Coyote Hunting Laws in Wyoming: What You Need to Know Before You Hunt

Wyoming is one of the most hunter-friendly states in the country when it comes to coyotes. Coyotes are defined as predatory animals in Wyoming, and that classification shapes nearly every rule — or absence of rules — that applies to hunting them. No closed season, no bag limit, and no license required for residents make this state a destination for predator hunters across the West.

That said, “few restrictions” does not mean “no restrictions.” Rules around public roads, night hunting, artificial light, trapping, and public versus private land access still apply and carry real consequences if ignored. This guide breaks down each area so you can hunt confidently and legally.

Pro Tip: Always verify current rules at wgfd.wyo.gov before your hunt. Wyoming Game and Fish regulations are reviewed annually, and details can change between seasons.

Is Coyote Hunting Legal in Wyoming?

Yes — coyote hunting is fully legal in Wyoming, and the state places very few restrictions on it compared to most other states. Coyotes are defined as predatory animals in Wyoming, there are no license requirements or stamps required to hunt them, and there are no bag limits. That combination makes Wyoming one of the most permissive predator hunting states in the country.

Hunters can hunt coyotes year-round, and winter often presents the best hunting opportunities due to increased daytime activity and group travel. Coyote hunting in Wyoming is open year-round with no bag limits. The state’s vast open terrain — from the Red Desert to the Thunder Basin — supports strong coyote populations throughout.

Wyoming law does not prohibit nonresidents from hiking, fishing, or hunting game birds, small game, or coyotes in wilderness areas. This means nonresident predator hunters face fewer hurdles than those pursuing big or trophy game, where guide requirements kick in for federally designated wilderness areas.

For context on how Wyoming’s open approach compares to neighboring states, see coyote hunting laws in Colorado and coyote hunting laws in Arizona.

Coyote Hunting Season Dates in Wyoming

Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho — the Northern Rockies states — all permit year-round coyote hunting without bag limits. Wyoming imposes no closed season on coyotes, so you can pursue them in January or July without any calendar-based restriction.

Coyote hunting in Wyoming is traditionally 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. From a purely regulatory standpoint, every month of the year is open.

The one seasonal caveat involves night hunting on public land. Hunting of predatory animals at night with artificial light or lighting devices, thermal or infrared imaging, or other light imaging on public land is closed from September 1 through December 31. That window covers the heart of big game season, so plan your night hunts on public ground accordingly — January through August is the window when night hunting with artificial aids on public land is permitted.

Season Type	Open Dates	Land Type
Daytime hunting	Year-round	Public and private (with access)
Night hunting with artificial light / thermal	January 1 – August 31	Public land only (with IR strobe required)
Night hunting with artificial light	Year-round	Private land with written landowner permission

License and Permit Requirements for Coyote Hunting in Wyoming

There are no license requirements or stamps required to hunt coyotes in Wyoming, and there are no bag limits. For Wyoming residents, that is the full story — show up, follow the rules, and hunt.

Nonresidents face a slightly different situation. Residents do not need a license. Nonresidents need either a small game or predator license, depending on the method and location. If you are a nonresident planning to hunt coyotes on public land with a firearm, confirm with WGFD which license category applies to your specific situation before you go.

One requirement applies across the board when firearms are involved. When taking coyotes with a firearm, hunters need to have proof of hunter safety certification, unless otherwise exempted. Wyoming law requires anyone born on or after January 1, 1966, to complete a hunter safety course before taking any wildlife with a firearm. If you completed hunter safety in another state, Wyoming grants reciprocity, but hunters must have on their person the certificate or card from the state where they took hunter safety when hunting.

Important Note: Hunter safety reciprocity applies to the certification card — carry the physical card or a digital copy in the field. A verbal claim that you completed the course in another state is not sufficient.

Legal Methods and Weapons for Coyote Hunting in Wyoming

Wyoming places no caliber or ammunition restrictions on coyote hunting. There are no known firearm or caliber restrictions, and electronic calls and decoys are legal. That gives you broad flexibility in choosing your setup, from rimfire rifles to centerfire flat-shooters to shotguns at close range.

Suppressors are also legal. Wyoming law grants hunters the right to use legally owned suppressors while hunting all varmint, big game, and trophy animals. However, landowners may restrict the use of suppressors on private land. Always confirm with the landowner before using a suppressor on private property.

It is illegal to shoot any wildlife except predatory animals from any motorized vehicle, including off-road vehicles and snowmobiles. To legally fire a weapon, a person must be out of the vehicle. Even though coyotes are predatory animals and the vehicle-shooting restriction is relaxed for them compared to game animals, it is still illegal to shoot or attempt to kill any wildlife from any public road or highway, and no person shall fire any firearm from, along, or across any public road or highway.

Dogs may also be used. Dogs can be used to hunt coyotes in Wyoming. There is no specific prohibition on using hounds or other dogs to pursue coyotes, though you should confirm access permissions with landowners before running dogs on private ground.

Bait restrictions do apply. No person shall take a game animal, game bird, or game fish and use any part thereof for bait to hunt, trap, or poison any wildlife of Wyoming. You cannot use parts from legally taken deer, elk, or other game animals as bait for coyotes.

For a look at how weapon rules compare in other states, see coyote hunting laws in Texas and coyote hunting laws in Ohio.

Night Hunting and Electronic Call Rules in Wyoming

Night hunting for coyotes in Wyoming is legal, but the rules differ sharply depending on whether you are on public or private land. Getting this wrong is one of the most common compliance mistakes predator hunters make in Wyoming.

Wyoming law prohibits the taking of wildlife with the aid of artificial light or a lighting device on public land. If you are on private land, you may use a light to take animals classified as predators, provided you have written permission from the landowner.

