Coyote Hunting Laws in Louisiana: Season, Licenses, and Rules Explained
August 5, 2026
Coyote hunting in Louisiana is one of the most accessible predator pursuits in the South. In Louisiana, coyotes are classified as Outlaw Quadrupeds and may be hunted year-round during legal daylight shooting hours. That open-ended framework gives hunters a wide window to target coyotes across the state’s diverse terrain.
Louisiana’s mix of swamp, pine forests, agricultural land, and bayous offers excellent habitat for coyotes across the state. Whether you’re calling coyotes in the piney hills of the north or working cane field edges in the south, knowing the rules set by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) keeps your hunt legal and productive.
This guide covers everything you need to know about coyote hunting laws in Louisiana, from season dates and license requirements to night hunting rules, trapping regulations, and landowner rights — all based on the 2025–2026 LDWF regulations.
Is Coyote Hunting Legal in Louisiana?
Yes, coyote hunting is fully legal in Louisiana. Under the Outlaw Quadrupeds designation, holders of a legal hunting license may take coyotes, feral hogs, and armadillos year-round during legal daylight shooting hours. There is no closed season and no bag limit on coyotes.
There is no closed season and no bag limit on coyotes. This makes Louisiana one of the most hunter-friendly states for predator control. With expanding populations and an open season, hunting predators has become an increasingly popular activity for managing wildlife and livestock pressure.
Important Note: Coyotes are classified as Outlaw Quadrupeds in Louisiana — not game animals. This means they receive no closed-season protection, but hunters must still hold a valid hunting license and follow all applicable weapon and land-use rules.
It is also worth noting the key distinction between coyotes and foxes. Foxes are protected quadrupeds and may be taken only with traps by licensed trappers during the trapping season. Do not confuse the two species in the field — the rules are very different.
Coyote Hunting Season Dates in Louisiana
Holders of a hunting license may take coyotes, feral hogs, and armadillos year-round during legal daylight shooting hours. There are no specific opening or closing season dates to track for coyotes the way there are for deer or turkey.
Shooting hours for resident game birds and animals run from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. That standard shooting window applies to daytime coyote hunting on both public and private land.
Two restrictions do apply when using dogs during other active seasons:
- The running of coyotes with dogs is prohibited in all turkey hunting areas during the open turkey season.
- Coyote hunting is restricted to chase only when using dogs during still hunting segments of the firearm and archery only seasons for deer.
Outside of those specific overlap periods, you can pursue coyotes any day of the year. On Kisatchie National Forest, feral hogs, coyotes, armadillos, and beavers may be taken during daylight hours on any KNF hunt by properly licensed hunters with weapons legal for that hunt. Always verify WMA-specific rules before hunting public land, as individual areas may carry additional restrictions.
License and Permit Requirements for Coyote Hunting in Louisiana
The licensing requirement for coyote hunting in Louisiana is straightforward. Residents and nonresident hunters age 18 or older must have a Basic Hunting License to hunt, take, possess, or transport any wild birds or quadrupeds for which hunting is permitted and seasons are opened. Coyotes fall under this requirement as Outlaw Quadrupeds.
Non-residents can also hunt coyotes in Louisiana — yes, with a basic season license. No special coyote-specific permit is required beyond that standard license.
| Hunter Type | License Required | Additional Permits |
|---|---|---|
| Resident (age 18+) | Basic Hunting License | WMA Access Permit for public WMAs |
| Non-Resident (age 18+) | Basic Hunting License | WMA Access Permit for public WMAs |
| Resident (age 60+) | Senior Hunting/Fishing License | Covers WMA access |
| Youth (under 18) | No license required for non-deer/turkey | Youth Hunting License needed for deer/turkey |
No person born on or after September 1, 1969, shall hunt unsupervised unless that person has been issued a certificate of satisfactory completion of a Hunter Education course approved by LDWF. If you were born on or after that date and haven’t completed hunter education, you must do so before hunting.
