coder14

Hi, it has been a long time since I've posted on this forum. I'm an avid hunter and regularly enjoy coyote hunting. I recently had an e-mail exchange with the Missouri Department of Conservation who said they would take my concerns to the rules and methods committee.

Missouri allows nighttime varmint hunting and for coyotes and even has a season in April that is nighttime only. They however ban the use of lights, nightvision and thermal. They cite safety concerns. It seems obvious to me that especially with thermal scopes which give detailed night time vision and great distances that it would be more dangerous in the current hunting environment where hunters are even encouraged to hunt coyotes at night with no means of seeing at all. The other reason they cite is poaching. Of course this is valid but they already allow hunters in the field at night with firearms which already necessitates the presence of wardens and being able to decipher if someone is shooting coyotes or deer. It also isn't good policy to punish the law abiding hunter for what a poacher might do.

I believe this rule is vulnerable to being considered and changed if enough Missouri hunters comment to the wildlife commission. It would go a long way for making coyote management in Missouri more efficient. So I'm asking if your a Missouri hunter who agrees with this please write a comment to The Missouri Department of Conservation. Follow this link to the comment page and go to Chapter 7 Hunting Seasons, Methods, Limits, then to furbearers. Sorry I don't have ten posts yet. MDC webpage, halfway down popular links number 7. If you don't agree with the use of nightvision for coyotes then lets discuss, change my mind.