Allow Centerfire Rifles for Michigan Night Time Predator Hunting

Coyote populations are on the rise throughout Michigan and requiring more refined methods of management as the growing need to control their populations and potential unwanted interactions with humans, livestock and pets increase.

The current Michigan regulations of restrictive calibers and cartridge/shot shell types fall short of providing effective means to manage some predator species. And here’s why:

• The Plains (Western) coyote in Michigan typically weighs upward to 40 lbs. for adults;

• Shots taken with currently allowed night time firearms present great difficulties in maintaining humane, one shot kills beyond 100 yards without the risk of run offs which require tracking;

• .17 and .22 cal. rim fires cannot be reloaded to take advantage of optimum accuracy;

• The effective range of shotguns with allowed available commercial loads do not provide combined adequate knock down power and shot pellet grouping for ethical kills beyond 60 yards .

By allowing centerfire rifles with a maximum diameter of .224” and a maximum case length of 2.0” with the aid of a game or predator call will:

• Allow at least (24) twenty-four .17 caliber through .22 caliber reloadable centerfire rounds with adequate power for quick, one shot kills that classify the majority of day time predator hunter’s currently owned guns.

• Be consistent with laws currently in place in two nearby states, Ohio and Indiana, which general information and FOIA requests filed have determined that no recorded personal injury or property damage reports were made resulting from allowing centerfire rifles at night for predator hunting;

• Allow law enforcement to continue to effectively enforce deer poaching laws by requiring firearms to continue to be loaded only at the calling site.