R Buker
New member
Ok guys, I went to every state website and copied or summarized the laws for using artificial lights for predators.
Please look this over. Check your state and see that what I have makes sense. There were also some websites that were down or some that I couldn't find any mention of lights. Please correct those for me.
Thanks all.
WYOMING: 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.
Wisconsin: A flashlight may be used: 1) while shooting raccoon, fox, or unprotected species at the point of kill while hunting on foot, or 2) to find your way.
West Virginia: coyotes may be hunted at night with the use of an artificial light from Jan. 1 to July 31. The light must have an amber colored lens, and the firearm restrictions are a shotgun using no larger than a #4 shot, or a 22 rimfire (or smaller). Firearm restrictions are for one half hour after sunset to one half hour before sunrise. Coyotes may be hunted year-round in the daylight hours, with no caliber restrictions. The use of electronic devices to call coyotes (and foxes) is legal during both daylight and night hunting.
Washington: Night Hunting
Bobcat, raccoon, and coyote may be hunted at night during established bobcat and raccoon seasons, EXCEPT that:
It is unlawful to hunt any wildlife at night or wild animals with dogs during the months of Sept., Oct., Nov in any area open to a centerfire rifle deer or elk season."
Virginia: Yes
Vermont: ??
Utah:
(3) Spotlighting may be used to hunt coyote, red fox,
striped skunk, or raccoon where allowed by a county
ordinance enacted pursuant to Section 23-13-17.
(4) The ordinance shall provide that:
(a) any artificial light used to spotlight coyote, red
fox, striped skunk, or raccoon must be carried by the
hunter;
(b) a motor vehicle headlight or light attached to or
powered by a motor vehicle may not be used to spotlight
the animal; and
(c) while hunting with the use of an artificial light,
the hunter may not occupy or operate any motor vehicle.
(5) For purposes of the county ordinance, "motor
vehicle" shall have the meaning as defined in Section 41-6-1.
(6) The ordinance may specify:
(a) the time of day and seasons when spotlighting is
permitted;
(b) areas closed or open to spotlighting within the
unincorporated area of the county;
(c) safety zones within which spotlighting is
prohibited;
(d) the weapons permitted; and
(e) penalties for violation of the ordinance.
(7)(a) A county may restrict the number of hunters
engaging in spotlighting by requiring a permit to spotlight
and issuing a limited number of permits.
(b) A fee may be charged for a spotlighting permit.
(8) A county may require hunters to notify the county
sheriff of the time and place they will be engaged in
spotlighting.
(9) The requirement that a county ordinance must be
enacted before a person may use spotlighting to hunt coyote,
red fox, striped skunk, or raccoon does not apply to:
(a) a person or his agent who is lawfully acting to
protect his crops or domestic animals from predation by
those animals; or
(b) an animal damage control agent acting in his
official capacity under a memorandum of agreement
with the Division.
Texas: Non protected non game animals and fur-bearing animals may be hunted at night with the aid of an artificial light on private property. If hunting at night, please make a courtesy telephone call to your local game warden.
Tennessee: No
South Dakota: No
South Carolina: No
Rhode Island: No
Pennsylvania: A person hunting raccoons, skunks, opossums, foxes and coyotes on
foot may use a hand-held light. It is not lawful to have light affixed to a firearm.
Oregon: Bobcat, opossum and raccoon may be hunted with the aid of an artificial light provided the light is not cast from or attached to a motor vehicle or boat.
Oklahoma: No, except with permission from warden and landowner.
Ohio: Persons hunting fox or coyote with a call from a stationary position may use a single beam light. When two or more people are hunting or trapping together for these animals only one light is needed and can be carried by any member of this party.
North Dakota: 20.1-01-08. Hunting with artificial light prohibited - Exception. It is unlawful for an
individual to pursue, shoot, kill, take or attempt to take any wildlife between sunset of one day
and sunrise of the next, with the aid of a spotlight or any other artificial light. This section does
not make it unlawful for an individual to use a lantern, spotlight, or other artificial light to assist the
person in pursuing and shooting on the person's premises any coyote, fox, skunk, mink, raccoon,
weasel, owl, rabbit, or other predatory animal or bird, attacking and attempting to destroy the
person's poultry, livestock, or other property. It is permissible to use an artificial light with a
power source of not more than six volts while hunting afoot for raccoon during the open season
on the animal. A red or amber filter must be placed on any artificial light used in the hunting of
raccoon, except when taking a raccoon treed or at bay.
