Furbearers
Kentucky Coyote Hunting, 2026-27 Seasons and Limits
The 2026-27 rulebook for coyotes in one page: dates, zones, limits, permits and legal light.
Photo: ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0)
Where coyotes stand this season
Count 2 dated or pending lines for coyotes across the Kentucky calendar, from March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. KDFWR flags this for coyotes: year-round; lights Dec. 1-Mar. 31 and May 16-Jun. 30. The short method line for coyotes: furbearer equipment; restricted night methods.
Source: Guide p. 25 and Guide p. 26 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
All coyote windows on the KDFWR calendar
Rows run in opening order; a coyote row with two date ranges pauses between them, and the Today column compares each window with the current date.
| Season | Area | Dates | Bag | Notes | Today | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Statewide | Mar 1–Feb 28, 2027 | No limit | Year-round day or night. Lights only Dec. 1-Mar. 31 and May 16-Jun. 30; no night hunting where a deer or elk firearm season is open. | Guide p. 25 | |
| Night, with lights | Statewide | Dec 1–Mar 31, 2027 | No limit | Lights may not be connected to or cast from a vehicle. | Guide p. 25 |
The coyote bag, word for word
Every coyote limit with what it covers, from the 2026-27 tables.
| Covers | Wording |
|---|---|
| Raccoon, opossum, coyote, mink, muskrat, beaver, foxes, weasel, striped skunk | No limit |
Source: Guide p. 25 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Kentucky weapon rules for coyotes
The legal and not-legal columns come from the KDFWR weapon tables for coyotes.
| Hunt type | Lawful | Unlawful |
|---|---|---|
| Furbearer hunting | Centerfire or rimfire rifle, muzzleloader, shotgun 10 ga or smaller (shoulder-fired, plugged to 3), bow, crossbow, .22+ air gun, calls, falconry, dogs. | Single-projectile shotgun shells at night. |
| Rule | Text |
|---|---|
| Electronic calls | Not for deer, turkey or elk; legal for furbearers in season and crows. |
| Dogs | No dogs for deer or elk or spring turkey; dogs may flush turkeys in fall; bear dogs only in legal seasons with approved breeds; leashed tracking dogs may recover deer, elk and bear; rabbits, foxes, coyotes, raccoons and opossums may be run year-round. |
| Firearms carry | Anyone who may legally possess firearms may carry them while hunting, including in archery seasons; only legal methods may take game. |
KDFWR’s short list for coyotes: furbearer equipment; restricted night methods.
Source: Guide p. 26, Guide p. 11 and Guide p. 10 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Buying a coyote license
Everything a coyote hunter is likely to need, with the resident and nonresident fee for each.
| Purchase | Resident | Nonresident | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| $28.54 | $169.12 | Shooting range permit included (must register). | |
| $21.14 | $137.41 | – | |
| $10.57 | Not sold | – | |
| $5.29 | Not sold | ages 12-15 |
Residents qualify after 30 days of Kentucky domicile; nonresident landowners still buy the nonresident coyote items.
Source: Guide p. 7 and Guide p. 4 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Rules on the ground for coyotes
Rule lines for coyotes; the source links open the full guide pages.
| Topic | KDFWR rule |
|---|---|
| Hunter orange | Even archers and trappers wear orange during gun deer weeks, and a coyote hunter is no exception: solid orange on head, back and chest. |
| Bait | Animal carcasses may be used as bait for coyotes on private land. |
| Harvest report | Coyotes are not on the Telecheck list, which covers deer, elk, turkey, bear, bobcat, otter and crane. |
| Hunter education | Kentucky asks for hunter education from hunters born on or after January 1, 1975; new coyote hunters may start on the free exemption permit with a licensed mentor. |
Source: Guide p. 10, Guide p. 8 and Guide p. 9 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Coyote on WMAs and federal land
Public ground for coyotes: 66 records match, 62 of them through the 2026-27 chart status and the rest through the species they list.
| Public area | Type | County | Acres | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National forest | 710,298 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 40,744 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 38,788 | Chart: open | ||
| River and rec area | 30,300 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 24,033 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 21,351 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 21,019 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 17,753 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 15,088 | Chart: open | ||
| Access area | 15,036 | Chart: open | ||
| State forest | 14,379 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 13,191 | Chart: open |
Source: KDFWR land records and Guide p. 30 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Gear worth carrying around Kentucky coyotes
Kentucky coyotes shoppers see no product until they choose one.
