Hunt California · The official source
California has more moving parts than any other state on this site, so here is the whole thing in five lines before the detail:
- Coyotes are nongame mammals — open all year, no limit, hunting license required.
- Non-lead ammunition is mandatory statewide. This is the one that catches visitors.
- Night hunting is legal in most of the state, closed in two areas, and restricted on private land everywhere else.
- Lights are capped at 9 volts outside two zones where any voltage is allowed.
- Thermal and night vision are illegal — the prohibition is statutory and covers any mammal.
Coyote classification & license in California
What is the classification of coyotes in California?
Coyotes are nongame mammals, and they sit on a short list that may be taken without season or limit: “The following nongame birds and mammals may be taken at any time of the year and in any number except as prohibited in Chapter 6: English sparrow, starling, domestic pigeon … coyote, weasels, skunks, opossum, moles and rodents.”1
That classification does the same work here it does everywhere — it puts coyotes outside the big-game rules. In California that matters more than usual, because the big-game rules are where the optics prohibition lives. It does not get you out of the non-lead requirement, which is written against all wildlife.
Are coyotes protected in California?
No. No closed season, no bag limit.1 Bobcats, by contrast, are now fully protected — “it is unlawful for a person to hunt, trap, or otherwise take a bobcat”2 — so if you are calling predators here, be certain what is coming in.
Is a hunting license required to hunt coyotes in California?
Yes, a California hunting license. No tag, no stamp, no validation.
| License | Fee |
|---|---|
| Resident Hunting License | $64.54 |
| Nonresident Hunting License | $225.46 |
| 2-Day Nonresident Hunting License | $64.54 |
| Junior Hunting License | $17.02 |
The 2-day non-resident license is the buy for a visiting coyote hunter, and it is worth being explicit about why, because the name suggests it is a bird license. The fee table says it is “valid only for taking resident and migratory game birds, resident small game mammals, fur-bearing mammals, wild pigs, and non-game mammals.”3 Coyotes are non-game mammals.1 Same price as a resident annual, and $160 less than the full non-resident license.
The prices above are resident prices. A non-resident pays more, and may need a different license — see what a non-resident needs.
Is hunter education required in California?
Yes, for a first California hunting license, on the usual terms — a California hunter education certificate, or an approved course from another state.4 There is no coyote-specific exemption because there is no coyote-specific license.
Can a non-resident hunt coyotes in California?
Yes, on either non-resident license.3
See also is a hunting license required — the license rules there, and the exemptions and add-ons that go with them, apply to you too.
Coyote season, hours & bag limits in California
What is the season for coyote hunting in California?
Year-round. Coyotes “may be taken at any time of the year and in any number.”1
What is the bag limit for coyotes in California?
None.1
What are the legal hunting hours for coyotes in California?
The rule opens simply and then carves out three things: “Nongame mammals may be taken at any time except as provided in this section.”5
The three exceptions are night hunting. Everywhere they do not apply, coyotes are a 24-hour animal in California.
Can you hunt coyotes during deer or big game season in California?
Yes, but one light rule flips. Lights may not be used for night hunting “in any area where the general deer season is open,”6 which closes the light zones for the duration wherever deer season is running.
Nothing stops you hunting coyotes by day during deer season, and non-lead is required either way.
Night hunting coyotes in California
Can you hunt coyotes at night in California?
Yes in most of the state, subject to three limits. Two are geographic and one applies to private land everywhere.
1. Monterey and San Benito counties, east of Highway 101 — closed to all night hunting. “Notwithstanding any other provisions of these regulations, hunting wildlife from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise is prohibited in Monterey and San Benito counties east of Highway 101.”7 That reaches all wildlife, so the nongame classification does not help you.
2. A block of the Central Valley and Carrizo Plain — daylight only. Inside the area described in §474(a), “nongame mammals may be taken only between one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset.”8 It runs roughly from Mendota south down I-5 and across to the Carrizo Plain and Parkfield. The boundary is defined road by road:
The exact §474(a) boundary click to expand
Beginning at a point where Little Panoche Road crosses Interstate 5 near Mendota; south on Interstate 5 to Highway 198; east on Highway 198 to Highway 99; south on Highway 99 to Interstate 5; south on Interstate 5 to the Los Padres National Forest boundary in Section 8, T 9 N, R 19 W, S.B.B.M near Fort Tejon Historical Monument; west along the National Forest boundary to Cerro Noroeste Road; northwest on Cerro Noroeste Road to Highway 33-166; north on Highway 33-166 to the Soda Lake Road; northwest on the Soda Lake Road and on the Simmler Soda Lake San Diego Creek Road to Highway 58 at Simmler; west on Highway 58 to the Cammotti Shandon Road; north on the Cammotti Shandon Road to the Shandon San Juan Road; north on the Shandon San Juan Road to Highway 41; northeast on Highway 41 to the Cholame Valley Road; northwest on Cholame Valley Road and Cholame Road to the Parkfield Coalinga Road in Parkfield; north on Parkfield Coalinga Road and Parkfield Grade to Highway 198; northwest on Highway 198 to the Fresno-Monterey county line; north along the FresnoMonterey county and Fresno-San Benito county lines to the Little Panoche Road; north and east on the Little Panoche Road to the point of beginning at Interstate 5.
The rule adds that it "does not pertain to the legal take of nongame mammals with traps," and that it supersedes Fish and Game Code section 3000.
3. On private land elsewhere, night take is permission-based. Outside the closed area above, nongame mammals may be taken between a half hour after sunset and a half hour before sunrise “only by the landowner or his agents, or by persons who have in their immediate possession written permission issued by the landowner or tenant that states the permittee can trespass” during those hours.9
Read that carefully: it is not ordinary hunting permission. The written permission has to say you may be there at night, and you must have it on you.
Can you use night vision in California?
No. This is statutory rather than regulatory, it covers coyotes, and it prohibits possession as well as use:
It is unlawful to use or possess night vision equipment to assist in the taking of a bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile, or fish.10
Note the scope — “a bird, mammal”, not a game mammal. Coyotes are mammals, so nothing about their nongame classification gets you out of it.
The statute then defines the term, and image-intensifier night vision is named in substance: “night vision equipment” includes “an infrared or similar light, used in connection with an electronic viewing device” and “an optical device, including, but not limited to, binoculars or a scope, that uses electrical or battery powered light amplifying circuits.”10
That second clause is a conventional night vision tube. The first is any IR illuminator paired with a viewer. Both are out.
Can you use thermal in California?
No — treat it as prohibited. Thermal is not described word for word by either clause of the definition: it amplifies nothing and casts no infrared of its own, it reads emitted heat. But the definition is expressly open — “night vision equipment” includes, but is not limited to” those two examples10 — and thermal is night vision equipment in every ordinary sense of the phrase.
There is a drafting argument on the other side. When the Commission wanted to name thermal for big game it did so explicitly, barring devices “utilizing infra-red, heat sensing or other non-visible spectrum light technology.”11 That §353(j) prohibition is big-game scoped and does not itself reach coyotes.
It does not matter, because §2005(c) does reach them, its list is not closed, and it prohibits possession. Anyone reading the narrow argument as permission is betting a four-figure optic and a misdemeanour on a court agreeing that a thermal scope is not night vision equipment. Do not carry one for coyotes in California.
The exemptions in §2005(d)
The prohibition has real carve-outs, and two of them matter to predator hunters. Section 2005 “does not apply to” — among other things:12
- “An owner of land devoted to the agricultural industry, or the owner’s employee, while on that land”, and the same on land the owner controls in connection with agriculture.
