Coyote Control

Coyotes are a native species crucial to keeping our desert ecosystems healthy. Like snakes, coyotes help significantly in keeping rodent populations under control. They also eat invertebrates, fruit, seeds, and nuts. DNA research is ongoing, but coyotes have existed-having diverged from a common ancestor with the wolf, some 6,000–117,000 years ago.

Feeding, relocating, or poisoning coyotes is illegal in California.

When choosing to make a home in the southwest desert, we choose to live within the coyote’s native habitat. In making that choice, respect that they’re a valuable and beneficial part of our desert.

Coyotes are a tough, resourceful, intelligent species and may be seen alone or in numbers.   Contrary to popular belief, seeing a coyote during the day is not unusual. They are diurnal (active during daylight hours) but are also active at night when nocturnal prey, such as rabbits, are abundant or if human activity is high during daylight hours. Coyotes are territorial and follow a family hierarchy.

Stable populations of coyotes often don’t cause trouble in rural residential areas unless people make life easy for them. 

Problems with coyotes in our region most often start when people are careless. 

Trash, prey (small pets, livestock, ground squirrels), pet food, fruit trees, livestock feed, and water sources are all attractive to coyotes.

Having any “food” source that attracts rodents (such as rats, squirrels and rabbits) will eventually draw coyotes (and other predators) closer to homes, especially in more rural areas.

Protecting pets, small livestock, and poultry is a necessity. Secure, dig-proof fencing or secure outdoor kennels (with a roof) helps to keep animals safe. Unfortunately, coyotes do not understand the difference between a pet and prey. Prey is prey.

Occasionally, coyotes can become too accustomed to people and may become aggressive.

Coyotes are excellent scavengers and can smell food sources for long distances, sometimes for miles. Since coyotes are so intelligent, hazing (causing them to fear entering a specific area) may or may not be effective.

On some occasions, serious measures must be considered for problem coyotes, and we evaluate coyote issues on a case-by-case basis. We will not remove coyote(s) simply because you saw one, causes dogs to bark, or attacks an unsupervised pet. 

Coyotes that show little to no fear of humans or have attempted to/have attacked livestock exhibit threatening behavior towards people, and sick coyotes are issues we will address.

Feeding, relocating, or poisoning coyotes is illegal in California.

Please see Release of Trapped Wildlife