Inside a Woodland Hills home, in a Riverside County garden, and right on the sand near the Huntington Pier, brazen coyote appearances in the last few years warn Southern Californians that they have become a part of our urban environment. These creatures now range farther afield from wilderness areas as they scrounge for food, popping up where we least expect them.
Tim Daly, information officer for the South Coast and Inland Deserts regions of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, isn’t sure if their population has increased in the last few years. But he does know there’s certainly more evidence of sightings as Southern California residents whip out their smartphones to snap photos and shoot videos. Spring brings the pupping season, when coyotes are born, and summer means that more juvenile coyotes are on the prowl.
“The older these coyotes get, the more frisky they are, the more curious they are and the more likely that we could see more of them in places where we don’t expect them,” says Daly. “If their parents are taking them to places where they know they’re going to score some food, that could be in towns or cities and backyards. Coyotes, like all wildlife, are going where food is available and easiest to get.”
If you want to keep them out of your yard, don’t make it simple for them, Daly says.
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“All of us need to do a better job of making sure we don’t leave pet food out at night and making sure we don’t have our small pets out at night running around free; they should be on a leash,” he says. “And if someone has a fruit tree in their yard and fruit is falling from the tree, don’t leave it laying in the yard. Make sure you pick it up as soon as you can.”
In warm weather, the grill can be another issue. “Some people might not be dedicated towards the idea of cleaning their barbecues after using them,” he says. “So, there might be a lot of food matter inside a grill or a barbecue and that can certainly attract wildlife.”
In the 55-and-older gated community of Orange County’s Laguna Woods, where coyotes roam the golf course, residents have been known to leave cooked chickens outside, thinking it will steer these predators away from their pets. Don’t do it, Daly says. It will attract rodents and other small wildlife which in turn draw coyotes.
Some Southern California residents are circulating a rumor that spreading wolf urine around their properties will repel coyotes. It might actually attract them, Daly says.
“Another misconception is that if you have a 6-foot-tall fence, coyotes can’t get over it, but they can,” Daly says, adding that they can jump a few feet and clamber up the rest of the way like mischievous kids trying to escape grownup supervision.
“You can put a round bar on the top of your fencing that basically rolls. So, an animal trying to get out — dogs perhaps, or coyotes trying to get in — when their paws hit the top of that fence and they are on the roller, it spins and the animal just can’t gain the traction that it would like to get over the fence.”
Daly isn’t endorsing this product, found online and called a “coyote roller.” He’s simply letting everyone know some folks have had success with it and emphasizing that a 6-foot fence on its own won’t keep coyotes out of your yard.
Daly also does not advise trying to trap, relocate or kill coyotes yourself. “It is legal to trap, but the coyotes have to be released or humanely euthanized right there on the site of the trapping,” he says. “So, if you’re releasing the coyote right there, you probably really haven’t accomplished much.”
Keep in mind, he adds, these canines can travel dozens of miles a day and could return for their next meal.
You also have to let all neighbors within 150 yards of your home know of your intentions to trap. If you somehow manage to relocate a coyote, it’s likely another one will seize the opportunity to take its place. If you are going that route, it’s best to hire a licensed trapper, Daly says.
So, what can you do to coyote-proof your yard? A lot. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has loads of tips on its website. We’ve gathered some here and included a few details from our interview with Daly.
1. Never feed a coyote. Feeding a coyote will cause it to lose its natural fear of humans and may result in a dangerous situation for pets, their owners and the coyotes. Remember, you might be unintentionally feeding coyotes by setting out bird feeders that allow seed to fall on the ground, attracting rodents. Plant native flowers to attract birds instead. Pick ripe fruit off trees, and promptly collect fruit that falls. Clean your barbecue grill, too.
2. Use wildlife-resistant containers. Keep trash, recycling and compost in secure bins. Wait to put out trash until the morning of collection. Clean garbage and recycling bins with bleach or ammonia. Remove unsecured trash, human or pet food and strongly scented items from the yard.
3. Keep doors and windows closed and locked when your home is unoccupied. Bring pets inside at night. Keep livestock in secure pens at night.
4. Install motion-activated lights, noise or alarms. Install fencing to keep coyotes out of chicken coops and animal enclosures. Consider a tall fence with a coyote roller so the canines can’t climb in.
5. Use “wildlife-smart” landscaping. Trim ground-level shrubbery to reduce hiding places for coyotes. This will also discourage squirrels, rodents and other prey from gathering, which attracts coyotes.
