Coyote prevention tips

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In terms of coyote removal, there are quite a few approaches that you could take. You should be aware that many of these approaches have been shown to either not work, or be rather inhumane, but they are still methods for you to take into consideration nevertheless.



You could use repellents.
Repellents are shown to be pretty much pointless in almost all wild animal removal cases, although there are a number that you could make your choice from. Moth balls and ammonia-soaked rags are designed to repel the animal by way of smell, although usually do not work at all. The ammonia-soaked rags are hazardous to human, animal, and plant life, and can also contaminate water sources and soil.

Moth balls are no better, containing either one or two chemicals that are toxic and, once again, hazardous to health. Just like ammonia-soaked rags can contaminate water sources and soil, moth balls can do the same.

Other repellents include lights. These can be installed so that they cover your back yard, or to protect specific places, such as the chicken coop. When the coyote (or other wild animal) strays in front of the sensor, the light will turn on. Hopefully, this will be enough to deter the critter. Coyotes, like many other wild animals, are not big fans of human interaction, although they are becoming steadily braver. When the lights come on, there's a good chance the animal will scarper. The lights will continually come on every time they pass in front of the sensor, so as long as everywhere is covered, you could be quite well protected from all late-night invaders.

As well as lights, you can also use noise. A radio, or just some human voices and music, can be enough to deter some of the shier wild animals. A sprinkler system set to a timer, or with a motion sensor, can also work in the same way.

You could use live cage traps.
Using live cage traps isn't advisable with an animal as large as the coyote, and you shouldn't attempt this unless you have all the appropriate protective equipment, as well as a trap that is large enough, sturdy and durable enough, and also safe enough to confine the animal. You will need to learn which bait works best, and it might not always be the first one you think of (cat food will attract cats, for example). You will also need to make sure you are sticking by local laws and regulations, know where you are going to release the animal once you have captured it, or come up with an alternative plan.

You could use poison.
Poison has been shown to be ineffective at treating most wild animal invasions. There is NO registered poison to kill a coyote. By using poison that is designed for another animal, such as rodents, or by making up your own concoction, you are putting other animals in absolute danger. Neighborhood cats and dogs could come across the poison. Your children could. Even other adults could. You will also find that it is against the law to place poison down wherever you feel like it. Again, we would recommend doing your research with regards to the legalities before you take any action.

You could use a professional.
In many cases, getting rid of a coyote is much easier when you have an expert on hand. They are an expert in their field, after all. They will know the habits of the animal much more than the average home or business owner, and they will also have more of the right and appropriate safety and trapping tools than the average property owner will too. Trying to DIY this job over the weekend is likely to result in failure. Incorrect measures could even result in sick or injured animals, and this could even lead to prosecution in some cases, if it could be proven that you were the person that put lives (animal or human) in danger.

You could use nothing …
Coyotes don't tend to stick around for very long. They hang in a den for a while, usually to stay warm, raise a family, or seek shelter from passing predators. In the case of coyotes, the biggest predator in many places is a wolf. After a few weeks at most, the coyotes tend to move on again. This works in your favour. You could ‘wait it out' and hope that the critters move along of their own accord. There is a very high chance that they will do this. Of course, you will need to take into account that you are sharing your land with a potentially dangerous animal, and also contend with all of the disease risks, smells, and parasites that they bring with them. Waiting it out is often not the preferable option for many, especially with other animals or small kids on the scene.

You could exclude them.
This process involves waiting for the coyotes to leave their new and humble abode, perhaps to forage for food, and then seal the place up so that they have no way of getting back in. This is the equivalent of your landlord changing your locks after you've popped out for a spot of shopping. If the animal can't get back in when it returns, it will eventually move along and look for somewhere else to call its home. This isn't a bad option if you can be sure that only one coyote is present. If a family is hanging around, the exclusion could cause further problems, including the death of young coyotes in the den, as well as damage to the land or building due to the mother or father coyote attempting to break their way in.

For more information, you may want to read How to get rid of coyotes or click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How To Guide: Who should I hire? - What questions to ask, to look for, who NOT to hire.
How To Guide: do it yourself! - Advice on saving money by doing wildlife removal yourself.
Guide: How much does wildlife removal cost? - Analysis of wildlife control prices.
Animals in the attic - read about the common species.
Noises in the attic - how to identify critters by their sounds.

coyote deterrent human urine - human urine is not an effecitve coyote repellent. But you are free to go out into your yard and try!

coyote repellent homemade - it would be nice if there was a home-made coyote repellent that would keep them away. But there's no such one that I know of.

anti-coyote sound system - many such devices are marketed and sold, for ALL animals and bugs, and all of them are grade-A bogus scams. Go ahead and give 'em a try and waste your time!

how to keep coyotes away from chickens - the best thing, by far, is a strong chicken coop that they can't break into.