20.1-01-09. Types of guns lawfully usable in taking raccoon with flashlight -
Penalty. In the killing, shooting, pursuing, taking or in attempting to take raccoon with the use of
a flashlight with a power source of not over six volts, it is illegal to use a rifle or handgun capable
of firing a shell larger than a twenty-two caliber [5.59 millimeter] long rifle shell, or a shotgun
larger than four-ten gauge [10.41 millimeters]. An individual who violates this section is guilty of
a class 1 noncriminal offense.
North Carolina: No
New York: Furbearer Hunting at Night You may hunt furbearers at night, with or without a light, as follows: Use any handgun or bow. Use a shotgun loaded with shot (any size). Use a rifle chambered in any cartridge, except that you may not possess a centerfire rifle afield, during the day or night, during any open season for deer in areas restricted to using a shotgun only for deer.
New Mexico: Night hunting can be done on Private "deeded" land only, with written permission
New Hampshire: Night hunting for coyotes: Coyotes may be hunted at night from Jan. 1 through March 31. In shotgun-only towns for deer, hunters must use either shotguns, 22-cal. rimfire rifles, muzzleloaders or bow and arrow to hunt coyote. Lights may be used, except from a motor vehicle or OHRV. Electronic calling devices are legal. Baiting is not permitted on ice-covered public waters. Written landowner permission filed with the local conservation officer is required to hunt coyote at night or to place bait for coyotes
New Jersey: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, only 10 or 12 gauge shotguns with #2 or #4 fine shot may be used. See legal arms Portable lights are allowed
Nevada: As per counties.
Nebraska: Yes, very few restrictions. Couldn’t find the exact wording in the on line regs.
Montana: yes??? Web site down
Missouri: No
Mississippi: ????????
Minnesota: NO
Michigan: Raccoon, opossum, coyote and fox may be hunted at night under the following regulations:
Legal Artificial Light:
Only lights similar to the type ordinarily held in the hand or on the person may be used. An artificial light, including laser sights, of the type ordinarily held in the hand or on the person may be mounted on a person's clothing or firearm. Spotlights, floodlights, vehicle headlights and other artificial lights not similar to the type ordinarily held in the hand or on the person are illegal. Only a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire rifle or handgun, or shotgun with loads other than buckshot, slug, ball or cut shell, or bow and arrow.
Massachusetts: No
Maryland: The use of light and/or dogs is permitted while hunting raccoon, fox, opossum or coyote on foot. Fox, coyote, raccoon, and opossum can be hunted with the aid of electronic calling devices. Daytime and nighttime hunting for fox is permitted during the legal harvest season for foxes. Coyote can be hunted at night during the period specified in the furbearers seasons and bag limits chart. At all other times of the year, coyote may only be hunted during the legal daylight shooting hours.
Maine: ILLUMINATING WILDLIFE: From September 1 to December 15, it is unlawful to use artificial lights from 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise to illuminate, jack locate, attempt to locate or show up wild animals or wild birds, except raccoons.
COYOTE NIGHT HUNTING PERMIT: Required to hunt coyote at night from January 1 to April 30. Hunting under this permit is limited to 1/2 hour after sunset until
1/2 hour before sunrise and shall cease at midnight each Saturday and resume at 12:01AM on Monday. Hunters must be in possession of an electronic, hand-held or mouth-operated predator calling device. The fee for this permit is $5.00.
Louisiana: Website down
Kentucky: No
Kansas: No
Iowa: No
Indiana: Predator Calling
It is legal to hunt fox and coyote with the use of mouth- or hand-operated calls, or with the use of recorded calls. Spotlights may be used to take fox and coyote. There are no restrictions on hunting hours or firearms.
It is illegal to hunt fox or coyote from a roadway or with the use of any motor-driven conveyance.
Illinois: Night Hunting with Lights,
Shining Wildlife
It is unlawful to use lights of, any light
from, or any light connected to a vehicle
or conveyance in any area where wildlife
can be found. This does not prohibit
normal use of headlamps for driving upon
a roadway. EXCEPT: Skunk, opossum, red
or gray fox, coyote and raccoon may be
taken during the open season by the use
of a small hand-operated light by a person
who is on foot and not in any vehicle.
Idaho: NO??? (With permission from landowner?)
Georgia: Website down
Florida: No
Delaware: No
Connecticut: No
Colorado:
Artificial light is allowed at night to hunt beavers, raccoon, coyote, bobcat, striped skunk and red fox on private land with permission of landowner or agent. Artificial light is allowed at night to hunt raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, striped skunks, beavers and red foxes on public lands with permit issued by local district or area wildlife manager.
