Yes, you can shoot coyotes in Indiana. The regular season runs from October 15 through March 15, and any licensed hunter can take part with no bag limit and no harvest reporting. If you own or lease farmland, you can shoot coyotes on that land year-round without a license at all.
Season Dates and Bag Limits
The 2026–2027 coyote season runs October 15, 2026, through March 15, 2027.1IN.gov. Indiana 2026-2027 Hunting and Trapping Seasons Outside those dates, only landowners and people they authorize in writing can legally take coyotes.
Indiana sets no daily or season bag limit, and there is no online check-in or harvest report required for coyotes. Take as many as you legally can during the open season.
Landowner Exemption: No License, Year-Round
If you own or lease farmland in Indiana, you can shoot or trap coyotes on that property any time of year without a hunting license, trapping license, or wild animal control permit.2Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Coyotes Indiana Code 14-22-11-1 extends the same exemption to the landowner’s spouse and children living in the same household.
Landowners can also give written permission for someone else to take coyotes on the property outside the regular season, but the person receiving that permission must carry a valid hunting or trapping license.2Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Coyotes During the regular October 15 through March 15 season, any licensed hunter can hunt with the landowner’s consent without needing separate written authorization.
License Requirements for Everyone Else
If you are not a qualifying landowner, lessee, or immediate household member, you need a valid Indiana hunting license. A resident annual hunting license is $20; non-residents pay $90.3Indiana Department of Natural Resources. License Fees Annual licenses run April 1 through March 31, so one license covers the entire coyote season.
If you have not completed a hunter education course, Indiana offers an apprentice hunting license. An apprentice must be accompanied at all times by someone at least 18 years old who holds a valid license or qualifies for an exemption. The companion has to stay close enough to communicate with and monitor the apprentice, and can supervise no more than two apprentices at once. Each person is capped at three apprentice licenses in a lifetime.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 14-22-12-1.7 – Apprentice Hunting License
Where You Can Legally Hunt
Private Land
On land you do not own, you need the owner’s or tenant’s consent before hunting. Indiana treats entering private land to hunt without permission as its own violation, separate from any licensing question.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 14-22-10-1 – Consent to Use Private Land Written permission protects both sides if questions come up later.
Public Land
Coyote hunting is allowed on many DNR-managed properties, including state forests and fish and wildlife areas. Each property can add its own rules: designated hunting zones, vehicle restrictions, check-in and check-out procedures, or seasonal closures. Check the specific property’s page on the DNR website or call the property office before your trip.
Local Firearm Ordinances
A valid state hunting license does not override local law. Cities, towns, and counties across Indiana restrict firearm discharge within their limits, particularly in residential areas. Indiana law also makes it a Class B misdemeanor to discharge a firearm or shoot an arrow inside a county park unless the park board has designated the area for hunting or shooting sports.6Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 36-10-3-39 – Discharge of Firearm or Shooting of Arrow With Bow, Class B Misdemeanor Before hunting in a suburban or exurban area, check with the local sheriff’s office or city clerk about discharge ordinances at that specific location.
Legal Equipment, Hours, and Methods
Indiana places no restriction on the type of firearm or archery equipment you can use for coyotes, and no restriction on hunting hours. You can hunt day or night with any legal firearm or bow throughout the season.7eRegulations. Furbearer Hunting
Night Hunting
Spotlights are legal for taking coyotes at night.7eRegulations. Furbearer Hunting Thermal and night vision optics, handheld or weapon-mounted, are not prohibited under Indiana’s furbearer regulations. Two rules apply around the clock: you cannot hunt coyotes from a roadway, and you cannot hunt from or with the use of any motor-driven vehicle.
Calls and Dogs
Mouth calls, hand calls, and electronic recorded calls are all legal for coyotes.7eRegulations. Furbearer Hunting Licensed hunters can also chase coyotes with dogs year-round with the landowner’s permission, one of the few coyote activities that extends past the March 15 closing date.
Hunter Orange
Indiana does not require hunter orange specifically for coyote hunting. Because the coyote season overlaps deer firearms season in November and December, wearing orange during those weeks is a practical choice even though the law does not force it.
Penalties for Hunting Coyotes Illegally
Hunting coyotes out of season without landowner authorization, hunting without a required license, or using prohibited methods is a Class C misdemeanor. That carries up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.8Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-50-3-4 – Class C Misdemeanor Each animal taken illegally is a separate offense. Three coyotes shot out of season means three charges. On top of the criminal penalty, the state can require reimbursement of $20 for the first animal and $35 for each additional one.
Selling illegally taken wildlife with a total market value over $500 escalates to a Level 6 felony, carrying six months to two and a half years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.9Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-50-2-7 – Level 6 Felony Conservation officers also have authority to seize firearms, vehicles, and other equipment used in a violation, and that equipment is forfeited to the state on conviction.10Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 14-22-39-6 – Seizure of Animals and Equipment
After the Shot: Pelts and Carcasses
If you want to sell coyote pelts, they have to go to a licensed fur buyer. The DNR keeps a list of authorized buyers who can purchase unprocessed carcasses and raw hides of lawfully taken furbearers.11Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Licensed Fur Buyers Coyote pelts do not need DNR tagging or sealing before sale, unlike river otter or bobcat.
Indiana law requires that any dead animal be disposed of within 24 hours of discovery. Acceptable methods include burial on your own property under standards that prevent disease transmission, incineration, composting, or delivery to an approved disposal facility.12Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 15-17-11-20 – Disposal of Dead Animals Required Dumping a carcass along a road or on someone else’s property is a nuisance violation on its own.
Trapping coyotes is also allowed on the same October 15 through March 15 schedule but requires a separate trapping license rather than a hunting license.13eRegulations. Furbearer Trapping The landowner exemption applies to trapping too.