Coyote Hazing
How to Haze for Effective Reshaping of Coyote Behavior Coexistence is not a passive undertaking Hazing:
A training method that employs immediate use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage an undesirable behavior or activity. Hazing techniques include loud noises, spraying water, bright lights, throwing objects, shouting. Hazing can help maintain a coyote’s fear of humans and deter them from neighborhood spaces such as backyards and play spaces. Hazing does not do damage to animals, humans or property. General Considerations 1. Levels of hazing need to be appropriate in relation to the activity of the coyotes. 2. Hazing must be more exaggerated, aggressive and consistent when first beginning a program of hazing, as coyotes "learn" it will take less effort to maintain and get appropriate response. 3. Techniques and tools can be used in the same manner for one animal or multiple animals. Usually there is a dominant animal in a group who will respond, and others will follow its lead. DO NOT ignore, turn back on, and avoid hazing just because there are multiple animals instead of a single individual. 4. The more often an individual coyote is hazed, by a variety of tools and techniques and a variety of people, the more effective hazing will be in changing that animals behavior in the future. 5. Hazing must be directly associated with the person involved in the hazing actions. The coyote must be aware of where the potential threat is coming from and identify the person involved. 6. Coyotes can and do recognize individual people and animals in their territories. They can learn to avoid or to harass specific individuals in response to behavior of the person and/or pet. 7. Coyotes can be routine in habit. Identifying their normal habits can help target which habits to change. EX. Coyote patrols same bike path at same time in the morning 3 to 5 days a week. Have hazers concentrate on that time and place to encourage the animal to adapt its routine to decrease contact with people. 8. Certain levels of hazing must always be maintained so that future generations of coyotes do not learn or return to unacceptable habits related to habituation to people. 9. Human behavior must change to support hazing and continued identification and if necessary removal of possible attractants. 10. Education about exclusion techniques including how to identify and remove attractants, personal responsibility in pet safety and having reasonable expectations are critical parts of a coyote hazing plan. 11. Coyotes are skittish by nature, habituated behavior is learned and reinforced by human behavior. Coyotes as a rule DO NOT act aggressively towards aggressive people. There is exception to this is cases of sick or injured animals. Engaging a sick or injured animal can result in unpredictable behavior. If this is suspected, people should not engage animal, but remove themselves from the situation and inform Animal Care and Control or Colorado Division of Wildlife. 12. Individuals involved in hazing efforts need to be trained in how to explain the hazing to residents who witness the process, explain the difference between hazing and "harassment of wildlife", and goals of the behavior. Potential tools for hazing
Using a variety of different hazing tools is critical; coyotes can habituate to individual items, sounds, actions. Noisemakers: Voice, whistles, air horns, bells, "shaker" cans, pots, pie pans Projectiles: sticks, small rocks, cans, tennis balls, rubber balls (sling shots, pepper balls, paint balls are not legal projectiles in Denver.) Other: hoses, water guns with vinegar water, spray bottles with vinegar water, pepper spray, bear repellant, walking sticks Common Mistakes 1. Stopping hazing behavior before the animal has left the area. Hazing must continue to happen until the animal has responded and definitely removed itself from the situation. Ex of mistake: A coyote is on front lawn. Resident goes outside and yells and blows a whistle. Coyote looks up and freezes. Resident goes back inside. Coyote has learned that it just needs to wait and harassing behavior will stop. Expect slower responses initially, response will be faster the more often the coyote experiences hazing. Common coyote initial responses: 1. coyote will freeze and/or look at hazer without leaving. Hazing response: increase level of hazing, add sounds, stamp feet, throw things, approach or run towards animal. 2. Coyote will run short distance away and stop, looking back and/or returning. Hazing response: DO NOT LEAVE UNTIL SURE ITS GONE, increase level of hazing, add sounds, stamp feet, throw things, approach or run towards animal. 3. Not associating harassing behavior with the person doing the hazing. Do not haze from inside a building, behind vegetation or anywhere that coyote cannot directly see you. The goal is to get the animal to focus on the hazer as the source of harassment/potential danger. Ex of mistake: Coyote is in backyard, resident opens upstairs window and yells at it. Coyote will not associate the sound with a personal threat, shouting will be background noise and won’t alter coyotes current behavior. 4. Changing your actions to avoid approaching a coyote(s). You MUST address the coyote and make sure it changes ITS actions will continuing on your desired path of action. (possible exception if you are walking a dog who becomes aggressive towards the coyote-avoid approaching, just stop and haze from current location). Ex. You see 2 coyotes ahead on the path, so you turn around and go the opposite direction. Coyotes have learned you will avoid them and it is acceptable to expect people to avoid them without their needing to change behavior.
