Coyote Hunting Laws in New Mexico: Season, Licenses, and Regulations

New Mexico ranks among the most permissive states in the country for coyote hunters. There is no closed season or bag limit for nongame species such as coyotes, which are classified as “nongame” — however, hunters must still abide by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) rules regarding trapping and hunting. That combination of open access and enforceable regulations means you need a clear picture of what is and is not allowed before you head out.

The coyote (Canis latrans) thrives across nearly every corner of the state, from the high desert grasslands of the east to the juniper mesas of the north and the arid basins of the south. New Mexico offers some of the best coyote hunting in the country thanks to its expansive public land, mild climate, and a thriving coyote population across a variety of terrain — from desert scrub and high plains to juniper woodlands and rocky mesas.

This guide breaks down the coyote hunting laws in New Mexico section by section so you know exactly what is required of you as a resident or non-resident hunter.

Is Coyote Hunting Legal in New Mexico?

Yes, coyote hunting is fully legal in New Mexico. Coyotes are classified as “unprotected furbearers” and “nongame species,” and a hunting license is not required to kill them, nor is there a “bag limit” restricting the number of coyotes an individual may kill. This places coyotes in a category with very few restrictions compared to protected game animals.

Coyote and skunk are considered unprotected furbearers, and there is no closed season or bag limit for these species. That said, being unprotected does not mean unregulated. You still have to follow NMDGF rules on shooting hours, legal methods, and land access — all of which are covered in detail below.

One important legal note: on April 2, 2019, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 76, making New Mexico the third state to ban coyote-killing contests. This law makes it a misdemeanor to organize or sponsor a coyote-killing contest — defined as “a competition with the objective of killing coyotes for prizes or entertainment” — and a petty misdemeanor to participate in one. Hunting coyotes for pest control or recreation outside of an organized contest remains fully legal.

Important Note: Always verify current regulations directly with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish before your hunt, as rules can change between license years.

Coyote Hunting Season Dates in New Mexico

In New Mexico, coyotes are classified as “unprotected furbearers” and “nongame species,” and hunting season is perpetually “open,” meaning coyotes can be killed at any time throughout the year. There is no season opening date, no closing date, and no draw process required.

Coyote hunting in New Mexico is typically done during the colder months when the hides are prime for harvest. However, as the sport becomes more popular, hunters are extending their seasons into the spring and summer months. Winter and early spring are generally most productive because coyotes are more active during breeding season and cooler temperatures keep them moving during legal shooting hours.

While you can hunt year-round, there is one location-based exception to keep in mind. Nongame hunting is not permitted on wildlife management areas (WMAs), except Water Canyon WMA from January 1 to March 31, and Prairie Chicken Areas from November 1 through March 15. Outside those designated areas, WMAs are off-limits for nongame hunting.

Pro Tip: Early mornings in January and February — during the peak of coyote breeding season — tend to produce the highest calling success rates across New Mexico’s open grasslands and desert terrain.

License and Permit Requirements for Coyote Hunting in New Mexico

License requirements differ based on whether you are a New Mexico resident or a non-resident. The rules are straightforward but matter for legal compliance.

Residents

New Mexico residents are not required to have a license to take nongame species. Non-residents must purchase a Nonresident Nongame License or a New Mexico Nonresident Hunting License. Nongame hunting is not permitted on Wildlife Management Areas, unless specifically permitted by rule.

Non-Residents

Non-residents who hold a Nonresident Nongame License or any current New Mexico nonresident hunting license may use any legal sporting arm to hunt and possess coyote, prairie dog, rabbit, or skunk, but may not set traps or snares unless they also have a Nonresident Trapper License.

Non-residents of states not allowing New Mexico residents to trap may not legally purchase a New Mexico Nonresident Trapper License. If you plan to trap coyotes as a non-resident, confirm reciprocity between your home state and New Mexico before purchasing a trapping license.

State Trust Lands

Hunting on New Mexico State Trust Lands requires some additional awareness. You can only take an unprotected species such as coyotes, prairie dogs, and feral hogs subsequent to your ongoing hunt. There is no license for unprotected species, so they are not covered by the current easement with the Department of Game and Fish. You cannot enter state trust land only to hunt unprotected species.

Hunter Type	License Required to Hunt Coyotes	License Required to Trap Coyotes
New Mexico Resident	None	Resident Trapper License
Non-Resident	Nonresident Nongame License or Nonresident Hunting License	Nonresident Trapper License (reciprocity required)

You can purchase licenses through the NMDGF online portal or at any authorized license vendor statewide. For a broader look at how New Mexico structures its overall hunting framework, see our New Mexico hunting laws guide.

Legal Methods and Weapons for Coyote Hunting in New Mexico

Furbearers may be taken with firearms, bow and arrows, crossbows, traps, and snares. New Mexico gives hunters a wide range of legal tool options for coyotes, but several specific prohibitions apply regardless of what you carry.

Legal Firearms and Ammunition

Most centerfire and rimfire rifles, shotguns, handguns, bows, and crossbows are all legal for coyote hunting. It is unlawful to use tracer ammunition or full-metal jacketed bullets. Suppressors are legal for hunting all game animals in New Mexico, making them a practical option for predator hunters looking to reduce noise disturbance between stands.

For open country, flat-shooting rifles like the .223, .22-250, or .243 are ideal. For closer quarters, shotguns with buckshot work well in brushy setups.

