Hazing Coyotes Before They Get Habituated

It is critical to avoid "habituating" a coyote by repeated exposure to people absent any negative consequences. If coyotes are attracted to a place or permitted to become "habituated," it may become necessary to consider using lethal force- something which ordinarily no one wants.

What to Do

People should frighten a coyote if they come into contact with it. This may be done in a variety of humane ways, including walking in larger numbers, purchasing or making noise makers and carrying them during walks, or by merely standing tall, waving arms and yelling at the coyote, approaching it if necessary, until it runs away. 

It is important to remember that one hazing session may not convince the coyote you are a threat. If you see the coyote again, continue to haze as you did before.

Guidelines from HSUS

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) provides these guidelines for hazing coyotes:

"How to Haze for Effective Reshaping of Coyote Behavior

Generally, coyotes are reclusive animals who avoid human contact. Coyotes who’ve adapted to urban and suburban environments, however, may realize there are few real threats and approach people or feel safe visiting yards even when people are present. These coyotes have become habituated (lost their fear of humans), likely due to the ready availability of food in our neighborhoods. Sometimes, this food is deliberately provided by people who like to watch wild animals or misguidedly feel they are helping them by feeding. These bold coyotes should not be tolerated or enticed, but definitely given the message that they should not be so brazen.

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 neighborhood spaces such as backyards and play spaces.

The following guidelines are adapted from the Denver, Colorado coyote problem mitigation program’s Hazing Guidelines, written by the Natural Areas Program of the Denver Parks and Recreation Department in October 2009. These guidelines have proven very successful at correcting problematic coyote behavior both in the short and longer term.

Methods of Hazing include:

• Yelling and waving your arms while approaching the coyote
• Noisemakers: Voice, whistles, air horns, bells, soda cans filled with pennies or dead batteries, pots and pans banged together
• Projectiles: sticks, small rocks, cans, tennis balls, rubber balls
• Other: hoses, water guns with vinegar water, spray bottles with vinegar water, pepper spray, bear repellant, walking sticks

The simplest method of hazing a coyote involves being loud and large:

• Stand tall, wave your arms and yell at the coyote, approaching it if necessary, until it runs away.
• If a coyote has not been hazed before, he may not immediately run away when you yell at him. If this happens, you may need to 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 haze the coyote until he 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 him to leave.

There are several tools that you can carry with you while walking your dog that can be used to repel coyotes. (Remember to always walk your dog on a leash.) These include:

• Noisemakers, whistle or small air horn (you can purchase small air horn “necklaces”)
• Squirtguns
• Pepper spray
• Pick up sticks or rocks and throw them towards the coyote

Remember:

NEVER run away from a coyote!

The coyote may not leave at first, but if you approach it closer and/or increase the intensity of your hazing, it will typically run away. If the coyote runs away a short distance and then stops and looks at you, continue hazing it until it completely leaves the area.

After you have successfully hazed a coyote, he or she may return again. Continue to haze the coyote as you did before; it usually takes only one or two times to haze a coyote away for good.

Coyotes are skittish by nature and as a rule do not typically act aggressively towards aggressive people. However, engaging animals that are sick or injured can result in unpredictable behavior. If you suspect that a coyote is sick or injured, contact the proper authorities and DO NOT interact with the coyote.

Tips for Success:

The more often an individual coyote is hazed, by a variety of tools and techniques and a variety of people, the more effective hazing will be for changing behavior. The coyote being hazed must be able to recognize that the potential threat is coming from a person. (Hiding behind a bush and throwing rocks, for example, will not be effective.)

Techniques and tools can be used in the same manner for one animal or multiple animals. Usually there is a dominant animal in the group who will respond, and others will follow her lead. Certain levels of hazing must always be maintained so that future generations of coyotes do not learn or return to unacceptable habits or behaviors."