# newbie questions regarding nuisance coyote in lower michigan



## kc8ykd (Apr 7, 2015)

Please excuse my ignorance, I haven't hunted anything in about 10 years, and at the time it was turkey in the UP so i'm a little rusty.

back story:
I've been approached by a work friend to help a buddy of his remove some nuisance coyote on his private property in a couple weekends and I'm unsure of a couple items:

1. is this legal, ie. is there a season for coyote? (the DNR website wasn't super helpful)
2. do i need a small game or other license? (again, DNR website, not helpful)
3. this area is in Allegan County, any restrictions on weapon/round, ie. restricted like deer or am i GTG with a .308win or 556 nato?
4. what's the smallest round i should consider for coyote? my buddy mentioned using a .22, but i think that would just make it/them angry and i'd also like to be as humane as possible.


Thanks for any help anyone can provide, i greatly appreciate it!!!


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## bobcolenso (Sep 11, 2003)

Hi Chris:

I don't have the faintest idea how to answer your questions. But being as this is our first post, I just wanted to jump in and say :Welcome: :Welcome: :Welcome: :Welcome:


KD8WU


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## kc8ykd (Apr 7, 2015)

bobcolenso said:


> Hi Chris:
> 
> I don't have the faintest idea how to answer your questions. But being as this is our first post, I just wanted to jump in and say :Welcome: :Welcome: :Welcome: :Welcome:
> 
> ...



Thanks !

73's


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## rotty (Jan 22, 2003)

Yes there is a season. July 15-april 15, legal seasonon ends next wednsday. 
Problem animals may be killed on private land when they are or about to do damage year round.
i would not use a .22 I really don't care to use any rimfire, in michigan at night you are limited to rimfire or shotgun though. I have killed them with .22mag at close range. 
But to be humane use a centerfire.
for predators you can use any firearm state wide. 
While i don't think for problem animals you need one on private land, during season all you need is a base license (which is your small game)


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## kc8ykd (Apr 7, 2015)

rotty said:


> Yes there is a season. July 15-april 15, legal seasonon ends next wednsday.
> Problem animals may be killed on private land when they are or about to do damage year round.
> i would not use a .22 I really don't care to use any rimfire, in michigan at night you are limited to rimfire or shotgun though. I have killed them with .22mag at close range.
> But to be humane use a centerfire.
> ...



Awesome ! Thanks for the help !

as it's described to me, they are causing issues by harming the animals on this guy's land currently.

it sounds like a day hunt, the only IR stuff i have is hand-held for work and doesn't mount to a rail  I'm a big fan of bigger is better for most work, it sounds like that will be the case here since i won't be trying to save the pelt.

I'll grab a base license just to be safe.


Thanks again !!!


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## WAUB-MUKWA (Dec 13, 2003)

kc8ykd said:


> Awesome ! Thanks for the help !
> 
> as it's described to me, they are causing issues by harming the animals on this guy's land currently.
> 
> ...


If they are harming his animals then he needs to contact the DNR and have a CO or biologist come out and take a look at his place. Then, and only then can he or you kill them any time of the day or year. Once it is documented you can take care of business past April 15th. Doing, or about to do damage as the hunting guide says can get you in trouble if you cannot prove it.


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## kc8ykd (Apr 7, 2015)

WAUB-MUKWA said:


> If they are harming his animals then he needs to contact the DNR and have a CO or biologist come out and take a look at his place. Then, and only then can he or you kill them any time of the day or year. Once it is documented you can take care of business past April 15th. Doing, or about to do damage as the hunting guide says can get you in trouble if you cannot prove it.



Cool, i'll let him know. I definitely want to stay on the right side of legal on all this.

Thanks !!


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## McCain (Mar 16, 2014)

kc8ykd said:


> Please excuse my ignorance, I haven't hunted anything in about 10 years, and at the time it was turkey in the UP so i'm a little rusty.
> 
> back story:
> I've been approached by a work friend to help a buddy of his remove some nuisance coyote on his private property in a couple weekends and I'm unsure of a couple items:
> ...



