Coyote population control focuses on managing conflict and reducing the presence of these adaptable canids in human environments, not on complete eradication. Coyotes have successfully expanded their range across North America, thriving in suburban and urban areas due to their intelligence and ability to exploit new resources. Their increased visibility is a direct result of habitat encroachment and the availability of consistent food, water, and shelter provided by human development. Controlling their population centers on modifying human behavior and the environment to re-establish the coyote’s natural wariness of people.
Modifying the Landscape and Resources
The most fundamental and long-term strategy for managing coyote presence involves eliminating the attractants that draw them into residential spaces. Coyotes are opportunistic foragers, and removing reliable food sources is the single most effective method for encouraging them to seek sustenance elsewhere. This preventative approach is often referred to as passive hazing because it makes the environment less welcoming without direct interaction.
Securing residential waste is the first step, as unsecured garbage provides a high-calorie, easily accessible meal. Trash containers must have locking or tightly secured lids, and they should be stored indoors until the morning of collection. Similarly, any food left outdoors, including pet food, bird seed, and fallen fruit, must be removed. These items attract not only coyotes but also the rodents and small mammals that coyotes prey upon.
Coyotes will also use dense, overgrown vegetation for cover, resting, and denning, particularly in the spring denning season. Thinning brush piles, removing low-hanging branches, and clearing overgrown areas eliminates potential hiding spots and reduces cover for their prey species. Eliminating accessible water sources, such as unattended water bowls or leaky outdoor faucets, is also important, especially in arid climates.
Physical barriers, such as fencing, can be effective if constructed specifically to deter coyotes. A fence needs to be at least six feet high to discourage jumping. It must have a buried section, known as an apron, extending horizontally outward or vertically downward by at least 12 to 18 inches. This buried mesh prevents coyotes from digging underneath the barrier, making the area undesirable.
Active Deterrence and Behavior Modification
When a coyote enters a populated area or shows a lack of fear toward humans, active deterrence, known as hazing, is necessary to restore its natural wariness. Habituated coyotes, those that have lost their fear of people due to repeated non-threatening contact, are the individuals most likely to cause conflicts. Hazing works by creating a negative, startling, and unpleasant experience that the coyote learns to associate with human proximity.
The most immediate form of hazing involves making oneself appear large and aggressive by waving arms, stomping feet, and yelling loudly. Maintain eye contact and advance toward the animal until it retreats completely, as ceasing too early teaches the coyote that the human is not a genuine threat. Hazing must be intense and consistent, using a variety of stimuli to prevent the animal from becoming desensitized to a single technique.
Tools for active deterrence include noisemakers, such as air horns, whistles, or shaker cans filled with coins or pebbles. Projectiles, such as sticks, tennis balls, or small rocks, can be thrown near the coyote to startle it, but never at the animal with the intent to injure. A garden hose or a high-powered water gun can also be an effective deterrent, providing a sudden, unpleasant sensation without causing harm.
If encountering a coyote while walking a small pet, the animal should be immediately picked up and secured. The hazing should continue with the pet safely secured, as coyotes often view small dogs and cats as prey or competitors. The goal of every hazing encounter is to ensure the coyote leaves the area quickly, reinforcing the idea that human spaces should be avoided.
Regulated Population Reduction Techniques
When preventative and active deterrence methods fail, or when coyotes exhibit aggressive behavior, regulated population reduction techniques may be employed by wildlife management professionals. The concept of “targeted removal” focuses on eliminating a specific, problem-causing individual or family group rather than broad, non-selective control. Non-selective lethal control is often ineffective because remaining coyotes experience social disruption, leading to increased reproduction and immigration from neighboring territories.
Lethal control methods are highly regulated and typically involve specialized techniques like trapping and targeted shooting. Trapping may utilize foothold traps or cable restraints, requiring specialized knowledge and permits to deploy legally and safely, especially in urban environments. In rural areas where livestock depredation is confirmed, methods like aerial gunning may be authorized under specific permits, though this is costly and highly restricted.
Denning involves locating a den during the whelping season, typically between April and June, and removing the pups or parent coyotes. This method is selective because it targets animals actively killing livestock or pets to feed their young. However, the use of toxicants, such as those in Livestock Protection Collars (LPCs), is severely restricted or prohibited due to the risk of non-target wildlife exposure.
The decision to use lethal control is reserved for situations where a coyote has attacked a person or where non-responsive behavior suggests advanced habituation. These actions are almost exclusively undertaken by authorized personnel, such as state wildlife officers or licensed nuisance wildlife control operators. Any lethal control program must be combined with sustained non-lethal methods to prevent new coyotes from quickly filling the vacated territory.
Legal Considerations and Reporting Requirements
Any action taken to control a coyote population is governed by state and local laws, which often classify coyotes as “nongame mammals.” This classification usually allows them to be hunted or trapped year-round in rural areas. However, this allowance is severely curtailed within city limits and densely populated areas, where municipal ordinances restrict the discharge of firearms and the use of traps.
Individuals experiencing ongoing conflict should first contact their local animal control or police department, who can connect them with the appropriate state wildlife agency. These agencies are responsible for issuing “depredation permits” or “nuisance wildlife” permits, which may be required before any lethal removal can occur. A permit is typically issued only following a verified incident of property damage or attack.
It is important to report any aggressive coyote behavior, such as following a person or a confirmed attack on a pet, to local and state wildlife authorities. Reporting helps officials track habituation patterns and determine if a specific coyote meets the criteria for targeted removal as a public safety threat. Ignoring these reporting protocols can result in legal penalties and undermines the ability of agencies to manage the local population.