Protection Methods
Habitat Modification
Predators, like all wildlife, need shelter and cover to survive. Change the landscape to reduce the ability of the predator to hide and stalk livestock to help reduce predator efficiency.
Exclusion – Fencing
Keep valued animals behind secure fences to protect them. In general, fences should be high enough to prevent the species you intend to protect from leaving and to prevent entry of potential predators.
If protecting pets/livestock against coyotes, the fence should be at least 6 feet higher than the surrounding terrain. A device known as the “coyote roller” can be placed on top of shorter fences to prevent the coyote from gaining a foothold and climbing over. The fence should be at least 5 feet high before installing this device.
The bottom of fences must be secure to the ground to prevent coyotes from crawling under the fence. A better option is to bury the bottom of the fence.
Chain link fences, although expensive, can be very effective if tall enough and properly secured to the ground.
Housing
Keep animals in barns or sheds at night, or in enclosed areas.
Guard Animals
Guard animals are used to protect livestock from predation by coyotes. However, research is being done to use guard animals to protect crops from deer as well, including dogs, llamas, donkeys, etc.
- Guard Animals for Goats -2019. eXtension
- Booklet on Using Guard Animals – (PDF) Missouri Dept. of Conservation
- Llamas as Livestock Guarding Animals – 1994. (PDF) Iowa State University
- Guidelines for Using Donkeys as Guard Animals with Sheep – 1997, reviewed 2010. Ontario Ministry of Ag, Food, and Rural Affairs
- Livestock Protection Dogs – 2015. USDA APHIS site with fact sheets and additional resources.
Population Control
- Hunting: Check state and local regulations
- Trapping: Check state and local regulations
- Toxicants: Contact USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services