Massive Numbers Of Coyotes In New York State

As the weather starts to change and the leaves start to drop, you may see or hear more coyotes in New York State. But just how many coyotes are there in New York State? Are there any coyotes in New York City?

From Buffalo, to Albany, New York State is loaded with beautiful forests. We are blessed to have so many incredible natural resources. However, as the population starts to sprawl, humans and animals are interacting now more than ever.

Did you ever wonder how many coyotes there are around us? You may not see them, but there is a good chance they are in your yard now and then. According to SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry: "Coyotes are firmly established throughout all New York counties except Long Island and New York City. Their numbers have been estimated at between 20,000 and 30,000. Coyotes are abundant throughout New York State".

I am in the woods often and hear coyotes barking and howling at sunrise and sunset as they hunt for food. It is an eerie type of sound that is also neat to hear. But for some, there is a fear that coyotes will cause them harm. There are some things that you should know about coyotes. For example, why would a coyote be a danger to a human? SUNY ESF indicates that: "Attacks have primarily occurred in suburban areas where coyotes have lost much of their fear of humans due to lack of pursuit and where associated with an easy food source such as garbage and pet food".

The best advice for those who own a home or property is to keep your land as unattractive to coyotes as possible. Just like we do with bears, try to keep food and garbage stored properly and be smart. If you see a coyote, leave it alone and report any strange activity to the DEC or local police.

As far as hunting them, the New York State DEC reminds you that: "All of Upstate New York is open for coyote hunting, and a hunting license is required to hunt coyotes. All of Upstate New York is also open for coyote trapping and a trapping license is required".