Do Flashlights Scare Coyotes?

[Locoboy5150]

Based on my experiences with shining my Fenix TK40 in Turbo mode on various dogs, nope. Dogs aren't scared at all of it when in turbo or strobe modes.

But, a whistle does work. I'd suggest getting a Fox 40 whistle and keeping it in your pocket at all times. I've found out that one sudden blast of even a common police whistle gets even the most vicious dog to run away.

That's the case with dogs, but I'm not sure about a coyote because I've thankfully never come across one.

 

[selfbuilt]

The only predators in the area are fisher cats and now coyotes. Walking down the street one looked right at me and then sauntered into the woods in no hurry at all. I was too surprised to do anything but he didn't seem to be afraid of me at all. He DID look hungry. As far as all coyotes being skinny I have no idea. As I said first I've even seen. The other two times we saw them were from the car as we entered the driveway. They ran from the headlights so I hoped the flashlight might be as effective.

My one experience with coming across a coyote where I live (town borders on green space) matches the first bolded passage above. However, I was driving my car at the time, so my experience is quite different from the second bold - the coyote sauntered across the road staring right into my headlights, not the least perturbed. Makes me think a flashlight won't do much, even on strobe.

Good idea but too many pets in the neighborhood that get loose. I don't want to poison my neighbor's cat.

+1. It's NEVER a good idea to leave poisoned food around. I'd recommend you check with your local wildlife control office for advice (or even humane society - they often field these sorts of calls). But I suspect their advice will be to keep any pets or children away from the coyotes, and insure there are no other food sources on your property. And that's probably the best advice to follow.

 

[recDNA]

I don't know if lights scare coyotes, but I have moved them away from me on a lot of occasions by shining a bright light on them. I think that they find them unpleasant, especially on a dark night. Just a fact that you are focusing on them may make them back off to some degree. I can't carry a shotgun, as suggested. I take my nightly walks on a trail with quite a few coyotes, but pepper spray or more serious hardware can be kept in a pocket. After a lifetime of being in coyote areas, I have never felt like one of them was going to attack me. But, there is always that chance. Especially if they are rabid or fed by people.

I have a neighbor who left his garage door ajar 24/7 for his cats to come and go. I noticed the garage is now closed all the time. I bet the coyote was eating the cat food in there..or the cats.

I'm not afraid of them but my wife is. Maybe I'll get her some pepper spray.

 

[Gene43]

I my experience lights only scare coyotes if they associate the light with something more lethal or frightening to them. Once you've shot at one while using a light, he will head in the opposite direction the next time he sees any kind of light. We can shoot around here, maybe one of those loud airhorns would scare them, but I haven't tried it.

 

[recDNA]

Sometimes you have casualties at war..... Nah, I understand you don't want to harm any pets. Plan B- A trap of some type. Are you allowed to have a bang stick where you live? If you could trap them one at a time (again baiting with food of some type would be needed), you could use the bang stick to finish the job.

Yes, trapping them is legal. No on the bangsticks. They're still considered firearms. I'd have to trap him THEN poison him. I wouldn't want to try to pick up the trap with him in it or I could throw it in a barrel of water. With my luck I'll catch every animal BUT the coyote. We have lots of skunks and they like cat food too. Nix on the trap idea.

The key thing is thanks to all your help I know the flashlight won't do anything but allow us to watch where they go. We have woods (conservation land) on 3 sides of the house but they're not very deep. It's amazing to me that deer and coyotes and goodness knows what else can live in such a small wooded area. I'm hoping to get a picture of the coyote next time I see one for the town paper.

 

[lightfooted]

Coyotes are not dogs....sure they may be canines....but not dogs. While the rabid ones are certainly to be feared with reason, most others will simply leave you alone. Kinda the whole "Can I eat this?No. Can it eat me? Possibly." thing of seeing another predator. Which is what we are to them.

Every coyote I have lit up with my light has stopped what it was doing and upon me moving toward them has ran away as though I was chasing it. While I'm not sure that I could say that they are afraid of the light itself, they do understand that the light means there may be something bigger behind it that can hurt or kill them.

Poison is an indiscriminate killer, not only is it likely to kill the coyote...but the toddler who happens across the trap and finds the bait interesting.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Paintball gun.
Zing their asses a few times and they will develop a fear of people again and I think that'd still be legal.
If enough of your neighbors do the same I bet they would move to another area before long.

 

[Mark Mck]

I have predator called coyotes at night and use a flashlight with a red cover lens (Surefire E1L) and it is very effective. The coyote will come into the call regardless of the light and the light will blind the animal and allow you to adjust and aim your rifle without spooking the coyote to flight. I have used the light to pick up eye reflection by turning on and off the light in short bursts and the reflection of the light off the eyes of the predator are like beacons that can be seen easily up to 200 yds and probably further out. To answer your question, no, the light will not scare away the coyote. Your smell and movement are what will spook the animal to flight.

 

[FlashlightsNgear.com]

Shotgun, if they are too close for comfort.

