Coyote Hunting Laws in Oregon: Season, Licenses, and Rules Explained

Oregon gives hunters one of the most accessible coyote seasons in the country. There is no closed season, no bag limit, and no tag required — making it possible to pursue coyotes any day of the year across a wide range of public and private land.

That said, “no closed season” does not mean “no rules.” You still need the right license, must follow weapon restrictions, and need to understand where specific methods like artificial lights and electronic calls are and are not permitted. This guide covers everything you need to know about coyote hunting laws in Oregon based on current Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) regulations.

Is Coyote Hunting Legal in Oregon?

Yes, coyote hunting is fully legal in Oregon. Under Oregon’s furbearer regulations, coyotes are classified as unprotected mammals, meaning there are no closed seasons or bag limits. This classification puts them alongside badgers, gophers, moles, nutrias, opossums, and several other species that receive no closed-season protection under state wildlife law.

As predatory animals under Oregon statute (ORS 610.002), coyotes are grouped with species considered potentially destructive to agriculture. This dual classification — both as an unprotected mammal and a predatory animal — gives hunters and landowners considerable flexibility when it comes to taking coyotes.

You can shoot a coyote on your property in Oregon in most cases. Coyotes are classified as predators and can generally be taken year-round on private property, but you must still follow local firearm laws and safety regulations. One important safety note: wolf pups in mid-summer and fall can closely resemble coyotes, and it can be difficult to tell them apart. While hunting coyote in wolf country, you should not shoot unless you are sure of your target.

Important Note: Gray wolves are protected statewide in Oregon. Always positively identify your target before shooting, especially in eastern Oregon where wolf activity is documented. Maps of known wolf activity areas are available at the ODFW website.

Coyote Hunting Season Dates in Oregon

A hunting license is required and all hunting rules apply. Hunting is allowed year-round and there are no bag limits. This makes Oregon’s coyote season one of the simplest to understand — there are no opening or closing dates to track, and you never need to check whether a particular month is open or closed.

Coyote hunting in Oregon 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.

There is one area-specific exception worth knowing. Furbearers and unprotected mammals may be trapped and hunted in state refuges (except those listed as closed to all hunting or trapping) during open harvest seasons between November 1 and March 31. If you plan to hunt on a state wildlife refuge, verify that specific area’s rules with ODFW before heading out.

Detail	Oregon Rule
Open Season	Year-round (no closed season)
Bag Limit	None
Tag Required	No
State Wildlife Refuges	Open November 1 – March 31 only (check area rules)
License Required	Yes (general hunting license or furbearer license)

License and Permit Requirements for Coyote Hunting in Oregon

Because coyotes are classified as unprotected mammals, the license requirements are simpler than for game animals or furbearers — but a license is still required for most hunters. Unprotected mammals are not covered under the game mammal, furbearer, or sensitive species rules. For unprotected mammals, there are no closed seasons or bag limits. However, a hunting license is required and all hunting regulations still apply.

A general hunting license does not allow the holder to trap, hunt, or pursue furbearers, but only to hunt unprotected mammals. This is an important distinction: if you plan to hunt coyotes only (and not furbearers like bobcat or fox), a standard general hunting license is sufficient. If you want to trap, you will need a Furtaker’s License.

• General Hunting License: Covers hunting coyotes as unprotected mammals. No tag required.
• Furtaker’s License: Required to trap coyotes on public land or land you do not own. Also allows hunting and pursuit of furbearers.
• Hunting License for Furbearers: A Furtaker’s License allows the holder to trap, hunt, and pursue. A Hunting License for Furbearers allows the holder only to hunt and pursue.

Exceptions include landowners (or their agents) hunting on land they own or lawfully occupy, and youth age 11 and younger. No tag is required to hunt coyotes. Nonresident hunters are also welcome: a nonresident can hunt coyotes in Oregon with a valid hunting license. Coyotes are classified as unprotected mammals, meaning there is no closed season or bag limit, and no tag is required.

As of the 2025–2026 season, a standard nonresident hunting license costs $193.00, while nonresident youth (ages 12–17) can purchase a Combination License for $10.00. Nonresident active-duty military members may qualify for a reduced license at $39.00, and youth age 11 and younger do not need a license to hunt unprotected wildlife.

Pro Tip: Hunting licenses are valid from January 1 to December 31. You can purchase your next year’s license starting December 1 of the prior year. Plan ahead if you want to hunt in early January without a gap in coverage.

