Coyotes...

[redblood]

I just wish they would let them be hunted at night.

I think that would be a huge mistake. I was one of the original woodpile boys and we were killing truck loads of them way before it got cool to do so. They die just just fine with the sun shining. If our goal is to to preserve hunting opportunities and protect deer (hence the original motivation of this thread) then allowing men with spotlights and high powered rifles to hunt "coyotes" at night during the winter seems like a terrible and an iron clad alibi for every deer poacher in the county. Plus most areas of TN are just too fragmented and developed for night hunting with high power rifles because of the difficulty of Seeing what is behind what you are shooting at. It would be a wildlife officers worst nightmare


If they did do it…..it should be for landowners only and a set season at a time of the yr when bucks have shed!

 

[east_tn_gk]

Only good yote is a dead yote!

 

[UCStandSitter]

I think that would be a huge mistake. I was one of the original woodpile boys and we were killing truck loads of them way before it got cool to do so. They die just just fine with the sun shining. If our goal is to to preserve hunting opportunities and protect deer (hence the original motivation of this thread) then allowing men with spotlights and high powered rifles to hunt "coyotes" at night during the winter seems like a terrible and an iron clad alibi for every deer poacher in the county. Plus most areas of TN are just too fragmented and developed for night hunting with high power rifles because of the difficulty of Seeing what is behind what you are shooting at. It would be a wildlife officers worst nightmare


If they did do it…..it should be for landowners only and a set season at a time of the yr when bucks have shed!

I'd disagree. Poachers gonna poach. Laws that help livestock and deer population won't motivate them to do it anymore than they already do.

 

[Hduke86]

Agree, but seeing a coyote carrying a fawn doesn't necessarily mean coyote killed the fawn.

Looks like it may still be alive in its mouth. I say that cause the ears are still up, mouth opened like it bleating which doesn't mean it is and the front leg being bent like it's struggling. All of that could be wrong but either way KILL ALL THOSE SUCKERS.

 

[timberjack86]

I think that would be a huge mistake. I was one of the original woodpile boys and we were killing truck loads of them way before it got cool to do so. They die just just fine with the sun shining. If our goal is to to preserve hunting opportunities and protect deer (hence the original motivation of this thread) then allowing men with spotlights and high powered rifles to hunt "coyotes" at night during the winter seems like a terrible and an iron clad alibi for every deer poacher in the county. Plus most areas of TN are just too fragmented and developed for night hunting with high power rifles because of the difficulty of Seeing what is behind what you are shooting at. It would be a wildlife officers worst nightmare


If they did do it…..it should be for landowners only and a set season at a time of the yr when bucks have shed!

Why do we need high powered rifles at night? I'd shoot a 17 or 22 mag. Its funny to me that some people cannot trust a law abiding hunter to go out at night and hunt coyotes but when it comes to hogs it's a free for all. Where does this make any sense?

 

[Ski]

I think that would be a huge mistake. I was one of the original woodpile boys and we were killing truck loads of them way before it got cool to do so. They die just just fine with the sun shining. If our goal is to to preserve hunting opportunities and protect deer (hence the original motivation of this thread) then allowing men with spotlights and high powered rifles to hunt "coyotes" at night during the winter seems like a terrible and an iron clad alibi for every deer poacher in the county. Plus most areas of TN are just too fragmented and developed for night hunting with high power rifles because of the difficulty of Seeing what is behind what you are shooting at. It would be a wildlife officers worst nightmare


If they did do it…..it should be for landowners only and a set season at a time of the yr when bucks have shed!

I'd disagree. Poachers gonna poach. Laws that help livestock and deer population won't motivate them to do it anymore than they already do.

I can see both points of view so it's hard for me to form a strong opinion one way or the other. Allowing nighttime coyote hunting anytime near deer seasons would almost certainly embolden poachers, give them an alibi, and plausibly recruit new poachers who otherwise wouldn't break the law. That said, scoundrels are scoundrels and do what scoundrels will do, regardless of law. So if they do open coyotes to night hunting, I think while bucks have no antlers is a reasonable way to do it.

 

[UCStandSitter]

I can see both points of view so it's hard for me to form a strong opinion one way or the other. Allowing nighttime coyote hunting anytime near deer seasons would almost certainly embolden poachers, give them an alibi, and plausibly recruit new poachers who otherwise wouldn't break the law. That said, scoundrels are scoundrels and do what scoundrels will do, regardless of law. So if they do open coyotes to night hunting, I think while bucks have no antlers is a reasonable way to do it.

I wouldn't be opposed to keeping the seasons segregated like that. Still allow for population control and some degree of protection against deer poaching.

 

[redblood]

Im a hunter ed instructor, high school and college teacher. I teach farm boys. I can tell you if you give them the opportunity to shine a field at night for a "coyote@ and a 140" buck is staring at them, there is a good chance he will
Be shot. At that age, mental judgement is poor. And why do we need to hunt them at night. They will readily come to the call during daylight. But i challenge you to go back through history and see how successful aggressive hunting techniques have worked in curtailing coyote numbers.

