The Do’s and Don’ts of Wildlife Encounters on the Trail

All Illustrations by Charlie Layton

Running on trails almost guarantees you some interaction with wildlife, and that’s a wonderful thing. The likelihood of a safe wildlife encounter is far greater than an unsafe wildlife encounter. However, there is potential for a meeting with a predator, a snake or any animal that feels a need to defend itself. Here are some very general guidelines on how to stay safe and defuse potentially unsafe situations in the wild.

Coyotes

DO

Stay calm, keep your dog on a leash and back away slowly.

Stop running, stand tall, and yell if a coyote(s) sees you and appears to be sizing you up.

Throw something to scare it away, but don’t actually hit it.

Make eye contact if the coyote is alone, and back away slowly.

DO NOT

Turn your back and run away or let your dog give chase.

Act threatening or look any of them in the eye if you are facing a pack.

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