Is night hunting legal in your state? Roll Call!
- Thread starter MB650c
- Start date
HARD_TIMES
New member
It is in MS but it's rimfire or shotgun with 6shot or smaller.
Bustayote
New member
In the People's Republik of Kalifornia, you are not allowed to have the light attached to the weapon. You may hunt at night with written permission from the land owner. You can get around the 9v restriction with the land owner's consent but you have to call the bloody F&G office each time you are going to be hunting!
Coyotehunter_
New member
This is for Indiana. When in a vehicle it's illegal to shine a light from the vehicle if you have a firearm in the vehicle.
However in IN you can get out of the vehicle and walk around with a gun and a spot light and shoot varmits... ie coyotes. But you must have a light that's visible from 360 deg on at all times while you are out hunting coyotes at night in Indiana.
You can hunt coyotes on private property with written permission from the land owner at any time of the year.
But IN also has a fur bearing animal hunting season for Coyotes from Oct 15 to March 15.
Some guys hunt coyotes to rid the area of them or at least that's the objective of their hunts. Other hunt for sport and don't hunt year round. They let the yotes along while they are raising their pups. Some ranchers with Sheep or other livestock that yotes will kill or harrass may want to wipe out the coyotes entirely. But that's a job that may never get done. But we can put a small dent into the coyote population.
Not sure how far away from your vehicle you have to be before a conservation officer won't give you a citation.
I know one former and not retired CO who drove around the county at night with all his vehicle lights out. He put in a toggle switch on the dash that would kill all lights in his patrol SUV. One flip of this switch would turn all the lights back on. I rode with him one night and we saw a vehicle out late at night in the back country. We watched this vehicle driving down this remote gravel road and stop. A light beamed from this vehicle out onto the surrounding farm fields. We were not more than 400 yard away observing this vehicle from the CO's Patrol SUV. The CO turned on his emergency lights and spotlights and floored it and we were upon the suspects vehicle in a flash. It turned out to be a guy and his girl friend using a high powered spot light but they didn't have any firearms in thier car. So the CO let them go. I bet that she got pretty scared with what happened. I had a fun night that evening riding with the CO. Before all this happened we were in an EMT class at the local hospital and we have to leave to go to a fire scene. I was a volunter Fireman back then and my pager went off. I figured it was a good excuse to get out of class that night. hehe. So my CO friend offered to drive us to the fire in his Ranger SUV with code three. Oh we were young back in those days. But I remember that night as it it were yesterday. It's been over 35 years since we rode in the back roads that night with my CO friend.
However in IN you can get out of the vehicle and walk around with a gun and a spot light and shoot varmits... ie coyotes. But you must have a light that's visible from 360 deg on at all times while you are out hunting coyotes at night in Indiana.
You can hunt coyotes on private property with written permission from the land owner at any time of the year.
But IN also has a fur bearing animal hunting season for Coyotes from Oct 15 to March 15.
Some guys hunt coyotes to rid the area of them or at least that's the objective of their hunts. Other hunt for sport and don't hunt year round. They let the yotes along while they are raising their pups. Some ranchers with Sheep or other livestock that yotes will kill or harrass may want to wipe out the coyotes entirely. But that's a job that may never get done. But we can put a small dent into the coyote population.
Not sure how far away from your vehicle you have to be before a conservation officer won't give you a citation.
I know one former and not retired CO who drove around the county at night with all his vehicle lights out. He put in a toggle switch on the dash that would kill all lights in his patrol SUV. One flip of this switch would turn all the lights back on. I rode with him one night and we saw a vehicle out late at night in the back country. We watched this vehicle driving down this remote gravel road and stop. A light beamed from this vehicle out onto the surrounding farm fields. We were not more than 400 yard away observing this vehicle from the CO's Patrol SUV. The CO turned on his emergency lights and spotlights and floored it and we were upon the suspects vehicle in a flash. It turned out to be a guy and his girl friend using a high powered spot light but they didn't have any firearms in thier car. So the CO let them go. I bet that she got pretty scared with what happened. I had a fun night that evening riding with the CO. Before all this happened we were in an EMT class at the local hospital and we have to leave to go to a fire scene. I was a volunter Fireman back then and my pager went off. I figured it was a good excuse to get out of class that night. hehe. So my CO friend offered to drive us to the fire in his Ranger SUV with code three. Oh we were young back in those days. But I remember that night as it it were yesterday. It's been over 35 years since we rode in the back roads that night with my CO friend.