- The taking of mammals governed by Article 2 (commencing with Section 4180) — the depredation article. Take under a depredation permit sits outside §2005 altogether.
- A hand-held flashlight “no larger and emits no more light than a two-cell, three-volt flashlight, and is not affixed to a weapon.”
- A lamp or lantern casting no directional beam, and ordinary vehicle headlights used as headlights.
- “Other uses as the commission may authorize by regulation” — which is the hook the light zones hang on.
If you are a farmer or rancher dealing with depredation on your own ground, or working under a depredation permit, you are in a different rule set from a recreational hunter. If you are not, none of that applies to you.
Are there specific weapons restrictions for hunting coyotes at night in California?
No night-specific weapon rules for coyotes. The firearms and non-lead rules apply after dark unchanged.
Lights and the two zones
California regulates hunting lights by geography, and the default across most of the state is far tighter than people expect.
Can you use artificial lights for coyote hunting in California?
Yes, but the default is far tighter than people expect, and it starts from a statutory prohibition rather than a permission.
The Fish and Game Code makes it unlawful to “throw or cast the rays of a spotlight, headlight, or other artificial light on a highway or in a field, woodland, or forest where game mammals, fur-bearing mammals, or nongame mammals are commonly found … while having in his or her possession or under his or her control a firearm or weapon with which that mammal could be killed, even though the mammal is not killed, injured, shot at, or otherwise pursued.”13
Coyotes are nongame mammals, so that reaches them. What makes lawful lamping possible is §2005(d)(9), which lets the Commission authorize uses by regulation12 — and the two regulations below are that authorization.
Most of the state — 9 volts, hand-held, on foot. Lights may be used to take furbearers and nongame mammals only under these conditions:14
- “Only 9 volt lights or smaller, hand-held or worn on the head are permitted.”
- “Persons using such lights must be on foot.”
- “Lights may not be used in or from a vehicle and may not be attached or powered from any source other than self-contained batteries.”
Two zones — any voltage. “Lights of any size or voltage may be used to take furbearing or nongame mammals only in the areas described in subsections (b) and (c).”6 Two conditions ride on it: no lights for night hunting “in any area where the general deer season is open,” and a spotlight may be operated from a vehicle only if that vehicle “is stopped and standing with the motor off” and is not on a public road or highway.6
Zone 1 — the exact boundary Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, Yuba
(b) Zone 1. (Portions of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo and Yuba counties.) Area: Within the boundary beginning at the junction of Interstate 880 and Interstate 5 near Sacramento; east on Interstate 880 to its junction with Interstate 80; north and east on Interstate 80 to its junction with Highway 65 near Roseville, along Highway 65 to its junction with Highway 20 at Marysville; west on Highway 20 to its junction with Highway 45; north on Highway 45 to its junction with Highway 162; east on Highway 162 to its junction with Highway 99; north on Highway 99 to South Avenue near the town of Corning; west on South Avenue to Interstate 5 in Corning; north on Interstate 5 to Corning Road; west on Corning Road to Paskenta Road; west on the Paskenta Road to the town of Paskenta; southwest on the Round Valley Road to the Garland Road; south on the Garland Road to the town of Newville; south on the Newville-Elk Creek Road to the town of Elk Creek; south on the Elk Creek-Stonyford Road to the town of Stonyford; south on the Stonyford-Leesville Road to the town of Ladoga; south on the Stonyford-Leesville Road to the town of Leesville; south from Leesville on the Bear Valley Road to its intersection with Highway 20; east on Highway 20 to its intersection with Highway 16; south and east on Highway 16 to its intersection with Interstate 5; east on Interstate 5 to Interstate 880 and the point of beginning.
Zone 2 — the exact boundary Inyo, Kern, LA, Mono, San Bernardino + all of Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Diego
(c) Zone 2. (Portions of Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono and San Bernardino counties and all of Imperial, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties.) Area: Inyo, Mono and Kern counties south and east of a line beginning at the junction of Highway 182 and the California-Nevada state line; south on Highway 182 to its junction with Highway 395; south on Highway 395 to its intersection with Highway 168 at Bishop; west on Highway 168 to its intersection with the Inyo National Forest boundary; south on the Inyo National Forest boundary to its junction with County Highway J41; south and east on County Highway J41 to its junction with Highway 395; south on Highway 395 to its junction with Highway 14 near Inyokern; south on Highway 14 to its junction with Highway 178 at Freeman; west on Highway 178 to its junction with the Bodfish-Caliente Road at Isabella; south on the Bodfish-Caliente Road to its junction with Highway 58; east on Highway 58 to its junction with the Los Angeles Aqueduct; south and west on the Los Angeles Aqueduct Road to its junction with 265th Street West near Neenach; south on 265th Street West to its junction with the Elizabeth Lake-Pine Canyon Road at Three Points; east along the Elizabeth Lake-Pine Canyon Road to its junction with Highway 14 at Palmdale; south on Highway 14 to its intersection with the Angeles Forest Highway; south on the Angeles Forest Highway to the Mill Creek Summit Road; east and south on the Mill Creek Summit Road to its intersection with the Angeles Crest Highway (Highway 2) at Upper Chilao Campground; east on the Angeles Crest Highway to its intersection with the Los Angeles-San Bernardino county line; north on the Los Angeles-Kern-San Bernardino county line to its intersection with Highway 58; east on Highway 58 to its intersection with the range line between R3W and R4W; south along the range line between R3W and R4W to the southeast corner of T8N, R4W; east along T8N to its intersection with the west boundary of the U.S. Marine Corps Training Center; south and east on that boundary to its intersection with Giant Rock Road; east along Giant Rock Road to a point where it turns southeast and corresponding with a projected north extension of Sunfair Road; south on Sunfair Road and its projected extension to the San Bernardino-Riverside county line; and all of Imperial, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties.
The depredation exception
A landowner or tenant “suffering damage to livestock or other property by furbearing mammals or nongame mammals may designate, in writing, persons allowed by such landowner or tenant to use artificial lights in excess of 9 volts to assist in taking the depredating mammals.”14 The landowner or tenant must then notify the nearest CDFW office whenever animals are taken under that authority.14
That is the route to a real lamp outside the two zones, and it is written around property damage rather than recreation.
The non-lead rule
This is the California rule that catches out-of-state hunters, and it applies to coyotes with no exception.
Non-lead ammunition is required statewide for taking any wildlife. The prohibition is written around possession, which is what makes it easy to break by accident:
Except as otherwise provided in this section, it is unlawful to possess any projectile containing lead in excess of the amount allowed in subsection (b)(4) and a firearm capable of firing the projectile while taking or attempting to take wildlife.15
A “nonlead projectile shall contain no more than one percent lead by weight.”15 The nongame rule points at the same section: take of any nongame mammal with a firearm “shall be in accordance with the use of nonlead projectiles and ammunition.”16
Three practical consequences:
- A box of lead ammunition in your pack is the violation, even unfired, if you are carrying a rifle chambered for it while hunting.
- Possessing lead ammunition without a firearm capable of firing it is expressly not a violation.15
- A concealable firearm carried for personal protection with lead ammunition is exempt, provided it is not used to take or assist in taking wildlife.15
For a coyote rifle this is not a hardship — .223 and .22-250 monolithic copper loads are widely available and shoot well. Plan the ammunition before the trip, because you cannot buy your way out of it on arrival in some parts of the state.
Firearms, ammunition & suppressors in California
Are suppressors allowed for coyote hunting in California?
