Rules for hunting coyotes in Indiana were not needed before the 1960’s. Bounties, the determined efforts of settlers, and wolves get the coyote populations in check. All three are gone now, and you’ll find coyotes in every nook and cranny of Indiana.
Coyote hunting is legal in Indiana from mid-October to mid-March. Licensed hunters can hunt coyotes at night with artificial light, shoot them with suppressed rifles, and call them using electronic callers.
Purchase an Indiana hunting license here.
Check out the Indiana hunting seasons.
Related: Read the laws for hunting fox in Indiana here.
Hunting coyotes in Indiana.
Hunters may now use sound suppressors to shoot game.
Hunters who may legally possess a suppressor may likewise use it for hunting game in Indiana. There are, however, enhanced criminal penalties for poachers who use or have silencers while taking game unlawfully.
Baiting is permitted. Read this article to build the perfect coyote bait site.
Coyote contests are legal.
Related: Learn how to hunt coyotes during mating season here.
Landowners hunting coyotes in Indiana.
Landowners do not need licenses to take coyotes year-round on their property by trapping or shooting. In addition, a landowner does not need to possess a wild animal control permit from D.N.R. to give another individual written permission to shoot or trap coyotes on the landowner’s property.
Night hunting coyotes in Indiana.
Spotlights may be used to take fox and coyotes. A continuously burning light that can be seen for at least 500 feet must be carried while pursuing furbearing animals between sunset and sunrise.
It is legal to hunt fox and coyote with the use of mouth or hand-operated calls, or with the use of recorded calls. Spotlights may be used to take fox and coyote. There are no restrictions on hunting hours or firearms for hunting fox and coyote.
It is illegal to hunt fox or coyote from a roadway or with the use of any motor-driven conveyance.
Night vision riflescopes. I’ll admit, they are a lot of fun. They can add some range to your reach, and they can help you find targets faster. They are also expensive. Take your time researching them, and try them out before buying one.
I have two articles I suggest you read before going much further.
Read this one to learn about the ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Infrared scope (I own two).
Read this article about the ATN Thor 4 Thermal scope (I own one).
Related: Learn the two best calls most successful coyote hunter use here.
Other rules for coyote hunting in Indiana.
A person may not:
(1) fish, hunt, trap, or chase;
(2) shoot with any kind of firearm or archery equipment;
(3) search for or gather any plant life (defined as the members of the kingdoms Fungi and Plantae); or
(4) search for or gather any artifacts;
upon privately owned land without having the consent of the owner or tenant of the land.
Taking of coyotes
A person:
(1) who possesses land; or
(2) designated in writing by a person who possesses land;
may take coyotes on the land at any time.
Use of unmanned aerial vehicles to aid hunting
During the period:
(1) beginning fourteen (14) days before the hunting season for a particular wild animal species; and
(2) ending upon the expiration of legal hunting hours on the last day of the hunting season; a person may not knowingly use an unmanned aerial vehicle to search for, scout, locate, or detect a wild animal to which the hunting season applies as an aid to take the wild animal.
Effort to retrieve crippled or killed wild animals
A person may not kill or cripple a wild animal without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the animal. After the animal is retrieved, the animal must be:
(1) taken into the person’s possession, unless the animal is a nuisance wild animal taken with the permission of the owner or tenant of the land in accordance with this article; and
(2) included in the person’s daily bag limit, if applicable.
Shooting from or across public highways prohibited; applicability
A person may not:
(1) hunt, shoot, shoot at, or kill an animal; or
(2) shoot at an object; from within, into, upon, or across a public highway in Indiana.
Shooting into or across waters of the state
A person may not shoot into or across:
(1) the waters of the state; or
(2) the boundary waters of the state;
except in the lawful pursuit of wild animals.
“Farmland”; license requirements and conditions; public use airport manager reporting requirements
Sec. 1. (a) As used in this section, “farmland” means agricultural land that is:
(1) devoted or best adaptable for the production of crops, fruits, timber, and the raising of livestock; or
(2) assessed as agricultural land for property tax purposes.
(b) An individual may not take or chase, with or without dogs, a wild animal without having a license, except as follows:
(1) An individual who is a resident or nonresident of Indiana while participating in a field trial that has been sanctioned by the director is not required to possess a license while participating in the trial.
(2) Subject to subsection (d), an owner of farmland located in Indiana who is a resident or nonresident of Indiana and the spouse and children living with the owner may hunt, fish, and trap without a license on the land that the owner owns.
(3) A lessee of farmland who farms that land and is a resident of Indiana and the spouse and children living with the lessee may hunt, fish, and trap without a license on the leased land. This subdivision does not apply to land that is:
(A) owned, leased, or controlled by; and
(B) leased from;
the department.
(4) An individual who:
(A) is less than thirteen (13) years of age;
(B) does not possess a bow or firearm; and
(C) is accompanying an individual who:
(i) is at least eighteen (18) years of age; and
(ii) holds a valid license;
may chase a wild animal without having a license.
