All over the South, the sounds of yips, howls, and barks are echoing through woods, wetlands, meadows, and even urban areas. From roughly January to March, it’s coyote breeding season, and the canines are noticeably more active than usual.

Coyotes reproduce once a year, and that season hits its peak in February. Though all coyotes become more territorial during this time, those that aren’t in an established pack—which consists of a bonded male-female pair, their offspring from previous years, and close relatives—become especially restless. Unpaired coyotes strike off in search of mates and can be more visible during this time.

Historically, coyotes didn’t call the American South home. The red wolf once occupied the entire eastern seaboard, the gray wolf roamed the West, and their smaller cousins were restricted to the Great Plains states. But after years of habitat loss and deliberate persecution, red wolf numbers plummeted.
Coyotes, a highly adaptable species, have steadily colonized the red wolf’s erstwhile range and moved into suburban and urban areas with great success. Most people have seen them, or at least heard them, at some point, and as development of wild spaces continues, our encounters with the canines will increase.
Though direct interactions with coyotes are rare, and attacks on humans almost never occur, here are five basic precautions to take:
Never feed coyotes or try to interact with them.
Coyotes are very adept at getting their own food—they’ll eat almost anything, from live prey like squirrels, rabbits, and other rodents to roadkill. If you put out food for them, they will become even more adapted to people and residential areas than they already are, posing a greater risk to humans and pets.
Be mindful of any food scraps at all.
Coyotes have a highly developed sense of smell that they use to find prey and carrion. Leaving any food out is an invitation for them to come and investigate. Pick up fallen fruit, keep garbage tied up and put away inside bins, and clean and cover your grill.
Don’t let pets out alone, especially at night.
A small pet is an easy target for a coyote. Always leash and accompany them, especially between dusk and dawn, when coyotes are most active. The canines can learn a routine as well. If you do let your dog out alone, don’t do so at the same time every evening.
Spaying and neutering reduces your dog’s risk as well.
An unspayed female dog in season can attract the attention of male coyotes, while an unneutered male dog might smell a female coyote and be lured away into danger.
Make some noise.
If you see coyotes hanging around the yard or in your neighborhood, make a ruckus—blow a whistle, bang on pots and pans, shout. The idea isn’t to do any harm to the coyote. You just want to scare them and make your yard a place that’s uncomfortable for them.