Hunting licenses are valid from the date of purchase and expire one year (365 days) from the date of purchase. If you purchase your license online, you can select an option to have your license renewed automatically every year. You can also manage your license through the Louisiana Outdoors portal or display it on your smartphone using the LA Wallet app.
Hunters pursuing coyotes on WMAs must also carry a WMA Access Permit. Hunting on an LDWF WMA requires a WMA access permit, and all visitors to LDWF WMAs age 18 and older must have either a WMA Access Permit, Senior Hunting/Fishing License, Louisiana Sportsman’s Paradise License, or Lifetime Hunting/Fishing License.
Legal Methods and Weapons for Coyote Hunting in Louisiana
Louisiana gives hunters broad flexibility in how they pursue coyotes. Rifles, shotguns, archery equipment, and air rifles are all on the table. Air rifles are legal for taking squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, opossum, and outlaw quadrupeds. Since coyotes are classified as outlaw quadrupeds, air rifles qualify as a legal method.
On private property, the rules open up further. On private property, outlaw quadrupeds may be taken with or by means of an automatic-loading or hand-operated repeating shotgun capable of holding more than three shells when using buckshot or rifled slug ammunition, and may be taken while riding or standing in or upon a moving land vehicle. This provision is unique to outlaw quadrupeds and does not apply to game animals like deer.
Pro Tip: Electronic calls are legal for coyote hunting in Louisiana. Distress calls work year-round, but vocalizations like howls and pup yelps tend to be most effective during winter months when coyotes are more territorial.
Several methods and devices are prohibited across all quadruped and resident game bird hunting in Louisiana:
- Take of quadrupeds and resident game birds with a firearm fitted with an infrared sight, laser sight, or any sighting device which projects a beam of light to the target or otherwise electronically illuminates the target, or a device specifically designed to enhance vision at night, is prohibited during general hunting hours.
- Use of shotguns larger than a 10-gauge or capable of holding more than three shells is prohibited in standard hunting situations (the private-land outlaw quadruped exception noted above applies).
- Hunting from boats or motor vehicles is prohibited on public lands and in standard hunting contexts.
There are no special ammunition restrictions for coyote hunting, and no regulations on possessing or transporting coyote carcasses or pelts across state lines. For a comparison of how other states handle predator hunting, see our guide to coyote hunting laws in Texas and coyote hunting laws in Georgia.
Night Hunting and Electronic Call Rules in Louisiana
Night hunting for coyotes is one of Louisiana’s most productive opportunities — and it is legal under specific conditions. On private property, the landowner, or his lessee or agent with written permission from the landowner and the landowner’s contact information in his possession, may take outlaw quadrupeds (coyotes, armadillos, and feral hogs), nutria, or beaver during nighttime hours.
Such taking may be with or without the aid of artificial light, infrared or laser sighting devices, or night vision devices. Thermal optics are also permitted, making nighttime coyote hunting in Louisiana a viable option for hunters with modern predator gear.
There is an important notification requirement for nighttime hunters. On private property, the landowner, or his lessee or agent with written permission and the landowner’s contact information in his possession, may take coyotes during nighttime hours year-round. However, no person shall be allowed to participate or be present during nighttime hunting activities if convicted of a class three or greater wildlife violation within the previous five years or if he has any other prohibition which would prevent the legal use of a firearm or participation in a hunting activity.
Night hunting is generally prohibited on public lands unless specifically authorized. Always check the specific WMA regulations before attempting any nighttime activity on public ground.
| Night Hunting Factor | Private Land | Public Land / WMAs |
|---|---|---|
| Legality | Legal year-round with landowner permission | Generally prohibited unless specifically authorized |
| Artificial Lights | Permitted | Not permitted |
| Night Vision / Thermal | Permitted | Not permitted |
| Electronic Calls | Permitted | Permitted during legal hunting hours |
| Written Permission Required | Yes (lessee or agent) | N/A |
Electronic game calls are legal for coyote hunting in Louisiana on both private and public land during legal shooting hours. Electronic game calls are legal in Louisiana for bobcat, raccoon, coyote, crow, deer, and fox. Decoys are also legal for coyote hunting. Pairing an electronic caller with a motion decoy is a proven setup for drawing coyotes into shooting range, especially during daylight hunts.
