Coyotes are increasingly common in human-inhabited areas, from rural to urban environments. Their remarkable adaptability allows them to thrive alongside human populations, leading to more frequent encounters. Understanding how to react when a coyote approaches is important for human safety and coyote well-being. By knowing the proper responses, individuals can help maintain the natural wariness coyotes typically exhibit toward people.
Responding to an Approach
When a coyote approaches, the goal is to re-establish its natural fear of humans through a technique known as “hazing.” Make yourself appear large; stand tall, wave your arms overhead, or shake a jacket. Make loud noises by yelling, whistling, or using noisemakers like an air horn or banging pots and pans. If the coyote does not immediately retreat, slowly and deliberately move towards it while continuing to make noise and appear large.
Maintain direct eye contact. If the coyote still does not leave, or if it runs a short distance and then stops to observe you, continue the hazing until it completely exits the area. Throw small objects like sticks or rocks near the coyote to startle it, but avoid hitting the animal. In warmer months, using a garden hose or water gun to spray water at the coyote can be an effective deterrent.
These actions create an unpleasant experience, reinforcing that humans are not a food source or comfort, but a threat. Consistency in hazing helps teach coyotes to avoid people and discourages them from frequenting residential areas. If a coyote has not been hazed before, it may not respond immediately, requiring increased intensity and persistence in your efforts.
Actions to Avoid During an Encounter
Certain reactions can inadvertently escalate the situation or put you at risk. It is important to never run away from a coyote. Running can trigger a coyote’s natural chase instinct, potentially leading it to pursue you. Instead, maintain eye contact and slowly back away, creating distance without turning your back completely.
Never feed coyotes. Providing food, even indirectly through unsecured garbage or pet food left outdoors, can cause coyotes to lose their natural wariness of humans and become bolder. This habituation can lead to coyotes approaching people more frequently, associating humans with a food source. Feeding also disrupts their natural hunting instincts and can lead to unhealthy dependence on human-provided food.
Reducing the Likelihood of Future Approaches
Proactive measures around your home can reduce future coyote encounters. Secure outdoor food sources using animal-proof trash cans with tight lids, storing them in a garage until collection day. Pet food should always be fed indoors, or if fed outside, bowls should be promptly removed after meals. Bird feeders can attract small rodents, a primary food source for coyotes, so consider removing them or cleaning up fallen seeds regularly.
Maintaining a tidy yard also helps deter coyotes. Clear dense vegetation, as these areas provide cover and den sites for coyotes and their prey. Close off crawl spaces under porches, decks, and sheds, as coyotes may use these for resting or raising young. Supervise pets closely, especially small dogs or cats, as coyotes may view them as prey. Always keep dogs on a leash during walks, particularly during dawn and dusk when coyotes are most active.