I too have been asked to help with nuisance coyote on private land. I also am not sure after reading the DNR site what the rules/reg are for private land. From what I've gathered from this thread
-can kill them outside of season on private land
-best to have base license to be sure
-the actual hunting season has already ended ?

Q's
-can I use rifle on private property for nuisance coyote in lower counties, Lapeer , OAK, MAC?
-what type of ammo to use with 12gauge?
-are the hides worth keeping this time of year?


Sent from my iPad using Ohub Campfire


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## rotty (Jan 22, 2003)

season opens again July 15th and night hunting October 15th
No hides generally aren't GOOD this time of year...by now they have shed and the fur is course and thin.
any rifle is fine in the shotgun zone...the regs for that only apply to deer hunting.
during daytime #4 buck is common, at night no buckshot allowed, alot of folks like BB loads.


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## DeereGuy (Jul 1, 2011)

WAUB-MUKWA said:


> If they are harming his animals then he needs to contact the DNR and have a CO or biologist come out and take a look at his place. Then, and only then can he or you kill them any time of the day or year. Once it is documented you can take care of business past April 15th. Doing, or about to do damage as the hunting guide says can get you in trouble if you cannot prove it.


Who is telling you that you need to have a CO or biologist out? 

There has been a top down ruling on the damage control hunting of coyote and raccoon on private property that was conveyed to all districts last week via the captains. All districts should now be enforcing the damage control exactly the same and all that is needed is verbal communication from the land owner that damage is being done. This decision was made by the Chief DNR law enforcement here in Lansing. I will copy and paste my Facebook message later when I am on my computer.

Because I now have a need to do damage control in several districts I found that the law was interpreted many different ways from district to district. It took several months but I believe the varying of interpretation is now taken care of.


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## DeereGuy (Jul 1, 2011)

Here is my FB posting,

To all the predator hunters here in Michigan wondering about damage control hunting. 

Over the past few months I have been making many phone calls and sending emails to try to get uniform enforcement from our DNR districts. I found the interpretation varied a lot between districts. One might tell you that you can do it only during the day and you cannot use calls...the other might tell you night and day and you can use calls.

Several weeks ago I got in contact with Chief DNR law enforcement office Gary Hagler and Assistant Chief Dean Molnar. We had an interesting conversation and Assistant Chief Dean Molnar said he needed to do some investigating and would get back to me. I just spoke with him on the phone. A official ruling was reached and he had a meeting with all the Captains. We are all now able to damage control hunt 365 24/7 and use calls and lights. He said this was now put in place and I can hunt the several properties I have that have had **** and Coyote damage.

He said verbal communication from the property owner of damage to you was ok. Me personally I have letters from my damage control properties.

Good luck everyone and I hope you find this information helpful.


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## DV15B20 (Jul 16, 2015)

My mind is still boggled that michigan has a coyote season period. Every other state I lived in or was stationed in wanted them dead. Also this is the only state I have lived in that you can only use a rimfire at night. I can understand the rimfire thing if it was limited to say Ann arbor suburbs or flint or GR. But the entire state???? I think the MIDNR needs to rethink the coyote season and restrictions on firearms. Or maybe they will wait until some more horses and dogs are killed by coyotes


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## Buddwiser (Dec 14, 2003)

DV15B20 said:


> My mind is still boggled that michigan has a coyote season period. Every other state I lived in or was stationed in wanted them dead. Also this is the only state I have lived in that you can only use a rimfire at night. I can understand the rimfire thing if it was limited to say Ann arbor suburbs or flint or GR. But the entire state???? I think the MIDNR needs to rethink the coyote season and restrictions on firearms. Or maybe they will wait until some more horses and dogs are killed by coyotes


There was a bill submitted to the legislature a few years ago addressing the use of center fire rifles at night. I never found out what happened to it but it apparently never made it thru to becoming legal. If anyone has some info on it, please post it.


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## caller (Jan 18, 2005)

Buddwiser said:


> There was a bill submitted to the legislature a few years ago addressing the use of center fire rifles at night. I never found out what happened to it but it apparently never made it thru to becoming legal. If anyone has some info on it, please post it.


