Turkey and Coyote hunting at same time

Can you legally go turkey hunting with the 12 gauge and also a gun for coyotes?? Last year I went with my son and a coyote totally messed up his hunt cause it came running in and the turkey flew up into a tree…

Pelts are pretty thin by Mid April and I’ve never heard of anyone eating coyotes.

CW

Sometimes its about thinning the heard.

What state will you be hunting in?
DT

I’m all for thinning the heard but it’s also nice to see the animal provide something other than a mangy spring picture and a ditch. At least if management is attempted in the proper season the resource is not a guaranteed waste.

As for a rifle while turkey hunting, few states allow it, it’s very unsafe because of the lack of blasé orange laws and the nature of turkey hunting, please for the safety of others if your on public land don’t do it.

CW

I think the scenario you described is more chance than probable. If a coyote comes to the call, use a turkey load on it. Before I hit the blind though I’d have a good chat with a local co to be certain doing so is inside the laws.

I carry a slingshot and some marbles to my deer stand to chase turkeys away. I’m sure one could chase a coyote away too and not pose any problems or dangers. Still, I think a coyote bothering a turkey hunt is a chance thing and not likely to happen again, but who knows.

I can’t count the number of toms that lived to see another day because of a coyote. Probably a lot more that were never confirmed… bird coming in on a rope all fired up and suddenly goes quiet and disappears… could be lots of reasons but coyotes definitely could have been the reason. Unless you see them there is no proof. I usually let them go because as much as I dislike them and are bitter that they screwed up my hunt… I admire their ability to survive.

You can if you’re in MN, from page 25 of the 2014 MN regs:

UNPROTECTED ANIMALS
Residents and nonresidents are not required to have a license to hunt
unprotected species including coyote. Nonresidents do not need a furbearer
hunting license in addition to their small game license to hunt fox.
Unprotected Mammals
Weasels, coyotes, gophers, porcupines, striped skunks, and all other mammals for which there are no closed seasons or other protection are unprotected
animals. They may be taken in any manner, except with the aid of artificial
lights or by using a motor vehicle to drive, chase, run over, or kill the animal.
Poisons may be used only when the safety of humans and domestic livestock
can be ensured and in accordance with all label regulations of the state Dept.
of Agriculture and federal Environmental Protection Agency.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/hunting/2014/full_regs.pdf

I’ve also had a few hunts busted by yotes coming into the call after the birds go quiet. Had one pop its head out from behind a brush pile at 25 yds and would have given him a face full of lead but was worried about wrecking that little draw for the next day, ended up finding a pile of feathers at the bottom of the hill, though…

This is what’s in the MN regs with respect to firearms used for turkey hunting.

Firearms
 – A person may only use shotguns 20 gauge or larger, including muzzle-loading shotguns.
 -Only fine shot size No. 4 and smaller diameter may be used.
 -Red dot scopes are legal.

The question becomes how will a CO interpret the situation if you are in possession of a rifle while actively turkey hunting? I personally wouldn’t risk potential fines and/or license suspensions over a judgement call. How do COs handle waterfowl hunters that are in possession of lead even though they may not be loaded in the shotgun?

Best bet is to use your birdshot on a wouldbe yote.

I hunt in Wisconsin…Its more of thinning the heard in my situation and its private land. Thanks for the replys guys.

Wi uses similar verbiage:

It is legal to hunt unprotected species (page 10), furbearing animals (page 14), and small game
mammals (page 11) with a rifle except that it is illegal to:

• Hunt any game bird (page 11), migratory game bird (page 13), or wild turkey (page 16) with a rifle;

Thank you Tegg..the only good yote is a dead one..

Shoot all the yotes you can. As admirable as the conservation minded are, the reality is, we can’t put a dent in their populations. They are breeders and survivors.

3.5 #4’s will do just fine on a Yote when turkey hunting . You will not need a rifle at that time. Safety bigger issue and not legal to have both guns with in WI.

Seen plenty of Yotes have there day ruined when they thought an easy turkey dinner was right there.

#4 shot is plenty for a coyote at shotgun ranges. If a yote comes in and it’s legal to whack him, let ‘er rip.

It doesn’t take that much to kill a coyote and a 12 gauge with a turkey load is PLENTY.

While pheasant hunting a few years back, I watched my dad smoke a coyote with his 16 gauge and #5 shot. We chased it out of a CRP area and the coyote went slinking down a drainage ditch. He didn’t see dad was posting the ditch a quarter mile down. Coyote comes to the end of the ditch and pops out of the weeds. Un-oh! Very bad for Mr. Coyote. Stoned him with one shot at 25 yards.

Grouse