No — possession is a felony in California, quite apart from any hunting rule. The hunting regulations restate it in the list of things that are always unlawful: possess “a machine gun, silencer, shotgun with barrel less than 18 inches in length, or rifle with barrel less than 16 inches in length.”17 Penal Code section 33410 makes possession of a silencer a felony.18
There is no hunting exception because the prohibition is not a hunting rule.
What firearms are allowed or restricted for coyote hunting in California?
No caliber or action restriction attaches to nongame mammals. The methods-of-take rule for nongame is a short list of prohibitions rather than a list of permitted arms.19
The practical pick is a flat-shooting centerfire in .223, .22-250 or .243 loaded with a monolithic copper bullet. See the best coyote gun.
Are there any ammunition restrictions in California?
Yes — non-lead, statewide. That is the restriction, and it is absolute for coyotes.16
Can you hunt coyotes in California using a .22 LR or other rimfire cartridge?
Yes, subject to non-lead. Rimfire is the hardest category to source in non-lead, and that is a real constraint in California rather than a theoretical one — check availability before you plan a rimfire hunt.
Is there a magazine capacity limit for hunting coyotes in California?
Yes — ten rounds, and it is worth being blunt that this is the answer even though it appears nowhere in the hunting regulations. A “large-capacity magazine” is “any ammunition feeding device with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds,”20 and since 1 July 2017 it has been an offence for any person in California to possess one “regardless of the date the magazine was acquired.”21
Note that it is possession that is prohibited, not use in hunting. A 30-round magazine in your range bag is the offence whether or not it ever goes near a coyote.
Three exclusions sit in the definition, and the second matters for a rimfire coyote gun: a device permanently altered to hold no more than 10 rounds, a .22 caliber tube ammunition feeding device, and a tubular magazine in a lever-action firearm.20
The law is under challenge. The Ninth Circuit upheld it en banc in Duncan v. Bonta in March 2025, and a petition is before the US Supreme Court on a split with the D.C. Circuit.22 It is in force while that plays out.
The AR-15 problem
A standard AR-15 is not legal in California. This is the other half of the same problem, and it catches more visiting hunters than the magazine rule does.
A semiautomatic centerfire rifle is an “assault weapon” in California — and therefore unlawful to possess without registration — if it does not have a fixed magazine and has any one of these features:23
- a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action
- a thumbhole stock
- a folding or telescoping stock
- a grenade or flare launcher
- a flash suppressor
- a forward pistol grip
It is also an assault weapon if it has a fixed magazine holding more than 10 rounds, or an overall length under 30 inches.23 “Fixed magazine” means a device that “cannot be removed without disassembly of the firearm action.”23
A stock AR-15 has a pistol grip, usually a telescoping stock and often a flash hider, so it is out. The two lawful routes are a featureless build — detachable magazine, none of the listed features — or a fixed-magazine build, which is what “California compliant” usually means on a product page. Either way the magazine is capped at ten.
Miller v. Bonta, the challenge to this law, is still pending at the Ninth Circuit; the ban remains in effect.24
A bolt-action or a break-action avoids all of this, which is why they are the sane choice for a coyote rifle you intend to carry in California. None of it applies to a bolt gun with a five-round magazine.
Calls, decoys, bait & dogs in California
Are electronic calls allowed for coyote hunting in California?
Yes, and coyotes are named in the exception. Recorded or electrically amplified calls “may not be used to take any nongame bird or nongame mammal except coyotes, bobcats, American crows and starlings.”25
California bans electronic calls for nongame generally and then carves coyotes out by name — the reverse of most states.
Are decoys allowed for coyote hunting in California?
Yes, including motion decoys.
Is baiting allowed for coyote hunting in California?
For coyotes without dogs, yes — the nongame rule contains no general baiting prohibition. What it does prohibit is bait with dogs: “No feed, bait or other material capable of attracting a nongame mammal may be placed or used in conjunction with dogs for the purpose of taking any nongame mammals.”26
Land-manager rules and local wildlife-feeding ordinances can apply on top, and in California those are common near towns.
Can you use dogs to hunt coyotes in California?
Yes, subject to the bait restriction above.26
Private property, vehicles & public land access in California
Is it legal to shoot coyotes on private property (e.g. in your backyard) in California?
On rural private land with permission, yes by day. At night you need written permission that says so — the night rule requires permission “in their immediate possession … that states the permittee can trespass from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise.”9
In a backyard, no. Municipal and county discharge ordinances govern there and California’s are among the most restrictive in the country.
Can you hunt coyotes from a motorized vehicle in California?
No. “No person shall pursue, drive, herd, or take any bird or mammal from any type of motor-driven air or land vehicles, motorboat, airboat, sailboat, or snowmobile.”27
The one narrow exception is lighting, not shooting: inside the two light zones a spotlight may be operated from a vehicle that is “stopped and standing with the motor off,” and never from a vehicle on a public road or highway.6
Can you hunt coyotes on public land in California?
Yes on much of it — BLM and national forest ground is open unless closed by the land manager. National parks are closed to hunting, state parks largely so, and a number of specific areas carry their own firearm prohibitions: rifles and pistols may not be used to take any bird or mammal in the Picacho and Providence Mountains State Recreation Areas, for instance.28
Check the land manager as well as the regulations. California layers more local closures on top of state rules than any other state covered here.
Is it legal to trap or snare coyotes in California?
Only with a trapping license and under narrow rules, and the economics were removed in 2019. Traps may be used for nongame mammals only in accordance with the trapping regulations and Fish and Game Code sections 3003.1 and 4004.29 Body-gripping traps for fur or recreation were banned by Proposition 4 in 1998.
Then the Wildlife Protection Act of 2019 added the line that ended commercial trapping: “Raw fur of fur-bearing and nongame mammals may not be sold.”30 See selling pelts.
Is it legal to poison coyotes in California?
No. The nongame methods rule opens with it: “Poison may not be used.”31
Are there protected areas or additional local restrictions in California?
Yes, and the one to take seriously is a species. Gray wolves are recolonizing California and are endangered under both the federal and the California Endangered Species Acts, with “prohibitions against lethal take and harassment.”32
CDFW notes that “most known gray wolf activity is in the northeastern portion of the state (east of I-5 and north of I-80), however wolves can be potentially found across the majority of the state.”32 If you are calling in that country at night, be certain of your target — CDFW publishes a side-by-side comparison, and it is set out at how to tell a coyote from a wolf.
Beyond that: the two night-closed areas above, park and land-manager closures, and local discharge ordinances.
Can you use two-way radios while coyote hunting in California?
Yes. CDFW’s Mammal Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026–27 do not restrict two-way radios or cell phones for coyote hunting. Nothing in the booklet mentions them.
After the shot: pelts, bounties & contests in California
Are there regulations for possessing or transporting dead coyotes or pelts out of California?
Any nongame mammal legally taken “may be possessed.”33 No tag or seal. Interstate movement is the receiving state’s business — but see the sale rule below before you plan on selling anything.
Can you sell coyote pelts in California, and do you need a fur handler’s license?
No. You cannot sell coyote fur in California at all. The Fish and Game Code is one sentence: “Raw fur of fur-bearing and nongame mammals may not be sold.”30
That came in with the Wildlife Protection Act of 2019 and took effect on 1 January 2020. California is the only state covered on this site where selling a coyote pelt is unlawful outright, and it is the reason commercial trapping effectively ended here. Keep your hides, or do not take them.
Is there a coyote bounty program in California?
No, and a bounty would run straight into the contest rule below.
Are coyote contests legal in California, or can I hunt in California for an out-of-state contest?
