.......Legally shoot coyotes from road....?

dan brothers

dan brothers

New member
I read a post where someone mentioned that he could legally shoot coyotes that he came across while traveling across his state... from the roadway off his truck. I thought it was a state like the Dakotas, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, or some place out in that area. Can anyone leagally do that in your state...just curious....?
 
excerpt from the Deer hunting proclamation:

16. Road Rights of Way

Do not hunt on road rights of way unless you are certain that they are open to public use. Most road rights of way are under the control of the adjacent landowner and are closed to hunting when the adjacent land is posted closed to hunting.


however IIRC you must be outside the vehicle unless you have a disability permit
 
I know you can't here in SC... and probably not in most states... but that guy's statement made me wonder about what liberal state he was talking about.
 
The common practice for road hunters in my area is to hop out and step off the roadway before taking a shot.

On a related note I was almost killed last week driving to a new a new stand to set up my caller. A couple a-holes thought it was a great idea to shoot at a target they set up across the road I was driving on. I had the windows down and heard the snap of the bullet going past. I never heard the gunshot. I knew what it was instantly and started looking around quick. Saw the target laying on the dirt bank at about head level as I drove past. As near as I can figure the bullet went over my hood. About a second earlier or 5 mph faster and I might not be typing this.

After that experience I would not be opposed to mandatory firearms safety training and IQ tests for gun owners.
 
It's a no-no in Arkensaw
Thr book reads; IT IS NOT LEGAL TO; point, aim, or shoot a firearm or archery equipment from within 100 feet of the centerline of any City, vounty, State, or Federally maintained road.

Shayne
 
I know you certainly weren't asking about NY but I've never even seen a coyote live or road killed while driving.In fact of all NY critters coyote and bobcat are the only one's I can say that about.
 
All states have their own regs. Here in Ks you cannot shoot from a roadway while in the vehicle. However, if your in the pasture you can fire from inside the vehicle, as long as you have permission on the property.
 
To my knowledge, hunting from or across roadways in KS is legal (surprisingly). HOWEVER, shooting from a vehicle is illegal, EXCEPT FOR COYOTES, which may be taken from motor vehicles.

Kansas coyote laws are set up in a way that's intuitive to protect ranchers that keep a "coyote getter" in their truck in case they just happen to see one. These are the guys that will be driving along a back-road, see a coyote, stop the truck and kill it, touting the "the only good coyote is a dead coyote" mentality. Sighthounding coyotes is also well established in KS, so again, the laws are set up to allow this practice essentially uninhibited.

Coyote hunters get free passes that they are able to hunt at night using lights (over hounds), from motor vehicles (any land, air, or water vehicle), and use radio communication, which are all prohibited for all other types of hunting in Kansas.

The general rule of thumb for most hunters, although I believe it is not necessary by law, is that if you have landowner permission on a spot and see game, you pull over, get out of the truck, cross the ditch (cross the fence) and shoot. By law, I'm fairly certain that all a guy needs to do is stop, get out, and shoot for big game, and technically you wouldn't even have to stop for a coyote, just roll the window down.
 
Originally Posted By: Jay CummingsAll states have their own regs. Here in Ks you cannot shoot from a roadway while in the vehicle. However, if your in the pasture you can fire from inside the vehicle, as long as you have permission on the property.

Do you have this reg at hand? It may be in the full version of "the books", but there's nothing on the regulation webpage that supports it.
 
The following is copied straight from the KDWP hunting regs......


ILLEGAL PURSUIT

No game or furbearer may be shot at, killed, or pursued from aircraft, motor car, motor boat, or other vehicle. (Exceptions include hunting with a Disability permit, hunting waterfowl from a stationary boat, and hunting coyotes.) Use of artificial light is illegal except as outlined HERE .

It is illegal to locate or give information concerning the location of game animals by radio or other mechanical means, except for coyotes, as outlined HERE .

No wild gamebird (except turkey) may be shot at unless that bird is in flight. Turkeys may be shot on the ground or in flight, but not while sitting in trees.

.....

From Fall 1972-Feb 1996, I hunted coyotes here out of a pickup. Originally with greyhounds.
The years of Fall 1980-Feb 1996, instead of dogs we shot the coyotes with a 12g...from the truck.
At the time, we were told by the game wardens in our area, that it was legal to shoot coyotes from the dirt/gravel roads. But NOT from any paved road, be it a county road, or a state highway.

I have never heard about any changes to that policy, for whatever that's worth.
 
Not in Texas...that would be disorderly conduct.

Title 9, Chapter 42, Section 42.01:

(9) discharges a firearm on or across a public road;
 
Originally Posted By: canislatrans54From Fall 1972-Feb 1996, I hunted coyotes here out of a pickup. Originally with greyhounds.
The years of Fall 1980-Feb 1996, instead of dogs we shot the coyotes with a 12g...from the truck.
At the time, we were told by the game wardens in our area, that it was legal to shoot coyotes from the dirt/gravel roads. But NOT from any paved road, be it a county road, or a state highway.