Prohibited Methods

• Tracer ammunition and full-metal jacketed bullets
• Fully automatic weapons
• Shooting from a motor vehicle at protected species
• Use of aircraft or drones to pursue or harass wildlife
• Baiting (applies to game species; coyotes as nongame are not “game species,” but avoid ambiguity by not relying on bait near game species habitat)

It is unlawful to shoot at, pursue, harass, harry, drive, or rally any protected species by use of or from a motor-driven vehicle, powerboat, sailboat, aircraft, or drone. While this rule targets protected species, hunting coyotes in a manner that could endanger or harass surrounding protected wildlife or livestock still draws scrutiny from game wardens.

General hunting rules still apply — such as obtaining permission if hunting on private land, no hunting with the aid of artificial light, and no discharging of firearms within 150 yards of an occupied dwelling.

Pro Tip: If you are hunting near agricultural areas, confirm local ordinances on firearm discharge before setting up. Municipal and county rules can be more restrictive than state law in populated corridors.

Night Hunting and Electronic Call Rules in New Mexico

This is one of the most frequently misunderstood areas of New Mexico coyote hunting law, so read it carefully.

Night Hunting

It is illegal to use a spotlight or any other artificial light to hunt coyotes, even if you are on private land and have landowner permission, unless you have an artificial light permit. Legal shooting hours are restricted to the period one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

The only form of night hunting allowed in New Mexico is for raccoons, which requires a permit. Coyote hunting at night may be tempting since they are also unprotected, non-game animals with little regulation, but it is illegal.

Hunting any furbearer with the aid of artificial light or after legal shooting hours is unlawful. It is unlawful to shine spotlights or other artificial lights into areas where big-game species or livestock may be present while in possession of any sporting arm, except as permitted by rule for raccoon.

Electronic Calls

Electronic calls are fully permitted for coyote hunting in New Mexico. Electronic calls and decoys are allowed. Electronic calls with remote speakers help in large, open terrain and are legal statewide.

Calls, including mechanically or electronically recorded calling devices, are legal for hunting protected furbearers — and since coyotes are unprotected nongame, they carry even fewer restrictions on call use. You can run rabbit distress, rodent squeals, howls, and pup distress sequences without restriction on call type or volume.

For context on how other states handle night hunting and electronic calls differently, see our guides on coyote hunting laws in Arizona and coyote hunting laws in Texas, two neighboring states with distinct approaches.

Trapping Coyotes in New Mexico

Trapping coyotes follows a separate set of rules from hunting them with firearms or archery equipment. The key distinction is that trapping requires a license even for residents, unlike firearm hunting of nongame species.

Non-residents who hunt protected furbearers or who trap protected and unprotected furbearers in New Mexico must have a Nonresident Trapper License. Residents who trap must also hold a valid Resident Trapper License.

Legal trapping methods for furbearers include:

• Foothold traps
• Body-grip traps
• Snares
• Cage traps

Dogs may be used only during open trapping season for protected furbearers. There is no “pursuit or training season” other than the regular open season — except for raccoon. If you plan to run dogs as part of a coyote pursuit strategy, that activity is limited to the open trapping season window for protected furbearers.

There are no restrictions on possessing or transporting coyote carcasses or pelts across state lines from New Mexico. You are legally able to use electronic game calls and decoys and a variation of weapons permitted for furbearers, such as firearms, bows and arrows, crossbows, and snares. There are also no regulations for transporting dead coyotes or their pelts across state lines.

For comparison with how trapping regulations work in other states, see our articles on coyote hunting laws in Colorado and coyote hunting laws in Minnesota.

Landowner Rights and Depredation Rules in New Mexico

New Mexico landowners have significant flexibility when it comes to managing coyotes on their property. Because coyotes are classified as unprotected nongame species, the threshold for taking them in a depredation context is low.

Landowners and their agents can take coyotes year-round on their own property without a license (if a New Mexico resident) or with a valid nongame license (if a non-resident), as long as they follow all other applicable rules — no spotlighting without a permit, no prohibited weapons, and no use of aircraft.

It is unlawful to hunt, fish, or trap on private land without possessing valid written permission from the landowner whose property the hunter or angler is hunting, fishing, or trapping, unless otherwise allowed by rule. The landowner’s signature including date and telephone number on a valid license, landowner authorization, or other paper constitutes valid written permission. If you are hunting as an agent of a landowner for depredation purposes, carry that written authorization at all times in the field.

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the State Land Office, and/or the Bureau of Land Management works with private landowners to allow access during hunting seasons. These agreements allow residents and non-residents to hunt on much of New Mexico’s private lands. However, these individual agreements are reviewed annually and subject to change.

For ranchers dealing with active livestock predation, the USDA’s Wildlife Services program operates in New Mexico and provides professional depredation assistance beyond what individual hunters can accomplish. That program runs parallel to state hunting regulations and does not require a hunting license for its authorized agents.

Important Note: Even with landowner permission, you cannot use artificial light to hunt coyotes at night unless you hold a specific artificial light permit issued by the NMDGF. Verbal or written landowner permission alone does not override this restriction.

New Mexico’s broad public land network — BLM land, national forests, and state trust lands offer excellent access statewide — means you do not have to rely entirely on private land access to find productive coyote country. Nongame species may be taken on U.S. Forest Service and BLM lands open to hunting.

If you hunt coyotes in other states as well, our state-by-state regulation guides can help you stay compliant wherever you go. See our articles on coyote hunting laws in Pennsylvania, coyote hunting laws in Ohio, coyote hunting laws in Wisconsin, coyote hunting laws in Georgia, and coyote hunting laws in Washington for a broader comparison.