Hunting Coyotes at night - SW Ontario

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Son of a Woodcutter

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Hello all,

I have been hunting coyotes for a few local farmers and have had moderate success over the past few years. One farmer just mentioned to me that I may be able to hunt them at night if to protect livestock. I do remember maybe reading something about this in the regs but I just can't find anything solid online, does anybody know anything about it?

It's not my farm, but they all welcome me on there, so I guess I would be an 'agent'. My success is drying up just using an e-caller and I feel I may have forced them to learn my tricks.

Any info would be much appreciated!

Jack
 
have you ever hunted/lamped of a night?
i have many years experience of lamping and interested to see how you get on.

contrary to what some might think its very safe,aslong as you are aware of your surroundings and target animals.
dont go rushing into this if its legal to do so.
i hope its legal
 
Sorry don’t have the regs in front of me to quote, but I own a farm in the same area...

It is legal to shoot a coyote that is “threatening” livestock.... IE: there is a coyote damaging or going to damage live stock at the time, I can go shoot the coyote to “protect” them.

To my knowledge I cannot legally, “hunt” coyote at night on my property, just because or preventively...

The argument would be made if they were a problem, trapping is a most reasonable solution over discharge of a firearm at time.

Again this is “my” understanding and “my” interpretation nothing more or less.
 
Hi! I do actually, I’m from the UK where we would hunt foxes and rabbits at night. I even have red light with gun mount as when I moved here, I assumed I would get to use it! Hoping to hear that there is a loophole, both the farmers and I will be happy!

Where did you lamp?



remyltr said:
have you ever hunted/lamped of a night?
i have many years experience of lamping and interested to see how you get on.

contrary to what some might think its very safe,aslong as you are aware of your surroundings and target animals.
dont go rushing into this if its legal to do so.
i hope its legal
Click to expand...
 
Foxer2373 said:
Sorry don’t have the regs in front of me to quote, but I own a farm in the same area...

It is legal to shoot a coyote that is “threatening” livestock.... IE: there is a coyote damaging or going to damage live stock at the time, I can go shoot the coyote to “protect” them.

To my knowledge I cannot legally, “hunt” coyote at night on my property, just because or preventively...

The argument would be made if they were a problem, trapping is a most reasonable solution over discharge of a firearm at time.

Again this is “my” understanding and “my” interpretation nothing more or less.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, this definitely makes sense. What you are saying definitely sounds like what I was reading a while ago. I'll take as a confirmation but I do hope there is somebody out there that can prove us wrong! Ha
 
As far as I know there are only two scenarios ...

1.) You are hunting coyotes ... and as such you are bound by all the regulations surrounding hunting .... You need a license ... etc. ...

2.) Or, you are protecting property ... and as such, you are not bound to hunting regulations .... and as far as I understand the law ... you are allowed to kill a coyote at night ... because nowhere does it say that you can't .... as long as you are protecting property.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/harass-capture-or-kill-wild-animal-damaging-private-property

However, read the section "Who can be a wildlife agent?" ....
 
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you need to call the local conservation officer and talk to them. i took my trapping course a few years ago and when the co came to talk to us he did say we can shoot coyotes at night but strongly recommend not doing it due to safety issues. an example he used was how could you prove it was safe to shoot you can only see what the light is showing you not what is beyond it. better safe then sorry.
 
'Protecting property' is NOT hunting and to the best of my knowledge hunting regulations do not apply. No requirement for tags, you don't have to skin furbearers, you can protect property outside of hunting seasons and hours. That said if I was shooting deer for eating crops and stocking my freezer with them I don't think there is a chance you won't be prosecuted and punished. So use common sense and if you have a problem take care of it promptly and effectively and without posting about it online. If you can prove you've done THAT I don't think our justice system is so far gone that you'd be made an example of for that.
 
Rynnik said:
'Protecting property' is NOT hunting and to the best of my knowledge hunting regulations do not apply. No requirement for tags, you don't have to skin furbearers, you can protect property outside of hunting seasons and hours. That said if I was shooting deer for eating crops and stocking my freezer with them I don't think there is a chance you won't be prosecuted and punished. So use common sense and if you have a problem take care of it promptly and effectively and without posting about it online. If you can prove you've done THAT I don't think our justice system is so far gone that you'd be made an example of for that.
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I was told that if culling for crop damage, etc., you are to leave the animals where they lay. You're not even supposed to drag them to the edge of the field. Don't remember where I heard that so take it for what it's worth.
 
Son of a Woodcutter said:
Hello all,

I have been hunting coyotes for a few local farmers and have had moderate success over the past few years. One farmer just mentioned to me that I may be able to hunt them at night if to protect livestock. I do remember maybe reading something about this in the regs but I just can't find anything solid online, does anybody know anything about it?

It's not my farm, but they all welcome me on there, so I guess I would be an 'agent'. My success is drying up just using an e-caller and I feel I may have forced them to learn my tricks.

Any info would be much appreciated!

Jack
Click to expand...

"Hunting" Coyotes one half hour after official sunset and one half hour before official sunrise is illegal. Shooting Coyotes after dark that are destroying livestock is not. The big "BUT" in the whole thing is that the yotes better be in the barnyard where livestock is in immediate danger. Pest destruction is allowed only by the farmer or his bona fide designated agent as defined (employee). It's a very fine line not open to interpretation. Screw that up and it'll get damn expensive damn quick.
 
Trimmer 905 said:
"Hunting" Coyotes one half hour after official sunset and one half hour before official sunrise is illegal.
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Ummmm not in Ontario it isn’t. Legal shooting time begins one half hour before local sunrise time and ends one half hour after local sunset time. Maybe that is what you meant, just wanted to clarify. Hunting coyotes later than 30 minutes after local sunset or earlier than 30 minutes before sunrise is illegal in Ontario.
 
Runningfool said:
Ummmm not in Ontario it isn’t. Legal shooting time begins one half hour before local sunrise time and ends one half hour after local sunset time. Maybe that is what you meant, just wanted to clarify. Hunting coyotes later than 30 minutes after local sunset or earlier than 30 minutes before sunrise is illegal in Ontario.
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You're kidding,right? Re-read that post. You've just posted exactly what I said. It's illegal to hunt one half hour after "official" sunset or one half hour before "official" sunrise. :cheers:
 
Trimmer 905 said:
You're kidding,right? Re-read that post. You've just posted exactly what I said. It's illegal to hunt one half hour after "official" sunset or one half hour before "official" sunrise. :cheers:
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Sorry but what you think you said and what you actually said are two different things. Sunrise for me today was at 6:33am. Half an hour before sunset is 6:03am and that is precisely when legal hunting begins. Half an hour before sunrise = 6:03am = legal. More than half an hour before sunrise = 6:02am = not legal. That is why I said “maybe that’s what you meant” and added the clarification.

To say it another way, it is legal to hunt coyotes for one half hour before sunrise and one half hour after sunset.
 
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