On public land, night hunting with artificial aids is permitted only during a specific window. Predatory animals may be taken with the aid of an artificial light or lighting device, including thermal or infrared imaging or other light imaging by a public officer authorized to conduct predator control, or a landowner, resident manager, or person with the landowner’s or resident manager’s written permission to take predatory animals on land under the landowner’s control for the protection of their property. Any person taking a predatory animal on public or state land is subject to limitations established by the Commission.

Wyoming allows night hunting for predatory animals on private land with landowner permission. State regulations specifically authorize artificial lighting but remain silent on thermal imaging technology, creating a regulatory gray area that most enforcement officers interpret as prohibiting thermal devices on public lands.

Important Note: If you plan to use thermal or infrared optics on public land in Wyoming, consult WGFD directly before your hunt. The regulatory language creates ambiguity that has been interpreted differently by different enforcement officers. Written clarity from the agency protects you in the field.

Electronic calls are a different matter entirely — they are straightforwardly legal for coyotes. Electronic calls are legal and widely used throughout Wyoming. Many hunters assume electronic calls are universally legal in Wyoming. They are banned for big game and turkey — only use them for predators such as coyotes, and always confirm the current rules for the specific species you are targeting.

To compare night hunting rules in other states, see coyote hunting laws in Minnesota and coyote hunting laws in Washington.

Trapping Coyotes in Wyoming

Trapping is a widely used and legal method for controlling coyote populations in Wyoming, particularly among ranchers and landowners dealing with livestock losses. Wyoming’s predatory animal classification extends to trapping, giving trappers significant flexibility compared to states where coyotes are managed as furbearers with strict season dates.

Because coyotes are classified as predatory animals rather than furbearers, they are not subject to the same trapping season restrictions that apply to species like bobcat or beaver. Trapping coyotes does not require a hunting license for residents under the same predatory animal framework that governs hunting. However, if you plan to sell pelts or use commercial trapping methods, check with WGFD for any furbearer-related licensing that may apply to your specific situation.

Standard trapping equipment — including leg-hold traps, body-gripping traps, and snares — may be used for coyotes. Wyoming does require that traps be checked regularly, and all set traps must be clearly marked with the trapper’s name and address. The Wyoming Animal Damage Management Board maintains a full listing of predatory animal regulations and Predator Control District rules that may apply in specific counties, particularly in areas with active livestock operations.

If you are trapping on public land, confirm that the specific parcel — BLM, national forest, or state trust land — does not have additional restrictions on trap placement or type. Federal land managers sometimes layer their own rules on top of state regulations.

For a comparison of trapping rules across state lines, see coyote hunting laws in Indiana and coyote hunting laws in Wisconsin.

Landowner Rights and Depredation Rules in Wyoming

Wyoming landowners have broad authority to deal with coyotes on their own property. Because coyotes are classified as predatory animals, landowners do not need a license or permit to take them on land they own or control. Coyotes pose a significant threat to livestock such as sheep, goats, and poultry. By hunting these predators, farmers and ranchers can protect their animals and reduce economic losses.

The night hunting rules discussed above give landowners an additional advantage over public-land hunters. Predatory animals may be taken with the aid of an artificial light or lighting device, including thermal or infrared imaging or other light imaging, by a landowner, resident manager, or person with the landowner’s or resident manager’s written permission to take predatory animals on land under the landowner’s control for the protection of their property. This means a rancher dealing with active depredation can legally use lights and thermal optics at night without the seasonal restrictions that apply to public land hunters.

If you are a hunter seeking access to private land, Wyoming offers a practical pathway. Refer to the Hunter-Landowner Assistance Program in the WGFD public access tab to find landowners looking for hunters to allow on their property. You can also drive around your hunt area and inquire at ranch houses. Many Wyoming ranchers welcome coyote hunters because it reduces predation pressure on their livestock at no cost to them.

For hunters accessing the “checkerboard” lands in southern Wyoming, the rules require extra attention. The “checkerboard” refers to alternating sections of private and BLM lands stretching for some 300 miles along the Union Pacific Railroad in southern Wyoming. Even though this area is approximately 50 percent public, you must have public access to public lands to be able to hunt there. If the access to public lands is on a private road, landowner permission must be obtained.

For depredation situations that go beyond what individual landowners can manage, the Wyoming Animal Damage Management Board provides resources including USDA Wildlife Services depredation assistance. Ranchers experiencing significant livestock losses can also request professional predator control through this program.

For more on how neighboring states handle landowner depredation rules, see Wyoming hunting laws and coyote hunting laws in North Carolina.

Pro Tip: Always get landowner permission in writing when hunting on private land, especially for night hunting. Written permission is a legal requirement for using artificial light on private property — a verbal agreement does not satisfy Wyoming law.

Quick-Reference Rules for Wyoming Coyote Hunters

• Coyotes are classified as predatory animals — no closed season, no bag limit
• No license required for residents; nonresidents may need a small game or predator license
• Hunter safety certification required for anyone born on or after January 1, 1966
• No caliber, ammunition, or firearm type restrictions
• Electronic calls and decoys are legal for coyotes
• Suppressors are legal but landowners may restrict their use on private land
• Shooting from or across any public road is prohibited
• Night hunting with artificial light on public land is closed September 1 – December 31
• Night hunting with artificial light on private land is year-round with written landowner permission
• Dogs may be used to hunt coyotes
• Game animal parts may not be used as bait

Wyoming’s predatory animal framework gives coyote hunters more freedom than nearly any other state. Understanding the handful of restrictions that do exist — particularly around public roads, night hunting windows, and land access — keeps you on the right side of the law while you take full advantage of what Wyoming offers. For broader context on predator hunting rules across the country, see coyote hunting laws in Pennsylvania, coyote hunting laws in Missouri, and coyote hunting laws in Georgia.