Brian Downs
New member
MA you can hunt until midnight but cant use a light and 22lr or shotgun smaller than #4 buck
FrankenCub
New member
From the NY DEC website:
Furbearer Hunting at Night
You may hunt furbearers at night, with or without a light, as follows:
* Use any handgun or bow.
* Use a shotgun loaded with shot (any size).
* Use a rifle chambered in any cartridge, except that you may not possess a centerfire rifle afield, during the day or night, during any open season for deer in areas restricted to using a shotgun only for deer.
* If hunting without a light, the use of a light gathering ("starlight") scope is legal on any firearm listed above.
NOTE: Westchester County and Long Island - Rifles are not allowed
Furbearer Hunting at Night
You may hunt furbearers at night, with or without a light, as follows:
* Use any handgun or bow.
* Use a shotgun loaded with shot (any size).
* Use a rifle chambered in any cartridge, except that you may not possess a centerfire rifle afield, during the day or night, during any open season for deer in areas restricted to using a shotgun only for deer.
* If hunting without a light, the use of a light gathering ("starlight") scope is legal on any firearm listed above.
NOTE: Westchester County and Long Island - Rifles are not allowed
Yes in Maine: for 'coons from Oct.1st to Dec.31st, must have a dog, an electric light, and only use a pistol or rifle no more powerful than .22lr, only to be loaded when used to dispatch treed 'coon....Coyotes with permit from Jan.1st to June 1st, except from midnight Saturday to 12:01 am on Monday....no fox or cats though, kinda sux.
ghilliedogger
New member
Wyoming:
It is legal to hunt predators with artificial light on private property with written permission. Jury still out on natural moon light on public, waiting on a return call.
It is legal to hunt predators with artificial light on private property with written permission. Jury still out on natural moon light on public, waiting on a return call.
nightsniper1
New member
yes in michigan. as long as it is rimfire or a shotgun or a bow and it cant be out of a vehicle. and the laws are different at night depending on if you are just hunting or if they are causing property damage. here's a link to the night regulations. michigan night hunting regulations
Starbuckin
New member
Quote:
I think the only restiction in Ky is that you cant use an artificial light.
This is not true. In Kentucky you can only use a light and only hunt at night when hunting Opossums, Raccoons or Bull Frogs, also you can only use night vision to hunt the above listed game, in their proper season.
In the official released Kentucky hunting Guide from the Ky Dept of Fish And Wildlife they even specifically say that it is illegal to hunt coyotes at night.
This is ridiculous to me and I assume that this is a measure to keep people from poaching deer.
A lot of people (myself included) have hunted coyotes at night with night vision, but if you get caught you stand to be fined heavily, do jail time, and loose ALL equipment you were using to commit the crime including your vehicle, weapon(s), the night vision/spotlights.
People like me who have never, nor will ever poach a deer at night are punished by not being able to hunt coyotes at night because of Deer poachers.
Coyotes are an unprotected species and I wish they would change the law so you could hunt coyotes at night with night vision, as it's a VERY effective way at killing them.
I know of people who were caught spottlighting at night and lost everything they had with them.
If you intend to do this, be advised that it is very dangerous and can land you in big trouble with the law.
Kentucky has recently reenacted the no spot light law which forbids you to use a spotlight to observe wildlife EVEN if you don't have a weapon with you, molesting wildlife they call it.
They can easily catch people spotlighting from their aircraft.
I think the only restiction in Ky is that you cant use an artificial light.
This is not true. In Kentucky you can only use a light and only hunt at night when hunting Opossums, Raccoons or Bull Frogs, also you can only use night vision to hunt the above listed game, in their proper season.
In the official released Kentucky hunting Guide from the Ky Dept of Fish And Wildlife they even specifically say that it is illegal to hunt coyotes at night.
This is ridiculous to me and I assume that this is a measure to keep people from poaching deer.
A lot of people (myself included) have hunted coyotes at night with night vision, but if you get caught you stand to be fined heavily, do jail time, and loose ALL equipment you were using to commit the crime including your vehicle, weapon(s), the night vision/spotlights.
People like me who have never, nor will ever poach a deer at night are punished by not being able to hunt coyotes at night because of Deer poachers.
Coyotes are an unprotected species and I wish they would change the law so you could hunt coyotes at night with night vision, as it's a VERY effective way at killing them.
I know of people who were caught spottlighting at night and lost everything they had with them.
If you intend to do this, be advised that it is very dangerous and can land you in big trouble with the law.
