While the late archery deer season and flintlock deer season are still ahead for the hearty hunters who have not yet filled their tags and will brave the winter chill, for most of us, the deer season is over. Fear not, as there is still an exciting opportunity to spend time afield over the winter months in pursuit of one of our most prolific furbearers — the wily coyote.

Here are some factors to keep in mind as you consider hunting coyotes in our state: Throughout Pennsylvania, coyotes can be hunted with either a hunting or furtaker license. There is no limit, and there is no closed season, with some exceptions during big game seasons. Outside of the big game seasons, coyotes may be taken without wearing any orange and can be hunted any hour — day or night. Coyotes are one of the species that can be hunted by a youth under the Mentored Youth Hunting Program. Any natural or manmade nonliving bait can be used to attract coyotes for hunting or trapping. It is unlawful to bait a trap with meat, animal products or their facsimiles if the bait is visible from the air. When hunting coyotes, however, one may hunt over bait visible from the air. Coyotes can be hunted seven days per week — yes, even on Sundays! Semiautomatic and manually operated rifles, manually operated handguns of any caliber, manual or semiautomatic shotguns and bows and crossbows can be used. If using a shotgun, it is not permissible to use shot larger than number 4 buckshot. It is permissible to used gun-mounted lights that do not project a laser-light beam. Dogs are permitted for hunting coyotes. Yes, there are a lot of things to keep in mind when making sure you are complying with the regulations, but fortunately, most of it is common sense and easy to understand and follow.

While black bears are the most prolific predator of whitetail fawns, coyotes certainly take their fair share of fawns as well. They can also be responsible for the occasional destroying of a clutch of turkey or grouse eggs. They are scavengers that will feed on road-killed game, remains from field dressing a deer, or even a deer carcass that they may come across. While their main diet is rodents and rabbits, they will eat almost anything, including insects and fruit, and, yes, even pet food when they can find it! They may even be attracted to bird feeders since mice and squirrels will hang out around the feeders. Taking the feeders down for a couple of weeks will encourage a coyote to move on.

With their natural food sources being in shorter supply during the winter weather, coyotes will be on the move — traveling greater distances and moving more throughout the nighttime and daylight hours in search of food. During the winter months, young coyotes begin to break away from the family unit, leaving their parents in search of a spot where they can establish their own homes and hunting territory. Additionally, January is the start of the breeding season, and mature coyotes will be more mobile as they search for a mate. All of these conditions mean that the coyotes will be much more active and more visible as they increase their traveling activity over the coming months.

With all of this in mind, hunting coyotes during the winter can be very productive. Whether you are hunting coyotes over bait such as a road-killed deer — particularly during the nighttime hours — or calling them, which can be very effective any time of the day, these next few months should produce the most opportunities for success.

Coyote hunting can provide some great hunting opportunities, and, as always, would allow a great chance to introduce a new hunter to the outdoors. While the action can be fast and furious, there will be lots of time just to share time together discussing what makes our love of hunting so important and passing on this tradition so critical to its future.