Wondering about the laws and regulations for coyote hunting in Montana? You have come to the right place. Many people are attracted to Montana’s hunting scene because of the State’s whopping 33 million acres of public land, much of which is open to hunting. Montana is considered to be a paradise for anyone looking to explore the trivial sport that is coyote hunting. This article goes into an in-depth analysis of laws and regulations regarding coyote hunting in the Treasure State of Montana. Along the way, I will also try to answer a few frequently asked questions related to coyote hunting in Montana.
Coyote Hunting in Montana
The Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Department regulate all the coyote hunting activities in Montana. The department also provides for the stewardship of the fish, wildlife, parks, and recreational resources of Montana, while contributing to the quality of life for present and future generations. The statue of Montana has designated coyotes alongside weasel, skunk, and civet cat as predators. This means there is no any closed season nor any bag limits for coyote hunting in Montana.
Relates: Coyote Hunting in Colorado: Rules and Regulations 2022
Do you need a license to hunt coyotes in Montana?
Federal or State law does not regulate hunting predators in Montana. Since coyotes are classified as predators, you can hunt them without needing a hunting license. Even if you are a non-resident of Montana, you still wouldn’t need a license to hunt coyotes. However, if you want to hunt coyotes in State school trust lands, you will need either a conservation license or a state school trust lands recreational use license.
Residents do not need any trapping license to take coyotes using traps and/or snares. However, non-residents must purchase a Nonresident Trapping License in order to trap coyotes in Montana.
You can purchase all the licenses and permits through license providers near you or you can purchase them online.
Coyote Hunting seasons in Montana
There is no closed season for hunting coyotes in Montana. That means hunters may hunt coyotes year-round during legal daylight shooting hours in public lands. Keep in mind, shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
In the case of private property, the landowner or his lessee may hunt coyotes during night-time hours year-round. However, if you are not the owner, you will need written permission from either the landowner, lessee, or the estate agent. While hunting coyotes at night in Montana, you can use artificial lights, infrared, laser sighting devices, or night vision devices.
If you are intending to hunt coyotes in a land, it is your responsibility to know the land ownership of the area and any restrictions that may apply to that land. The law requires every hunter to have written permission from the landowner, lessee, or estate agent before hunting coyotes on private land. Regardless of whether the land is posted or not.
Bag limits for Coyote Hunting in Montana
Since coyotes are classified as Predators, there are no bag limits for hunting coyotes in Montana. You can hunt coyotes in Montana all year round without having to worry about the season or bag limits.
Where to hunt Coyotes in Montana?
Montana provides exceptional coyote hunting habitat across its range of prairies, forests, mountains and badlands. Excellent public land access exists, with healthy coyote populations on Bureau of Land Management tracts, National Forests, state lands and tribal territories.
The southeastern region of the state is a hotspot, with expansive prairies intermixed with badlands holding large numbers of coyotes with food sources like prairie dogs and livestock. Prime destinations include the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Upper Missouri River Breaks and numerous BLM sections along the Dakotas border.
Central and Western Montana also produce great coyote hunting access on public lands spanning the high plains towards the mountain ranges. Forested areas with meadow openings surrounding towns like Lewistown, Great Falls and Missoula contain substantial coyote populations throughout winter hunting seasons.
Legal Ways to Hunt Coyotes in Montana
There are no restrictions on firearms for coyote hunting in Montana. That means, using any type of firearm for hunting coyotes is completely legal. There is also no restriction on the type of ammunition for coyote hunting in Montana. Furthermore, electronic coyote calling is also legal for predators like coyotes, fox, bobcat, bear, and Mt. Lion.
You can use suppressors for coyote hunting in Montana. However, you need to obtain a federal permit to possess one. Decoys, on the other hand, are completely legal to use while hunting coyotes in Montana.
Baiting is unlawful while hunting coyotes in Montana. Bait is defined as any substance used to attract coyotes via ingestion. Additionally, there are no regulations for possessing, transporting dead coyotes, or pelts across state lines in Montana.
Can you use dogs to hunt coyotes in Montana?
Yes, you can use dogs to hunt coyotes in Montana.
Can you hunt coyotes from vehicles in Montana?
Hunting coyotes from vehicles without a permit is illegal in Montana. Bear in mind, the Permit To Hunt From Vehicle(PTHDV) is only provided to Montana hunters with certain physical disabilities certified by a doctor or a physician.