Kentucky has recently reenacted the no spot light law which forbids you to use a spotlight to observe wildlife EVEN if you don't have a weapon with you, molesting wildlife they call it.
They can easily catch people spotlighting from their aircraft.
chad shelton
New member
well i live in ky and if you want my vote to make night hunting coyotes legal you have it now let talk to those morons in frankfort
TradBowBryce
New member
In Mississippi, we can hunt Coyotes all year long, and at night with the use of artificial light, and only rifles allowed at night are .22's and .17's. shot gun with nothing larger than a no. 6 shot.... NO .22 Mags
BUT I am heading to Eagle Pass, Texas for work and will enjoy trying out the west texas coyotes...
BUT I am heading to Eagle Pass, Texas for work and will enjoy trying out the west texas coyotes...
Last edited:
Thumper333
New member
Quote:
SD, Yes, but no artificial light.
That's not quite right. In south dakota, The laws are messed up. No person may use or possess night vision
equipment or throw or cast the rays of a spotlight,
headlight or other artificial light on a road or in a
field, pasture, woodland, forest or prairie to spot,
locate, take or attempt to take or hunt an animal
while having in possession or control a firearm,
bow or other implement with which game could
be killed.
However, the following are legal:
—A person on foot may use a hand-held light
year-round to take raccoons after dogs have
treed them.
—A landowner or occupant and one guest
may use an artificial light on his or her land
year round to take jackrabbits, coyotes, red
and gray fox, raccoons, opossums, badgers,
skunks and rodents. Only firearms using
shotshells or .22 caliber rimfire cartridges
may be used or possessed.
—Recreational Artificial Light Law: To minimize
disturbance to wildlife and rural residents
state law prohibits a person from using an
artificial light other than headlights to spot
or locate any wild animal between the hours
of 10 p.m. and sunrise from Sept. 1-Jan. 31.
During this time frame, a person who has no
weapons in possession may only use their
vehicle headlights to spot or locate animals.
Hand-held spotlights and other lights otherwise
attached to the vehicle are not legal.
The two exceptions to this law are the same
as those found under “Artificial Light” above.
SD, Yes, but no artificial light.
That's not quite right. In south dakota, The laws are messed up. No person may use or possess night vision
equipment or throw or cast the rays of a spotlight,
headlight or other artificial light on a road or in a
field, pasture, woodland, forest or prairie to spot,
locate, take or attempt to take or hunt an animal
while having in possession or control a firearm,
bow or other implement with which game could
be killed.
However, the following are legal:
—A person on foot may use a hand-held light
year-round to take raccoons after dogs have
treed them.
—A landowner or occupant and one guest
may use an artificial light on his or her land
year round to take jackrabbits, coyotes, red
and gray fox, raccoons, opossums, badgers,
skunks and rodents. Only firearms using
shotshells or .22 caliber rimfire cartridges
may be used or possessed.
—Recreational Artificial Light Law: To minimize
disturbance to wildlife and rural residents
state law prohibits a person from using an
artificial light other than headlights to spot
or locate any wild animal between the hours
of 10 p.m. and sunrise from Sept. 1-Jan. 31.
During this time frame, a person who has no
weapons in possession may only use their
vehicle headlights to spot or locate animals.
Hand-held spotlights and other lights otherwise
attached to the vehicle are not legal.
The two exceptions to this law are the same
as those found under “Artificial Light” above.
alphayote
New member
In Georgia, the following rules apply:
LEGAL HOURS for hunting are 30 minutes
before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset,
except that alligators, raccoons, opossums,
foxes, coyotes, bobcats and feral hogs may
be hunted at night. However, only battery
powered lights not exceeding 6 volts (12 volts
for alligators) or fuel type lanterns may be
carried by hunters for locating these animals.
LEGAL HOURS for hunting are 30 minutes
before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset,
except that alligators, raccoons, opossums,
foxes, coyotes, bobcats and feral hogs may
be hunted at night. However, only battery
powered lights not exceeding 6 volts (12 volts
for alligators) or fuel type lanterns may be
carried by hunters for locating these animals.
idahovarmintcaller
New member
Brendan43
How did you go about getting your night hunting permit? Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
How did you go about getting your night hunting permit? Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
British Bulldog
New member
Over here in the UK we can hunt red fox,brown hare and rabbits
with a spot light all year round,on foot or from a truck and also with a nice silencer on the end of the gun.
with a spot light all year round,on foot or from a truck and also with a nice silencer on the end of the gun.