The Powerful Solution People Use To Repel Coyotes In Their Yard (& Should You Try It?)

Previously an animal that primarily inhabited the Midwest and Great Plains of the U.S., coyotes have become ubiquitous across all areas of the country over the last century. In fact, these omnivores inhabit urban and suburban areas, as well as forests and farms. The key driving force behind where coyotes live is their access to food. This is why many homeowners have reported spotting these fascinating creatures in their yards. While coyotes generally avoid people, it's still not ideal to allow them to get too comfortable on your property, especially if you have small children and pets. Finding ways to prevent or repel coyotes from entering your yard is essential to help keep everyone safe, and many are turning to hacks such as using a simple ammonia trick to pest-proof yards. Utilizing ammonia as a coyote repellent might sound like a convenient fix, but it does have some downsides. 

Due to their wide-ranging diets and the fact they can live almost anywhere, there's no single solution for preventing coyotes from accessing your property. While you might try DIY solutions like ammonia, know that this isn't 100% foolproof — and may even be dangerous in some cases. Before you use ammonia around your property, it's important to understand both the reasons behind why some people claim it repels coyotes, as well as the possible risks.

Coyotes have a highly developed sense of smell and the logic is that strong chemical scents like ammonia might work to homeowners' advantage and discourage these animals from entering their property. Numerous blogs outline different methods for this coyote repellent. The first is a soaked rag or washcloth method, which purportedly creates a strong scent that deters them. As such, some people have placed ammonia-soaked cloths around their yards as a means of keeping coyotes and other pests away. 

Another method addresses the common problem of coyotes rummaging through garbage. While it's always a good idea to keep lids secured on top of any outdoor trash cans, you may be able to help further discourage coyotes from accessing trash by pouring ammonia into them. This method purportedly works by creating an offensive odor for the animals, as well as potentially masking the odor of the garbage that might be luring them onto your property. Alternatively, sprinkling cayenne pepper to keep coyotes away is thought to work in a similar fashion in garbage cans, too.

In theory, the strong scent of ammonia might keep unwanted animals away from your yard, including coyotes. However, it's important to use extreme caution and wear gloves and face masks whenever you use ammonia for any reason. For humans, ammonia is both a skin and lung irritant, with larger amounts leading to burns, respiratory damage, and death. Even if ammonia might repel coyotes, there are reported concerns about the toxicity of the product, and that it could inadvertently harm children and pets who are accidentally exposed to the chemical, too.

Spotting a coyote in your yard or neighborhood usually means they have found a source of food. Sources include bird seed, pet food, fallen fruit, and garbage. Above all else, never feed a coyote, and discourage your neighbors and friends from doing so as well. When removing food sources isn't enough to deter coyotes, you may try safer DIY methods, such as pepper spray, splashing them with water from your hose, or a white vinegar solution to keep coyotes away from your yard. Installing a privacy fence can also help keep coyotes out  — go for those that are 5 feet or taller. Since these canines are naturally afraid of humans, you can help reinforce their trepidation by yelling, making loud noises, or turning on sprinklers as a way to deter them. If you continue to have coyote problems, consider contacting your local wildlife agency for help.