However well intentioned this man may have been while attempting to lure in a wild coyote in the parking lot of Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort, it is important to remember that human interference can disrupt coyotes natural behaviors cause harm to their populations.
Feeding any wildlife can lead to serious problems, including malnourishment or death if fed the wrong things. Human food is typically unhealthy for animals and their inability to distinguish between wrappers, foil, and food can mean they attempt to eat inedible items. Plus feeding animals can cause them to lose their fear of people, often leading towards agression.
Coyotes are generally reclusive animals, but they can become habituated and far too comfortable around humans. In those cases, the Humane Society of the United States recommends hazing to discourage the behavior. This mainly means getting large and loud, yelling at the animal and waving your arms to move it away. Read more on hazing below.
Humane Society of the United States’ Coyote Hazing Guidelines:
“Go away, coyote!”
The simplest method of hazing a coyote involves being loud and large:
- Stand tall, wave your arms, and yell at the coyote, approaching them if necessary, until they run away as demonstrated in this coyote hazing video.
- If a coyote has not been hazed before, they may not immediately run away when you yell at them. If this happens, you may need to walk towards the coyote and increase the intensity of your hazing.
- The coyote may run away, but then stop after a distance and look at you. It is important to continue to go after the coyote until they completely leaves the area. You may need to use different tactics, such as noisemakers, stomping your feet, or spraying the coyote with a hose, to get them to leave.
Dog-walking tools
There are several tools that you can carry with you while walking your dog that can be used to repel coyotes. These include:
- Homemade noisemakers [PDF]
- Whistle or small air horn (you can purchase small air horn “necklaces”)
- Squirt guns
- Pepper spray
- Sticks or other objects to throw towards (but not at) the coyote
In your yard
Remember, keeping pets and pet food inside is the best way to keep coyotes out of your yard. If you do encounter coyotes, all of the above methods can be used in your yard at home. First, try the “Go away coyote!” method (yell and wave your arms as you approach the coyote). Here are some additional methods you can also use:
- Squirt the coyote with your garden hose
- Spray the coyote with vinegar water
- Bang pots and pans together
Important things to remember
- Never run away from a coyote!
- The coyote may not leave at first, but if you approach them closer and/or increase the intensity of your hazing, they will run away.
- If the coyote runs away a short distance and then stops and looks at you, continue hazing until he leaves the area entirely.
- After you have successfully hazed a coyote, they may return. Continue to haze the coyote as you did before; it usually takes only one or two times to haze a coyote away for good.