Coyote Hunting Laws in Pennsylvania: Season, Licenses, and Rules You Need to Know

Pennsylvania is one of the most permissive states in the country when it comes to coyote hunting. With no closed season, no bag limit, and broad access to public and private land, the Keystone State gives hunters nearly unlimited opportunity to pursue the eastern coyote year-round.

That said, the rules surrounding licenses, weapons, night hunting, and big game seasons can trip up even experienced hunters. Understanding exactly what is and is not allowed — and when — keeps you legal in the field and helps you avoid costly violations.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about coyote hunting laws in Pennsylvania, from season dates and license requirements to trapping rules and landowner rights.

Is Coyote Hunting Legal in Pennsylvania?

Yes, coyote hunting is fully legal in Pennsylvania. There is no closed season and no bag limit on coyotes in the state. That means you can hunt them any time of year without worrying about a season window or daily harvest cap.

During most of the year, coyotes may be hunted with only a general license, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The rules shift somewhat during open big game seasons, but coyotes remain legal to pursue even then — you just need to meet specific licensing and equipment requirements depending on the circumstances.

The eastern coyote, Canis latrans, is found throughout the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, and research shows it is an immigrant whose origin likely involved interbreeding between coyotes and gray wolves. The coyote has adapted to a wide variety of habitats in Pennsylvania and can be found in the heavily forested northeast and northcentral regions of the state, in dairy and cropland areas, and even around heavily populated areas like Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Erie.

Key Insight: Pennsylvania coyotes are classified as furbearers under state law, but unlike most other furbearers, they can be hunted with a standard hunting license rather than requiring a furtaker license — except for trapping or during certain big game seasons.

If you hunt coyotes in other states, it is worth comparing Pennsylvania’s relatively open framework to coyote hunting laws in Ohio or hunting laws in Virginia, where restrictions may differ significantly.

Coyote Hunting Season Dates in Pennsylvania

Coyotes in Pennsylvania have no closed season and no limit. Outside of any big game season — deer, bear, elk, and turkey — coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license, and without wearing orange.

During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtaker license. This distinction is critical: your license type and hunting status during those overlapping periods determines whether you can legally pursue coyotes.

Winter months are especially productive for coyote hunting, thanks to increased movement, clearer sign in the snow, and improved calling response rates during the breeding season. The breeding season from late January through early March brings added vocal activity, making it an ideal time to target them with howls, challenge barks, and pup distress calls.

Pro Tip: Even though coyotes can be hunted year-round, late January through February is widely considered the peak window in Pennsylvania. Breeding activity pulls coyotes into the open, and snow makes tracking and reading sign far easier.

Pennsylvania allows Sunday hunting for foxes, crows, and coyotes year-round. This is a notable exception to the state’s general Sunday hunting rules and gives coyote hunters a full seven-day-per-week opportunity regardless of the time of year. If you want to compare Sunday hunting access in neighboring states, see our guide on hunting laws in Indiana.

License and Permit Requirements for Coyote Hunting in Pennsylvania

The license you need to hunt coyotes in Pennsylvania depends on when you are hunting and what other seasons are open at the same time. The rules are straightforward once you understand the two main scenarios.

Outside of Big Game Seasons

Outside of any big game season — deer, bear, elk, and turkey — coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license. You do not need both; either one qualifies you to hunt coyotes during these periods. No special coyote permit is required at any time of year.

During Big Game Seasons

During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtaker license. If you are out of big game tags or are not otherwise lawfully engaged in hunting the open big game species, you will need a furtaker license to continue hunting coyotes.

Coyotes can be hunted with a hunting license, but within a big game season, a hunter must have valid harvest tags for the big game that is in season. If you are out of big-game tags, you will need a furtaker license to hunt coyotes.

You do not need a furtaker license to hunt coyotes on Sundays because Sundays are not considered open season for big game. This means that even during deer or bear seasons, hunting coyotes on a Sunday requires only your standard hunting license.

As of the 2025-26 license year, a resident adult hunting license costs $20.97 and includes one antlered deer tag, one fall turkey tag, one spring turkey tag, and small game hunting privileges for residents aged 17 to 64. A nonresident adult hunting license costs $101.97 and includes standard hunting tags for nonresidents aged 17 and older. Licenses are available through HuntFishPA online and through issuing agents statewide.

A current hunting license is required and must be in possession to hunt, take, or kill any wildlife in Pennsylvania not classified as a furbearer. A current furtaker license is required to hunt, trap, take, or kill any furbearer — coyotes and porcupines are the exceptions.

For a broader look at how license requirements stack up across the region, see our coverage of hunting laws in Tennessee and hunting laws in Minnesota.

