COYOTES
(Canis latrans)
Jeffrey S. Green
Assistant Regional Director
USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
F. Robert Henderson
Extension Specialist
Animal Damage Control
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas 66506-1600
Mark D. Collinge
State Director
USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services
Boise, Idaho 83705
Damage Prevention and Control Methods
Exclusion
Produce livestock in confinement.
Herd livestock into pens at night.
Exclusion fences (net-wire and/or electric), properly constructed and
maintained, can aid significantly in reducing predation.
Cultural Methods and Habitat Modification
Select pastures that have a lower incidence of predation to reduce exposure
of livestock to predation.
Herding of livestock generally reduces predation due to human presence
during the herding period.
Change lambin, kidding, and calving seasons.
Shed lambing, kidding, and calving usually reduce coyote predation.
Remove carrion to help limit coyote populations.
Frightening Agents and Repellents
Guarding dogs: Some dogs have significantly reduced coyote predation.
Donkeys and llamas: Some are aggressive toward canines and have reduced
coyote predation.
Sonic and visual repellents: Strobe lights, sirens, propane cannons, and
other shave reduced predation on both sheep and calves.
Chemical odor and taste repellents: None have shown sufficient
effectiveness to be registered for use.
Toxicants
M-44 ejector devices for use with sodium cyanide-loaded plastic capsules.
They are most effective during cold weather (fall to spring).
Livestock protection collars (LPC) containing Compound 1080 (sodium
monofluoracetate) are registered for use only in certain states.
Fumigants
Gas cartridges are registered as a burrow (den) fumigant.
Trapping
Foothold traps (Nos. 3 and 4) are effective and are the most versatile
control tool.
Snares are effective where coyotes pass through or under net-wire fences
and in trail sets.
Shooting
Shooting from the ground is effective.
Use rabbit distress calls or mimic howling or other coyote sounds to
bring coytoes within shooting distance.
Aerial hunting is effective in removing coyotes where terrain, ground
cover, vegetation, regulations, and landownership conditions permit.
Hunting with dogs is effective for trailing coyotes from kill sites,
locating dens, running coyotes, and assisting with aerial hunting or
calling.
Other Methods
Denning: Remove adult coyotes and/or their young from dens.
Editors
Scott E. Hygnstrom;
Robert M. Timm; Gary E. Larson
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF WILDLIFE DAMAGE 1994
Cooperative Extension Division Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Nebraska -Lincoln
United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Animal Damage Control
Great Plains Agricultural Council Wildlife Committee