Is coyote hunting at night in washington LEGAL ?

[Dillon]

Is coyote hunting at night in washington LEGAL ?

What are the rules ? just wondering , like the specifics and the techinicalitys

[grundy53]

yes it is as long as there is no big game season open.

[Dillon]

thanks. 

i was looking around but there was no clear answer to it so i knew some one on here had to know.

[grundy53]

no problem. look under "hunting hours" then read the excemption.

[bobcat]

From page 56 of the 2009 Hunting Regulations:

Night Hunting and Hound Hunting
During Deer and Elk Hunting Seasons
Bobcat, raccoon, and coyote may be hunted at night during established bobcat and raccoon seasons, EXCEPT that it is unlawful to hunt any wildlife at night or wild animals with dogs (hounds) during the months of September, October, or November in any area open to a centerfire rifle deer or elk season. The use of hounds to hunt black bear, cougar, bobcat, or coyote is prohibited year round except during commission authorized hunts.

[bobcat]

After re-reading the quote from the regulations I posted, it sounds like it is saying you can only hunt coyotes at night during bobcat and raccoon season? If that is true, you could only hunt coyotes at night until March 15th.

[Snowman]

After re-reading the quote from the regulations I posted, it sounds like it is saying you can only hunt coyotes at night during bobcat and raccoon season? If that is true, you could only hunt coyotes at night until March 15th.

That is correct after march 15th no night hunting for yotes sucks big time.

[bobcat]

OK, thanks for confirming that. So to clarify, bobcat and raccoon season goes from September 1 to March 15. So apparently you can only hunt coyotes at night during that period.

[grundy53]

i don't think so... i think they just left coyote season out cause there isn't a coyote season (open year round). i think coyotes at night are still ok but i would call the game department to make sure.

[Machias]

Coyotes can only ***ONLY**** be hunted at night during bobcat and raccoon seasons.  Coyotes are open year round but you can only hunt them at night during 1 Sep through 15 Mar and only if no modern biggame seasons are open.  

[Bofire]

 :)I disagree, coyotes can be hunted all year at nite,cept during big game,. There was a response from the Game Dept. on PM along time ago. the night restriction relates to Bobcats ONLY, not coyotes. BUT no one will beleive it so, who is gonna get an interpetation?
A group from PM sent in a request and got no response, they forwarded the request to a senator or Rep and they pushed it. the response is that restriction only applied to night hunting bobcats. The big game part is true you cant do it then. BUT I cannot find the thread!!
Carl

[Snowman]

Ah states is pretty clear, from now till sept no night hunting for yotes. But I will call Julie or Sgt Chandler in the am an get a true answer. 

[Bofire]

 :)COOL!! as I remember, ya I know I am old!!, we got several differnt answers from regional offices, but finally got an answer as I stated above. it was in the form of a letter.
help???
Carl

[Snowman]

Sgt Chandler will give a straight answer. Have known him since I was a kid. He used to come to the snoquamlie river in the summer to help me an some friends learn how to fly fish as he was making his rounds. The good ole days...

[Bob33]

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=232-12-289
Exceptions:

(a) Bobcat and raccoon are exempt from hunting hour restrictions during established bobcat and raccoon seasons except when that area is open to modern firearm hunting of deer or elk, hunting hours shall be one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset."
Coyotes are not explicitly mentioned in this WAC.  The Big Game pamphlet says coyotes may be hunted at night during bobcat and raccoon seasons, but it does not state anywhere that you cannot hunt them at night, with the exception of areas open to big game hunting in Sep-Nov.

Remember this disclaimer about the game pamphlet(s): "This pamphlet is a summary of the hunting regulations and seasons adopted by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. This pamphlet does not contain nor is it intended to contain all Department regulations. Regulations specific to the hunting seasons described in this pamphlet are found in Sections 232-28-248 through 232-28-516, and 232-12-001 through 232-12-830, of the Washington Administrative Code."

Coyotes are not considered a game animal.

I would say it is legal, with the exception of big game seasons.

I don't know the specific officers mentioned, but I have had several instances where different enforcement officers interpret the WACs and regulations differently.  