No. California was the first state in the country to ban them. The rule sits in the nongame chapter: “Pursuant to Fish and Game Code Section 2003, it is unlawful to offer any prize or other inducement as a reward for the taking of nongame mammals in an individual contest, tournament, or derby.”34
Note what it actually prohibits — offering the prize. It is written at organizers rather than participants, which is a narrower prohibition than New Mexico’s or Arizona’s. Ordinary coyote hunting is untouched, and the Commission was explicit at the time that hunters could still take as many coyotes as they wished.
Coyotes in California
Are there coyotes in California? How many, and where?
Yes — statewide, and California holds one of the largest coyote populations in the country. They occupy every habitat in the state from the Modoc plateau and the Central Valley to chaparral, high desert and the middle of Los Angeles.
The huntable country is the agricultural valleys, the foothill oak country, the high desert and the north-east.
Are California coyotes dangerous to people or pets?
To people, rarely, though California records more coyote-human conflict than any other state simply because of how many people live alongside them. To unattended pets in suburban California they are a routine and serious threat.
Urban conflict is a matter for your municipality, not a hunting opportunity — the discharge ordinances and the night rules both bind hardest exactly where the problem is worst.
When is coyote mating season in California, and when do pups arrive?
Breeding runs through late winter, with pups on the ground in spring — earlier in the southern deserts than in the north-east. Late winter is the best calling of the year, and it falls outside most general deer seasons, which matters here because deer season closes the light zones.6
When are coyotes most active in California?
First and last light year-round. For the full breakdown of season, weather and moon phase, see when to hunt coyotes.
How do I tell a coyote from a wolf in California?
CDFW publishes a document called “Distinguishing Between Coyotes, Wolves, and Dogs”, and it opens with the sentence that matters most:
IMPORTANT: Wolf pups in mid-summer and fall can closely resemble coyotes, and it can be nearly impossible to tell them apart.35
That is CDFW’s emphasis, not ours. Adult wolves are not the problem — a 110-pound animal is obviously not a coyote. A wolf pup in September is, and September is good calling.
CDFW’s own comparison:
| Coyote | Gray wolf | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 15–50 lb | 70–150 lb |
| Shoulder height | 21–24 in | 26–32 in |
| Length | 3½–4½ ft | 4½–6½ ft |
| Face | narrow and pointed, small nose pad | broad and blocky, large nose pad |
| Ears | taller and pointed | short and rounded |
| Track | 2¼–2¾ in long, 1¾–2⅜ in wide | 4–5½ in long, 3¾–5 in wide |
Every figure is CDFW’s.35
Note where California’s numbers differ from its neighbours’. CDFW puts the top of the coyote range at 50 pounds — Oregon’s booklet says 30, Montana’s says 40. So the reflex that saves you in Oregon, it is too heavy to be a coyote, is a weaker test here: California’s own figures leave a 20-pound gap between the biggest coyote and the smallest wolf, and you are estimating both at distance. The track is the honest test. Nothing about a 5-inch print is ambiguous.
CDFW also gives the voice: a coyote’s is “typically higher pitched”, the howls “shorter, rising and falling in pitch” and “usually interspersed with yips, yaps, and barks”; a wolf’s is “typically lower in pitch” and “tends to be long and drawn-out.”35 If something answers your call with a single long note and no yipping, stop and think.
Why California is a harder place to get this right than it looks. Night vision and thermal are both prohibited here for taking any mammal, and both prohibitions reach possession — see night hunting. So you are making the call at first and last light with an unaided eye, or under a light. And the country CDFW identifies as holding most known wolf activity, “the northeastern portion of the state (east of I-5 and north of I-80)”,32 is the Modoc plateau — some of the best open coyote ground in California.
Wolves have no open season and no take exception of any kind here. They are endangered under both the federal and the California Endangered Species Acts, with “prohibitions against lethal take and harassment.”32 If you see one, or if something has gone wrong, CDFW asks for a report immediately on (530) 225-2300 or californiawolfsightings@wildlife.ca.gov.36
What’s changing in California
California has tightened steadily for a decade, and one recent item is worth knowing because it did not happen. Newest first:
- 2025 — a proposal to limit coyote take was discussed and not pursued. The Fish and Game Commission’s Wildlife Resources Committee took up whether to put limits on the year-round, no-limit take of nongame mammals. No rulemaking followed: nongame mammals appear on neither the Commission’s 2025 nor its 2026 new-and-proposed regulations list.37 38 Coyote take remains unlimited.
- 2020 — bobcat hunting prohibited. “Except as provided in Section 4157 and notwithstanding any other law, it is unlawful for a person to hunt, trap, or otherwise take a bobcat.”2 Relevant to predator callers, because bobcats come to the same sounds.
- 1 January 2020 — sale of raw fur banned. The Wildlife Protection Act of 2019 ended commercial fur trapping by removing the market.30
- 1 July 2019 — non-lead ammunition became mandatory statewide for taking any wildlife, completing a phase-in that began in the condor range.15
- 3 December 2014 — killing contests banned. The Fish and Game Commission voted 4–1, making California the first state in the country to prohibit prizes for taking nongame mammals.39 The rule is now in §472(e).34
These answers get re-checked before they go stale. The verification date at the top of the page is the record of when that last happened, not decoration.
Anything else worth noting about coyote hunting in California
California is not a hard state to hunt coyotes in. It is a hard state to plan a coyote hunt in, and those are different problems.
The season is open all year with no limit, e-calls are legal by name, and a non-resident can hunt two days for $64.54. What takes the planning is the geography: whether you are in the Central Valley block that is daylight-only, whether Monterey or San Benito east of 101 is in your route, whether you are inside one of the two light zones or on the 9-volt default, and whether deer season is open where you are standing.
Three things to get right:
Non-lead, statewide, no exceptions. Buy the ammunition before you travel and leave the lead at home — carrying it with a rifle that fires it is the offence.
Leave the thermal and the night vision at home too. Both are prohibited for taking any mammal, and both prohibitions cover possession, not just use.10
Get night permission in writing, and make it say “at night.” Ordinary hunting permission does not satisfy the private-land night rule.
Do not plan on selling the fur. It is unlawful, and California is the only state on this site where that is true.
Is it legal to own a coyote as a pet in California?
No. California prohibits possession of coyotes as pets under its restricted species rules, and it is one of the strictest states in the country on this. Contact CDFW before assuming any exception applies.
Know something we missed? Contact me and I’ll get it fixed.