Mandatory Harvest Reporting: Any person possessing a valid furtaker’s license or hunting license for furbearers is required to complete and return the ODFW Furtaker Harvest Report form. Failure to complete and return the Furtaker Harvest Report form will deny the license holder the opportunity to purchase a hunting license for furbearers or furtaker’s license for the following furbearer season unless the late Harvest Report form and application is submitted with a $50.00 fee at the time of renewal.

Legal Methods and Weapons for Coyote Hunting in Oregon

Oregon does not restrict the type of firearm you can use specifically for coyotes, but several statewide weapon rules apply to all hunting and are worth knowing before you go afield. You can compare how weapon rules differ in neighboring states by reviewing the coyote hunting laws in Washington.

In Oregon, it is unlawful to use tracer bullets or full-metal jacket (FMJ) bullets when hunting coyotes. Additionally, during certain deer and elk seasons in specific Wildlife Management Units, hunters may not use a centerfire rifle unless they possess a valid, unused big game tag for that unit and season. This restriction can affect coyote hunters who are out during big game seasons in those units.

While lead ammunition is not prohibited statewide for coyotes, ODFW encourages the use of non-lead ammunition to reduce impacts on scavenging wildlife. Some state wildlife areas may also require federally approved non-toxic shot or restrict rifle use entirely, so hunters should always check area-specific regulations.

• Rifles, handguns, and shotguns: Legal for coyotes
• Tracer bullets and FMJ ammunition: Prohibited
• Centerfire rifles: May be restricted in certain WMUs during big game seasons
• Non-lead ammunition: Encouraged statewide; required in some wildlife areas
• Bows: Legal
• Hunting from a motor vehicle: Prohibited for most hunters (see landowner exception below)

No person shall hunt any wildlife from a motor-propelled vehicle. Exception: Landowners or agents hunting predatory animals on land they own or lawfully occupy, or a qualified disabled hunter may obtain an Oregon Disabilities Hunting and Fishing Permit to hunt from a motor vehicle except while the vehicle is in motion or on any public road or highway.

You should also be aware that it is unlawful to hunt for wildlife with any electronic device attached to, or incorporated in, the firearm or scope, except cameras that have no other function than recording images and scopes containing lighted reticles. Scopes capable of receiving information from an electronic device are also prohibited.

Night Hunting and Electronic Call Rules in Oregon

This is one of the most frequently misunderstood areas of Oregon coyote hunting law. The short answer is that night hunting for coyotes is generally prohibited for the public, and the rules around artificial light are strict.

As of the 2025/2026 regulations, all artificial lights, night vision equipment, thermal vision, and any other form of artificial light use is illegal for coyote hunting in Oregon. This applies to hunters on public land and to most hunters on private land as well. The general hunting regulations reinforce this: it is unlawful to cast an artificial light from a motor vehicle while in possession of a weapon, or to cast an artificial light upon a game mammal, predatory animal, or livestock from within 500 feet of a motor vehicle while in possession of a weapon.

The one notable exception applies to landowners. In Oregon, coyotes are classified as unprotected mammals, and landowners (or their agents) may legally shoot coyotes on land they own, lease, or lawfully occupy. A landowner does not need a hunting license to take predatory animals, including coyotes, on their own property. Landowners also have additional allowances on their own property, including the ability to use artificial light and to shoot from a motor vehicle while on their private land. However, it is still unlawful to shoot from or across a public road, road right-of-way, or railroad right-of-way.

Electronic Calls: Both mouth-blown and electronic calls are legal for hunting coyotes in Oregon. Both mouth-blown and electronic calls are legal. Note, if calling coyotes and interested in taking a bobcat, fox, bear, or cougar, if they come to the call, it is necessary to have the appropriate licenses and tags. This is an easy rule to overlook — if another species responds to your coyote call, you need the right license in hand before you pull the trigger.

Key Insight: Drones are off-limits for scouting. It is unlawful to aid hunting, trapping, or angling through the use of drones to harass, track, locate, or scout wildlife. This applies to coyote hunting just as it does to big game.

For a comparison of how other states handle night hunting and electronic call rules, see the coyote hunting laws in Colorado and the coyote hunting laws in Arizona.

Trapping Coyotes in Oregon

Coyotes are unprotected mammals, and it is legal to trap or snare them in Oregon, but regulations apply. The rules differ significantly depending on whether you are trapping on your own land or on public or third-party land.