[wastickslinger]

It was explained to me the same that Bob just put it.

[Bofire]

 :)Yup there ya go, I knew one of you smart guys would know. this has been yakked up many times.
Carl
now somebody say  " call the local PD and advise him ahead of time," save him a trip to investigate and you a screwed up stand. Let him know where you are hunting
Carl

[Machias]

"Bobcat, raccoon, and coyote may be hunted at night during established bobcat and raccoon seasons"  I believe this will get you a ticket outside of bobcat and raccoon season.   

[mulehunter]

"Bobcat, raccoon, and coyote may be hunted at night during established bobcat and raccoon seasons"  I believe this will get you a ticket outside of bobcat and raccoon season.  

    IMPORTANT THING NUMBER ONE!  BRING YOUR DANM SMALL LICENSE and HUNTING LICENSE!   Gamefish Officer will TRY EVERYTHING TO FIND A WAY TO TICKET U!


Mulehunter  

[jasnt]

i would simply contact your local game officer and ask him scince they all interpet the laws diffrently ask the guy that will be writing the ticket if he belives it illegal, in my area its legal to hunt year round at night as long as modern fire arms deer or elk is not open but that how my local game officer interpets it so check with yours.

[grundy53]

 

[Bob33]

Whatever has been legal is about to change anyway.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/2010/wsr_10-08-016.pdf

[bobcat]

Interesting.

Reasons why rules on this subject may be needed and what they might accomplish: Nighttime hunting poses greater risks to public safety than ever before, due to population growth and habitat loss. The department will limit nighttime hunting to very specific times and places, to better ensure the public’s safety.

I wonder what "habitat loss" has to do with it  I understand what they're saying, just seems like an odd way of wording it.

[Curly]

Interesting.

Reasons why rules on this subject may be needed and what they might accomplish: Nighttime hunting poses greater risks to public safety than ever before, due to population growth and habitat loss. The department will limit nighttime hunting to very specific times and places, to better ensure the public’s safety.

I wonder what "habitat loss" has to do with it  I understand what they're saying, just seems like an odd way of wording it.

Care to explain then.......cuz I don't understand what the hell they're saying. 

I can read between the lines though......they hate predator hunting.

[bobcat]

Yes, what they're meaning to say is that hunters are getting crowded into smaller and smaller areas as time goes on, with the increase in the human population and the development that goes along with that, and this increases the chances of an innocent person getting hurt by someone hunting at night and shooting before identifying their intended target.

Which, by the way, didn't this just happen recently in another state? A person was mistaken for a coyote and was shot by someone who was hunting at night. I think the story was posted on here. Perhaps that incident is the reason for the proposed changes to our night time hunting laws.

[Machias]

The guy mistaken for a coyote and shot, was shot during daylight....I'm pretty sure.  If they want to restrict night hunting then change it to shotgun only, I kill most of my yotes and bobcats at night with a shotgun anyways. I tell you since 1996 everything I enjoy doing gets taken away in this state.   

[Machias]

 

[Skycruiser]

I recommend that if you're even VAGUELY interested in night hunting, do as the statement says and

Contact Lori Preuss, WDFW Rules Coordinator, 600 Capitol Way, N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091
Phone (360) 902-2930; e-mail at Lori.preuss@dfw.wa.gov.
Contact by June 9, 2010.

[bobcat]

I would like to write a letter, but it's hard to know what to say when we don't know anything specific about the changes. (Yes, kind of like how with the new proposed permit system they didn't tell us anything until it was too late to comment)

For now this is all we know: 

The department will limit nighttime hunting to very specific times and places, to better ensure the public’s safety.

I suppose the thing to do would be to write and ask for some more clarification as to what exactly will the changes be?

[Machias]

E-mail sent. 

[Snowman]

WTF.... Thought they went to 3yrs. reg. session not whenever the F__K they feel like it. This such B.S.

[Skycruiser]

Here's the text of the e-mail I sent.

Lori,

I'm very concerned that the department has predetermined its course of action because of the following sentence in the Statement of Inquiry. "The department will limit nighttime hunting to very specific times and places, to better ensure the public’s safety."

