You have come to the perfect place if you want to start your coyote hunting quest in Utah. Many people are attracted to Utah’s wilderness because of its substantially growing forests and wildlife. Utah 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 Beehive State of Utah. Along the way, I will also try to answer a few frequently asked questions related to coyote hunting in Utah.
Coyote Hunting in Utah
The Department of Agriculture regulates all the coyotes and coyote hunting activities in the state of Utah. The department also oversees the conservation of natural resources and the protection of the food supply. Furthermore, the department has designated coyotes and cougars alongside the species of the Bassariscidae, Canidae, Felidae, Mustelidae, and Castoridae families as furbearers. Additionally, Utah does not consider coyotes as protected species. This means coyotes are unprotected by law and there are neither closed seasons nor bag limits for hunting coyotes in Utah.
Related: Coyote Hunting in Montana: Rules and Regulations 2022
Do you need a license to hunt coyotes in Utah?
The Department of Agriculture and Food considers coyotes as furbearers yet unprotected species. This means you do not need a furbearer license to harvest them. You can hunt coyotes in Utah year-round without needing a hunting license. The same applies to non-residents too.
You do not need a furbearer license to hunt or harvest coyotes. You do, however, must possess a valid trap registration license when trapping coyotes. When you receive a trap registration license, it will have a unique, permanent trap registration number printed on it. The only exception is for those who are trapping coyotes within 600 feet of a building or residence occupied or used by humans or livestock. You can easily obtain a trap registration license online and from license agents and Division offices. There is a one-time $10 license fee for a new trap registration license. For more detailed information about meeting this requirement, please refer to the FAQ for trapping coyotes in Utah.
If you already have a valid trap registration number, but you don’t have a physical copy of it, please contact a Division office. They can provide you with a duplicate copy free of charge.
Furthermore, you can also download the Utah Hunting and Fishing app and carry an electronic copy of your license on your mobile device.
In Utah, there are no age restrictions for individuals who can hunt and trap coyotes. However, if you’re under the age of 16 and hunting coyotes with any weapon—you must be accompanied in the field by your parent, a legal guardian, or a responsible person 21 years of age or older.
Bear in mind, coyotes caught in a trapping device may be taken by shooting at any time.
Coyote Hunting seasons in Utah
There is no closed season for hunting coyotes in Utah. That means hunters may hunt coyotes year-round during legal daylight hunting hours. Keep in mind, the legal hours for coyote hunting in Utah, by means other than trapping, is one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
Bag Limits for Coyote Hunting in Utah
Since coyotes are classified as unprotected species, there are no bag limits for hunting coyotes in Utah. You can hunt coyotes in Utah all year round without having to worry about the seasons or bag limits.
Where to hunt Coyotes in Utah?
Utah provides excellent coyote hunting habitat across its range of terrain from the Great Basin deserts to the Rocky Mountain high country. Good public land access exists, with healthy coyote populations on Bureau of Land Management tracts, National Forests and state wildlife management areas.
The northwestern part of the state is a hotspot, with open sagebrush basins holding abundant numbers of coyotes with food sources like jackrabbits and rodents. Notable destinations include the West Box Elder Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit, Raft River Mountains and Pilot Mountain.
Central Utah also produces great coyote hunting access on lands spanning the Wasatch and Manti mountain ranges. Coyotes frequently hunt the wooded foothills and meadows. The Nebo unit south of Provo, Avintaquin Canyon and Sanpete Valley at lower elevations hold sizable concentrations through the winter.
Legal Ways to Hunt Coyotes in Utah
You may hunt coyotes by any legal means, excluding explosives and poisons. While hunting and trapping coyotes, you may not use illegal spotlighting methods. Some counties allow spotlighting if a hunter is trying to harvest coyotes. However, Individual counties regulate spotlighting for coyotes and other nonprotected species in Utah. To find out if spotlighting is allowed, contact the sheriff’s department in the county where you wish to hunt. Even if your county does not allow spotlighting, you may still use spotlighting to hunt coyotes in Utah if you are one of the following individuals:
• A landowner (or landowner’s agent) who is protecting crops or domestic animals
from predation by coyotes,
• A Wildlife Services agent, acting in an official capacity under a memorandum of understanding with the Division.
Since coyotes are designated as unprotected species, there are no restrictions on firearms for coyote hunting in Utah. Furthermore, the electronic calling of coyotes and using decoys are perfectly legal ways to hunt coyotes.
The definition of baiting according to the state of Utah is the use of any substance to attract coyotes via ingestion. You may use baiting to hunt coyotes in Utah. However, in most instances, you may not use
protected wildlife or its parts as bait to hunt a coyote. The only exceptions are as follows:
• You may use the white-bleached bones of protected wildlife with no hiding or flesh
attached.
• You may use parts of legally taken furbearers and nonprotected wildlife.
Additionally, you may not carry a dangerous weapon or hunt coyotes while under
the influence of alcohol or drugs.
And lastly, you do not need a furbearer license in order to transport green pelts of coyotes across the State of Utah.
Can you use dogs to hunt coyotes in Utah?
Using dogs for your coyote hunting quest in Utah is completely legal. It is unlawful to hunt coyotes by shooting or with the aid of dogs, 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset unless you have a permit from the county to spotlight coyotes. If you are the owner or handler of the dogs, you must have a valid furbearer license in your possession while you are pursuing or hunting a coyote. Moreover, When you use dogs to pursue coyotes, the licensed hunter who intends to hunt the coyote must be present after the release of dogs. Additionally, the hunter must continuously participate in the coyote hunt until it ends.
Can you hunt coyotes from vehicles in Utah?
It is unlawful to hunt coyotes from vehicles in Utah. Furthermore, you may not hunt coyotes from an airplane or any other airborne vehicle. It is also unlawful to use drones while hunting coyotes in Utah. Additionally, it is illegal to use any motorized terrestrial or aquatic vehicle, including snowmobiles and other recreational vehicles to hunt coyotes in the state of Utah.
Is there a bounty program for coyote hunting in Utah?
The state offers Utah Predator Control Program as a bounty program for coyote hunters. A law was passed by the legislature in 2012 to protect the population of mule deer in the state by hunting coyotes. This bounty program provides incentives to hunters for hunting coyotes. Participants in the bounty program receive $50 for each properly documented coyote that they hunt in the state of Utah.
If you want to participate in the Utah Predator Control Program, you will need to complete Utah’s Predator Control Program Training. It is completely free and online. Furthermore, to receive compensation for your coyote removal, you must follow the program rules and guidelines. Specifically, you must:
- Download the Coyote Bounty Reporter app onto your phone and record all coyote take through this app.
- Remove and submit the coyote’s lower jaw and either the full pelt or the scalp (with both ears attached).
- Request compensation only at designated sites and on designated days and times. Bear in mind, the DWR marks coyote ears to prevent double payments. Program participants are responsible for disposing of carcasses.
You do not need a Utah hunting license to participate in the program. Nonresidents can also participate in this bounty program if the coyotes removed are within Utah state boundaries.
Bear in mind, receiving your reimbursement payment may take 4-6 weeks. If this is your first time submitting coyotes, the process can be longer due to extra steps being included to add you to their payouts system.