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What You Can Do
Never feed coyotes. When wild animals are fed they lose their natural fear of people and become more aggressive. An aggressive coyote will be destroyed. Feeding wild animals puts the animal, yourself, and your neighbours at risk.
If a coyote approaches you, be as big, mean and loud as you can. Throw objects at the coyote. If the coyote continues to approach, do not run but retain eye contact with the coyote, pick-up small pets or children, and move slowly toward an area of increased activity.
Coyotes have been scared off properties by people waving brooms and hockey sticks, throwing baskets, tennis balls and other objects, spraying vinegar through a super-soaker, clanging pots, pans and garbage lids together, and shouting in a low voice. The Can Clanger and the Coyote Shaker have worked well with children. Children are less likely to panic and more likely to act effectively (aggressively) when focusing their energy and fear through a physical object.
Cleaning up around your house and yard is the best way you can help prevent any human-coyote conflict.
Common attractants for coyotes (and mice, rats, raccoons, skunks, and bears) include: accessible garbage, compost, pet food, and yard fruit. Coyotes will also prey on cats and small dogs. To ensure your cats safety keep it indoors or within an enclosed outdoor cat run. Keep small dogs on a leash and within sight while walking.
A 2 m high fence that is buried at least 15 cm below ground will prevent coyotes from entering your yard. Other options include installing motion-detecting lights, net wire fencing or the coyote roller.
Home-Made Coyote Deterrents
The Can Clanger
The Can Clanger
Materials:
- Five or six empty tin cans
- A piece of strong string or rope
- A can opener
Instructions:
- Remove the labels from the tins
- Make a small hole in each tin with the can opener
- Thread the string through the tins
- Tie the two ends of the string together
Using the Can Clanger:
Use the can clanger whenever a coyote is using your yard to feed or rest. This teaches the coyote to avoid areas of human activity.
Walk toward the coyote, appearing as aggressive as possible. Shake or throw the can clanger at the coyote while shouting in a deep low voice. Several adults appear more threatening than one. Each adult should carry a different deterrent (e.g. hockey stick, broom, can clanger, basketball) and use it to chase the coyote from the area.
Don't stop at your property line. A coyote in your neighbour's yard is the same thing as one in your own.
The Coyote Shaker
The shaker materials
The shaker
Materials:
- Pop or juice can
- About 40 pennies
- Aluminum foil
- Duct tape
Instructions:
- Place the pennies in the can
- Cover the opening with tape
- Cut a piece of foil and tape it around the can
Using the Shaker
Shake the tin at the coyote while slowly moving towards an area of increased activity. The shaker scares the approaching coyote in three ways, through:
- Aggressive hand motion
- Loud noise
- Reflective light
The shaker easily fits in a pocket or bag.
