Thinking about coyote hunting in North Dakota? Coyotes are found throughout North Dakota prairies, grasslands, and forests. Coyotes have made a substantial comeback from being aerially hunted and routinely poisoned in the past.
License Requirements for hunting coyotes in North Dakota. Furbearer and non-game license is required, which allows taking unprotected species and for hunting fox and coyote. Nonresidents hunting only unprotected species of wildlife need only a nongame license.
Purchase a license here: https://gf.nd.gov/buy-apply.
Check out all the North Dakota hunting seasons here.
Related: Learn the laws for hunting fox in North Dakota.
Related: Learn the laws for hunting bobcat in North Dakota.
Related: If this is your first time hunting eastern coyotes in North Dakota, I recommend the following articles:
- What color light to use for hunting coyotes—click here.
- The best time of day to call an eastern coyote—click here.
- The two most used and effective sounds—click here.
- The best infrared scope for new predator hunters—click here.
Coyote hunting in North Dakota.
General Requirements
Except for residents under 16 years of age, a furbearer license is required to hunt or trap furbearers.
Nonresidents may not take furbearers, except they may hunt fox and coyote if they possess a furbearer and nongame license. Exceptions: Residents of a state that allows North Dakota residents to trap within that state may purchase a nonresident reciprocal trapping license to trap in this state. Nonresidents having this license may not take bobcats, mountain lions, river otters, or fishers.
Hunters and trappers are required to purchase licenses, except any resident or member of their family permanently residing with him, or her may hunt small game, trap or use cable devices during the open season without a license upon land owned or leased by them, but otherwise is governed by seasons, limits and all other regulations.
Residents do not need a license to take unprotected wildlife species (prairie dogs, rabbits, skunks, ground squirrels). Nonresidents hunting only unprotected species of wildlife need only a nongame license.
Related: Is there any such thing as an ”educated coyote?” Read here to find out.
North Dakota coyote hunting permits.
Residents must possess the following licenses:
· Fishing, Hunting, and Furbearer Certificate
· Furbearer License (not required of residents under age 16), or
· Combination License (includes Small Game, General Game and Habitat, Furbearer, and Fishing licenses).
Military – Upon presentation of valid leave papers and a valid North Dakota operator’s license, a resident who is on leave and is an active duty as a member of the United States armed forces or the United States merchant marine may hunt small game, fish, or trap during the open season without a license.
Nonresidents must possess the following licenses:
· Bobcats, Mountain Lions, Fishers, River Otter – May not be taken by nonresidents.
· Badger, Beaver, Mink, Muskrat, Raccoon, Weasel – May only be taken with traps or cable devices by nonresidents whose home state has a reciprocal trapping agreement with North Dakota.
Required licenses:
Nonresident Fishing, Hunting, and Furbearer Certificate
Nonresident Reciprocal Trapping License
· Coyote, Fox (Red and Gray)
Required licenses:
Nonresident Fishing, Hunting, and Furbearer Certificate
Nonresident Furbearer and Nongame License (to hunt) or Nonresident Reciprocal Trapping License (to take with traps or cable devices).
Related: Hunting coyotes in the Summer? Here’s the best call to use during the summer.
Coyote hunting in North Dakota species-specific regulations.
Day hunting season – Coyote may be taken with firearms, pre-charged pneumatic air guns, archery equipment (including crossbows), and pursued with dogs statewide and year-round. Hunting hours are from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset each day. The season will officially close on March 31 and reopen on April 1.
Night hunting season – Coyote may be taken with firearms and pre-charged pneumatic air guns at any hour during the night hunting season from November 22 through March 15, 2022. Beginning January 3, 2022, hunters can also use archery equipment (including crossbows) for night hunting of red fox, gray fox, and coyotes. Any person who engages in the hunting of red fox, gray fox, or coyotes during the time from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise must hunt exclusively on foot. The red fox, gray fox, and coyote may be hunted on foot with the use of artificial light, night vision, thermal vision, or infrared light with a power source of not more than 6 volts. The artificial light must produce a red, green, or amber color.
Trapping season – Coyote may be taken with traps statewide and year-round. The season will officially close on March 31 and reopen on April 1 of each year. Cable devices (snares) may only be used statewide from November 22 through March 15, 2022.
Getting access to private land to hunt coyotes in North Dakota.
Hunter/Landowner Contact Form.
There are two programs for connecting hunters and landowners, one for coyotes and one for antlerless deer. The same form (see below) can be used to sign up for either. Approximate dates for both are listed below.
Signup Dates
- Coyote Catalog: Open early December through March 31
- Antlerless Deer: Open early September through deer seasons
Coyote Catalog
The Game and Fish Department and State Department of Agriculture are working together to connect committed hunters and trappers with landowners who would like to see reduced coyote numbers in their area. Only hunters who are committed to helping landowners should sign up.
- Landowners who are interested in hosting coyote hunters or trappers can sign up at the Department of Agriculture website at https://www.nd.gov/ndda/livestock-development-division/coyote-catalog (December – March).
- Hunters and trappers should complete the form below by entering a hunting/fishing license number (e.g., OLN123456, GNF123456, SCH123456), which can be found by visiting MyAccount. Make sure to choose the correct species (Note: Depending on interest from hunters/trappers and the location and number of participating landowners, it’s possible that not everyone who signs up here will get matched up with a landowner).
Do not drink and hunt coyotes in North Dakota.
INTOXICATION TESTING OF HUNTERS
Implied consent to determine alcohol concentration and presence of drugs.
