Saw two coyotes trotting the Oak Street greenway around 6 a.m. today — calm, alert, and keeping distance, which is what we want in an urban setting. If you’re out early, give them space, leash dogs, and secure trash so we don’t teach them bad habits; if you’re seeing repeat visits in that spot, let me know so I can coordinate humane hazing and share tips with nearby blocks.
Saw one by the Oak Street footbridge around 6:15 yesterday; a $10 keychain air horn sent it trotting off — good ‘humane hazing’ when you don’t want to shout. Leash your dogs for sure, but I’d skip bear bells; if folks want a quick primer, this is solid: https://www.coyotemanagement.org/hazing.
But out around 6 a.m. too, and a quick pop-open umbrella has been my best ‘be big’ tool on the Oak Street stretch — they flinch and trot off without me having to shout. @hwright08 the air horn is smart; I carry the umbrella since it doubles as cover if it drizzles, small caveat that if you see pups just back away instead of hazing. Also, freeze food scraps until pickup so the trash doesn’t bait them — , that’s what keeps them coming back.
At 5:55 a.m., a $6 pea-less whistle plus headlamp strobe worked; still ‘secure trash’ and leash dogs.
I keep a collapsible hiking pole on pre‑dawn runs; a couple taps on the pavement plus making myself look big has been enough when they’re “calm, alert” like you said. , sloppy bins still drive me nuts — please lock lids. If you don’t want to carry a pole, clipping a metal bottle to your pack gives you a quick clang; solid hazing tips here: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/coyotes-people.