WV coyote hunting regulations comments . . .

[Frogman]

In previous posts some of us WV coyote hunters have expressed our frustration with some of the WV Dept. of Natural Resources coyote hunting regulations.  I recently received a letter asking for my comments on possibly changing some of those regulations.

They are considering the following changes:

1.  "allow the hunting of approved widlife species at night with a pistol, revolver or rifle up to a .22 caliber centerfire and shotguns using shot shells of #2 shot or smaller."  Currently we are limited to .22 rimfire and #4 shot or smaller??

2.  "allow the use of any artificial light for hunting at night for raccoon, skunk, oppossum, coyote and fox."  Currently we are limited to the use of red or amber lights and fox are not legal to be hunted at night.

The letter asks if we favor the above changes.  In my response I checked the in favor line.

One additional regulation that I would like to see changed that was not mentioned in the letter reads as follows :

"During closed small game season, coyotes may only be hunted in open fields.  Guns must be cased while being transported to and from the open field."

I suggested the following:

"I would like to suggest removing the restriction for hunting coyotes only in open fields when no small game seasons are in.  As an avid coyote caller it is very difficult to call coyotes into open fields in the daytime.  It would help if we could hunt them in the woods and thickets where they are most comfortable."

The attached letter from DNR is requesting comment on the above chages as well as input on other hunting and fishing regulations.

If WV hunters would please print the attached request for comment, look through it, and respond to those things listed above, perhaps we could get some of these regulations changed.


Thanks for taking the time to respond to this!!

Jim

[alscalls]

I mailed mine yesterday.... And also added that we should be allowed to hunt spring turkeys all day.....

And if they do not change the coyote hunting to in the woods....... Then we need a CLEAR definition of an open field........ (there aint too many fields in wv that dont have some trees... )

[HaMeR]

Good job of bringing this over Jim. I hope you get the changes you're looking for & are able to get out of the 19th century on some of your regs.

[wv-outdoor]

Thanks Jim for the post. I'm glad you brought it to our attention. I've been emailing the pdf you attached to others. Hopefully we can get some changes made to some of the regs. It would make life alittle easier for hunting coyotes during the closed small game seasons. The more people we get to submit them, the better we will be.

[Carolina Coyote]

They recently changes the Regs in South Carolina to allow Night Hunting Coyotes but the restrictions are such that its gonna be almost impossible to call one in and kill it. The Wildlife Department say they did not introduce the Coyotes to South Carolina but they are doing one h-- of a job protecting them.  cc