Footnotes
-
T14 CCR §472(a) — Nongame Animals, General Provisions Printed page 109 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
-
Fish and Game Code §4156 — hunting, trapping or otherwise taking bobcats unlawful Statute — no printed page ↩ ↩2
-
CDFW Mammal Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026–27 — 2026 Hunting License and Tag Fees Printed page 7 ↩ ↩2
-
CDFW Mammal Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026–27 — Hunter Education Printed page 18 ↩
-
T14 CCR §474 — Hours for Taking Printed page 109 ↩
-
T14 CCR §264 — Use of Lights While Hunting, Specific Areas Printed page 28 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
-
T14 CCR §263 — Prohibition Against Night Hunting Printed page 26 ↩
-
T14 CCR §474(a) — Area Closed to Night Hunting Printed page 109 ↩
-
T14 CCR §474(b) — night take on privately-owned property Printed page 110 ↩ ↩2
-
Fish and Game Code §2005(c) — night vision equipment; definition Statute — no printed page ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
-
T14 CCR §353(j) — night vision, infra-red and heat sensing devices, big game Printed page 22 ↩
-
Fish and Game Code §2005(d) — exemptions Statute — no printed page ↩ ↩2
-
Fish and Game Code §2005(b) — casting artificial light where mammals are commonly found Statute — no printed page ↩
-
T14 CCR §264.5 — Use of Lights While Hunting, Remainder of State Printed page 28 ↩ ↩2 ↩3
-
T14 CCR §250.1 — Prohibition on the Use of Lead Projectiles for the Take of Wildlife Printed page 27 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
-
T14 CCR §475(f) — nonlead projectiles for nongame take Printed page 110 ↩ ↩2
-
CDFW Mammal Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026–27 — it is always unlawful to Printed page 6 ↩
-
Penal Code §33410 — possession of a silencer Statute — no printed page ↩
-
T14 CCR §475 — Methods of Take for Nongame Birds and Mammals Printed page 110 ↩
-
Penal Code §16740 — definition of “large-capacity magazine” Statute — no printed page ↩ ↩2
-
Penal Code §32310 — manufacture, sale and possession of large-capacity magazines Statute — no printed page ↩
-
Ninth Circuit — Duncan v. Bonta, en banc opinion, 20 March 2025 News report — 20 March 2025 ↩
-
Penal Code §30515(a) — assault weapon; semiautomatic centerfire rifle Statute — no printed page ↩ ↩2 ↩3
-
California Attorney General — Defending California’s firearms laws, Miller v. Bonta case status Web edition — accessed 7 August 2026 ↩
-
T14 CCR §475(b) — recorded and amplified calls, coyote exception Printed page 110 ↩
-
T14 CCR §475(e) — bait used in conjunction with dogs Printed page 110 ↩ ↩2
-
T14 CCR §251 — Taking Birds and Mammals from Motor-Driven Air or Land Vehicles Printed page 24 ↩
-
T14 CCR §311.6 — Prohibition of Rifles and Pistols in Picacho and Providence Mountains Printed page 26 ↩
-
T14 CCR §475(d) — traps for nongame mammals Printed page 110 ↩
-
Fish and Game Code §4005 — trapping license; raw fur may not be sold Statute — no printed page ↩ ↩2 ↩3
-
T14 CCR §475(a) — poison may not be used Printed page 110 ↩
-
CDFW Mammal Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026–27 — Gray Wolf in California Printed page 111 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
-
T14 CCR §473 — Possession of Nongame Animals Printed page 109 ↩
-
T14 CCR §472(e) — prize or inducement for taking nongame mammals Printed page 109 ↩ ↩2
-
CDFW Distinguishing Between Coyotes, Wolves, and Dogs — the warning that wolf pups in mid-summer and fall can closely resemble coyotes and can be nearly impossible to tell apart; the coyote at 15–50 pounds, 21–24 inches at the shoulder, 3½–4½ feet long, narrow pointed face with a small nose pad and taller pointed ears against the gray wolf at 70–150 pounds, 26–32 inches at the shoulder, 4½–6½ feet long, broad blocky face with a large nose pad and short rounded ears; coyote tracks 2¼–2¾ inches long by 1¾–2⅜ wide against wolf tracks 4–5½ inches long by 3¾–5 wide; and the vocalization comparison giving the coyote a higher-pitched voice with shorter howls rising and falling in pitch interspersed with yips, yaps and barks against the wolf’s lower-pitched, long and drawn-out howling Web edition — accessed 10 August 2026 ↩ ↩2 ↩3
-
CDFW — Gray Wolf Sighting Report, reporting contacts Web edition — accessed 10 August 2026 ↩
-
CA Fish and Game Commission — New and Proposed Regulations, 2025 Web edition — accessed 7 August 2026 ↩
-
CA Fish and Game Commission — New and Proposed Regulations, 2026 Web edition — accessed 7 August 2026 ↩
-
NPR — California Bans Coyote Killing Contests, 4 December 2014 News report — 4 December 2014 ↩
Hunting across a state line? Compare California with the coyote hunting laws in every state. Every state's season is on one map in coyote season by state. For when coyotes breed and pups are born here, see California in the coyote mating season table, and for what a den looks like and when it is used, our guide to coyote dens.
From the field
Questions and answers from hunters over the years. Comments are closed; contact me if you spot something out of date.
James ·
have .308 rifle and .45 ACP. I believe either is legal with hunting license to hunt Coyote with steel ammo??? I am new to hunting coyote, soo feel free to comment and let me know if its ok to use my .45 ACP for coyote??
Ian ·
killing coyotes is not hunting. And the .45 acp? LOL, good luck dude
Modicus ·
Unless you’ve got those coyotes locked up in a pen or cage, it most certainly IS hunting, Ian. It’s not like “euthanizing” stray dogs the way the SPCA does. One does not just go out in the field and kill coyotes at ones will and pleasure.
Keith J. ·
Ya they do
Landon ·
You are exactly right Modicus
Jason ·
Do you have any idea how coyotes are so populated that the quail, chukar, rabbit and other small game animals are suffering? Yes it is hunting Ian. Its a damn good cause too!Coyotes have been a big problem for a while.
Debbie ·
Coyotes have driven out all the pheasants in my area. I can no longer let my chickens out to free range.
Carl N. ·
Debbie, I live in Chino Hills, CA. I’ve been here in Cali for the last 10 yrs. Grew up in Mobile, AL. hunting and fishing all my life. Any chance to help hunt some of the coyotes on your property?
Landon F. ·
Yep. And that’s exactly why it is legal to hunt them in every state and no bag limits or tags required. The biologists know what they’re doing
Jason T. ·
Does anyone know where to in Bakersfield but in public land. I’ll hunt anything.
Landon ·
Hunting coyotes is not hunting? What a moronic comment
Hunter T. ·
Landon have you every “hunted” and I dont mean walking a field for upland game or standing by a tree waiting for one to fly over. Coyote takes a skill due to them being hunters themselves
K. M. ·
And who names their kid Landon, Lol. Libtards do evidently.
Scott V. ·
Another bong-smoking California libtard.
Paul ·
Hey! Im a Cali Liberal who has no problem hunting coyotes! They can quickly destroy small game populations and over populate and begin hunting our cats and chickens and small dogs, so I say coyote control done safely is a good thing.
Stu ·
With the name “Ian”, I’m pretty sure you’re a tree hugging, Prius driving, Starbucks latte drinking, douchebag…
Alan F. ·
Hey Stu, You must be a dumb ass Trump supporter. I’ve lived in the mountains my whole life with bears coyotes,mountain lion and bobcat and omg no pets lost and know problems with them what so ever. You probably sleep with you guns for security. And wow hunting an animal that roams the neighbor hood eating the rodents omg how horrific.
alanisaqueer ·
Typical Liberal. Not a single intelligent/educated point made. Im sure you’ll get brownie points from your libtard friends for the Trump comment.
Robert N. ·
Tells us you squat to pee without telling us you squat to pee
Ian M. ·
First off yes it is hunting and second your an idiot Ian, I kill coyotes with a .22 at about 70yrds. I’m pretty sure that’s more skill than luck wouldn’t you think? Also do you hunt? And if you do, do you know the reasons behind population control involving predator animals such as coyotes? Or do ya think a bunch of folk wearin dem blue jean overalls is out der shootin dem critters for fun? You most likely see it as, “just shooting and wasting what u kill.” Most likely because you feel coyotes is a waste, Just as some may also view you.