Legal Methods and Weapons for Coyote Hunting in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania gives coyote hunters a wide range of legal weapon options, but there are some important restrictions — particularly related to geographic areas and shotgun configurations.

Firearms

Firearms legal for hunting furbearers include manually operated rifles or handguns of any caliber, manual or semi-automatic shotguns, and bows and crossbows. Semiautomatic rifles are also permitted for coyote hunting, and there is no restriction on magazine capacity for semiautomatic rifles used to hunt coyotes.

In Special Regulations Areas, bottlenecked centerfire cartridges are prohibited. Coyote hunters in those areas can use centerfire straight-walled cartridges in rifles and manually operated handguns. In Philadelphia County, only bows and arrows, crossbows, air rifles, and shotguns are permitted, and centerfire single-projectile ammunition is prohibited.

Air Guns

A manually operated or semiautomatic air rifle or manually operated air handgun that propels a single-projectile pellet or bullet is legal for small game in calibers from .177 to .22. For coyotes specifically, air guns must be .22 caliber. BB ammunition cannot be used.

Shotgun Rules

It is unlawful to take furbearers, including bobcats, with shotguns using shot larger than size number 4 buckshot, or implements that are not lawful firearms, bows, or crossbows. It is also unlawful to hunt small game, furbearers, turkeys, waterfowl, or crows with a manual or autoloading shotgun unless the magazine is limited to a two-shell capacity. A plug must be a one-piece filler installed so it cannot be readily removed without disassembling the gun or magazine.

Suppressors and Lighting

Suppressors are allowed in Pennsylvania for all game animals. For night hunting, a person hunting raccoons, skunks, opossums, bobcats, weasels, foxes, and coyotes on foot may use a handheld light, including a gun-mounted light. Furbearer hunters may not use a flashlight or spotlight that projects a laser light beam.

Important Note: Hunting from a vehicle is prohibited in Pennsylvania. You must be at least 25 yards from the traveled portion of any roadway before shooting at wildlife.

Night Hunting and Electronic Call Rules in Pennsylvania

Night hunting for coyotes is one of Pennsylvania’s most attractive features for predator hunters. The state explicitly permits it, and the rules are more flexible for coyotes than for most other species.

Night Hunting Hours

Raccoon, fox, skunk, opossum, coyote, bobcat, and weasel may be taken any hour, day or night, except during restricted periods in the regular antlered and antlerless deer seasons. Outside those restricted periods, you can legally hunt coyotes from dusk to dawn without any additional permit beyond your standard hunting or furtaker license.

Only those with furtaker licenses may hunt coyotes at night during the big game season. However, you should expect to undergo quite a bit of scrutiny from a game warden if you are approached while hunting coyotes at night during a big game season. Having your documentation in order is essential.

Electronic Calls and Decoys

Electronic calls and decoys are permitted for coyote hunting in Pennsylvania. This is a significant advantage, as many states restrict or outright ban electronic callers for predator hunting.

It is unlawful to hunt with any electronic contrivance or device except that electronic callers may be used to hunt bobcats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and crows, and snow geese in the conservation hunt season.

Natural or manmade nonliving bait and any electronic or mechanical device may be used to attract coyotes for hunting. This means scent-based attractants, decoys, and electronic callers are all on the table for your coyote setup.

Pro Tip: Thermal optics have become the go-to tool for Pennsylvania night hunters. Combining a thermal scanner for detection with a night vision scope for positive identification helps you confirm a coyote before pulling the trigger — an important safety and legal consideration when hunting near populated or mixed-use areas.

Pennsylvania also permits the use of dogs for furbearer hunting. Dogs are permitted to hunt furbearers, including coyotes, giving you additional tactical options for running predators across open ground or through thick cover. For more on animal-related laws in the state, see our guide on dog leash laws in Pennsylvania.

Trapping Coyotes in Pennsylvania

Trapping is a legal and popular method for taking coyotes in Pennsylvania, but it comes with its own set of license requirements and regulations that are separate from hunting rules.

Furtaker License Requirement

A furtaker license is not required to hunt coyotes, but is required to trap them. This is one of the key distinctions between hunting and trapping coyotes in the state. You need a Pennsylvania furtaker license to trap furbearers, and some species require special permits in addition to the license. Coyotes do not require a special permit beyond the furtaker license.

All first-time hunters and trappers must complete a hunter/trapper education course before purchasing either a hunting or a trapping (fur trapper) license.

Cable Restraints

Cable restraints are a legal trapping method for coyotes in Pennsylvania, but they come with a mandatory certification requirement. The coyote and fox cable restraint season runs statewide from December 26 through February 22, 2026, with no limits, and participants must pass a cable restraint certification course.

