Night Hunting
- Thread starter eastTN270
- Start date
I use a 12ga wing master 2 3\4 #4 buck modified choke ( cause thats what it patterns best with) and a rechargeable spotlight with a red lens. I don't run the light constant like some do.( I have tried both ways) when a mad yote or yotes get in shotgun range trust me you will know their there. However I do periodically scan as well depending on the set up and sound being used and distance I can see etc. Not ever tactic works for every stand. Good luck hunting! Hope you pile em up.
I double checked again, and according to the Manner and Means Proclamation, buckshot is NOT legal for hunting coyotes day or night. The largest legal size shot is size T (.20" diameter).
And, yes, I am aware that it lists buckshot as legal ammo in the Hunting Guide in the night hunting section. However, on the Table of Contents page, there is also a statement that the Hunting Guide is NOT a legal document. The legal document covering the ammo is Proclamation 24-11.
The chart on page 48 of the Hunting Guide lists the legal hunting devices and appears to be the same as the one in the Proclamation 24-11. Buckshot is NOT listed as legal hunting ammunition for any species in TN.
And, yes, I am aware that it lists buckshot as legal ammo in the Hunting Guide in the night hunting section. However, on the Table of Contents page, there is also a statement that the Hunting Guide is NOT a legal document. The legal document covering the ammo is Proclamation 24-11.
The chart on page 48 of the Hunting Guide lists the legal hunting devices and appears to be the same as the one in the Proclamation 24-11. Buckshot is NOT listed as legal hunting ammunition for any species in TN.
Well after this new information was brought to my attention (Thank you SCN) I felt the need to contact my local office here in region III and spoke with the local warden for that county (Cumberland) and he made it very clear to me that there was nothing wrong with the hunting guide or(my reading comprehension apparently) and that you are in fact ALLOWED to hunt with BUCKSHOT during the coyote night hunts just as it states. He also stated that the hunting guide was approved by the Commissioner and was accurate. I don't have one here in front of me but he stated it is clear on page 63. If my memory serves me.it is also mentioned under legal hunting devices see #11 at the bottom of that section. As well as prohibited acts #10. Hopefully this clears up any questions anyone might have at least for here in region III !
Awesome! You did your due process and should be good to go in your county.
However, for others that want to be strictly legal, they may want to go by the LEGAL documents. It is pretty obvious that the officer you talked to really doesn't understand what they are talking about.
To start, the Hunting Guide is NOT a legal document and it clearly states that at the beginning of the Guide. And, the Commission(er) does not approve the Hunting Guide. In fact, unless something has changed in a major way, they don't even see the Hunting Guide until it appears in print and online in its final form.
The Commission does approve all of the Proclamations and Rules and Regulations. I highly suspect it was the INTENT of the Commission to allow buckshot for the coyote hunting. Unfortunately, they failed to change Proclamation 24-11 to put that into effect.
The LEGAL document dealing with hunting devices and legal ammunition is Proclamation 24-11 (https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/pub/proclamations/04-24-24.pdf)
Here is what it says in that document about the legal devises and ammo: SECTION I. LEGAL HUNTING DEVICES - All firearms, hunting devices, and ammunition listed in thebelow table are legal for hunting purposes according to the individual species listed. If a firearm, hunting device, or ammunition is not listed in the below table it is illegal to hunt with within the State of Tennessee. Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) may have restrictions on some legal hunting devices.
I have looked again, and nowhere in that chart (that I can see) is any mention of buckshot being legal for any sport hunting in TN. So, until someone can point out where I am wrong with the LEGAL DOCUMENTS, I will double down that buckshot is not legal for any sport hunting in the state.
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This would not be the first time that something appeared in a Hunting/Fishing Guide that was not legally correct and the Agency decided to enforce it the way it read in the Guide. I suspect that may be their stance in this, particularly if it was the intent of the Commission to legalize buckshot for night coyotes. If so, hopefully they will clean up the Proclamation in the future.
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This is confusing, the legal document https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/pub/proclamations/04-24-24.pdf
shows no buckshot but hunting regulations online https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/twra/guide/hunting-regulations.html#huntingdevice
shows buckshot allowed and this is in the hunting guide.
Buckshot allowed.
shows no buckshot but hunting regulations online https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/twra/guide/hunting-regulations.html#huntingdevice
shows buckshot allowed and this is in the hunting guide.
Buckshot allowed.
Again, the documents you are showing are NOT legal documents. They are often written by agency personnel that aren't even officers and have zero clue on what is legal and what isn't.
The only LEGAL documents are state statutes passed by the state legislature, Rules and Regulations and Proclamations passed by the Tennessee Wildlife Commission and approved by the legislature.
