Hunting & Fishing Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

[TheGerman]

Not sure if anyone is in/around St George or the Zion National park area of Utah but was heading that way and heard that there is a standing 55$ bounty per coyote with no type of required license.

I know the reason for this is due to protecting the mule deer population but how common are they? I looked at the Utah map of coyote hunting areas and its practically 80% of the state, so that doesn't really help. How common are they near smaller populated areas like St George, or do you need to be in the middle of nowhere to get any good density of them?

Are there any other types of critters that don't require a license? Wasn't sure what constituted 'fur-bearers' in Utah as I couldn't find a specific list of what applies; was hoping there would be prairie dogs near St George but never got a definitive answer of where they are from anyone local, or if they exist around there.

 

[gadbmw]

Re: Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

You might want to check out predatormasters.com kinda a site very similar to this one. There are a couple of contests based out of Utah each year. They have been very helpful and friendly towards answering my questions over the past few years.

 

[darkarcher]

Re: Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

There are dogs all over southern Utah, some right next to populations. But make no mistake, they are very educated dogs, because of that bounty on them. Non-game animals need no license, like jack rabbits, as long as they are not listed as an endangered species. There are prairie dogs as close as Cedar City, but most are a species that are listed as threatened, so you can't shoot them legally. If your a resident licenses are cheap.

 

[JDF_GSP]

Re: Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

There is a $50 bounty for coyotes in the state of Utah right now. I mainly hunt coyotes in the northern part of the state (since i live up that way), but there are a lot of dawgs in the southern part of the state as well. In order to collect the bounty, you first need to register for the predator control program on
http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/hunting/hunting-information/762

then you need to take the scalp (with both ears intact) and the lower jaw to one of the check in locations (for time and location see that same link as well). there is a compensaion form you need to fill out where you provide the sex of the coyote, location and date it was harvested. when you go, take your registration sheet (with your registration #) the compensation form, and the scalp & lower jaw with you. they will send you a check.
As far as p-dogs go in southern utah, most of the ones there are Utah Prairie dogs and are protected. Utah also has a season for p-dogs. more info about p-dogs and other varmints in general can be found on the same website above. Good luck,
a lot of coyote hunters here in utah, which results in a lot of very smart coyotes.

 

[TheGerman]

Re: Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JDF_GSP</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There is a $50 bounty for coyotes in the state of Utah right now. I mainly hunt coyotes in the northern part of the state (since i live up that way), but there are a lot of dawgs in the southern part of the state as well. In order to collect the bounty, you first need to register for the predator control program on
http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/hunting/hunting-information/762

then you need to take the scalp (with both ears intact) and the lower jaw to one of the check in locations (for time and location see that same link as well). there is a compensaion form you need to fill out where you provide the sex of the coyote, location and date it was harvested. when you go, take your registration sheet (with your registration #) the compensation form, and the scalp & lower jaw with you. they will send you a check.
As far as p-dogs go in southern utah, most of the ones there are Utah Prairie dogs and are protected. Utah also has a season for p-dogs. more info about p-dogs and other varmints in general can be found on the same website above. Good luck,
a lot of coyote hunters here in utah, which results in a lot of very smart coyotes. </div></div>

Ya that's the site I had seen the bounty from.

As far as fur bearing critters, seems that most fox, muskrat and skunk can be shot without a license unless I am reading this wrong. I can't find anything on prairie dogs or any kind of rabbit however; do you have any info on this?

I don't really hunt deer or animals for meat. The smart coyotes are actually a draw for me as its not just, sit in a blind and shoot them from 50 yards.

 

[JDF_GSP]

Re: Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

open this link
http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/hunting/guidebooks.html

The upland game guidebook has the info about the p-dogs on page 28. Information about rabbits will be found in the hunt tables (jackrabbits can be hunted year round with no license, but cottontails and snowshoe hares have a season)

the furbearer guidebook contains info about foxes, coyotes, racoons etc. (coyotes, red fox, striped skunk, racoon are not protected and can be hunted year round) other furbearers have seasons, and bobcats & marten you need to purchase tags. (if you want bobcat tags, you better buy them within a day or two of when they go on sale in october next year, they sell out fast).
good luck

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheGerman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Ya that's the site I had seen the bounty from.

As far as fur bearing critters, seems that most fox, muskrat and skunk can be shot without a license unless I am reading this wrong. I can't find anything on prairie dogs or any kind of rabbit however; do you have any info on this?

I don't really hunt deer or animals for meat. The smart coyotes are actually a draw for me as its not just, sit in a blind and shoot them from 50 yards.</div></div>

Cottontail rabbits are quite common but I believe they have a small game season, the jackrabbits are free game, though I dont recall seeing many down south.

You will have a good time trying to find and kill the coyotes, there will be no sitting and shooting them for sure, it will take some work. Prairie dogs in utah are a joke, IF you find some, they will be protected, its better to look elsewhere.

 

[TheGerman]

Re: Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ColdBoreMiracle</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheGerman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Ya that's the site I had seen the bounty from.

As far as fur bearing critters, seems that most fox, muskrat and skunk can be shot without a license unless I am reading this wrong. I can't find anything on prairie dogs or any kind of rabbit however; do you have any info on this?

I don't really hunt deer or animals for meat. The smart coyotes are actually a draw for me as its not just, sit in a blind and shoot them from 50 yards.</div></div>

Cottontail rabbits are quite common but I believe they have a small game season, the jackrabbits are free game, though I dont recall seeing many down south.

You will have a good time trying to find and kill the coyotes, there will be no sitting and shooting them for sure, it will take some work. Prairie dogs in utah are a joke, IF you find some, they will be protected, its better to look elsewhere.

</div></div>

The coyotes interest me for this very reason. I was out at the Arizona/Utah border that goes out to a few mountain ranges and the land is vast; can see myself out there from sunup to sundown.

If prairie dogs are protected what else is there around where I am that would replace them as target practice varmints? If you've ever shot prairie dogs at distance you know that its the best practice that beats target shooting for learning what works and what doesn't with your setup.

 

[JDF_GSP]

Re: Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

For target practice, jackrabbits are probably your best bet. There should be some in the St George area to shoot. Good luck.

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: Utah Coyote Hunters (St George area) - Question

Should be, but there isnt. Jackrabbits seem to be scarce in the area, not sure why.

OP, unless its winter time, you wont be out there all day, unless your stuck or dead. The heat in the desert is part of the reason I believe there isnt as much to shoot at down there. Too dry for PD's, I dont know of any other varmints besides the cottontails and coyotes. Though there are lots of lizards, maybe some rodents, and I guess birds.