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Shooting sticks
A steady rest matters when a coyote stops at the edge of a pasture.
Red hunting light
Coyote callers on Kentucky farm ground count on a red hunting light.
Shooting time for Kentucky coyotes
For coyotes, read the rule line first; the times below are just the sun.
Year-round day or night; lights only Dec. 1-Mar. 31 and May 16-Jun. 30; no night hunting where a deer or elk firearm season is open.
| Date | Murray (Calloway) | Richmond (Madison) | Catlettsburg (Boyd) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2026 | Sun 6:47 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. CST | Sun 7:33 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. EST | Sun 7:29 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Sun 7:01 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. CST | Sun 7:48 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. EST | Sun 7:44 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. EST |
Hours rule from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide; sunrise and sunset from the NOAA solar formula for each county seat on its own clock (KDFWR prints no sunrise table, so sunrise and sunset are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for the exact point, on Central Time in the 41 western counties and Eastern Time elsewhere, with daylight time ending November 1, 2026 and starting March 14, 2027.); checked November 10, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Coyote standing in the openPhoto: U.S. Geological Survey (CC0 1.0)
Coyote standing on a brushy rise against a blue skyPhoto: capt_tain Tom (CC BY 2.0)
Coyote standing in green grass at a field edgePhoto: Sarah Sapp (CC BY 2.0)
Answers about Kentucky coyotes
What is the bag limit for coyotes in Kentucky?
KDFWR sets it this way for coyotes: No limit.
What paperwork goes with a coyote hunt?
Annual Hunting $28.54 resident, $169.12 nonresident; Annual Trapping $21.14 resident, $137.41 nonresident; Annual Landowner/Tenant Trapping $10.57 resident, Not sold nonresident; Youth Annual Trapping $5.29 resident, Not sold nonresident. More coyote items sit in the license band.
What are the coyote weapon rules?
Furbearer equipment; restricted night methods. Centerfire or rimfire rifle, muzzleloader, shotgun 10 ga or smaller (shoulder-fired, plugged to 3), bow, crossbow, .22+ air gun, calls, falconry, dogs.
How early may a coyote hunter shoot?
Year-round day or night; lights only Dec. 1-Mar. 31 and May 16-Jun. 30; no night hunting where a deer or elk firearm season is open. Times for a coyote hunt run on local clock time, Central in the western counties and Eastern elsewhere.
When must a coyote hunter wear orange?
Even archers and trappers wear orange during gun deer weeks, and a coyote hunter is no exception: solid orange on head, back and chest.
What are the bait rules for coyotes?
Animal carcasses may be used as bait for coyotes on private land.
May I use a light on coyotes?
Year-round day or night; lights only Dec. 1-Mar. 31 and May 16-Jun. 30; no night hunting where a deer or elk firearm season is open.
Is there public coyote hunting in Kentucky?
Counting chart statuses and species lists, 66 public places carry coyotes; WMA rules can differ from statewide ones.
May a coyote hunter shoot across a highway?
No firearm, bow or crossbow discharge upon or across a public roadway. No taking wildlife from a vehicle; boats may be used (not under power) for small game, furbearers and waterfowl; disabled hunters may use a stationary vehicle with an exemption.
Which days can I hunt coyotes this season?
Hunting (Statewide): Mar 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027; Night, with lights (Statewide): Dec 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027.