Coyotes and their pups call the Boise Foothills home. Here’s how you can stay safe on trails
The coyotes that call the Boise Foothills home bring litters of new pups into the world each spring.
And each spring, Foothills trail users report interactions with the wild canines, from sightings to more aggressive encounters with assertive adult coyotes defending their dens.
Back in 2021, the Idaho Statesman talked with Sara Arkle, Foothills and open space superintendent for the city of Boise, who said the sightings in recent years is probably a symptom of increased trail use, not of a larger coyote population.
“I think wildlife was always doing their thing, but now that there’s more people, there’s a potential for more conflict,” Arkle said. “We’ve seen an extreme amount of increased visitation in the Foothills over the last year.”
Below are some tips for the trails from Arkle and Ridge to Rivers, which manages more than 200 miles of trails around Boise:
Let’s start with a simple first step: Hikers and mountain bikers are urged to be on the lookout for coyotes and give them a wide berth.
Ridge to Rivers also urged trail users to leash dogs when they’re in areas with known coyote dens, particularly Hulls Gulch, Table Rock, and the Kestrel and Military Reserve Connection trail intersection. “Having folks place their dogs on a leash is potentially a minor inconvenience, but it’s a cool thing to have to do — the reason you’re doing it is because there are coyote pups and parents preserving the safety of their pups,” Arkle said.
Arkle also said trail managers were trying to be more proactive about informing users of the coyotes’ presence, including posting signs at trailheads where the animals have been spotted.
If you encounter an aggressive coyote, contact the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Southwest Region office at 208-465-8465.
Arkle had said that coyotes may be getting more used to humans as trail use increases.
“There’ve been a couple of very resilient coyotes that den in pretty popular sites,” she said in the 2021 interview. “We’re trying to get folks to understand that these creatures try to raise their young and live their lives. We are visiting.”
A version of this story was first published in April 2021.
This story was originally published July 21, 2023 at 5:02 AM.
