Is there aerial shooting of coyotes in your area?

Wind River

Wind River

Member
It is common in the part of Wyoming I live in, almost daily, weather permitting. This is an effective method of wildlife damage control, primarily used by ranchers in the western U.S. to reduce livestock losses.
I know we will never exterminate all coyotes but this sure reduces their numbers. Wyoming is largely public land and is supposed to have about 89k coyotes state wide. I doubt there are that many. Before aerial hunting started and became a go-to method I used to see far more coyotes than today.
You fellas in forested areas or where there is no aerial shooting count your blessings. I believe that in eastern states, where coyotes did not exist 50-60 years ago, now have far higher concentrations of coyotes than in the open country west.
 
In North Dakota it is primarily the game dept that does it when they get enough complaints from ranchers, primarily sheep ranchers. Cattle ranchers have no love for coyotes but don’t generally suffer much lose. A sheep rancher friend and neighbors were have major coyote losses so game department sent their plane and shooter out. I have trouble believing but not accusing them of lying but claimed over 70 kills in less than a ten mile area. It is possible for non-government hunters to do it but the hoops one has to go through makes it not worth it
 
Wind River said:
It is common in the part of Wyoming I live in, almost daily, weather permitting. This is an effective method of wildlife damage control, primarily used by ranchers in the western U.S. to reduce livestock losses.
I know we will never exterminate all coyotes but this sure reduces their numbers. Wyoming is largely public land and is supposed to have about 89k coyotes state wide. I doubt there are that many. Before aerial hunting started and became a go-to method I used to see far more coyotes than today.
You fellas in forested areas or where there is no aerial shooting count your blessings. I believe that in eastern states, where coyotes did not exist 50-60 years ago, now have far higher concentrations of coyotes than in the open country west.
Click to expand...
#1 from what I see it is illegal to hunt by air in Wyoming except on mule deer fawning grounds. #2 I would question those numbers because of the wolf population. And #3 how many wolves are being misidentified by air and shot?
 
VeteranSparky said:
#1 from what I see it is illegal to hunt by air in Wyoming except on mule deer fawning grounds. #2 I would question those numbers because of the wolf population. And #3 how many wolves are being misidentified by air and shot?
Click to expand...
You and I cannot hunt them from the air, (recreationally), but Wyo legislation has allowed it since the mid 1970s and by the 90’s it was very prevalent. A USDA permit is required but apparently they allow it rather freely. County predator management districts and authorized individuals may conduct aerial hunting on both public and private lands to control predator populations.
I imagine a few wolves do get shot, likely intentionally as wolves are considered predators outside the Yellowstone/ Teton area. If I see a wolf this winter I’m gonna shoot it.😉
 
Nevada also has Arial gunning.
AI generated so take it with a grain of salt.
Nevada's aerial gunning programs are a collaborative effort, utilizing both state and federal funds, with Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) working alongside the USDA Wildlife Services and private contractors. The state's efforts include a predator management fund from big game tag fees, while federal agencies like the USDA also conduct such activities, primarily to protect agricultural interests.
 
Just talked to a neighbor who is a rancher and he told me that this year the state has come in and shot over 300 coyotes by heliocopter.
No wonder I have a hard time finding any to hunt. They're already dead. That kinda pisses me off🤬🤬
 
hunt0168 said:
That stinks, Sprinkman! Was that removal number just in your proximity, or a more widespread total? That would be a serious dent in the population around me.
Click to expand...
About a 15 mile radius, which is where I do most of my hunting. I'm going to have to expand out further if I want to hunt.
 
I have mixed feelings about this. Selfishly, I want there to be a lot of coyotes so I can shoot them. However, I don't blame ranchers for trying to protect their investments.
There's a pheasant hunting operation in north-central SD that gets the plane to come every year, and every year they kill a couple hundred.
 
I listened to a podcast by O'Neil Ops where they had Cal Taylor on talking about his experience hunting coyotes. I think most of his work is or was getting contracted out by the counties to remove problem coyotes for farmers, in Wyoming. Arial gunning was one of the methods they used but he didn't actually do the trigger pulling. He just worked with them closely. Not gonna lie, arial gunning would be an awesome job.
 
SupressYourself said:
I have mixed feelings about this. Selfishly, I want there to be a lot of coyotes so I can shoot them. However, I don't blame ranchers for trying to protect their investments.
There's a pheasant hunting operation in north-central SD that gets the plane to come every year, and every year they kill a couple hundred.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree, just being selfish because I want to kill them;)
 
When it comes to your livelihood you don’t care how they’re gone as long as they’re gone. I’m torn between my love for calling them in and pleasing landowners with trapping. I know I won’t get them all despite my best efforts, but I haven’t heard a coyote in months.
I can remember when I first started hunting where I hunt it wasn’t uncommon to hear 3-4 different groups sounding off at dusk or dawn. The manager put out a text to listen for quail at first light and report coveys heard, I followed with listen for coyotes and give me approximate direction and distance from their stands, lol!!!
Fortunately there’s always transients that will eventually move through or onto the property.
 
30-40 or so years ago we would hunt in pairs for the simple reason that multiple coyotes would come running in to the calls we made. We’d have one shooter looking in one direction and the other looking in the opposite direction. Sometimes we’d have one with a shotgun ‘cause the critters came in running fast. One time the coyote jumped in right at my partner, scared the pee out of him.
Those days are gone, at least where I live. Wyoming used to have great Coyote hunting.
 
Last edited:
I’ve never shot coyotes anywhere else other than Wyoming or Colorado, but from what I see on this forum and elsewhere, you fellas in the Midwest and back east now have better coyote hunting.
 
I have done a lot of aerial gunning. Both Super Cub and helicopter. I don't do much anymore but have hundreds of hours and hundreds of coyotes from the air. In my area its generally a very targeted response in a small area where concentrated removal is needed, or a trouble call targeting a coyote or group of coyotes that are killing livestock. I don't generally hammer areas where that type of work isn't requested or needed. Most of my county is private land and we can't fly or hunt areas where we aren't requested or don't have permission to be. As for the gunning itself, it requires a cast iron stomach and nerves of steel! Low level flying in rough country is nothing like the you tube videos from Texas in the flattest country imaginable.
 
Back
Top