Any individual who is afield with a gun or other firearm or a bow and arrow is deemed to have given consent and shall consent, subject to this chapter, to a chemical test of the blood, breath, or urine for the purpose of determining the alcohol concentration or presence of other drugs, or combination thereof, in the individual’s blood, breath, or urine.
As used in this chapter, “drug” means any drug or substance or combination of drugs or substances which renders an individual incapable of safely hunting or being afield with a gun or other firearm or a bow and arrow, and “chemical test” means any test or tests to determine the alcohol concentration or presence of other drugs, or combination thereof, in the individual’s blood, breath, or urine, approved by the director of the state crime laboratory or the director’s designee under this chapter.
The chemical test must be administered at the direction of a game warden or a law enforcement officer only after placing the individual, except individuals mentioned in section 20.1-15-04, under arrest and informing that individual that the individual is or will be charged with the offense of being afield with a gun or other firearm or a bow and arrow while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, drugs, or a combination thereof.
For the purposes of this chapter, the taking into custody of a minor under section 27-20.4-05 satisfies the requirement of an arrest. The game warden or law enforcement officer shall also inform the individual charged that refusal of the individual to submit to the chemical test determined appropriate will result in a revocation for up to four years of the individual’s hunting privileges.
The game warden or law enforcement officer shall determine the chemical test to be used. When a minor is taken into custody for violating section 20.1-01-06, the game warden or law enforcement officer shall diligently attempt to contact the minor’s parent or legal guardian to explain the cause for the custody and the implied consent chemical testing requirements.
Neither the game warden nor law enforcement officer’s efforts to contact, nor any consultation with, a parent or legal guardian may be permitted to interfere with the administration of chemical testing requirements under this chapter.
Chemical test of a hunter in serious bodily injury or fatal accident.
Notwithstanding section 20.1-15-01 or 20.1-15-06, when a hunter is involved in an accident resulting in the death or serious bodily injury, as defined in section 12.1-01-04, of another person, and there is probable cause to believe that the hunter is in violation of section 20.1-01-06, the hunter may be compelled by a game warden or a police officer to submit to a chemical test.
Hunting property destroying coyotes in North Dakota.
Depredating fur-bearing animals – Destruction and disposition.
A landowner or tenant or that person’s agent may catch or kill any wild fur-bearing animal that is committing depredations upon that person’s poultry, domestic animals, or crops, except a landowner or tenant or that person’s agent shall notify and obtain the approval of the director before catching or killing a black bear. A landowner or tenant or that person’s agent may not commercialize in, sell, or ship an animal or the pelt or any part of an animal caught or killed under this section if caught or killed during the closed season. A person catching or killing a black bear or mountain lion under this section shall report the capture or killing to the department within twenty-four hours, and the entire animal must be turned over to the department.
Illegal to hunt coyotes in North Dakota from most vehicles.
Hunting and harassing game from aircraft, motor vehicles, or snowmobiles is prohibited.
Except as provided in this title, or when necessary for the protection of life or property except as provided in section 20.1-02-05, no person operating or controlling the operation of any aircraft or motor vehicle in this state may intentionally kill, chase, or harass any wild animal or wild bird, protected or unprotected. No person, while operating a snowmobile in this state, may intentionally kill, chase, flush, or harass any wild animal or wild bird, protected or unprotected.
Coyote hunting in North Dakota near occupied buildings.
Hunting near occupied buildings without permission is unlawful.
No person may hunt or pursue game upon the premises of another, within four hundred forty yards [402.34 meters] of any occupied building, without consent of the person occupying such building.
Hunting game on lands having unharvested crops unlawful.
It is unlawful to hunt or pursue game in unharvested cereal or oilseed crops without the permission of the owner or tenant. Cereal crops include alfalfa, clover, and other grasses grown for seed. Oilseed crops include sunflower, safflower, rapeseed or canola, crambe, soybeans, and flax.
Fence gates to be closed – Penalty – Violator’s hunting license forfeited.
A person who opens a gate or bars in a fence enclosing farm premises may not leave such gate or bars open unless the person is in lawful possession of the premises. If a person violates this section while hunting, that person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor, and that person’s hunting license must be forfeited for the remainder of the then-current hunting season. A summary of the provisions of this section must be printed on each general game and fur-bearer license.
Carrying a pistol while you coyotes hunting in North Dakota?
Use of handguns while hunting with bow and arrow or crossbow.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an individual may have a handgun, as defined in section 62.1-01-01, in that individual’s possession while hunting during any lawful archery hunting season.
Can you hunt coyotes in North Dakota with a suppressor?
Suppressor and short-barreled rifle allowed for hunting.
1. An individual in lawful possession of a device that will silence or deaden the sound or natural report of a firearm when the firearm is discharged may hunt any game for which the individual is licensed and for which a firearm is allowed with that device for or attached to the firearm.
2. An individual in lawful possession of a short-barreled rifle may hunt any game for which the individual is licensed and for which a rifle is allowed.
Is baiting coyotes allowed in North Dakota?
Permission required for baiting – Penalty.
Without permission from the owner or an individual authorized by the owner of the property, an individual may not enter upon another person’s property and intentionally place bait to attract or manipulate the behavior of wildlife. An individual’s first violation of this section is a class 1 noncriminal offense. An individual’s second or subsequent violation of this section is an infraction for which a fine of two hundred fifty dollars must be imposed.
Coyote calling contests are allowed, but no bounty is paid by the State at this time.
This information is subject to change. Always check for updates before you go coyote hunting in North Dakota.
