As spring arrives, conservation officers are offering tips to help St. Lawrence County residents to avoid attracting coyotes.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued guidance on preventing conflicts with coyotes.

With the onset of warmer weather, coyotes are setting up dens for soon-to-arrive pups. Coyotes are well adapted to suburban and even urban environments but usually avoid contact with people. However, conflicts with people and pets can occur as coyotes tend to be territorial around den sites during the spring through mid-summer as they forage almost constantly to provide food for their young.

The Eastern coyote is a firmly established wildlife species in St. Lawrence County. As a predator it is an integral part of the ecosystem in St. Lawrence County.

In most cases, coyotes avoid people as much as possible and provide many exciting opportunities and benefits to the region through observation, photography, hunting and trapping, officers say.

However, if coyotes learn to associate people with food (such as, garbage or pet food), they may lose their natural fear of humans, and the potential for close encounters or conflicts increases dramatically.

Officers say it is important to keep pets safe.

Cats allowed to roam free are at risk from many different factors including domestic dogs and cars. To protect your cat from coyotes and other hazards, and to help protect nesting birds that cats often prey on, keep your cat indoors, or allow it outside only under supervision.

Owners of small dogs also have cause for concern. Small dogs are at greatest risk of being harmed or killed when coyotes are being territorial during denning and pup-rearing.

Small dogs should not be left unattended in backyards at night and should remain supervised.

Coyotes may approach small dogs along streets at night near natural areas, even in the presence of dog owners. Be alert of your surroundings and take precautions such as carrying a flashlight or a walking stick to deter coyotes.

Owners of large and medium sized dogs have less to worry about, but should still take precautions.

If coyotes are seen repeatedly during the daytime in a human-populated area or in close proximity to residences, follow the above recommendations to reduce or prevent potential problems.

If coyote behavior remains unchanged or becomes threatening, please report this to the local DEC office, as this may indicate that some individual coyotes have lost their fear of people and there may be a greater risk that a problem could occur.

To minimize the chance that conflicts between people and coyotes occur, it is important that coyotes' natural fear of people is maintained, DEC officers say.

Below are recommended steps to reduce or prevent conflicts from occurring:

• Do not feed coyotes and discourage others from doing so.

• Do not feed pets outside.

• Make any garbage inaccessible to coyotes and other animals.

• Fence or enclose compost piles so they are not accessible to coyotes.

• Eliminate availability of bird seed. Concentrations of birds and rodents that come to feeders can attract coyotes. If you see a coyote(s) near your birdfeeder, clean up waste seed and spillage to remove the attractant.

• Do not allow coyotes to approach people or pets.

• Teach children to appreciate coyotes from a distance.

• If you see a coyote, be aggressive in your behavior - stand tall, and hold arms out to look large. If a coyote lingers for too long, then make loud noises, wave your arms, throw sticks and stones.

• Do not allow pets to run free. Supervise all outdoor pets to keep them safe from coyotes and other wildlife, especially at sunset and at night. Small dogs and cats are especially vulnerable to coyotes.

• Regulated hunting and trapping increases the "fear" coyotes have towards people.

• Fencing your yard may deter coyotes. The fence should be tight to the ground, preferably extending six inches below ground level, and taller than 4 feet.

• Remove brush and tall grass from around your home to reduce protective cover for coyotes. Coyotes are typically secretive and like areas where they can hide.

• Contact your local police department and NYSDEC regional office for assistance if you notice that coyotes are exhibiting "bold" behaviors and have little or no fear of people. Seeing a coyote occasionally throughout the year is not evidence of bold behavior.

• Ask your neighbors to follow these same steps.