Michigan Restores Year-Round Coyote Hunting Season

Michigan Restores Year-Round Coyote Hunting Season

Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission has reversed course on coyote hunting regulations, reinstating a year-round coyote hunting season on public lands just one year after implementing restrictions designed to protect coyotes with dependent young. The commission’s decision comes amid mounting pressure from lawmakers and residents, particularly following an incident last December where a coyote bit a three-year-old girl in Alcona County. The attack intensified calls from legislators and the public to restore unrestricted coyote hunting across the state.

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The brief restriction period, implemented in 2024, had scaled back the year-round hunting and trapping permissions that were in place since 2016. However, increasing complaints about coyotes in residential areas and concerns about public safety prompted swift action from state officials. Republican State Senator Michele Hoitenga called the commission’s decision “a win for common sense,” emphasizing that coyotes can “wreak havoc on farmers and landowners, spread disease and harm the natural balance across Northern Michigan and throughout the state.”

Representative Parker Fairbairn echoed these concerns, stating that coyote “numbers need to be aggressively managed to keep them from negatively impacting deer, turkey, hare, rabbit and other game and non-game species throughout the state, not to mention predation of pets and livestock.”

A coyote traverses open terrain in Michigan, where the species now inhabits all 83 counties.

The urgency behind the policy reversal is underscored by coyotes’ remarkable reproductive capacity. A single female coyote can produce as many as 50 pups throughout her lifetime in Michigan, with regular litters ranging between four to seven pups. This rapid reproduction rate presents significant management challenges for wildlife officials.

According to Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologists, maintaining stable coyote populations would require hunting and trapping to remove approximately 70% of the population annually. This statistic highlights the aggressive management approach needed to control their numbers effectively.

Coyotes now inhabit all 83 counties across Michigan, with their presence increasingly felt in residential areas where abundant food sources attract them. The animals’ adaptability has allowed them to thrive in both rural and suburban environments, leading to more frequent human-wildlife conflicts.

Coyote Hunting Season – Current Regulations

While the commission has signaled support for year-round coyote hunting season, some restrictions remain in place. The current amendment prohibits taking coyotes in state parks and recreation areas from April 1st to September 14th, providing some protection during denning season. Private landowners have maintained the right to eliminate coyotes on their property year-round throughout the regulatory changes, with the commission’s decisions primarily affecting hunting and trapping activities on public lands. The commission continues working toward finalizing comprehensive 2026 hunting regulations as Michigan addresses the ongoing challenges of coyote management statewide.

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Source: Michigan Restores Year-Round Coyote Hunting Season