Coyotes in New York State: Population, Common Locations, Hunting Rules, and More

Coyotes live in every area of New York state except Long Island. They even roam New York City. One was even spotted in Central Park in the heart of Manhattan! So, just how many coyotes are in the Empire State? Are they a cause for concern? And what should you do if you encounter a coyote? We cover all these questions in this article.

Fast Facts About Coyotes

• Coyotes now live in every U.S. state except Hawaii. They range from Canada all the way south through Central America.
• They are related to wolves, jackals, and domestic dogs and can interbreed with them. The hybrids are called “coydogs.”
• They measure 40-60 inches from nose to tail and weigh 25-30 pounds. Coyote-wolf hybrids may weigh 50 pounds.
• Coyotes communicate by barking, growling, yelping, yipping, howling, and whining.
• They are nocturnal omnivorous hunters, feasting on small mammals, carrion, fruits, and vegetables.

How Many Coyotes Are in New York?

Coyotes live all over New York State except Long Island. The statewide population is an estimated 20-30,000. A small population of 20-30 lives in the parks and neighborhoods of New York City itself, including Central Park.

New Yorkers appreciate the fact that coyotes help clean up garbage and dead animals. They also hunt rats, mice, and stray cats. New York City is overrun by an estimated 500,000 to one million feral cats, many of them diseased, malnourished, and injured in fights. Coyotes help take care of this problem at night and out of sight.

How Dangerous are Coyotes?

DNA testing has revealed that eastern coyotes have hybridized with wolves and domestic dogs. As a result, they can be substantially bigger than those in the West. Moreover, the higher urban human population in the East means that coyotes have more opportunities for contact and conflict with people. In populated areas, they can lose their fear of people and boldly approach them for food.

However, attacks on people are exceedingly rare, and only two people in the United States and Canada have been killed by coyotes. In contrast, dog attacks injure 650 people and kill one person every year in New York State alone. Coyotes prey on cats and small dogs and the potential exists for them to harm a small unsupervised child. Additionally, children are particularly prone to mistaking a coyote for a domestic dog and trying to pet it. These animals carry diseases that can infect pets or people through bites and scratches. Coyotes can also be a hazard on the road for drivers, as they are attracted to roadkill as an easy meal.

New York Coyote-Hunting Regulations

Since humans have removed all the large predators that would have killed coyotes, like wolves, mountain lions, and bears, coyote numbers have exploded nationwide. Hunting and trapping are a common strategy states use to control the population. Paradoxically, hunting them can increase their birth rate, as they have larger litters (up to seven pups) when food is abundant with little competition. Thus, a hunting strategy has to be used consistently and aggressively enough to keep the coyote population in a desirable range.

In New York, a hunting license is required to hunt coyotes. Coyote season this year started on October 21, 2023, and ends on March 31, 2024. They can be hunted 24/7 during the season with firearms, air guns, bows, or crossbows. Electronic calls and lights are allowed, but it is forbidden to hunt from a vehicle, including an ATV. It is not necessary to report your kill to wildlife officials; this is required only for bobcats. Shooting wolves or wolf-coyote hybrids is not permitted. If a hunter spots a larger, heavier-looking coyote (50 pounds or so), they should not kill it. For more details, including specific regulations on the use of firearms, see the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website.

If You See a Coyote

When Will You See Them?

You might see a coyote wherever you are in New York, but the most likely times to spot one are dusk to dawn when they hunt. They can be quite noisy at night so if several are in your neighborhood, you’ll hear them.

What Should You Keep in Mind?

Keep in mind first and foremost that though they look like dogs, they are predatory wild animals. In populated areas, a coyote may become accustomed to people and lose some of its fear, especially if misguided people have fed it. Remember too that, unlike pet dogs, coyotes have not been vaccinated against rabies. A coyote could carry this potentially fatal disease.

What Should You Do?

For all these reasons, keep your distance and back away. If the animal moves toward you, yell, scream, throw things, and wave your arms to make yourself look bigger to scare it off. Particularly in urban areas, report the sighting to local wildlife authorities.

How Can You Repel Coyotes?

If you are a property owner in a rural or suburban area, remember that coyotes do serve useful environmental roles. Just because you spot one on your property doesn’t mean it has to be removed. However, if you have livestock, small pets, or children that may be threatened or if a coyote on your property is behaving aggressively, here are some things you can do to make your place less coyote friendly:

• Purchase wolf urine online and spray it around the boundaries of your property.
• Acquire a large-breed watchdog for the property.
• Install motion sensor lights and alarms.
• Build a 6-foot-high fence.
• Trim overgrown shrubbery and brush to remove hiding places.
• Tightly secure garbage bin lids.
• Don’t feed your pets outdoors and keep uneaten pet food inside.

Coyotes look for the easiest meals they can find. The above methods will encourage your neighborhood coyote to move on to a less challenging food source.

The Bottom Line

Coyotes are shy animals that come out at night and take care of garbage, carrion, and vermin. They rarely attack people, making them less of a threat to you than your neighbors’ dogs. So, if you spot a coyote, enjoy it from a safe distance and take the proper precautions if you sense danger.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Dan J Rozak/Shutterstock.com