Trap Rules and Check Requirements

Pennsylvania trapping laws require that trapping is only allowed during open seasons, traps must be checked at least once every 36 hours, traps must be tagged, and only approved trap types and methods may be used. Additional rules apply to locations, species, and reporting.

It is also illegal to set traps closer than five feet from a den, use a pole trap, deadfall, poison, explosive, chemical, or leg-hold trap with teeth on the jaws, to smoke out or dig out any den, to set or place a cage or box trap in the water, or use any trap unless tended every 36 hours and all animals are released or removed.

Common Mistake: Using road-killed deer as bait for coyotes is specifically prohibited under Pennsylvania law. It is unlawful to take a road-killed deer to use to bait coyotes, even if the carcass is otherwise legally obtained.

Trapping season for coyotes generally runs alongside fox and raccoon trapping. Generally, trapping season for coyotes, foxes, opossums, raccoons, striped skunks, and weasels runs from late October to mid-to-late February. Always confirm the exact current dates in the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s annual Hunting and Trapping Digest before setting any traps.

If you are interested in how trapping and furbearer regulations compare across state lines, our guides on hunting laws in Montana and hunting laws in Idaho cover similar topics for western states with active trapping traditions.

Landowner Rights and Depredation Rules in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania landowners have meaningful rights when it comes to coyotes on their property, particularly when those animals are causing damage to livestock or other property.

Hunting on Private Land

Landowners and their family members may hunt on their own property without needing to obtain permission, but all standard licensing requirements still apply. If you plan to hunt on private land that is not your own, always obtain the landowner’s explicit permission.

When traps are set on private property without the permission of the landowner, lessees, or their employees, the owner, lessees, or their employees may remove the traps and notify an officer of the commission within 48 hours. All traps removed shall be turned over to a commission officer, who shall notify the trapper within ten days to claim the traps. This gives landowners clear legal recourse when unauthorized trapping occurs on their land.

Depredation and Livestock Protection

Coyotes can be a significant threat to farm operations. Coyotes will also attack sheep, goats, cattle, and family pets like dogs and cats. Pennsylvania’s year-round open season on coyotes with no bag limit reflects the state’s recognition of this ongoing conflict between coyotes and agricultural interests.

Because there is no closed season on coyotes, a landowner or licensed hunter can legally take coyotes at any time of year when they are threatening livestock or property — provided they have the appropriate license and follow all applicable weapon and hunting hour rules. There is no separate depredation permit required specifically for coyotes in Pennsylvania, unlike what is required for some other species.

For related Pennsylvania animal law topics, you may also find our guides on goat ownership laws in Pennsylvania and roadkill laws in Pennsylvania useful if you manage livestock or rural property.

Fluorescent Orange During Big Game Seasons

One important safety and legal requirement for landowners and hunters pursuing coyotes during big game seasons is fluorescent orange. Coyotes may be taken from the first day to the last day inclusive of any deer or bear season only by persons who possess a valid furtaker’s license and wear 250 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange-colored material on the head, chest, and back combined, visible in a 360-degree arc from 2 hours before sunrise to 2 hours after sunset, or by persons lawfully engaged in hunting deer or bear who have a valid tag.

Waterfowlers, furtakers hunting furbearers (some exceptions with coyotes), dove, spring turkey, and crow hunters are not required to wear any fluorescent orange. Outside of big game seasons, orange is not required for coyote hunting.

Important Note: Always verify the current season dates and regulations directly with the Pennsylvania Game Commission before heading out. Regulations are updated annually, and the PGC’s official Hunting and Trapping Digest is the authoritative source for all current rules.

For hunters who pursue coyotes across state lines, it is worth reviewing the rules in neighboring states. Our guides on hunting laws in Ohio, hunting laws in Virginia, and hunting laws in South Carolina provide similar breakdowns for those states. You can also explore regulations further afield with our coverage of hunting laws in Arkansas and hunting laws in Kansas.

Conclusion

Pennsylvania offers some of the most accessible coyote hunting in the eastern United States. With no closed season, no bag limit, legal night hunting, and permission to use electronic calls and decoys, the state gives hunters a wide-open framework for pursuing coyotes year-round.

The key rules to keep in mind are the license requirements during big game seasons, the fluorescent orange obligation when deer or bear seasons are open, the specific trap-check and equipment rules for furtakers, and the geographic weapon restrictions in Special Regulations Areas and Philadelphia County. Getting these details right keeps you legal and in the field.

For additional Pennsylvania animal and wildlife law topics, explore our guides on dove hunting season in Pennsylvania, dog bite laws in Pennsylvania, and leash laws in Pennsylvania. Always confirm the latest regulations with the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s official seasons and bag limits page before each hunt.