Delaware Finally Wakes Up And Opens Hunting For Coyotes

[toppop52]

After years of treating as a protected species, and much screaming from farmers and hunters, they opened a 6 month season for coyotes. September 1 through February, and they made it effective immediately, which tells me they realized they had a problem, finally. At least they can have a few weeks to thin the "herd" as Delaware calls it. The DNRC in Delaware says their best guess is 100 animals statewide.:laughing: I bet the kill a hundred next fall before December. I've seen 5-6 killed on the road in one small area near the cypress swamp just above the Maryland line and I don't go there much. I'm thankful Maryland has a year around season and even a few months of night hunting. When are they going to learn that eastern coyotes are not the same situation as western coyotes?

 

[buickanddeere]

Some politician must have seen a coyote in their yard or lost a pet?

 

[creekbend]

Thanks for posting.

 

[RobertBrown]

I bet they kill a hundred next fall before December.

I'll take that bet......not likely. Killing a coyote takes some time and thought even if your hunting over bait. I don't doubt you have your share and I don't know why they would be protected ( I've read many times that killing them only brings more.....leaves me scratching my head).
There are not many people left that want to invest the time it takes to bag 1 yote, let alone several. Your state will most likely not allow hunting them at night with a light. That makes it tough as eastern coyotes are largely nocturnal.



Most hunters, given the choice, will hunt for meat to fill the freezer, not some mangy canine. I would be surprised if there are a dozen killed.

 

[vtsnowedin]

I don't know RB, you might be surprised. As hard as it is to get a coyote in range it is a challenge that more then a few will take. It's real, not an X box game, and keeps one sharp for other hunting in what would be an off season.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I don't know RB, you might be surprised. As hard as it is to get a coyote in range it is a challenge that more then a few will take. It's real, not an X box game, and keeps one sharp for other hunting in what would be an off season.

They used to hunt them here with Greyhounds and trail hounds. Quite successfully too...mostly for sport I think, although I'm told there was a bounty on them years ago.

 

[Gunny]

We have a lot of coyote hunters down here, we see a lot of Craigslist and newspaper ads where people are wanting hunting permissions, it's become a big sport. Kentucky has a year round open season on them, plus they allow night hunting from February through May, although you can only use a shotgun when night hunting.

It does seem that if hunters work an area hard and kill a lot of coyotes, it doesn't take long before you see a lot more right back in that same area. I guess nature really does abhor a vacuum!

They're not an easy animal to hunt, very hard unless you've got a caller, maybe some decoys or bait.

 

[Western]

Trapping would be the best method IMO, I have caught way more that way, than called in. No way I would sit over "bait":laughing: Do they have a "trapping season" in Delaware? If not, I bet it wont be long, the tags are revenue. I'm in Texas, so we can harvest a coyote anytime and almost anywhere (with landowner permission).

 

[farmgirl19]

Coyotes are not easy to get a shot at, even with bait. They may that they don't get much thinning done, even with the season.

I'm with Western, glad that I can take a shot at them any time I see them!

 

[sixdogs]

I'll bet the first season goes better than the next. Before I started shooting at them myself, they hung around a were a whisker careless so I got a couple. After that, the word got around and they were much more evasive.

Same with deer or moose. They stay close and dumb until you start shooting.

Oh, on the bait thing...I used to put an empty box in my 50 acre field when I lived in Maine. They used to go around the box to see what it was or what was in it. I never got one that way because they ran away when I opened the upstairs window but the potential was there.