Colorado residents often share their neighborhoods with wildlife, including curious coyotes. These adaptable animals are usually harmless but can become problematic when they lose their natural fear of humans.
Knowing how to respond when a coyote visits your yard helps keep both your family and the animal safe.
1. Stay Calm And Keep Your Distance
Spotting a coyote can be startling, but panicking makes the situation worse. Remain still and assess the animal’s behavior from a safe distance.
Coyotes are typically shy and will avoid confrontation unless protecting their young or territory. If the coyote appears relaxed, simply watching from inside your home might be the best approach.
2. Make Yourself Look Bigger
Wild animals respond to perceived threats, and size matters in nature. Raise your arms over your head, wave them slowly, or open your jacket wide to increase your apparent size.
Stand tall and face the coyote directly—never turn your back or run. This confident posture communicates that you’re not prey and might encourage the animal to retreat naturally.
3. Create Loud Noises
Noise is your ally when encouraging coyotes to leave. Clap your hands forcefully, shout in a deep voice, or bang pots together to create a startling sound barrier. Many Colorado residents keep air horns or whistles handy for wildlife encounters.
The unexpected noise helps reinforce the coyote’s natural wariness of humans and your property boundaries.
4. Throw Objects Near (Not At) The Coyote
Grab small objects like tennis balls or sticks and toss them near—never directly at—the coyote. The goal is to startle, not injure. The sudden movement and noise of objects landing nearby creates an uncomfortable environment for the animal.
Smart Colorado homeowners keep a bucket of tennis balls by the door specifically for this purpose.
5. Spray Water From A Hose
Garden hoses offer a humane deterrent that works remarkably well. A sudden spray of water creates discomfort without causing harm to the animal. Aim for the ground near the coyote rather than directly at it. Motion-activated sprinklers also make excellent preventative measures, teaching coyotes your yard isn’t a welcoming place before conflicts arise.
6. Remove Food Sources
Coyotes follow their stomachs, so eliminate anything that might be attracting them. Pet food, fallen fruit, unsecured garbage, and bird feeders all serve as dinner invitations. Even compost piles can attract rodents that coyotes hunt.
Colorado wildlife experts emphasize that a fed coyote becomes a bold coyote, so making your yard a food desert encourages them to move along.
7. Bring Pets Inside Immediately
Small pets look like prey to hungry coyotes. If you spot one in your yard, quickly bring dogs and cats indoors without running or making sudden movements. Never leave pets unattended outside in coyote country, especially during dawn and dusk when coyotes are most active.
A fenced yard isn’t foolproof protection—coyotes can jump fences up to six feet high or dig underneath.
8. Install Motion-Activated Lights
Coyotes prefer to hunt under cover of darkness. Bright lights suddenly flooding your yard create an unwelcoming environment for these nocturnal visitors. Motion-activated systems work best because they startle with their unexpected illumination.
Many Colorado homeowners combine motion lights with sound deterrents for maximum effectiveness against nighttime wildlife explorers.
9. Report Aggressive Behavior
While most coyote encounters are harmless, aggressive behavior requires professional intervention. Contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife if a coyote approaches people, shows no fear, or acts unusually bold.
Signs of aggression include stalking, baring teeth, or not retreating when hazed. Wildlife officers can assess whether the animal poses a public safety risk or needs intervention.
10. Maintain Yard And Fence Perimeters
A well-maintained yard provides fewer hiding spots for coyotes. Trim tall grass, remove brush piles, and clear dense vegetation where animals might den or hunt. Check fences regularly for holes or dig spots.
Some Colorado residents install coyote rollers—rolling cylinders on fence tops—or buried fence extensions to prevent climbing and digging by determined predators seeking access to your yard.