(5) The manager of a public use airport (as defined by 49 U.S.C. 47102(22)), or the manager’s designee, may chase or take at any time, without a license, a:
(A) white-tailed deer, except by trapping;
(B) coyote;
(C) wild turkey, except by trapping; or
(D) migratory bird;
that poses a threat to aircraft within the airport operations area.
(c) The exceptions provided in this section do not apply to a commercial license issued under this article.
(d) The right of a nonresident who owns farmland in Indiana (and of the spouse and children who reside with the nonresident) to hunt, fish, and trap on the farmland without a license under subsection (b)(2) is subject to the following conditions:
(1) The nonresident may hunt, fish, and trap on the farmland without a license only if the state in which the nonresident resides allows residents of Indiana who own land in that state to hunt, fish, and trap on their land without a license.
(2) While hunting, fishing, or trapping on the farmland, the nonresident must keep proof that the nonresident owns the farmland (for example, a tax receipt identifying the nonresident as owner) in a place where the proof is readily accessible by the nonresident.
(e) The manager of a public use airport (as defined by 49 U.S.C. 47102(22)), or the manager’s designee, shall report annually to the department the following:
(1) The number of animals killed under subsection (b)(5) by species.
(2) The date the animal was taken.
(3) The name and address of the person who took the animal, other than a migratory bird.
(4) The disposition of the animal.
(5) The name and address of the person to whom the animal was given as a gift or donated (if applicable).
A copy of the report must be kept at the public use airport (as defined by 49 U.S.C. 47102(22)) and be available upon request to an employee of the department. White-tailed deer and wild turkeys must be tagged or accompanied by a piece of paper that includes the name and address of the person who took the deer or wild turkey, the date the deer or wild turkey was taken, and the location where the deer or wild turkey was taken before processing of the deer or wild turkey begins. However, it is not a violation of this subsection if the manager of a public use airport (as defined by 49 U.S.C. 47102(22)), or the manager’s designee, fails to submit an annual report under this subsection, as long as the manager of a public use airport (as defined by 49 U.S.C. 47102(22)), or the manager’s designee, provides the relevant information requested by the department not later than fourteen (14) calendar days after receiving a request from the department. If the manager of a public use airport (as defined by 49 U.S.C. 47102(22)) or the manager’s designee does not provide the information requested by the department within the required fourteen (14) day period, the manager of the public use airport (as defined by 49 U.S.C. 47102(22)) and any designee of the manager are required to obtain a permit from the department to chase or take a wild animal during the following calendar year.
Restrictions on operation; exceptions
(a) An individual shall not operate a vehicle under any of the following conditions:
(1) At a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper having due regard for existing conditions or in a manner that unnecessarily endangers the person or property of another.
(2) While:
(A) under the influence of an alcoholic beverage; or
(B) unlawfully under the influence of a narcotic or other habit forming or dangerous depressant or stimulant drug.
(3) During the hours from thirty (30) minutes after sunset to thirty (30) minutes before sunrise without displaying a lighted headlight and a lighted taillight.
(4) In a forest nursery, a planting area, or public land posted or reasonably identified as an area of forest or plant reproduction and when growing stock may be damaged.
(5) On the frozen surface of public waters within:
(A) one hundred (100) feet of an individual not in or upon a vehicle; or
(B) one hundred (100) feet of a fishing shanty or shelter; except at a speed of not more than five (5) miles per hour.
(6) Unless the vehicle is equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke.
(7) Within one hundred (100) feet of a dwelling between midnight and 6:00 a.m., except on the individual’s own property or property under the individual’s control or as an invited guest.
(8) On any property without the consent of the landowner or tenant.
(9) While transporting on or in the vehicle a firearm, unless the firearm is:
(A) unloaded; and
(B) securely encased or equipped with and made inoperative by a manufactured keylocked trigger housing mechanism.
(10) On or across a cemetery or burial ground.
(11) Within one hundred (100) feet of a slide, ski, or skating area, except for the purpose of servicing the area.
(12) On a railroad track or railroad right-of-way, except railroad personnel in the performance of duties.
(13) In or upon a flowing river, stream, or creek, except for the purpose of crossing by the shortest possible route, unless the river, stream, or creek is of sufficient water depth to permit movement by flotation of the vehicle at all times.
(14) An individual shall not operate a vehicle while a bow is present in or on the vehicle if the nock of an arrow is in position on the string of the bow.
(b) Subsection (a)(9) does not apply to a person who is carrying a firearm:
(1) if:
(A) the firearm is a handgun; and
(B) the person has been issued an unlimited handgun license to carry a handgun under;
(2) if:
(A) the firearm is a handgun; and
(B) the person is not required to possess a license to carry a handgun under; or
(3) if the person carrying the firearm is operating the vehicle on property that the person:
(A) owns;
(B) has a contractual interest in;
(C) otherwise legally possesses; or
(D) has permission from a person described in clauses (A) through (C) to possess a firearm on.
While hunting, an individual may carry a handgun without a handgun license in accordance with Indiana Code 35-47-2-1. It is illegal to take a deer with a handgun except during the firearms season, during the muzzleloader season with a muzzleloading handgun, and when in compliance with D.N.R. regulations.
