Generally, coyotes are reclusive animals who avoid human contact.
Coyotes who have adapted to urban and suburban environments, however, may realize there are few real threats and may approach people or feel safe visiting yards even when people are present.
These coyotes have become habituated (lost their fear of humans), probably owing to the bounty of food that they've become accustomed to finding in your neighborhood.
These bold coyotes shouldn't be tolerated or enticed with food but instead given the clear message that they shouldn't be so brazen.
Hazing
Hazing is a method that makes use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage an undesirable behavior or activity. Hazing can help maintain a coyote’s fear of humans and deter them from backyards and play spaces.
Methods of hazing
Using a variety of different hazing tools [PDF] is critical so that coyotes don’t get used to redundant or single stimulus devices, sounds and actions.
- Yelling and waving your arms while approaching the coyote
- Noisemakers: Voice, whistles, air horns, bells, “shaker” cans full of marbles or pennies, or pots, lids or pie pans banged together
- Projectiles: sticks, small rocks, cans, tennis balls or rubber balls
- Other: hoses, water guns with vinegar water, spray bottles with vinegar water, pepper spray or bear repellent
“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 hasn't been hazed before, they may not immediately run away when you yell at them. If this happens, you may need to walk toward 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's important to continue to go after the coyote until they completely leave 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
When walking your dog, there are several tools that you can carry with you 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 toward (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. 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 they leave 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.