Can You Shoot a Coyote? Yes, but …

Readers have been contacting us about a coyote problem in various areas, especially Boca Winds and also in Logger’s Run. We recently shared a Boca Winds resident’s video on Facebook and it got a lot of attention:

In comments some readers have talked about trapping or shooting the coyote. Others seem horrified about that and sympathetic to the animal, saying for example that our houses have encroached on their natural habitat.
For starters, South Florida is not the coyote’s habitat. They are native to the western United States and not too popular there either as you can see from the photo at top. There might just be a reason that the Road Runner’s bad guy was Wile E. Coyote. Coyotes were first brought to Florida in the 1920s.
Most coyotes will keep their distance from us. This one seems unafraid of humans. It is a genuine danger not just to pets but also to children and even adults. There was a report ten days ago that a coyote attacked a man.
Florida law considers coyotes a “nuisance species.” You can shoot them under the right circumstances but you should be very careful about both legal and practical concerns. In the case of shooting a coyote, you need to be careful as stated above. To ensure your target is aimed correctly, you should take a look at reviews on two different scopes, primary arms vs vortex, for the best shot.

West Boca News does NOT recommend shooting coyotes.
There are restrictions on when you can hunt various species. Coyotes are so bad that these restrictions do not apply. You can hunt them year-round. The “night and light” permit required for many species is also not required for coyotes. So as far as timing goes, you can shoot them any time. So if you’re looking to hunt coyotes in the near future, you may also wish to look into some new firearms to accompany your hunt, however, it’s always important to carry out some research into various reviews of your next firearm purchase. For example, you may wish to look into the Firearmblog – click here, or similar sites that can provide you with the necessary knowledge to make an informed decision on your new firearm before you buy.
Place is a whole different issue. Under Florida law you can fire a gun on your own property (typically for target shooting) and as long as the bullets don’t leave your property it’s legal. State law actually prohibits cities and counties from regulating that.
If the coyote is on your property and you shoot it, and you make sure all your bullets stay on your property, you should be fine. But when you live in the suburbs on small lots, it’s hard to do that. If you have your neighbor’s permission you should be able to shoot them on their lot as well. We’d suggest getting that permission in writing (an e-mail or text message is fine).
Of course the coyote may not be on your property when you encounter it. In the video the coyote is on a public street.

We contacted the Sheriff to ask about this and did not get much of an answer. They referred us to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. And of course when we looked this up on the FWC website, they recommend contacting local law enforcement.

The discharge of a firearm may be prohibited in some cities and residential areas, check with local law enforcement.

Practical Issues
If you are thinking about shooting a coyote we recommend extreme caution. As with any firearms situation, make sure you know what’s behind your target. No matter how good you are you might miss or the bullet might overpenetrate. You don’t want that bullet hitting any people or damaging your neighbor’s property. It may be helpful to shoot at a downward angle if the coyote is on grass. On pavement that bullet will ricochet so it’s still a potential problem. It may be worth using a scope if shooting a coyote with a high powered rifle. If you are shooting from a long distance, up to 1000 yards, then you can visit Optics Boss for more info on the best scope for that. There are many sites out there that could help with queries like this, so if you are still unsure what scope to use, you might want to check out one of many sites that can help you choose the right scope.
In reading about coyote hunting we’ve seen various recommendations about caliber and a lot of those suggest “centerfire” rifle cartridges like the .223. Typically these are in rural environments. The problem with such rifles in a suburban environment is that they have serious potential to penetrate walls.
It’s pretty common to hunt smaller game with the .22LR which is about as safe as you can get in terms of bad things that might happen with any misses. Some feel that the .22LR lacks stopping power, but we’d rather compromise on that than risk the negative consequences of what might happen with something more powerful.
Since “open carry” is generally illegal in Florida you’re probably not going to have a rifle on you when you encounter a coyote. More likely – if you have a CCW license – you’ll be carrying a pistol. Pistols can be difficult to shoot at a distance but this particular coyote seems to come very close to humans so you should be able to get a good shot. Most handgun calibers will be effective. Texas Governor Rick Perry killed a coyote with a .380.
As with rifles you have to know what’s beyond your target and we recommend shooting at a downward angle to minimize the risk of unintended damage from misses or overpenetrating rounds.
Dealing with the Aftermath
In an ideal world after such an incident you would call 911, explain everything to the deputies when they come to the scene, and it’ll all be okay. As a criminal defense attorney I’ve seen too much. I just don’t trust police and prosecutors. Some are good and some aren’t. The Sheriff’s non-answer to our question should make anyone uncomfortable.
If you shoot a coyote you are at risk for prosecution. From that perspective it’s safest to go straight home and secure your firearm. If deputies come to your house you should not let them in your house without a warrant and don’t talk to them without a lawyer (who will tell you not to talk to them anyway).
It may be wise to write down some notes about the incident to discuss with your attorney later if necessary. Write “For Attorney” at the top of the notes to make sure they’re protected by the attorney-client privilege (in case the police get a warrant and find them).
If you’re not comfortable with the above then you probably should not shoot that coyote and may want to reconsider carrying a firearm at all.