It would be great if that would happen unfortunately I don't think we will ever see centerfires here at night but we can hope. IMO we have been under gunned at night for coyotes. Indiana can use centerfires at night and I don't think they have a magazine capacity law either and I haven't heard of any problems that they are having.


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## Crawfish (May 7, 2002)

DeereGuy said:


> He said verbal communication from the property owner of damage to you was ok. Me personally I have letters from my damage control properties.
> 
> Good luck everyone and I hope you find this information helpful.


Thanks for getting and sharing this clarification. Regarding the communication, it sounds like you are referring to documenting the damage between the hunter and landowner... Does the DNR expect/require anyone to communicate to the DNR before shooting?


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## wolverines (Jan 29, 2007)

DV15B20 said:


> My mind is still boggled that michigan has a coyote season period. Every other state I lived in or was stationed in wanted them dead. Also this is the only state I have lived in that you can only use a rimfire at night. I can understand the rimfire thing if it was limited to say Ann arbor suburbs or flint or GR. But the entire state???? I think the MIDNR needs to rethink the coyote season and restrictions on firearms. Or maybe they will wait until some more horses and dogs are killed by coyotes


Amen brother!!!! Need to get rid of mag restrictions too. I included those suggestions with my DNR Fur Harvester survey this past year, but fear it won't do any good.


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## doggk9 (Aug 27, 2006)

No prior notification is necessary, and only a verbal communication between landowner and hunter.


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## NorthWoodsHunter (Feb 21, 2011)

DeereGuy said:


> Here is my FB posting,
> 
> To all the predator hunters here in Michigan wondering about damage control hunting.
> 
> ...


Is there a weapon restriction still at night for damage hunts?


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

DV15B20 said:


> My mind is still boggled that michigan has a coyote season period. Every other state I lived in or was stationed in wanted them dead. Also this is the only state I have lived in that you can only use a rimfire at night. I can understand the rimfire thing if it was limited to say Ann arbor suburbs or flint or GR. But the entire state???? I think the MIDNR needs to rethink the coyote season and restrictions on firearms. Or maybe they will wait until some more horses and dogs are killed by coyotes


Here was what I was told by the furbearer specialist (name escapes me) (John Stuit just came to mind) at the time the season was put on coyotes. He told me it was to protect bears, Ya bears, from being poached for their gall bladders. According to him poachers were running bears out of season claiming they were hunting coyotes. They supposedly were killing the bears they treed and taking only the gall bladders and claws. Lame ass excuse to me.

He refused to acknowledge me at the SMTA meeting later in the day as he was afraid I was going to jump on the coyote season deal. The president of the Assn finally made him recognize that I had a Q as I was standing and waving both arms.

He did not know what to say when I jumped him about the letter sent to the CO's wanting their input on banning the sale of animal glands. He wanted to know who told me that. It was a CO friend, and it was none of his business which one. He dodged his way around the issue like a politician.


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## dlawrence1 (Jan 5, 2014)

I hope what DeereGuy is saying is the most up to date and truthful information. Because I'm sure's plenty of people who do it year round at night and with lights. I too have some problem coyotes that got to go and this is what I found, I copied and pasted this straight out of the book. I thinks its silly we cant use spotlights year round and only rim fire or shotgun:
The following regulations apply for all nighttime furbearer hunting.

• Artificial lights are only permissible when hunting from Sept. 15 - Mar. 31.
- Only the use of artificial lights, similar to the type ordinarily held in the hand or on the person, such as flashlights, portable battery-powered spotlights, and headlamps, may be used.

• A licensed individual may travel afoot with only a bow and arrow, crossbow, a rimfire firearm .22 caliber or smaller, or shotgun with loads other than buckshot, slug, or cut shell.
• When hunting with dogs, an individual may only possess a loaded firearm, a cocked crossbow, or bow with a nocked arrow at the point of kill.
• All fur harvesters using a .22 or smaller caliber rimfire to take a furbearing animal, day or night, from Nov. 10 to 14, must have a fur harvester license


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