The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reminding everyone how to cope with coyotes as sightings of the wild canines increase around the state.
DNR wildlife outreach coordinator Rachel Lincoln tells us you’ll see more coyotes every year around this time because it’s their mating season.
“You can find coyotes in every county in Michigan,” Lincoln said. “However, during certain times of the year and during January and February in particular, we do see an uptick in observations of coyotes. That’s likely due to their increased movements this time of year.”
Lincoln says coyote attacks on humans are extremely unlikely in Michigan, but there is real reason to be concerned for pets. The smaller the pet, the bigger reason to watch out for them. She says you should be sure to accompany your pet outside, especially in the morning and at night.
If coyotes are becoming a problem in your area, Lincoln recommends some hazing tactics.
“Things like making loud noises when you see a coyote present, removing anything that might be attracting them to your area such as those brush piles or bird feeders, these are all hazing tactics.”
Lincoln says the idea is to make the area seem unfriendly to coyotes so they move on.
However, Lincoln notes coyotes aren’t all bad. They can provide free pest control, eating things like moles and mice.
Lincoln expects we’ll start seeing more coyotes again in the late spring, around May, when their young start to be born for the year.