California: Yes, numerous local variations and conditions
Arkansas: No
Arizona: No
Alaska: Web page down
Alabama: No
Please look this over. Check your state and see that what I have makes sense. There were also some websites that were down or some that I couldn't find any mention of lights. Please correct those for me.
Thanks all.
WYOMING: 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.
Wisconsin: A flashlight may be used: 1) while shooting raccoon, fox, or unprotected species at the point of kill while hunting on foot, or 2) to find your way.
West Virginia: coyotes may be hunted at night with the use of an artificial light from Jan. 1 to July 31. The light must have an amber colored lens, and the firearm restrictions are a shotgun using no larger than a #4 shot, or a 22 rimfire (or smaller). Firearm restrictions are for one half hour after sunset to one half hour before sunrise. Coyotes may be hunted year-round in the daylight hours, with no caliber restrictions. The use of electronic devices to call coyotes (and foxes) is legal during both daylight and night hunting.
Washington: Night Hunting
Bobcat, raccoon, and coyote may be hunted at night during established bobcat and raccoon seasons, EXCEPT that:
It is unlawful to hunt any wildlife at night or wild animals with dogs during the months of Sept., Oct., Nov in any area open to a centerfire rifle deer or elk season."
Virginia: Yes
Vermont: ??
Utah:
(3) Spotlighting may be used to hunt coyote, red fox,
striped skunk, or raccoon where allowed by a county
ordinance enacted pursuant to Section 23-13-17.
(4) The ordinance shall provide that:
(a) any artificial light used to spotlight coyote, red
fox, striped skunk, or raccoon must be carried by the
hunter;
(b) a motor vehicle headlight or light attached to or
powered by a motor vehicle may not be used to spotlight
the animal; and
(c) while hunting with the use of an artificial light,
the hunter may not occupy or operate any motor vehicle.
(5) For purposes of the county ordinance, "motor
vehicle" shall have the meaning as defined in Section 41-6-1.
(6) The ordinance may specify:
(a) the time of day and seasons when spotlighting is
permitted;
(b) areas closed or open to spotlighting within the
unincorporated area of the county;
(c) safety zones within which spotlighting is
prohibited;
(d) the weapons permitted; and
(e) penalties for violation of the ordinance.
(7)(a) A county may restrict the number of hunters
engaging in spotlighting by requiring a permit to spotlight
and issuing a limited number of permits.
(b) A fee may be charged for a spotlighting permit.
(8) A county may require hunters to notify the county
sheriff of the time and place they will be engaged in
spotlighting.
(9) The requirement that a county ordinance must be
enacted before a person may use spotlighting to hunt coyote,
red fox, striped skunk, or raccoon does not apply to:
(a) a person or his agent who is lawfully acting to
protect his crops or domestic animals from predation by
those animals; or
(b) an animal damage control agent acting in his
official capacity under a memorandum of agreement
with the Division.
Texas: Non protected non game animals and fur-bearing animals may be hunted at night with the aid of an artificial light on private property. If hunting at night, please make a courtesy telephone call to your local game warden.
Tennessee: No
South Dakota: No
South Carolina: No
Rhode Island: No
Pennsylvania: A person hunting raccoons, skunks, opossums, foxes and coyotes on
foot may use a hand-held light. It is not lawful to have light affixed to a firearm.
Oregon: Bobcat, opossum and raccoon may be hunted with the aid of an artificial light provided the light is not cast from or attached to a motor vehicle or boat.
Oklahoma: No, except with permission from warden and landowner.
Ohio: Persons hunting fox or coyote with a call from a stationary position may use a single beam light. When two or more people are hunting or trapping together for these animals only one light is needed and can be carried by any member of this party.
North Dakota: 20.1-01-08. Hunting with artificial light prohibited - Exception. It is unlawful for an
individual to pursue, shoot, kill, take or attempt to take any wildlife between sunset of one day
and sunrise of the next, with the aid of a spotlight or any other artificial light. This section does
not make it unlawful for an individual to use a lantern, spotlight, or other artificial light to assist the
person in pursuing and shooting on the person's premises any coyote, fox, skunk, mink, raccoon,
weasel, owl, rabbit, or other predatory animal or bird, attacking and attempting to destroy the
person's poultry, livestock, or other property. It is permissible to use an artificial light with a
power source of not more than six volts while hunting afoot for raccoon during the open season
on the animal. A red or amber filter must be placed on any artificial light used in the hunting of
raccoon, except when taking a raccoon treed or at bay.