If you hunt coyotes in neighboring states, you can compare rules in our articles on coyote hunting laws in Arkansas and coyote hunting laws in Tennessee.
Trapping Coyotes in Louisiana
Trapping coyotes in Louisiana requires a separate license from a standard hunting license. Annual trapping licenses go on sale June 1 each year. They are valid from the date of purchase and expire on June 30 each year, and you must have a current trapping license to set or run traps of any type. Coyotes are listed among the furbearers covered under this license, along with beaver, bobcat, gray fox, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, river otter, red fox, raccoon, and skunk.
Louisiana also provides a special permit pathway for trapping coyotes outside of the standard trapping season. An annual special permit may be issued to a Department of Wildlife and Fisheries approved applicant for the trapping of coyotes only, outside of the annual trapping season. This provision is particularly useful for landowners or wildlife managers dealing with persistent coyote pressure during the off-season.
Fox/coyote hunting preserves are also regulated under Louisiana law. A fox/coyote hunting preserve is an area completely enclosed by adequate fencing to contain game and hounds, built and maintained for the purpose of training or chasing game with hounds. These regulations prohibit the importation and exportation of any species of foxes or coyotes to or from Louisiana in an effort to prevent possible disease and parasite contamination of native wild canids.
Important Note: A basic hunting license alone does not authorize trapping. If you plan to set traps for coyotes — including cage traps or snares — you need a valid Louisiana trapping license. Contact the LDWF for current trapping season dates and preserve operator licensing requirements.
For context on how trapping rules differ across state lines, see our breakdowns of coyote hunting laws in Michigan and coyote hunting laws in Wisconsin.
Landowner Rights and Depredation Rules in Louisiana
Louisiana gives private landowners and their agents significant authority to manage coyotes on their property — including at night and without the seasonal restrictions that apply to public land hunters.
On private property, the landowner, or his lessee or agent with written permission and the landowner’s contact information in his possession, may take outlaw quadrupeds, nutria, or beaver during nighttime hours year-round. This is a broad depredation right that applies without requiring a special LDWF depredation permit for coyotes specifically.
The key requirements for a lessee or agent operating under a landowner’s authority are:
- Written permission from the landowner must be in the agent’s possession during the hunt.
- The landowner’s contact information must also be carried.
- No person shall be allowed to participate or be present during nighttime hunting activities if convicted of a class three or greater wildlife violation within the previous five years or if they have any other prohibition which would prevent the legal use of a firearm.
Baiting is legal on private property in Louisiana for predator hunting, provided that the individual has no legal prohibitions affecting their legal use of firearms or participation in hunting activities. This gives landowners and their agents another effective tool for managing coyote populations around livestock operations and property boundaries.
On public lands and WMAs, standard regulations apply, and night hunting privileges do not extend to lessees or agents. While public land hunting for coyotes is legal during daylight hours in many Wildlife Management Areas, always verify restrictions, especially regarding night use and electronic equipment.
If you hunt across multiple states or are researching how other states handle landowner depredation rights, our articles on coyote hunting laws in Virginia, coyote hunting laws in North Carolina, and coyote hunting laws in Ohio offer useful comparisons. You may also want to review our guide to duck hunting laws in Louisiana if you pursue multiple species in the state.
For the most current and complete LDWF regulations, always consult the official LDWF hunting licenses and permits page and the eRegulations Louisiana quadrupeds page before your hunt. Regulations can change between seasons, and individual WMAs may carry additional restrictions beyond the statewide rules.