Wyoming offers some of the most liberal seasons and bag limits for coyote hunting in the nation. If you are a novice coyote hunter and would like to explore the rules and regulations regarding coyote hunting in Wyoming, you have come to the right place. This article goes into an in-depth analysis of laws and regulations regarding coyote hunting in the Cowboy State of Wyoming. Along the way, I will also try to answer a few frequently asked questions related to coyote hunting in Wyoming.
Coyote Hunting in Wyoming
Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulates all the coyote hunting activities in the state of Wyoming. The commission is also responsible for making policies for the Wyoming Game & Fish Department and is also responsible for the direction and supervision of the Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Furthermore, the commission, through the Department, provides an adequate and flexible system of control, propagation, management, protection, and regulation of all wildlife in Wyoming (W.S. 23-1-301-303, W.S. 23-1-401). The commission has defined coyotes as predatory animals in Wyoming. This means coyote hunting in Wyoming has neither closed seasons nor any bag limits.
Related: Coyote Hunting in Utah: Rules and Regulations 2022
Do you need a license to hunt coyotes in Wyoming?
Predatory animals and predacious birds may be taken without a license in Wyoming. Since Wyoming Game & Fish Commission has designated coyotes as predatory animals, you do not need a license to hunt coyotes in Wyoming. The only restriction while hunting coyotes in Wyoming is that you can not harvest coyotes from any public roads. Bear in mind, the same applies to non-residents too. That means you will not require a hunting license to hunt coyotes irrespective of your residency status in Wyoming.
Coyote Hunting Seasons in Wyoming
There is no closed season for hunting coyotes in Wyoming. That means hunters may hunt coyotes year-round during legal daylight hunting hours. Keep in mind, the legal hours for coyote hunting in Wyoming, in public lands, is one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Keep in mind, this time frame only applies if you are hunting coyotes in a public area. There are no time restrictions to hunt coyotes on private property. You will just need written permission from the landowner or lessee of the property.
The use of artificial light while hunting coyotes is not allowed in Wyoming public lands. It is completely legal to use lights to hunt coyotes on your private property. Coyotes may be hunted with the aid of artificial light to lighting devices if you are one of the following:
- A public officer authorized to conduct coyote control.
- A landowner, resident manager or person with the landowner’s written permission to hunt coyotes, on land under the landowner’s control for the protection of their property.
Bag Limits for Coyote Hunting in Wyoming
Since coyotes are classified as predatory animals, there are no bag limits for hunting coyotes in Wyoming. You can hunt coyotes in Wyoming all year round without having to worry about the seasons or bag limits.
Where to hunt Coyotes in Wyoming?
Wyoming provides premier coyote hunting habitat across its wide-open prairies, sagebrush basins and rugged mountain terrain. Excellent public land access exists, with healthy coyote populations on Bureau of Land Management tracts, National Forests and Wildlife Management Areas.
The western half of the state offers particular abundance, with vast expanses of public lands holding coyotes. The Red Desert and Adobe Town public hunting areas span nearly a million acres combined. Coyotes thrive here feeding on rodents, rabbits and antelope. Solar, Pacific Creek and Platte Valley habitat management areas also see frequent sightings.
In central Wyoming, there are quality hunting grounds around the Rawlins, Lander and Riverton areas. The Shoshone National Forest and Washakie Wilderness provide habitat as well. Southeast Wyoming also produces coyotes on lands spanning from Laramie to Wheatland with Medicine Bow National Forest seeing regular activity.
Legal Ways to Hunt Coyotes in Wyoming
There are no specific restrictions on firearms for coyote hunting in Wyoming. The electronic game calls are only legal in Wyoming for hunting coyotes. Additionally, using decoys is legal too. Coyote hunters in the state of Wyoming are allowed to use legally owned suppressors while hunting all varmint, big game, and trophy animals. Bear in mind, under the new law, landowners may give permission to hunt in their land but restrict the use of suppressors. And lastly, there are no restrictions on ammunition for hunting coyotes in Wyoming.
It is illegal to carry a firearm with a cartridge therein, or hunt coyotes, while intoxicated or under the influence of any controlled substance in Wyoming.
The definition of baiting according to the state of Wyoming is the use of any substance to attract coyotes via ingestion. You may use baiting to hunt coyotes in Wyoming. However, in most instances, you may not use protected wildlife or its parts as bait to hunt a coyote. Bear in mind, Placing any bait for the purpose of taking a big game animal or knowingly taking a big game animal by the use of bait is illegal.
It is unlawful to transport illegally taken coyotes across state lines; such transportation is a violation of the Federal Lacey Act.
And lastly, it is illegal to shoot or attempt to hunt coyotes from any public road or highway. No person shall fire any firearm from, upon, along, or across any public road or highway. No person shall knowingly fire any rifle from the enclosed lands of one person onto or across the enclosed lands of another without the permission of both persons.
Can you use dogs to hunt coyotes in Wyoming?
It is completely legal to use dogs to pursue, run or hunt coyotes in Wyoming. The Commission shall regulate the use of dogs to take mountain lions and bobcats during
hunting or trapping seasons.
Can you hunt coyotes from vechicle in Wyoming?
According to the Wyoming Department of Fish & Game, It is illegal to harass, pursue, hunt, shoot or kill any wildlife except predatory animals with, from, or by use of any flying machine, automotive vehicle, trailer, motor-propelled wheeled vehicle, or vehicle designed for travel over snow. Since coyotes are defined as predatory animals in Wyoming, it is completely legal to hunt coyotes from a vehicle.
Is there a bounty program for coyote hunting in Wyoming?
There are no current bounty programs for hunting coyotes in Wyoming. There have been some bounty programs in the past years so just keep an eye out. We will update this section once there is any news about it.