August Is Young Coyotes' Time To Hunt And Claim Territory

By Holliday Moore
Published: Monday, August 27, 2018 - 5:10am

Severe drought conditions across Western states are contributing to a food shortage that's driving coyotes out of their dens and into homeowners' backyards this summer.

But Bill Andres with the Arizona Game and Fish Department says locally, their office has had no more coyote encounter reports than last year.

However, he said August is typically when coyote families kick their offspring out of the dens for their first hunting expeditions.

He warned that this is the time when the juvenile coyote is testing itself.

"The coyote is taking his cues from you," he explained when a coyote does not move upon an encounter.

The young coyote is trying to establish its new territory, so it's important not to turn your back from it when you do encounter one.

Andres said the coyote wants to know, "Are you more aggressive than the coyote, are you bigger, are you scarier than the coyote? If you can convince him you're the boss, the coyote will go away."

Coyotes will gravitate to areas where there is food waste.

Besides dog food bowls, citrus fruit from trees, Andres added, "Cat food, an overturned garbage can, an overfilled bird feeder...that's what attracts rabbits, which attract coyotes."

Small dogs are easy targets, but Andres warned so are larger dogs roaming off leash or left unattended in a backyard.

"Coyotes instinctively do not like dogs," he said, "and they will attack a dog even if it's bigger than them simply because they don't like dogs."

He recommends steering clear of paths where coyotes can lie in wait in nearby bushes.

And, if a coyote tries to attack, he said, "Pick up your dog if it's small enough. And, make a lot of noise," to establish who is in charge.

Waving a large walking stick or blowing a whistle or horn at the coyote is also recommended if a coyote does not run away.