CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — Coyotes have been in the Mountain State since the 1970s, according to West Virginia University Extension. They say this is because of larger predators nearing extinction and prey like white-tailed deer coming to the area.

According to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary, coyotes can be hunted all year round with no limit on how many you can hunt. Trapping coyote also has no limit but is only legal from Nov. 5 to Feb 28.

The regulations say coyotes can only be hunted in open fields during closed small-game seasons.

It is legal to use an electronic call, or a device meant to simulate the call of an animal.

If you want to hunt on private land, the hunter or landowner will have to tell a Natural Resources Police Officer or District Office. When telling them, you have to give the hunter’s name, the landowner’s name and the hunting location during working hours.

When hunting at night, firearms allowed to hunt coyotes include shotguns with No. 2 or smaller shot, rifles and handguns of .22 caliber centerfire or smaller, .22 caliber rimfire or small and air rifles of 22 caliber.