Here’s When Coyote Mating Season Ends in Massachusetts

Over the past couple of months, it has been a good idea for Massachusetts pet owners to refrain from leaving their pets outdoors unattended. This isn't just because it's been a bitterly cold winter, but during the winter months, coyote mating season is in full force. Coyotes can be found in nearly every town and city in Massachusetts. Whether it's the big areas like Boston and Worcester or smaller ones like the Berkshires, coyotes are everywhere.

Get our free mobile app

During mating season, coyotes become more active and aggressive. It's one of those seasons where you want to keep your pets out of harm's way. During coyote mating season, it's encouraged to keep food sources scarce, including garbage, bird seed, and pet food. If you leave these food items near and around your yard, coyotes could continue to welcome themselves to your property, which means you could have a dangerous pest on your hands. Don't ever feed them.

Coyotes can also get used to human interaction, making them less afraid of people as time goes on. So hazing them is essential if you want to keep them away from your property and pets. Chasing, making loud noises, and blowing air horns are all examples of hazing.

I remember this past February there were a couple of early mornings when I would hear nearby howling. I get up in the overnight hours for my job. As I would go to my car, I could hear the howling sounds which I assumed were coyote related. However, I don't hear the howling noises as much lately. This could be because the coyote mating season is over. That's right, coyote mating season runs from late January through early March. This means coyotes won't be as active in residential areas moving forward. You still should keep an eye on your pets and have them leashed because bears, bobcats, skunks, and other wild animals are out and about.