firearm that uses spring or compressed air (not gunpowder) to propel a single projectile that is .17 caliber or larger and produces a muzzle velocity of at least 600 feet/second.
  
• You may use a call, including an electronic call.
  

Furbearer Hunting at Night

You may hunt furbearers at night, with or without a light, as follows:

• You may use a light, but you may not hunt from any motor vehicle, including an ATV. All laws pertaining to the use of a spotlight and firearm apply.
  
• If hunting without a light, the use of a light gathering ("starlight") scope is legal on any firearm listed below.
  
• You may use any handgun or bow.
  
• You may use a shotgun loaded with shot (any size).
  
• You may use a rifle chambered in any cartridge, except that you may not possess a centerfire rifle afield, during the day or night, during any open season for deer in areas where rifles are prohibited for deer hunting.
  

NOTE: In Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties rifles are not allowed. In all other localities, be sure to check with local officials about laws restricting the discharge of a firearm at night.

[Doewhacker]

I'm out once a week or so hunting for squirrels and or crows. I usually carry an 870 in 20ga, with #6 steel shot ( non-toxic required for pellets where I am ).

If something larger comes by and is in season, like a coon, fox, coyote, etc, should I take a whack at it ?

I'm unsure if #6 is 'enough gun' especially in steel shot. I've thought about carrying a few rounds of small buckshot or slugs for this, but I doubt I could eject and reload quickly or quietly enough. And I'm using a full choke= no slugs. I do have a 10/22 also, but I can't really shoot a flying crow with it so it usually stays home.

Any thoughts ?

To answer one of your questions, no I don't think #6's would be enough to kill a yote or like creature. And yes you can carry slugs for the occasion.

The only time you cannot carry slugs is if it is Deer season and you do not have a deer tag.

[Doewhacker]

I don't know the reason and hopefully someone else can say. I purchased 2 full chokes for the 870's, both saying, do not to use steel shot with a full choke. I was thinking damage to the barrel.

Some chokes are thin walled and thus can't handle steel shot, others can. The steel shot will damage the thin walls and you will end up with a stuck choke.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

This is what I was thinking about.

In the Northern Zone it is illegal to carry a rifle larger than .22 rimfire or a shotgun loaded with slug, ball or buckshot afield if accompanied by a dog, except when coyote hunting under permit from the local Environmental Conservation Officer.

[Doewhacker]

This is what I was thinking about. In the Northern Zone it is illegal to carry a rifle larger than .22 rimfire or a shotgun loaded with slug, ball or buckshot afield if accompanied by a dog, except when coyote hunting under permit from the local Environmental Conservation Officer.

But it is ok if you are hunting coyotes with the dog, silly aint it?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

is it? That was in the general regulations. I have never run them with a dog so I have no frame of reference.

[Doewhacker]

Yes, the only reason I am sure is I just was looking it up for this thread.

[Doewhacker]

See.....

• In the Northern Zone, if you are hunting with a dog, or accompanied by a dog, you may not possess a rifle larger than .22 caliber rim-fire or possess a shotgun loaded with slug, ball or buckshot unless you are coyote hunting with a dog.
  

[Doewhacker]

I would wager that these rules harken back to the old days when guys would run deer with dogs.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

You are probably right, Doe. I bet they updated the Furbearer section and never changed the general regulation.

I thought I remembered from the old days that if running dogs you couldn't have shot bigger than #4s

[noodle one]

Never heard that it is illegal to carry both shot and slugs while hunting. Where did you get that from? I could find no such regulation in the current Guide.

I was told this by a dec officer many years ago. You may want to check with the Dec before going out with both. You say that you could not find it in the reg book that we get when getting our hunting license., if you read the whole book the dec tells you that it is just general deception of the laws.and you need to go to their book to find all the laws for hunting and or fishing and there are many more than what is in the guide

[nycoyotehounds..BUB]

YES YOU CAN USE BUCKSHOT IN NY AND NO YOU DO NOT NEED A PERMIT WHILE HUNTING COYOTES.