Once again if a LANDOWNER is having trouble with coyotes, give them a pass to kill them…..after deer shed their antlers

 

[redblood]

Why do we need high powered rifles at night? I'd shoot a 17 or 22 mag. Its funny to me that some people cannot trust a law abiding hunter to go out at night and hunt coyotes but when it comes to hogs it's a free for all. Where does this make any sense?

I dont agree with the public behind able to hunt hogs at night, unless its a landowner trying to protect his assets

 

[redblood]

In TN we can hunt coyotes 365 days per yr, with any weapon, with no limit on harvest. We can pursue them at night, via trapping. Its not lack of hunter opportunity leading to our coyote problems. Its that hunters do not learn how to effectively hunt them or sacrifice the time deer season to do so. It simply isnt a priority of most hunters

 

[Planking]

Why do we need high powered rifles at night? I'd shoot a 17 or 22 mag. Its funny to me that some people cannot trust a law abiding hunter to go out at night and hunt coyotes but when it comes to hogs it's a free for all. Where does this make any sense?

Great questions! We are sitting over corn piles year around at night and there is more big ole bucks running around every year. Cheaters are gonna cheat whether or not hunters are legally hunting yotes, hogs or coons at night. If you have law abiding people out there at night the scumbags are the first ones to go.

 

[DayDay]

In TN we can hunt coyotes 365 days per yr, with any weapon, with no limit on harvest. We can pursue them at night, via trapping. Its not lack of hunter opportunity leading to our coyote problems. Its that hunters do not learn how to effectively hunt them or sacrifice the time deer season to do so. It simply isnt a priority of most hunters

Not with any weapon all year long. According to the TN Hunting Guide, centerfire ammunition is not allowed during archery only and archery/muzzleloader only deer, elk, and bear seasons.

 

[KPH]

I think that would be a huge mistake. I was one of the original woodpile boys and we were killing truck loads of them way before it got cool to do so. They die just just fine with the sun shining. If our goal is to to preserve hunting opportunities and protect deer (hence the original motivation of this thread) then allowing men with spotlights and high powered rifles to hunt "coyotes" at night during the winter seems like a terrible and an iron clad alibi for every deer poacher in the county. Plus most areas of TN are just too fragmented and developed for night hunting with high power rifles because of the difficulty of Seeing what is behind what you are shooting at. It would be a wildlife officers worst nightmare


If they did do it…..it should be for landowners only and a set season at a time of the yr when bucks have shed!

Do you have any proof that any more poachers would out there than what is there now. Just maybe honest hunters at night may just turn them in or keep them away.

 

[7mm08]

Keep in mind coyotes are not native to Tennessee

Neither are starlings, sparrows but we are overrun with them.

Put a bounty on them like SC has.

 

[KPH]

Neither are starlings, sparrows but we are overrun with them.

Put a bounty on them like SC has.

Shoot em all target practice.

 

[jman 125]

I think that would be a huge mistake. I was one of the original woodpile boys and we were killing truck loads of them way before it got cool to do so. They die just just fine with the sun shining. If our goal is to to preserve hunting opportunities and protect deer (hence the original motivation of this thread) then allowing men with spotlights and high powered rifles to hunt "coyotes" at night during the winter seems like a terrible and an iron clad alibi for every deer poacher in the county. Plus most areas of TN are just too fragmented and developed for night hunting with high power rifles because of the difficulty of Seeing what is behind what you are shooting at. It would be a wildlife officers worst nightmare


If they did do it…..it should be for landowners only and a set season at a time of the yr when bucks have shed!

This right here is the answer. If everyone is worried about coyotes they really need to learn to trap. By far the best way to get your mind to thi k you are making a difference when reality is you will never make a dent in the population.

 

[BSK]

This right here is the answer. If everyone is worried about coyotes they really need to learn to trap. By far the best way to get your mind to thi k you are making a difference when reality is you will never make a dent in the population.

Unfortunately, this is correct. You will never make a dent in their population. The only answer is, provide as much tall-grass and thick-brush cover that you can. Coyotes prefer not to hunt in areas where they cannot see far, as they are eyesight hunters.

 

[TheLBLman]

Trapping is the only effective way to significantly reduce coyote numbers.
Hunting them may be fun, but it doesn't reduce their numbers like trapping.
Not even close.

 

[redblood]

Do you have any proof that any more poachers would out there than what is there now. Just maybe honest hunters at night may just turn them in or keep them away.

You cant prove something that hasnt yet had the opportunity to happen, but i feel confident there would be wide spread abuse. And BTW, my comments are not genuinely mine, but actually borrowed from a wildlife officer that spoke at my schools CTE career day when one of the students asked why coyotes couldnt be hunted at night. He was a brilliant presenter who certainly opened my eyes up to the potential ramnifications of such a rule change. Makes me think TWRA has already assessed the risk.

 

[redblood]

Trapping is the only effective way to significantly reduce coyote numbers.
Hunting them may be fun, but it doesn't reduce their numbers like trapping.
Not even close.

Absolutely. And they can be used together. Kill day active coyotes with a gun…..catch the Call shy ones with steel traps or snares. Win, win and keep the country side quiet at night