There is no reason that night hunting needs any further restrictions in regards to times and places. In fact, this is a solution without a problem and hunters like myself resent it. We continue to see our hunting fees increase and hunting become more restrictive.

The only restriction that might be justifiable, if indeed the justification is public safety, would be to make night time hunting shotgun only. I'm not in favor of this, I only mention it as an alternative to restricting times and places.

Please leave the night time hunting regulations alone.

Thanks,

[bobcat]

I'm assuming the letters you send to "Lori" will get to the commissioner's, but you may want to also address your letters to:  commission@dfw.wa.gov

[Machias]

E-mail sent to them as well.

[Snowman]

Yeah Lori is just the middle person who fowards comments on to who it regards. WTF why are we paying for this lady to determine if they even get sent off... She probably just sends the ones she wants to an trash's the rest. Bleep this, the wild life dept. needs to be hauled over..... An on the subject of night hunting right now for yotes it is open, unless a big game season in effect.

[Machias]

Back to the subject, we all can't go out and HOPE we don't run into the wrong WDFW Officer.  I have been told it is only open at night, during bobcat and coon season, due to that specific line saying you can only hunt them at night during the open coon and robert season.  I'm not trying to start any crap, heck I hope I am wrong, would be thrilled to be wrong, but the statements above about call your local guy and see what "he" thinks is just messed up.  I'll send something to the Enforcement folks and see if I can get the head cheese to give an offical ruling.  Then if it is legal I'll forward the get out of jail pass to anyone who wants a copy.  I sure hope you guys are right on one hand and it ticks me off on the other, since I have always shut down my night hunting once 15 Mar rolls around.

[tlbradford]

As it was stated before, a coyote is not a game species and is not regulated like fur bearers (ie raccoons and bobcats).

I agree Machias.  I haven't heard of one night hunting incident, but the recent major ones were daytime accidental shootings.

[Snowman]

I made the call to my local warden and the wild life dept. an the response was that it is open year around to hunt yotes at night.

[Bob33]

due to that specific line saying you can only hunt them at night during the open coon and robert season.

It does not say that.  It says you can hunt them at night during bobcat and racoon season.  It does not say you cannot hunt them at night at other times, with the exception of any open deer or elk season, or during the months of Sep-Nov.

"Bobcat, raccoon, and coyote may be hunted at night during established bobcat and raccoon seasons"

I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong.  I'm just saying the regulations are vague.

[Snowman]

They are vague. But made a few calls today an I was informed that it is open year around at night for yotes, by the guys in oly. and my local wardens. So hunt on...

[bobcat]

They are vague. But made a few calls today an I was informed that it is open year around at night for yotes, by the guys in oly. and my local wardens. So hunt on...

And that's just as it should be. Sounds like fun. I think I just might go try some night hunting, before they outlaw it. Maybe this weekend. Too bad bobcats aren't still open.

[Snowman]

Would love to get a bobby. Good Luck an have fun!!!   

[Bob33]

Here is the WAC on official hunting hours: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=232-12-289

Here is the WAC listing game animals: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=232-12-007

Bobcat and racoon are game animals; coyote is not.

[Machias]

Thanks everyone, you guys will come and testify on my behalf, right?   

[bobcat]

Yes, I will. While I'm over there maybe we can do some night hunting.   

[mulehunter]

  It would be soo FUN!!! ONLY... If it cant tell which one wolf or coyote in NIGHT!   

Mulehunter 

[Skycruiser]

I received this reply from Lori Preuss:

Thank you for your comments.  This preproposal inquiry is just that:  To find out if the public has any preliminary comments on the subject.  We have not yet formulated any changes to our nighttime hunting rule, and we may not change anything at all.  If we do, you will see it on the Internet at our Website on June 23rd, and you will be able to testify at the Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting in August if you want to.  Again, we haven’t done anything at this point, and we may decide to scrap any changes.  I’ll keep you updated.

Lori

I'm heartened to see that at least there is a process which will include public input and that this issue isn't even on the docket just yet. I'm hopeful it will just go away. If I receive any further info, I'll post it here.