Coyote hunting in Gig Harbor

[brakelate]

I have a coyote problem. I live in the Gig Harbor area (not in downtown) on some acreage. They are tearing up my property and are getting aggressive with my dog. I have found their dropping within 15 yds of my house  .

As best as I can tell my only legal options are to pay a licensed trapper or get an air rifle and shoot them on my own property after obtaining a small game license. Thoughts?

I do not yet own an air rifle. I am very much a novice. I see them on a daily basis and they routinely come within 50 yds of my home.

[smithkl42]

A modern air rifle is certainly enough to kill a coyote, if you're close enough, and with proper shot placement (basically, for a clean kill, you want a head shot). If you're hunting them for sport, it's maybe marginal ethically, but if they're giving you grief, I think you're well within your ethical limits. From the state's perspective, all you need is a hunting license, and you're good to go.

That said, I don't know what the rules are in Gig Harbor. Nearly all municipalities have ordinances against firearms inside city limits (including subsonic .22 rounds), but the status of air rifles can vary. You'll want to call your local PD, or perhaps better yet, check the law yourself, as lots of times cops aren't really up-to-speed on what the actual law is.

[smithkl42]

Actually, I spent a few minutes googling, and found this:

https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/GigHarbor/html/GigHarbor09/GigHarbor0920.html#9.20.020

Looks like you *could* use an air rifle (so long as you're not pointing it at anyone). You're not allowed to hunt, but you *are* allowed to remove nuisance animals:

"It shall be unlawful to hunt any animal by any means within the city limits. This prohibition does not apply to the removal of nuisance household animals, such as rodents and moles."

The key is whether a coyote which has been menacing your household falls into the category of a "nuisance household animal". I'm guessing you could make a good case, but you might want to check with the local PD anyway, to see if they'll have any problem with it.

[brakelate]

Actually, I spent a few minutes googling, and found this:

https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/GigHarbor/html/GigHarbor09/GigHarbor0920.html#9.20.020

Looks like you *could* use an air rifle (so long as you're not pointing it at anyone). You're not allowed to hunt, but you *are* allowed to remove nuisance animals:

"It shall be unlawful to hunt any animal by any means within the city limits. This prohibition does not apply to the removal of nuisance household animals, such as rodents and moles."

The key is whether a coyote which has been menacing your household falls into the category of a "nuisance household animal". I'm guessing you could make a good case, but you might want to check with the local PD anyway, to see if they'll have any problem with it.

Thanks for the link. I am well outside Gig Harbor proper city limits, but carry a Gig Harbor address. I will need to look more into that.

Ethically, yes I am a bit worried I would seriously injure the animal without eliminating it with an air rifle. 

[crowinghen]

use a bow?

[bobcat]

I'd probably use a 12 gauge shotgun. You're not in the city limits so their rules don't apply.

[brakelate]

I'd probably use a 12 gauge shotgun. You're not in the city limits so their rules don't apply.

I am in Pierce County. A traditional firearm is not an option.

[captpschar]

If you can wrap your head around the cost, there are big bore PCP air rifles that will kill coyotes without special trick-shots.

Examples: https://www.airgundepot.com/airforce-texan.html

These sorts of air rifles can make decent general hunting arms, and the suppressed versions are surprisingly quiet, to the point that animals and neighbors may not recognize the sound as anything dangerous.

[captpschar]

If you spent the money for a good setup and put the time in, you could probably put enough pressure on them that they'd stop coming around at all in short order.

[jtan881]

PM sent

[Stein]

use a bow?

 

Put a big fat expanding head on it and it shouldn't go far.

[brakelate]

If you can wrap your head around the cost, there are big bore PCP air rifles that will kill coyotes without special trick-shots.

Examples: https://www.airgundepot.com/airforce-texan.html

These sorts of air rifles can make decent general hunting arms, and the suppressed versions are surprisingly quiet, to the point that animals and neighbors may not recognize the sound as anything dangerous.

This is exactly what I was looking at.

Need to do more research but any reason to select a smaller caliber or just go straight to the 0.45?

[cdriver]

My .22 bolt action rifle with 750 fps rounds is more quiet than my .22 pellet rifle. It's amazing how quiet it is. Not sure how lethal either of them would be on a coyote. I usually use a 22-250 on coyotes, but not so much in the neighborhood! Would be good hunting this week with all this snow.

[konradcountry]

Just get a crossbow. Even a cheap one will put a much bigger hole in a yote.

They are easy to shoot and there is always a used one for sale somewhere.

[captpschar]

If you can wrap your head around the cost, there are big bore PCP air rifles that will kill coyotes without special trick-shots.

Examples: https://www.airgundepot.com/airforce-texan.html

These sorts of air rifles can make decent general hunting arms, and the suppressed versions are surprisingly quiet, to the point that animals and neighbors may not recognize the sound as anything dangerous.

This is exactly what I was looking at.

Need to do more research but any reason to select a smaller caliber or just go straight to the 0.45?

Take a look at the velocity tables here: https://www.airforceairguns.com/Articles.asp?ID=143#5

You can see that the smaller caliber projectiles can be a bit flatter shooting, but that the .45 is the killinest by a bit.  All the calibers will come out of the barrel at about low velocity handgun power levels, 45acp, 38 spl, things like that.  I'd probably go with the .45 if it was me.