Brian P. ·
Hey James , Yeah, you can use a .45, they are good for about 25 yards or so, after that, they tend to drop rather quick. I feel for both sides of the Hunt vs. kill thing, but when the coyotes are a problem, like they are getting to be here in San Francisco and Pacifica, action has got to be taken. Dogs are getting attacked all the time in Pacifica. They are roaming the streets here in San Francisco, spotted daily in my area. We also got coons, possum and skunk running around at night too. I know they are just trying to live and survive and with humans forever encroaching and squeezing them out of their area. But there is plenty of wild undeveloped area’s or under BLM that can live. City is no place for them with little to eat (except peoples pets) and being unwelcomed. Perhaps a relocation project would be more humane, or fixing them, catch and release style. I know we can’t go running around with guns to hunt them here. Hell, one report of somebody with a gun will get 1/2 the police force and a swat team up your arse in 10 minutes.
Steve J. ·
Brian, Just a thought, do those urban coyotes look well fed? They probably are or they wouldn’t be there. People leave out cat food, and all kinds of other things that coyotes love to ear. And then there are the local geese and ducks in the parks, domestic cats and other small pets. They wouldn’t be in San Francisco if people were a little more careful with what they leave around.
Michael C. ·
While you guys are bickering back and forth about politics and muddying up the site I’ll explain a little how I get down. My choice is always the Airforce Texan Long Supper Suppressed .357 caliber rifle for Coyotes. Paired with a lovely ATN 4K night/day High Definition scope and two long range infrared laser illuminators mounted on the scope. The rifles accuracy is superb. 50-70 yards can hit bullseye all night long in pitch dark, the darker the night the better. Them little eyes light up like two green lanterns and out comes the .357 Slug without the noise of any powder. When I say quiet I mean quiet like 70db quiet 🙂 The fellow coyotes when found in packs more than one have often not realized that their buddy’s coyote brain just got nicked out of its skull and they stand around for the next shot. Lol where did ol bushy tail go, perhaps he’s taking a lil nap? Lol Shotguns for bird hunting during the day is fine but when it comes to coyotes or I prefer stealth and precision.
Commi-fornia ·
California fish and wildlife rules and regulations suck! It’s designed to give the Hunter a low probability of success, and is clearly all about the money and nothing else. You can’t bait, so you get idiots blasting smaller game because it’s the only thing they have seen in years. Ridiculous rules such as non-traditional ammunition for hunting, and a book of rules and regulations for every area within different zones, so that when you do mess up they can fine you. Cha-ching! Best go out of state to hunt, you will have more fun and not feel like a criminal while doing so.
Ian ·
CA requires you to hunt like a sportsmen and actually put effort into your hunt, rather than throwing some bait out, sitting on your ass and waiting to shoot something. Sorry this doesn’t suit you. Please do go out of state when you “hunt”. Thanks.
Chris R. ·
Thank you Ian. These blood thirsty, beer swilling fools with guns scare the hell out of me.
MANLY ·
Ian apparently has never attempted to hunt coyotes nor has he seen the results of a coyote killing a fawn or other infant animal as it’s being born. Why are you commenting on this site anyway?
Jason ·
Exactly what I was thinking. This dude has probably never been on a hunt or stalk in his life.
Robert ·
Sounds like a roadhunter to me.
Marisa ·
I’d clarification. Your article reads: “No feed, bait or other material capable of attracting a nongame mammal may be placed or used in conjunction with dogs for the purpose of taking any nongame mammals.” What if I’m not using dogs?
JiujitsuHunter ·
If you are or you arnt using dogs you still CAN’T bait animals in California. But if you know where theres a dead animal and coyotes are eating it and you happen to hunt it during legal hours BLAST away
Ed ·
What about using a bow or crossbow for hunting Coyotes in Riverside county at night?
Gwendolyn G. ·
We recently moved onto a golf course in Rancho Mirage CA and I am freaked out by the coyotes. They roam the course in packs.They scavenge into backyards. One even walked our street in broad Daylight- 2 pm and jumped our fence. I often see three together. Tonight I saw five. WE have a small dog that needs to use our backyard, but Im fearful to be outside with him. What does one do about this?
Ian ·
get a bigger dog and grow a spine.
Shawn V. ·
Dude, its a woman! Grow a spine? Learn some manners!
MANLY ·
Ian, again why are you on this site? You need to see your pet being attacked by a preditor such as a fox or coyote. Until then, stick with knitting by the fire.
Sbrnakiss ·
Clearly you are just having a go at people with serious concerns, at their expense. I live in the golf course and just lost my dog to these predators. People here are trying to protect their beloved furry mates as best and as legally as possible. This is the 2nd pet in 15 years that was killed by coyotes. I tried my damnest to be as protective as possible but after last night, it’s game on. I’m not for wilding out with a gun and possibly getting arrested but baiting and a crossbow just might work. So to everyone reading this and has lost a loved one to these vermin, best of luck in your hunting. I may not kill the one that killed my Zippie but I’ll kill which ever one I can trap and prevent anyone else from the pain I’m living through. When it happens to you Ian or someone else that you care for I hope it hits you hard with many sleepless nights. To everyone else tired of coyote problems, Happy Hunting and Good Luck. The state, county, and local wildlife can’t help you. Thankfully we have these forums to help each other. To all the Ian’s and others like him I’m looking forward to the several kills in the near future. The first one I’ll name after you.
Chris R. ·
You need not fear them. I have them all around me and I am more fearful of people. Be wary about your neighbors putting out poison…which could kill your dog…or some fool shooting you when you are out at night with your dog. Be grateful for the rats taken by coyotes.
Frank ·
Been a hunter for 60 years and have great respect for ethical practices. I live in a somewhat urban area of San Diego/Point Loma where coyotes, and racoons are ever-present. Recently, in my backyard, 10pm, a large raccoon saw me on the upper patio of deck, he scaled a five foot gate, ran up 20 stairs directly at me and attacked my 14 lb. dog that was behind me. The raccoon backed my dog into a corner and was inches away from a head bit. I grabbed the raccoon by the back of the neck and middle of back, pulled him away from the dog, and launched him off the patio into a hedge. Yes, raccoons can be vicious when the need to feed young, or extreme hunger is present. I got a drop-door spring trap, put marshmallows, jam, peanut butter, and tuna fish as bait. Some raccoons are trap-wary especially if trapped before, so baiting with gloves and scent protection is a good idea. After a week I caught him, must have been 20 lbs. Drove him 25 miles away and released. I was driven to save my dog and would not recommend anyone doing as I did. I was scratched on the legs, arms, bitten in the armpit, and my shirt was shredded. Do to the attack and personal injury, Fish and Game responded with a professional trapper who after two weeks was unable to trap the guy and I took over. SD County Officials responded and were only interested in taking my dog to quarantine if I was unable to provide immediate proof of license and required vaccinations–even thought the dog was not touched. Be careful and don’t assume raccoons are just friendly little guys. I’ve been around a thousand raccoons and never seen this rare behavior before. Trap and relocate if possible. They will take your small animals, chickens, etc in a second. Keep your awareness especially at night. A 65 lb dog is worth his weight in gold. Raccoons will forage, hunt openly. Conversely, the coyote will lay in wait and grab–you’ll never see him before it’s too late.
Dan ·
Raccoons are carriers of rabies! sounds like that one probably was rabid! you can’t fool outdoors people! you may want to get tested and have your dog tested! also look up the shots you may have to get, to save your life! Never touch an aggressive wild animal!!! Killing it to protect yourself and other humans you have probably touched (since grabbing a probable rabid animal) could have saved you from months of probable horror! If you think I’m trying to freighten you take it as a warning raccoons carry rabies and aggressiveness (in a normally docile animal) is a huge sign of a rabid animal!
FW ·
Hey, thanks. You’re absolutely correct. I had to go through the shot series. Didn’t use my best judgment. Sometimes with only an instant to act you put yourself at risk. Dumb me but really happy dog!
