Deterring Coyotes

October 19, 2023

Question: Is it true that wolf urine is an effective deterrent for coyotes?

Answer: While many products claim wolf urine will discourage visits by coyotes, CDFW Human-Wildlife Conflict Specialist Jessica West said there hasn’t been much in the way of scientific research produced on how well these products work. Producers of these products suggest that the scent of one canine species will prevent visits by another, but West said the wolf scent could attract coyotes because they may be curious about another canine (be it wolf, dog or coyote) being nearby. West also said because coyotes in Southern California haven’t lived with wolves for almost 100 years, they might not associate that scent with danger or even recognize it as a wolf.

The best prevention to deter coyotes is through making changes in human behavior. Always keep trash in secure bins, don’t leave pet food (or pets) out at night and pick up fallen fruit. Other good tips include cleaning barbecue grill surfaces and keeping bird feeders clean. As always, CDFW is happy to share information on preventing conflict with wildlife through the Human Wildlife Conflict Toolkit: Human-Wildlife Conflicts Program ( https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Laboratories/Wildlife-Health/HWC-Program).