Maybe you dont' know the laws as much as I thought you did. My bad if that's true. Since we agree that hunting over bait is illegal, I'll leave it at that.
This should help:
Here's a good place to start:
Section 9-11-245
Unlawful methods of hunting birds or animals protected by law or regulation.
No person shall at any time make use of any pitfall, deadfall, baited field, cage, trap, net, pen, baited hook, snare, poison, explosive, or chemical for the purpose of injuring, capturing, or killing birds or animals protected by law or regulation of this state. This section shall not prevent the trapping of animals classified as fur-bearing animals by a duly licensed fur catcher. It shall be legal to use a scaffold for gun hunting of all legal game species except wild turkey and to use a scaffold for bow hunting of all legal game species.
(Acts 1951, No. 1001, p. 1672, �2; Acts 1975, No. 195, p. 681, �1; Acts 1995, No. 95-563, p. 1174, �1.)
Rule of the commissioner:
220-2-.30 Fur-Bearing Animals Designated
The following shall be named and designated as fur-bearing animals in
Alabama:
Beaver, Bobcat, Civet Cat, Fox, Mink, Muskrat, Nutria, Opossum,
Otter, Raccoon, Skunk, and Coyote...
Deer and feral hogs are classified as game animals but neither are classified as fur-bearing animals which means they cannot be legally trapped. To legally trap coyotes, you need a fur catchers license and knowlege of the trapping laws and regulations.
Rule of the commissioner:
220-2-.06 Game Animals Designated
The following animals are hereby designated as game animals: Bear,
Beaver, Coyote, Deer, Opossum, Rabbit, Raccoon, Squirrel, Nutria, Fox,
Mountain Lion (Cougar), Groundhog, Bobcat, Red Wolf, Feral Swine (Wild
Hog), except those feral swine reduced to the personal possession of a
landowner or his agent, provided, however, that notwithstanding such
reduction to personal possession, in the event such feral swine are hunted,
they shall at such time of hunting be designated as game animals.
Raccoons and coyotes are classified both as game animals and fur-bearing animals. They can be legally trapped by licensed fur catchers.
That should clear up the trapping part for you.
Now, about hunting game animals at night:
Law
Section 9-11-235
Taking, etc., of protected birds or animals, raccoons or opossums at night; nighttime hunting of foxes with dogs.
It shall be unlawful, except as to trapping as otherwise provided by law, for a person to take, capture, or kill, or attempt to take, capture, or kill any bird or animal protected by the laws of this state between sunset and daylight of the following day, except that the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources may by a duly promulgated regulation, allow the taking, catching, or killing of raccoons and opossums between sunset and daylight in any county or counties within the state. In any county where the taking, catching, or killing of raccoons and opossums is permitted during nighttime hours by regulations of the commissioner, the animals may only be legally taken with the use of a light and/or a shotgun using shot no larger than number eight, and the person or persons so hunting shall be accompanied by a dog or dogs and, if hunting on the lands of another, shall have the written permission of the landowner.
Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished for the first offense by a fine of not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) nor more than three thousand dollars ($3,000) and may be imprisoned in the county jail for a period not to exceed six months. In addition, the court shall revoke all hunting license privileges for a period of three years from the date of conviction.
No provision of this section shall be construed to prohibit the nighttime hunting of foxes with dogs.(Acts 1935, No. 383, p. 813, �5; Code 1940, T. 8, �86; Acts 1949, No. 662, p. 1026, �1; Acts 1953, No. 767, p. 1028, �1; Acts 1982, No. 82-488, p. 811, �1; Acts 1995, No. 95-215, p. 252, �2; Act 2008-384, p. 714, �1.)
Raccoons, opposums and foxes can be hunted at night if the commissioner allows it. Nothing in that law allows the commissioner to permit hunting deer, coyotes or feral hogs at night.
[Note that the law defines "night" as sunset to daylight. The commissioner's rules allow hunting during "daylight hours". The law is supposed to prevail in case of a conflict between a law and a rule.]And to make it even clearer:
Law
Section 9-11-251
Taking, etc., of deer at night.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to take, capture or kill deer at night in Alabama by any means or device, including but not limited to the use of any type of light.
(Acts 1971, No. 2309, p. 3731, �2.)
Our legislature made the penalties for hunting deer at night pretty severe. They were serious about that.
There are plenty of other laws that I could cite that support what I'm telling you. I'll leave it to you to read them if you are interested, and I'll help you find them if you need me to.
Constitution of Alabama 1901
SECTION 21
Suspension of laws.
That no power of suspending laws shall be exercised except by the legislature.
Where did you hear that you cannot hunt raccoons during daylight?
(g) RACCOON:
5 Per Person � Private Owned and Leased Lands
September 1 � February 28
5 Per Party � Open Permit-Public Land
September 1 � February 28
No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 A.M. during and
in areas of spring turkey season.
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(h) OPOSSUM: No Bag Limit September 1 � February 28
No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 A.M. during and
in areas of spring turkey season.
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