A Furtaker’s License is required to trap on public land or land you do not own, while landowners and their immediate family may trap on their own property without a license. Traps on land other than your own must be marked with your ODFW license number.

Trap Check Requirements: Most traps and snares must be checked at least every 48 hours, though on your own land killing traps and snares for predatory animals may be checked every 14 days. This is a meaningful difference from the standard 48-hour rule that applies on public land.

Trap Specifications and Placement: Foothold traps cannot exceed a 9-inch jaw spread, sight bait cannot be placed within 15 feet of carnivore traps, and traps cannot be set near public trails or camp areas on public land.

• Furtaker’s License required to trap on public or third-party land
• Landowners and immediate family: No license required on own property
• Trap check interval: Every 48 hours (public/third-party land); every 14 days for killing traps on own land for predatory animals
• Foothold trap jaw spread: 9 inches maximum
• Sight bait placement: Must be at least 15 feet from carnivore traps
• No traps near public trails or camp areas on public land
• The use of traps or snares suspended in trees is prohibited in the Siskiyou and Siuslaw National Forests.

Trapper Education Requirement: By action of the 1985 Oregon Legislature, all trappers born after June 30, 1968, and all first-time Oregon trappers are required to complete an approved trapper education course. The course is not required of persons trapping on land owned or leased by that person, the person’s immediate family, or a person’s agent who is controlling damage to livestock or agricultural crops on that property.

Wolves are protected statewide, and any accidental capture must be reported immediately. ODFW recommends using #3 or smaller traps for coyotes to reduce the chance of accidentally holding a wolf. You can read more about how trapping rules compare in other states by checking the coyote hunting laws in Minnesota and the coyote hunting laws in Wisconsin.

Pelt Sale and Transfer: Any person may sell or exchange the hide, carcass, or any part thereof of any legally taken furbearing or unprotected mammal. When transferring a raw pelt, a written record with the name and address of the person from whom the pelt was obtained must accompany the pelt while it remains in raw form. Oregon does not require an export tag for coyote pelts, but you must comply with the import/export laws of any destination state.

Landowner Rights and Depredation Rules in Oregon

Oregon law gives landowners broad authority to protect their property and livestock from coyote predation. These rights extend beyond what a standard hunting license holder can do and are worth understanding in detail if you own or manage agricultural land.

In Oregon, coyotes are classified as unprotected mammals, and landowners (or their agents) may legally shoot coyotes on land they own, lease, or lawfully occupy. A landowner does not need a hunting license to take predatory animals, including coyotes, on their own property. This no-license exemption is specific to predatory animal control on one’s own land and does not extend to hunting other species.

No person shall hunt any wildlife from a motor-propelled vehicle. Exception: Landowners or agents hunting predatory animals on land they own or lawfully occupy, or a qualified disabled hunter may obtain an Oregon Disabilities Hunting and Fishing Permit to hunt from a motor vehicle except while the vehicle is in motion or on any public road or highway.

If you are acting as an agent for a landowner rather than the landowner yourself, documentation is required. Any person acting as an agent for a landowner shall have in their possession written authority from the landowner or lawful occupant of the land. Such written authority shall contain at least all required information, including the expiration date of the authorization, which shall be not later than one year from the date of issuance.

At the state level, the State Department of Agriculture may employ hunters and expert trappers throughout the state for the purpose of controlling and eradicating coyotes and other harmful predatory animals. This means that in addition to individual landowner rights, county-level predatory animal control programs exist and may be available to farmers and ranchers dealing with chronic livestock losses.

Important Note: Even with expanded landowner rights, shooting from or across a public road remains illegal. It is still unlawful to shoot from or across a public road, road right-of-way, or railroad right-of-way. Local city and county ordinances may add further restrictions on firearm discharge in residential areas — always verify those rules before taking action near populated areas.

For a broader look at how landowner depredation rules compare across the region, see the coyote hunting laws in Texas, the coyote hunting laws in Ohio, and the coyote hunting laws in Indiana. If you hunt waterfowl in Oregon as well, the duck hunting laws in Oregon cover the rules you need for that pursuit.

Oregon’s coyote regulations strike a balance between accessibility and accountability. The year-round open season with no bag limit makes the state one of the more hunter-friendly options in the West, but the restrictions on night hunting, artificial light, and electronic devices on scopes mean you still need to know the rules before you go. Always confirm the most current regulations directly with ODFW’s small game hunting page or the Oregon Furbearer Trapping and Hunting Regulations before heading out, as rules can change between seasons.