The Hunting Guide and information on the agency website are not legal documents and would have no legal standing in court.
The only LEGAL documents are state statutes passed by the state legislature, Rules and Regulations and Proclamations passed by the Tennessee Wildlife Commission and approved by the legislature.
The Hunting Guide and information on the agency website are not legal documents and would have no legal standing in court.
The prosecutable appeal goes way down if something is written in an agency publication. I am not surprised that the agency would take the stance that it is legal since they have put out the misinformation.
But, for whatever reason, someone within the agency changed what is in the legal document of Proclamation 24-11 in the footnote #11 they have online. Unfortunately, that doesn't make it legal until the Commission passes a new Manner and Means Proclamation with the changes.
On the Homepage of the agency website under Guides, Rules and Regulations there are links to all of the LEGAL documents.
I certainly agree with you that what the agency prints in their Guides and in their online info should be legally correct.
They absolutely would have legal standing in court. The onus is on the state to put out documents with the correct information. He also called his regional office. If he ever went to court his charges would be thrown out. You can argue that til you are blue in the face, but he wouldn't be paying any fines.
There is a difference in legal standing/legal document and evidence that could/would torpedo the case. I would be surprised if any officer would even think about writing a ticket with it being in the Hunting Guide like that.
But, it still doesn't make it legally correct.
I apologize to the OP I suppose my response high jacked your post and is not what I intended. I was merely giving advice from my experience. I recommend everyone hunt by the rules and regulations provided by the TWRA as I will continue to do so. Good luck with the yotes!
tke466
Member
OP: I'm not much of a predator hunter but I thought it would be interesting to give the night season a go. I'm going to run a 12ga 940 pro turkey 24", Carlson's coyote choke, hevi-shot coyote load (T shot). On top is a tnc-335r. An optic on top of this shotty seems weird but hey it's gonna be fun! I plan to make kills 70 yards and under. I patterned at 40 yards. I may next check out some tss loads (either 2 or 4 shot) and change the choke. It's expensive but I'm not shooting them a bunch and it may push my kill radius out a bit more. Maybe I won't feel the need... Who knows.
Lone Hunter
Well-Known Member
I would want this in an email from Region 3 office. Wouldn't be the first time one officer will allow it and another will not. You would have something to show why you have buckshot. For what it's worth I think it should be any means possible to kill coyotes.
I appreciate your concern and if I were only hunting by word of mouth so to speak I would insist on it being in writing. However I already have it in writing. In the hunting guide Page 63 that was provide to all of us by the TWRA. The only reason I called them was there seemed to be some question on the content/accuracy of the hunting guide and its information. After such inquiry I have decided to follow the hunting guide to the best of my abilities and not opinions of others. If I'm wrong by following the rules provided to me it want be me having to explain it!
I will be honest, I have read the disclaimer about not a legal document before and it's kind of disappointing, I grew up into adulthood and old age thinking of the guide as the Bible for hunting, as many folks that are involved in the compilation of the info can't be trusted to proofread it is sad. If a person never messed with computers or hunting boards they would never know they were doing something illegal. I have heard all my life that Ignorance of the law is not the laws problem. A jury might dismiss it but a judge could still drop the hammer. Easier for me to pick up T shot than risk pushing the envelope.
tke466
Member
Edit: I couldn't get a good pattern to save my life. I changed to Apex #2 TSS and a .690 to 0.705 choke. It will kill.
DeerCamp
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2020
- Messages
- 4,669
Couple years back, I was hunting in the Ozark mountains in Arkansas. We were trying to figure out if antlerless was legal for the hunt the next day. One part of the guide made it seem legal, the other part made it seem not. It was VERY confusing.
I couldn't get anybody on the phone as it was late evening on a Friday. Posted the question on the official AGFC facebook page and whomever manages that account replied "yes, you are allow one antlerless".
Sweet!
Except that person was wrong. My phone rang the next day - was a game warden letting me know that antlerless was NOT allowed.
I said "Sir, I appreciate the call but if the rules are so complex even your own folks can't give a consistent answer, might be time to revisit the rules". He laughed and agreed.
I couldn't get anybody on the phone as it was late evening on a Friday. Posted the question on the official AGFC facebook page and whomever manages that account replied "yes, you are allow one antlerless".
Sweet!
Except that person was wrong. My phone rang the next day - was a game warden letting me know that antlerless was NOT allowed.
I said "Sir, I appreciate the call but if the rules are so complex even your own folks can't give a consistent answer, might be time to revisit the rules". He laughed and agreed.