I have never heard about any changes to that policy, for whatever that's worth.

I cut the rest of your quote out just for space, but that's the info on the website that I was referring to in my earlier post. Basically, coyote hunters get a free pass on a lot of rules in KS.

I have also HEARD the rumor (from game wardens) that it was legal to shoot from dirt roads, but not paved roads. At the time, I asked the warden (a guy I'd known a long time) if we could look in his "full version" of the hunting regulation law book, neither of us could find any reference for this law (mind you we did not read it cover to cover, but spent the better part of 3hrs sitting in my livingroom reading through different sections looking for this regulation).

I have also been handcuffed and detained overnight by a warden for using an SKS with the standard 10rnd box magazine, then had my hunt interrupted the following year by a different warden who could see in his bino's that I was using an SKS with a 10rnd box. Both wardens claimed that KS law prohibits more than 5rnd capacity. Both were wrong. Kansas does not have, and has NEVER had such a regulation. Kansas does not restrict magazine capacity for any game, with the exception that they enforce the FEDERAL mandate for migratory birds. After several phone calls, emails, and letters, the first warden no longer works for the State of Kansas (I didn't take a wrongful night in lockup very kindly). The second warden blew my stand by walking out to me, but he backed off when I corrected him that there is no such law in KS.

I also had two different wardens tell me this year that I would not be allowed to use my Bowtech Destroyer in the future for deer because they were passing a law that prohibits bows with over 75ft.lbs. of KE for next season, as it gives unfair advantage (too much range) to bowhunters. After about 2wks of calling different offices and legal councilmen for KDWPT (because I felt strongly that such a regulation needed to be struck down), I have confirmation that no such bill or regulation has been proposed at any level, let alone would be passing for next season. The director of the legal group at KDWPT stated that such a law would go against the spirit of their regulation, and that they want hunters using OVER POWERED equipment, and would sooner pass a law increasing the MINIMUM power of bows, rather than ever put a maximum in place.

I also had a warden (conservation officer) tell me while I was instructing the smallbore live-fire section of a hunters safety course last winter that a 7.62x39mm was no longer legal for deer in KS because we've now combined our rifle and handgun cartridge requirements (used to read Rifles: .230" dia or larger. Handguns .230" or larger and 1.280" or longer case, now it reads firearms: .230" or larger and case of 1.280" or longer). It came up because I had mentioned I was considering a Ruger M77 in 7.62x39mm for my nephew for deer, but he claimed it wasn't a legal cartridge. Yes, he was right about the law (1.280" case by .230" dia or larger), but he was mistaken that a x39mm case was too short, as it's 1.524" long. Making it legal for deer, although not legal for elk in KS (1.750" or larger)... The new law DOES make it illegal for me to shoot another deer with a 9mm carbine, like I had back in college, which was a loophole (9mm was illegal in pistols, but legal in rifles).

Moral of the story, Wardens in general are not always fully versed in the letter of the law, whether they think they are or not. Rumor gets passed around among wardens as fast as it gets passed among hunters.

I'm not saying they're wrong about it being illegal to shoot from paved roads in KS, (which doesn't necessarily mean you can't shoot from the right-of-way or ditch), I'm just saying that I tend to take things that wardens tell me with a grain of salt until I see the regulations in writing, or hear it straight from the horses mouth from the KDWPT law enforcement office. I have not been able to find this law on the books anywhere over the years. Maybe I'll put in a call on monday to ask KDWPT Law..

(And for everyone's info, KDWP changed its name this year, now it's KDWPT, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism, no idea why it was significant enough to change the name to add tourism, but the website changed. www.kdwp.state.ks.us will still get you there, but it redirects to www.kdwpt.state.ks.us. It may in the future not redirect anymore).
 
VT...
I agree that you can't always trust what the different wardens tell you, (although you SHOULD be able to, IMHO, after all it is their job to know these things).

Good post, sir!!

BTW, several years ago, I had a warden tell me that I couldn't legally call coyotes, & use a centerfire rifle as your weapon, on WIHA tracts.
Like you, I questioned his "theory", & went over his head.
Talked to some big-wig in the Pratt office about it. (don't remember his title)

What I finally found out, was that as long as the tract isn't posted "Firearms Deer Hunting Prohibited", (which seems to usually be around building sites), then there's just the same regulations on weapons that a guy would have hunting on any other private property.

So, as you say, when in doubt, ask the guy who's in charge. Hahaha

Y'all have a great day!!
 
It's a NO NO in Washington

It is illegal to carry, convey, transport, possess, or control a loaded shotgun or rifle in or on any motor vehicle (except under WAC 232-12-828) A rifle or shotgun containing shells or cartridges in either the chamber or magazine, or a muzzleloading firearm that is loaded and capped or primed is considered loaded
 
Kansas knows how to run a game and fish dept. Wish I would of bought my lifetime license before I moved. Still kick myself for that one
 


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