Why play with them?

I hear ya Sgt.. I keep a 12 gauge in the bedroom with a Olight M20S mounted to the barrel lately :devil: Using 3 to 3 1/2 inch magnum shells they dont stand a chance, and they are scared of bright light which is the main reason I use a red filter (+ its the law here in WV), green works good at distance's over 100 yards (using a 204 rifle) but green is illegal to hunt with in most states. Sounds like you need to call the local game warden or law enforcement agency for more answers, they may come out and trap the animals. Coyotes run in packs so their are many more lurking, be careful taking the trash out ect ect

 

[recDNA]

Nope. I'd lose my carry permit if they caught me shooting a paintball gun in town. Kids used to shoot mailboxes so they passed an ordinance against them. Most encounters have been too short to get out a paintball gun and shoot anyway (although it sounds like fun to me). I just want my wife to feel safe going to and from the car at night. I think pepper spray on her keychain would make her feel safer. Whether she'd have the presense of mind to use one quicky enough I don't know. I just want her to feel safe around the house.

I usually like animals but not when they make my wife uncomfortable in her own yard.

The police just take too long to get here to be of any use. These animals don't lay around waiting for anybody. When I see them they're always walking or running. Probably feel uncomfortable in the open.

 

[kingofwylietx]

Your local animal control may have a trap they can set or loan to you. Typically, coyotes stay away from people. It can't hurt to have a flashlight, especially one of the older long Maglights that double as a baseball bats.

For your wife, or even you too........pepper spray is a good defense (and not just from coyotes). They do make sprays specifically for canines, I don't know if it is different from what we normally think of as 'pepper' spray.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Good Lord man I just couldn't live there!

Too many rules. :nana: Are slingshots a no-no too!

 

[recDNA]

Good Lord man I just couldn't live there!

Too many rules. :nana: Are slingshots a no-no too!

You need an F.I.D. card to have a slingshot or a pellet gun here so yes, slingshots are a no-no. Hunting of any kind is illegal within town limits. That's why we have deer and turkeys and geese galore. Now if I ever catch these animals hanging around (rather than just running through) my trash or yard I will have to consider alternatives other than sanctioned.

I'd really like to keep the conversation to flashlights though because I don't want to annoy the moderators. I think it has been well established now that a flashlight isn't of much use.

 

[tre]

The Coyotes in my yard are loud so I always know when they are around. When I shine a flashlight on them, they quiet at once and leave (slowly).

If you can't use a gun, what about a compund bow? In my area coyote season is 365 days per year and all you need is a $15 permit. A decent bow will send an arrow at them over 300 ft/second and they will never know what hit them. I don't know how close your neighbors are (if it would be safe or not) but they would hear nothing.

Now if I could just figure out how to attach a light to my bow.

 

[Spypro]

Last autumn me and my friend were walking in a field when we saw coyotes. I had my D10 and my L2 with XRE R2 with me and my friend had his MTE P7 with him. There was two coyotes so nothing really dangerous here. They were not afraid of the light. We did not try to shine our flashlights in there face. I think that a flashlight will not scare a coyote or two. Maybe a 35w would do but a prefer a good ol' knife or shotgun.

 

[shado]

I don't know much about Coyotes, but I can make a Fox disappear? I received my Olight SR90 last month and waited till it was dark to try it out. I walked a few yards from my house and spotted a Fox. I followed the Fox to the field across the street impressed with the SR 90s power. I was excited to take a few pictures and show my wife. The Fox didn't move as I took the picture from about 100 yards. I went home excited to show what I thought would be a great shot of the Fox but the SR 90 made the Fox invisible.

 

[notsofast]

I'm hoping to get a picture of the coyote next time I see one for the town paper.[/QUOTE]

There ya go. I have been thinking that once they become a pest to more and more people and they complain eventually some sort of authority will get involved. The quickest way to get attention is certainly the media.

 

[LuxLuthor]

The only LED's out of the 25 or so I have that scares away the large coyotes (ones in CT are larger than a big German Shepherd) is Saabluster's DEFT or the Aspheric Mags. However, most of the powerful incans I have linked in my sig easily do the job.

 

[Joe Hone]

I've lived between 2 states for the last 9 years, both with coyotes - CA and AZ. Big, healthy, alert looking canines. Tomorrow if I go outside early in the AM I will see them trotting by after their night of hunting the neighborhood pets. They tend to keep a wary eye on me, and stay on their side of the street. These are city coyotes, right in the middle of north central Phoenix.

My experience with them is that anything out of the ordinary will cause them to walk away, and I've hit them up with a Surefire P6 (first generation - dates me a bit) and they definitely don't like it; they immediately turn and look for the escape route, albeit walking, not running. There is a reason why in American culture they are associated with cowardice.

But, from personal experience, always beware of wild animals, and assume the one you are viewing at the moment is the exception to the rule.

 

[recDNA]

Do the coyotes go after the javelinas?