FW ·
Actually, I did not release him 25 miles away. I relocated the raccoon to a different part of my property, opened the cage and banged like heck on the top of cage hoping that would discourage him from returning. I thought of driving him 25 miles aways but it just didn’t seem prudent. I just wasn’t sure if he was the same raccoon who got me.
sjordan5 ·
Wrap your trap with a tarp, leave it in the same place for a few days and use tuna. The tarp makes the animal less wary, the trap seems like a tunnel. Also clean your trap and try to keep man scent off of it.
Michael S. ·
The coyote will hunt alone or in packs. That’s what they do. If their numbers cannot be kept in check then they will do what you are seeing – moving into residential areas and feed off pet food or the pets themselves. If you live within a housing association and it’s not within a city limits check with the association board about the possibility of having a reputable preditor hunter come in and hunt/remove some of them. If you are having problems most likely others are having problems/concerns too. They won’t stop or leave any other way. Be with your pet anytime that you let it out doors until then.
lindsay ·
bring your dog in just before dark. never leave it outside. buy a big kennel to put your dog in at dark if you have to,but im sure your dog would rather be with you. make sure the kennel has a top fence to so its a complete box, so nothing can get in or out. and always coyote haze, never not say anything them, they need to know you dont want them there, so tell them, raise your voice and dont let up till they are gone.
Plumeria D. ·
Take your dog outdoors on a leash. Bring a high powered flashlight with you. If you see a coyote, wave your arms and yell – make yourself look big and mean. You can also build a kennel in your yard if you don’t like to walk your dog. Dogs love to be walked, and they are better for it, too. So are humans – so walk! You moved to a place where they live, and they can be a good thing. They rid you of a skunks, opposums, mice, rats, and raccoons – all of which are more a nuisance than coyotes. You’ll get used to living near them.
Sharon ·
Unfortunately coyotes prefer to kill and eat my chickens. There are plenty of squirrels, raccoons, and opossums in my area. That would be great if they would stick to hunting and eating those critters, but they don’t. I guess the chickens are easier to catch. And yes I have free range chickens, locked up at night for safety, but the coyotes seem to raid in broad daylight.
Tom ·
So your ok with other animals being killed, but not coyotes? Wow! You are so compassionate!
Dave G. ·
I read nothing in this information about the use of lights or thermal or infrared scopes attached to a firearm for use during nighttime coyote hunting in California. Please consider including that information.
Paul ·
The regs say 30min before sunrise and 30 min after sunset, so no night hunting of coyotes. It says nothing about the scopes though. Only no bait, and no shooting from a vehicle or ATV.
Eddie ·
Only thing I got from this is that Ian is a provoking jerk. California hunting laws are terrible and discouraging.
gina ·
can you guys come to Aliso Viejo, CA and take out the coyotes en masse??? there are thousands in our area with packs roaming residential areas at all hours.. several laying on front walks at one time, etc.. Animal control does nothing and pets are being killed left and right… pls can you start hunting in the parks of Aliso Viejo? PLEASE!!! or anywhere in the canyons to try to eliminate the population! thank yu!
Austin ·
I’m looking in to this as well. I hear them howling all night here in Aliso. I contacted the sheriff’s but they have not gotten back to me
Jorge M. ·
Hi gina i will be glad to come over to alison and help get rid off as many coyotes as i can i live in oceanside california but never been in alison
Tom ·
Ian is spot on. The coyotes were here before us, and they keep rodent populations in check. Get rid of the useless, itty bitty dog and stop being afraid of coyotes. Sadly chickens in coops are easier to hunt than wild rodents, and coyotes are not dumb. Build better facilities for your chickens.
Kathryn M. ·
I need to kill a coyote that mutilated my dog in my yard with us just a few feet away. It lives in the backyard nextdoor for the home has been empty for 24 years now. It has killed all the possums yes but I would rather have possums because then my poor dog wouldn’t be dead. This coyote sit in front of the middle school during the morning and next to the church preschool playground every day from 1-3pm and doesn’t hide. Humane society will do nothing. I want this awful monster gone…what can I do??
Brian ·
Sounds almost as if he is guarding at the school and pre-school. I’m sorry about your dog. You were so close and could do nothing? Scream, throw something or charge him? They won’t attack people, I don’t think. Maybe a small child, but not teens or adults. We are more of a threat to them then they are to us.
Kathryn M. ·
Sorry Brian I did not know that you had replied to my comment until now. We could do nothing about my poor baby because he jumped out from behind a bush and grabbed him by the neck, and dropped him and took off because we did scream and rush in his direction. But my baby was killed instantly. Since this happened there was a 4 year old girl bit in the arm with her mother right next to her putting her baby brother in his stroller at the park on my block. The Wildlife Fish & Game came out and shut down the park & vowed to stay until they caught the coyote. My neighbor told them about our situation and they were to come to my house & catch this one as well because we found out there is a den of about 30 in the field behind my across the street neighbor but they caught the one at the park and never came out way. I have listened to that damn coyote 4 times a day at the same times every day doing its howl/yipping noise as it is just on the other side of the brick wall outside my bedroom window. I don’t really hate anything but I do hate that monster with a passion! Sometimes if I look out the window because I don’t hear him & I wonder what he is up to, I see him with his paws up on the top of the wall just scoping out everything in my backyard…looking for food I guess. The idiot keeping the house empty has not had the yards done in a long time and the trees branches that are right there have broken off and landed against the wall & over time it has formed a ramp basically making the wall only about 4 feet high on that side, but it drops way down on my side. I guess calling the city to report the mess back there may help a bit? I hadn’t heard him for 5 weeks or so and was hopeful he had moved or hopefully was killed by a neighbor (we’re all pissed and everyone wants him gone) but just last Wednesday I heard him again start up his calls from right back there in the same spot! Where did he go and why is he back? Why couldn’t he have just moved on? Am I doomed to have him there forever??
Ole P. ·
Google Taylor Mitchell killing, and Kelly Keen killing. That way you can find out they WILL attack people. There have been hundreds of cases of coyotes attacking people.Also for those of you who insist coyotes were here first, Google coyote historic range map, you will see that unless you lived in Southeastern California, you are wrong.
George V. ·
Mrs Murphy I’m in California you pay for my gas and I’ll come kill it and leave noone will hear a thing.
Jason ·
I usually use a .308 for coyotes. But I would like to use my 17hmr this year. Is the use of a .17HMR rimfire for coyote legal here in California? D14 area if it matters.
Benat I. ·
It seems California Politicians main focus is that people do not hunt at all. Firearms laws are ridiculous and in all cases Unconstitutional. Sad part also is the enforcers of these unlawful laws give it no 2nd thought as it applies to their forgotten oath to protect the U.S. Constitution, not the Law.
Chuck ·
I don’t give a rip what the coyote protectors say. The manger currs have wiped out the entire turkey population and have killed numerous pets where we live. I have a crossbow that is a great coyote eradicator. Coyotes often carry rabies, too. I just hope the coyote protectors get to experience some of the coyote side effects. In most other states you can hunt then with silenced firearms.
Scott ·
sad part is most of them live in apartment buildings in the middle of the city where the only thing that pisses everyone one off is people! so to them people are the problem. but a coyote will take a child so fast even before you or the child sees or hears it coming they are very smart and a really good stalk.
Landon ·
What kind of shot shells are legal to use for predator hunting here? Other than lead-free I mean. Can we use buckshot?
Mark ·
Coyotes are nasty scavenging predators. Ill kill everyone I encounter, and if I got the opportunity, Ill use my car to do it. They’ve attacked our animals, and to be honest, a little payback is in order.
