Madison's residents learn how to coexistence with their wild coyote neighbors

Source: the Capital Times, Madison Wisconsin
If you spot a coyote, haze it, say public health officials

By STEVEN ELBOW

This kind of hazing isn’t a frat thing. Actually, authorities want you to do it — to coyotes.
Madison/Dane County Public Health on Wednesday released an instructional video on how to haze a coyote. Hazing in this case means to scare away the animals, which have been become a little too comfortable in some Madison neighborhoods, especially on the east side where they have snatched up a number of small dogs.
“Seeing a coyote is not necessarily a bad thing,” UW Extension wildlife specialist David Drake says in the video. “And in many cases you should enjoy watching the animals from a safe distance. However, on occasion, changes in coyote behavior may mean that a specific individual is getting used to human presence. If this is happening in your community, action is necessary to cause coyotes to fear humans.”
The three-minute video features a spirited performance by former Madison City Council member and east-side resident Lauren Cnare, who demonstrates various coyote-hazing techniques like waving arms, yelling, throwing sticks and squirting a hose at the intruding animal.

Drake cautions, however, to throw objects in the direction of the coyote, not at the animal. You might also try shaking a soda can with pennies or blow a whistle.
“Using these methods should create fear of humans in coyotes and they should leave the area,” he says.
He also suggests that if you have a small dog to pick it up. If you have a larger dog, secure it with a leash. Also, refrain from hazing if the coyote is injured, sick or with pups.
The city doesn’t just want you to haze the animals. It wants you to get everyone else to haze them, too.
“Hazing coyotes, however, only works if everyone does it, and does it regularly,” says Drake. “Please share this video and encourage everyone in your area to haze any coyote they see.”