January: Coyote Breeding Season
Posted on January 08 2019
In January, homeowners expect to see the usual wildlife visitors on their lawns and gardens: white-tailed deer; birds and the occasional rabbit or ground hog. And, while deer mating season just ended last month, many homeowners may not realize that a new breeding season has begun: coyotes.
Coyote breeding season runs from late December (beginning January) through March with coyote pups born in March and April. The influx of both deer and coyotes presents a problem for homeowners that have to guard not just their crops from wildlife damage in gardens; but also their pets from wildlife encounters and attacks on pets.
In the winter, coyotes will roam throughout the day in search for food while the weather remains on the cooler side. A coyote's diet consists of small rodents, berries, fruits and the occasional small dog or cat.
To keep away coyotes this season, homeowners are advised to build a strong metal fence that is at least 6 feet high to block jumps from coyotes. Since deer mating season just ended, fawns will be on yards soon enough; and homeowners may decide to install a 7.5 feet high deer fence instead of a 6 foot to combat both issues. It is highly recommended that the steel fence include PVC-coating to protect the metal material from chew marks.
While coyotes are known to attack pets, they rarely attack humans unless they feel threatened or trapped in a corner. Always provide coyotes with an escape route; and keep watch on pets this winter season.