20.1-01-09. Types of guns lawfully usable in taking raccoon with flashlight -
Penalty. In the killing, shooting, pursuing, taking or in attempting to take raccoon with the use of
a flashlight with a power source of not over six volts, it is illegal to use a rifle or handgun capable
of firing a shell larger than a twenty-two caliber [5.59 millimeter] long rifle shell, or a shotgun
larger than four-ten gauge [10.41 millimeters]. An individual who violates this section is guilty of
a class 1 noncriminal offense.
North Carolina: No
New York: Furbearer Hunting at Night You may hunt furbearers at night, with or without a light, as follows: Use any handgun or bow. Use a shotgun loaded with shot (any size). Use a rifle chambered in any cartridge, except that you may not possess a centerfire rifle afield, during the day or night, during any open season for deer in areas restricted to using a shotgun only for deer.
New Mexico: Night hunting can be done on Private "deeded" land only, with written permission
New Hampshire: Night hunting for coyotes: Coyotes may be hunted at night from Jan. 1 through March 31. In shotgun-only towns for deer, hunters must use either shotguns, 22-cal. rimfire rifles, muzzleloaders or bow and arrow to hunt coyote. Lights may be used, except from a motor vehicle or OHRV. Electronic calling devices are legal. Baiting is not permitted on ice-covered public waters. Written landowner permission filed with the local conservation officer is required to hunt coyote at night or to place bait for coyotes
New Jersey: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, only 10 or 12 gauge shotguns with #2 or #4 fine shot may be used. See legal arms Portable lights are allowed
Nevada: As per counties.
Nebraska: Yes, very few restrictions. Couldn’t find the exact wording in the on line regs.
Montana: yes??? Web site down
Missouri: No
Mississippi: ????????
Minnesota: NO
Michigan: Raccoon, opossum, coyote and fox may be hunted at night under the following regulations:
Legal Artificial Light:
Only lights similar to the type ordinarily held in the hand or on the person may be used. An artificial light, including laser sights, of the type ordinarily held in the hand or on the person may be mounted on a person's clothing or firearm. Spotlights, floodlights, vehicle headlights and other artificial lights not similar to the type ordinarily held in the hand or on the person are illegal. Only a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire rifle or handgun, or shotgun with loads other than buckshot, slug, ball or cut shell, or bow and arrow.
Massachusetts: No
Maryland: The use of light and/or dogs is permitted while hunting raccoon, fox, opossum or coyote on foot. Fox, coyote, raccoon, and opossum can be hunted with the aid of electronic calling devices. Daytime and nighttime hunting for fox is permitted during the legal harvest season for foxes. Coyote can be hunted at night during the period specified in the furbearers seasons and bag limits chart. At all other times of the year, coyote may only be hunted during the legal daylight shooting hours.
Maine: ILLUMINATING WILDLIFE: From September 1 to December 15, it is unlawful to use artificial lights from 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise to illuminate, jack locate, attempt to locate or show up wild animals or wild birds, except raccoons.
COYOTE NIGHT HUNTING PERMIT: Required to hunt coyote at night from January 1 to April 30. Hunting under this permit is limited to 1/2 hour after sunset until
1/2 hour before sunrise and shall cease at midnight each Saturday and resume at 12:01AM on Monday. Hunters must be in possession of an electronic, hand-held or mouth-operated predator calling device. The fee for this permit is $5.00.
Louisiana: Website down
Kentucky: No
Kansas: No
Iowa: No
Indiana: Predator Calling
It is legal to hunt fox and coyote with the use of mouth- or hand-operated calls, or with the use of recorded calls. Spotlights may be used to take fox and coyote. There are no restrictions on hunting hours or firearms.
It is illegal to hunt fox or coyote from a roadway or with the use of any motor-driven conveyance.
Illinois: Night Hunting with Lights,
Shining Wildlife
It is unlawful to use lights of, any light
from, or any light connected to a vehicle
or conveyance in any area where wildlife
can be found. This does not prohibit
normal use of headlamps for driving upon
a roadway. EXCEPT: Skunk, opossum, red
or gray fox, coyote and raccoon may be
taken during the open season by the use
of a small hand-operated light by a person
who is on foot and not in any vehicle.
Idaho: NO??? (With permission from landowner?)
Georgia: Website down
Florida: No
Delaware: No
Connecticut: No
Colorado:
Artificial light is allowed at night to hunt beavers, raccoon, coyote, bobcat, striped skunk and red fox on private land with permission of landowner or agent. Artificial light is allowed at night to hunt raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, striped skunks, beavers and red foxes on public lands with permit issued by local district or area wildlife manager.
California: Yes, numerous local variations and conditions
Arkansas: No
Arizona: No
Alaska: Web page down
Alabama: No
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