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Coyotes during deer season

aimfirst

aimfirst

Member
A legal question to ask of you all: I am seeing alot of coyote activity in our area (screaming at night and chasing turkeys during the day) so I was going to go out in the woods with a rifle to try to get one or two. If I do this during shotgun or late muzzleloader, am I breaking the law by having a rifle(not a muzzleloader) in the woods? And if I am in the woods, do I need to follow the blaze orange rules? Just curious how this is enforced because I keep seeing coyote season is year round and legal to hunt with any rifle.....Thanks.
 
The law states that anytime you are out into the woods with a gun, you must wear at least 1 article of orange. A vest is bare minimum for that. It is a good idea to wear more than just a vest thought. Also, the law states that you cant use rifles in iowa, exception would be a muzzleloader. That is the closest you can get to a rifle. But yea, i would go out with a muzzelloader or a shotgun. Anyone else can back me up on this?
 
Nope.

I'm pretty sure you can hunt coyotes year round with a rifle of any caliber. I'm not real sure about mortars, flamethrowers, or long range artillery though, that would be a good question for Blind Sow.

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Aimfirst,
Good question. I don't like to guess at these questions but found this one to my interest also.

Deer hunters in the timbers get the coyotes moving which is great sport for those of us waiting around for the late Muzzle season.
Contrary to what BowHunter84 states, you are only required hunter orange when hunting whitetailed deer. Although "recommended" during other seasons.

Good question, one that is hard to find the answer to. I've looked everywhere.

I did find that you may NOT use CB radios to hunt coyotes during the deer season which is typically legal when deer season is closed.

I'm sure Blind Sow will help us out eventually.
Pupster
 
A friend and I went out to see if we could round up a couple of coyotes Saturday afternoon, using high power rifles. We stayed far away from any deer hunters, for our safety and theirs. I own a pretetar call and we kept that with us at all times and I made darn sure I didn't have any deer hunting items in the truck or in my possession. We were prepared to get checked my the DNR. It is like going around with night scopes scouting; you better not have any weapons in your vheicle, or you are going to have to do alot of explaning. I am sure if a DNR sees us he is going to stop us and see what we are up to; it looks a little suspicous with camo and high powers. I would suggest that you stay away from any deer hunters to avoid any complications with them or the DNR. Didn't see any coyotes but we are going to try again this weekend, the farmers sure like us hunting them. Just my 2 cents worth. Al
 
You can use high powers on coyotes in Iowa. I have and I know of several groups of coyote hunters that do. You do not have to wear orange either I believe...if so we've been illegal for about 15 years. As far as using a rifle for coyotes during the deer seasons, I'm not sure, but I think you can.
 
From Iowa Deer and Fall Turkey Hunting Regulations and License Instructions.

Page 5 - bottom of "Handguns" section.

"You may not carry a handgun during bow, early muzzleloader or youth seasons, or a RIFLE other than a muzzleloader during ANY deer season."

I would surely not try to claim I was yote hunting with the deer party
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I was thinking this was done a long time ago.

Maybe it was intended to take excuses out of the field for carrying a high powered rifle during the deer seasons.

I would use muzzleloader or shotgun until the deer seasons all close.
 
Good find BW!
I guess I read right over the "Handguns" portion. That sure is a funny place to put a law about rifles...
Pupster
 
I am pretty sure you can be out during gun seasons, with a high power, in full camo if you like. It doesn't matter if the deer seasons are going on. Just don't have any kind of deer hunters around you so the DNR thinks you are participating in a deer hunt. You can hunt coyotes year round with whatever firearm you want (short of a mortar cannon....) This is what I have always been told by the local game warden back home.
The regs say you can't carrry a rifle other than a muzzleloader while DEER hunting.
Good luck and good hunting! Go get some yotes!

-GunnerJon
 
So according to that ,during deer season you can't use a .22 rifle to shoot rabbits? I think I will give my local DNR a call. Al
 
This could be classified as one of those "grey areas". Little Al makes a legit point. If you can't carry a rifle during any deer season, (Which is how the regulations read) I guess you can't kill squirells,rabbits or racoons with a .22 from Oct. 1- Jan. 10. There must be a caliber-rimfire-centerfire restriction somewhere. I'm sure the intention here is for high power rifles not .22's.

Common sense tells me you can probably hunt coyotes with a rifle squirrels and other game animals during the deer seasons, just don't associate with deer hunters.

Blind Sow must be on vacation.
Pupster
 
The way this matter was explained to us several years ago is, you may not carry or have in your posession a centerfire rifle during either of the regular gun seasons. The problem becomes one of intent. I'm not sure how this relates to the late muzzel loader season, but I sure would not carry a deer tag. If you have a centerfire and a deer tag your are in big trouble. Common sense would also tell you not to be out in full camo during these seasons when there are a lot of once a year inexperenced hunters in the field.
 
I called my local DNR officer this morning about coyote hunting with rifles during deer season. He made it quite clear that if you are coyote hunting you better not have any deer hunting items in your vehicle or on your person; also not near any other deer hunters. It may not sound right for safety,but he also said he better not see us sitting in a fence line with an orange vest on like a deer hunter would be wearing. The opposite is true when deer hunting; no rifles in your vehicle or on your person. Here is the catch; I didn't make him tell me if it was illeagal or legal he just said he wouldn't charge me if I was following those guide lines. I guess the best bet is to check with the DNR officer in the area you are going to hunt. Al
 
Blaze orange clothing is required for gun DEER hunting only. It is not required to be worn in the pursuit of any other game animal in Iowa, including coyote.

The restriction on carrying a rifle during the gun deer seasons applies only to those licensed to hunt deer.

If you are hunting coyote during the deer gun seasons make sure you are not in the same area as gun deer hunters. The explanation Conservation Officers hear ("We're just hunting coyotes") doesn't cut it when in actuality they are pushing deer to their friends.

As stated above the use of CBs, mobile transmitters or cell phones is illegal during the shotgun deer seasons including any bonus seasons. Once those seasons are over you can use them while hunting coyote.

Doug Clayton

State Conservation Officer
 
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