Coyote Removal

Charlottesville VA Coyote Removal & Control

(434) 260-7077

Charlottesville Virginia coyote removal, control, trapping and management in Charlottesville VA should be left to Wildlife Control Experts. Coyotes are usually classified as a pest species due to their predation habits. The most common complaints include the following:

• Coyotes preying on sheep
• Coyotes killing or attacking pets such as cats and dogs
• Coyotes preying on chickens
• Fear of coyotes attacking people

Coyote Biology

The Coyote (Canis latrans) is about three feet long and 20-40 pounds. They are primarily grayish-brown. They breed once a year, in late winter or early spring, and produce a litter of young that can vary widely in number. They can live up to ten years in the wild, or twenty in captivity.

The coyote is a canine species also known as American Jackal or Prairie Wolf. There are a total of 19 subspecies known to man. Of the 19 species, 16 of them are found in Canada, US and Mexico while the other three are in Central America. They shed their fur once in a year and are known to have proportionally large ears as compared to their head, and small feet as compared to the rest of the body. Their brain/skull size is roughly the same as a domestic dog. Coyotes living in the mountain regions tend to have darker fur than those living in other territories. A coyote’s body length varies from 76 cm to 78 cm while their tails range from 30 cm to 41 cm. Their height from the ground is around 58 to 66 cm and a normal adult weighs around seven to 21kgs. Coyotes can hear sounds with frequencies as high as 80 KHz. They can sprint at around 69 km/ hour and jump a distance of around 13 feet with hardly any effort. Coyotes generally travel and hunt in small groups (packs) of six to eight having adults as well as young in the pack. They are considered full grown by the time they are a year old. Although they usually prefer to travel and hunt at night, you might come across a pack in the day time as well. They are capable of digging burrows but are generally found living in those made by other animals such as groundhogs or American badgers.

Coyote Behavior

Coyotes are solitary animals. They live in dens. They establish a home territory on which they hunt. They primarily eat rodents such as field mice or cottontail rabbits. Coyotes will sometimes eat larger prey. They will eat a wide variety of foods, and will often scavenge. Coyotes are very adaptable, and will often live in urban areas. They are usually nocturnal.

Nuisance Concerns

Coyote’s cause a lot of damage as they kill and eat the domesticated animals including goats, sheep and cattle. In the rural areas, they damage the pipes carrying water for irrigation. Coyotes are well adapted to living around humans and use the food sources provided by humans regularly. They will eat pet food, chicken eggs, crops and gardens and whatever else they can get a hold of easily. Though they generally do not attack humans, the number of attacks has certainly been on the rise in recent past.

Coyote Diseases

Diseases Carried by Coyotes include Canine parvovirus and viruses for rabies. Though Canine parvovirus does not affect humans, rabies can certainly be transmitted in case of a bite. Caution must be maintained in case you come across coyotes and immediate consultation with a doctor is recommended in case of a bite. Beware of any wild animal that displays unusual behavior, such as lack of fear, inconsistent walking, etc.

How Do I Get Rid of Coyotes?

The best method is trapping and removal. Many wildlife control specialists excel at canine trapping. In many areas, it’s a lost art, since not as many people fur trap as in the past. However, many nuisance trappers have learned to adopt the fur trappers’ techniques in order to catch these animals. Some wildlife operators are in fact former (or even current) fur trappers. There are many techniques, some of which I consider inhumane, and some of which are antiquated. For more information, contact us at (434) 260-7077.

Can I Just Use a Coyote Repellent?

There is no known effective repellent or deterrent device to keep fox or coyote off of a property.