Demi ·
I live in North county San Diego. The guy who rents the house next to mine left a letter in my mailbox saying that if we hear gunshots he is using a 22 to kill the coyotes that wander into his yard. This is a rural area but homes are in close proximity, is that type of gun okay to use?
Michael B. ·
Probably stupid question…well it is a stupid questions but I have to ask, there is no tags needed for coyotes in California and it’s always season correct??? In any zone
Ray ·
I have been reading and also watching videos on coyote hunting for 2 years. I have been tying to figure out where in Southern California I can go to hunt coyotes. I have searched the Internet and have tried to talk to Fish and Game at the Fredhall show for the past 3 years, they are no help. I have all the equipment needed and ready to go. I just need help with someone who can show where to go and legally hunt coyotes. I have been trying to find someone for all this time with no success. I would be grateful if someone was interested in showing a newbie the proper places to go.
Jeff A. ·
Coyotes or a massive problem I got 2 days ago 10 yards off my front porch. I usually carry my .357 magnum for close range and my preferred rifle is a 22 mag. There are numerous tree hugger anti-gun in liberals everywhere. I live in the middle of nowhere in N.E. CA. and still get shit from people that don’t understand.
Linda ·
Glendale police told me That it’s illegal to shoot a firearm in city limits. True? Am I reading correctly that coyotes can be hunted after dark?
red ·
can i hunt coyotes with a 22mag in ca and not get fine for it?
Michael G. ·
No matter what caliber or guage, the projectile must be non lead. Steel is pretty useless because it isn’t accurate (typically) and doesn’t expand. That leaves copper, brass or other non lead alloy. Again, pretty much useless in a .22 short, long, long rifle or magnum. . 17 is marginal but lethal in the hands of a good shooter. 223/5.56 and up are all good. 224 Valkyrie is my favorite with 70-80 grain pill. Again, must be non lead projectile.
Ken S. ·
Varmints are legal to hunt all year round. Relocating a varmint or furbearer (possum, racoon, etc.) is not legal. You or your HOA can get a deprivation permit (use a licensed trapper). Do a Google search. There is one near you. They cannot use a firearm in city limits either (maybe w special permit) Crossbows & Air rifles are NOT considered firearms. Get a large caliber one with a lot of power & it will take care of the situation. Always know your backstop. Check with your HOA to be sure that they don’t have rules against them. (Or ask for forgiveness after the fact. My SIL is a licensed trapper in NorCal 7 gets called by HOAs quite often. Turkeys are a real pain also. They will attack you
Tim T. ·
Whats up guys… I’m lookin for a place in San Diego to go wack and stack some coyotes… any suggestions? Any help would be appreciated… Ian, was a libtard…. go make yourself a hemp skirt and move along.
Rick ·
I know it’s not legal to discharge a firearm within city limits. What about unincorporated county areas?
John G. ·
At 69 I used to be an avid hunter in my younger day ! Hunting is an ART FORM ! The American Indian knew this , and practiced hunting ” BIG TIME ” ! Hunting Coyote especially in Commiefornia is vital to reduce these Predators from destroying to many cotton tail rabbits and many game birds ! In fact I am planning a legal Coyote hunt in Southern Commiefornia as an out of Stater . It will cost me $ 179.00 for my out of State License ! But I am glad to help protect said game .
Adam ·
I have never “hunted” or even shot an animal. I do however see a big problem with coyotes in the North West Los Angeles area. Coyotes are becoming more brazen these days and becoming less afraid of humans. One evening last year around 8pm, I went outside to get something from my car, there was a coyote approx 40 feet from me, standing in the middle of the street staring at me, which was a well lit street full of cars. I shouted at it, stomped the ground, clapped my hands, waving my arms about, I even threw a small rock near it. It didn’t flinch, it just stood there as if it was deciding on whether to attach or not. I slowly backed away into my house while it continued to stare at me. I don’t see myself “hunting” coyotes, but I have no problem with the next guy or girl doing it, as I do see coyotes being a big problem around here. I can also see them being a threat to humans in the near future. One day, someone will be out walking, before they know it, they will be surrounded by a pack of coyotes. We shouldn’t have to wait till that happens.
John G. ·
I have been attacked by a pack of approx. 10 domestic dogs here in Oregon ! This particular pack had killed two sheep . They started to work me like a Water Buffalo on TV ! Where upon I pulled out my concealed Smith and Wesson model 60 38. special snub nose ! Popping a cap into the ground a foot in front of the lead dog ! All the dogs took off !
Christy B. ·
OMG George OMG George Virden I live in Sacramento down the street from the Capital and there is a loner who is living inside a housing complex. It is getting wayyyy to comfortable and I know a disaster is going to happen. Specifically I’m worried about my best pal who is 15 pounds and always on a leash, but as someone said, coyotes lie in wait and then grab. So far I have heard of this coyote APPROACHING humans when they are with pets. Two were little dogs and the third case was a man who has two large dogs on leashes. I am so worried all the time that the coyote is going to kill my dog. That was nice of you to offer to take care of Kathryn Murphy’s coyote problem; can you get this one? The problem is that there are tons of people around. And it is around at all hours. I will pay you to remove this coyote. As for Kathryn Murphy, have you seen the movie Two Strangers On a Train?
Jeff ·
New to hunting, I’m located in oceanside,ca. Looking to connect with fellow hunters and learn the ropes
shane ·
there’s no need to go at each other’s throats. i know we all have different beliefs and opinions… but this forum should be used to help each other. i just lost my dog to coyotes… and to those of you who think that you only have to worry about small pets… wrong! my dog was a very healthy 65 lbs german shepherd mix. God bless marley and his soul (if he has one). know this… i will be taking one of these coyotes soon. …and i might not stop until the whole pack is dead or relocated. if they are as smart as i’ve heard, they’ll get the hint soon. any helpful tips on hunting coyotes at night with .22 rifle would be highly appreciated. thanks in advance and best regards…
shane ·
john wedgewood golden… you were attacked by a pack of ten coyotes and you shot the ground? what a fucking idiot… maybe next time they’ll get you
Miguel ·
For a previous commenter, you cannot bait for coyotes, but you are allowed to use electronic call emitters, which I’ve seen work very well in tall grass areas, such as CA’s Central Valley lowlands. My daughter and I are getting ready to try it out by San Luis Reservoir area hunting lands.
Carlos R. ·
To all who are active in hunting these vermin!!! happy hunting!! I’ve lost 4 family pets thinking they just ran.. off wasn’t until my 10yr & 14yr son’s had went for an adventure walk through a jogging path brush area with friends when he found a cat skeleton still wearing the collor my 5yr old daughter had picked out … I didn’t think these animals would come into a residential area in sandiego. I’m not a hunter by any means in fact im a animal lover but the sadness heartbreak and mental trauma these creatures create with their hunting of beloved pets is potentially being prevented by them being hunted.
Carlos ·
Hello, I live in Oceanside, ca does anyone know where you could hunt coyote around the area?
Albert ·
What is the best and legal way to dispose of a coyote? I have been asked by a few people to come to there property and take care of some coyotes. Im just trying to figure out how to dispose of the carcass after skinning?
Craig ·
Demi, in unincorporated areas of San Diego County it is not legal to shoot any firearm less than 150 yards away from from all recreational areas, communities, roads or any occupied dwelling house, residence, or other building or any barn or other outbuilding. Section 2. Section 31.101 of the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances
This information is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. This website has no affiliation with any department of the above-mentioned state. Coyote hunting laws can change frequently and vary by locality — always verify the most current regulations directly with your state's wildlife agency or local authorities before hunting. Last updated: October 2026.