Coyote Tracks, Scat and Other Signs

Tracks are the clue most people look for first, and also the one most often misread. This is a supporting guide in our coyote information hub, written to be cautious about what a print or dropping can and cannot tell you.

This is general information, not veterinary, medical or legal advice. For an injured or aggressive animal, a bite, a pet attack or a suspected rabies exposure, call your doctor, your vet, local animal control, or the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD).

Reviewed by the editorial desk against the cited sources. The desk holds no wildlife-biology, veterinary or medical credential; see our editorial policy. The sources are New Mexico State University and University of Arizona extension, University of California IPM and AZGFD (current Living with Coyotes page, accessed 2026-11-14). We note where a source covers a different state.

Why signs are harder to read than they look

University of Arizona Cooperative Extension makes a point that frames the whole page: many animals are secretive or nocturnal, which makes them hard to identify, and “other than the damage itself, tracks and/or scat are often the only calling cards left by mysterious visitors.” It also notes that predators can be a threat to domestic cats, dogs and poultry, and that some animals increase the risk of exposure to zoonotic diseases, meaning diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

So signs can be useful, but they are circumstantial. A track in your yard says an animal passed, not that it is a coyote, and not that it is a problem. For identification between similar animals, see coyote vs dog, fox and bobcat. Sounds are another clue; see what coyote howls and yips mean.

Coyote tracks

Size

NMSU Extension’s wildlife tracks circular gives measurements for coyote tracks in soft mud:

• Front tracks: 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 inches long and 1 3/4 to 2 3/8 inches wide.
• Hind tracks: 2 to 2 3/8 inches long and 1 1/2 to 1 7/8 inches wide.
• The front foot is larger, and the heel pad patterns differ between the front and hind feet.

University of California IPM says large coyote tracks can be up to 3 by 1-3/4 inches. The two sources overlap but are not identical, and NMSU states that track size varies with age, sex and the individual animal, and that the substrate changes how a track looks. Treat these as ranges, not a ruler test.

Shape and pattern

Both extension sources describe coyote tracks as more oval and compact than dog tracks. NMSU adds two points that help when comparing with a dog:

• Coyote tracks follow a straight line more closely than dog tracks do, while dog trails tend to wander from a straight line.
• Dog nail marks are more prominent. Coyote claws may not appear when the print is not in soft ground.

NMSU is candid about the limit of these comparisons: it states that some dog tracks can be easily confused with coyote tracks, even when well defined, and that its illustrations are a guide, not a rigid key. We found no agency source that gives a reliable single feature, so we do not offer one. If it matters, a photo with a coin or pen for scale and your location are better evidence than a guess.

Where to look

The University of Arizona says fresh tracks are easiest to identify where soft substrates or soil moisture exist, such as along riparian areas, ditch banks and in irrigated fields. In a drier yard, tracks are harder to find and to read. The extension guide suggests smoothing soil with a broom or preparing a container of fine, moist soil where an animal is already passing, and also describes making plaster casts of tracks.

Do not attract wildlife to a track bed. AZGFD says never to intentionally feed coyotes, and bait of any kind would work against that. We also do not recommend setting out food to “see what comes”.

Coyote scat

The University of Arizona says plainly that scat identification is not easy. Simple changes in an animal’s diet can dramatically change the color, shape and contents of the feces, and various wildlife species often eat the same food when it is ripe or plentiful. That is especially relevant in Arizona, where AZGFD lists seeds, dates and other fruit alongside rodents, rabbits, garbage and pet food among what coyotes eat.

What the extension guide suggests for describing scat:

• Shape: terms include pellet, tubular, plop and white; note whether ends are flat or pointed and whether it is smooth or segmented.
• Number: one dropping or several, and whether it recurs in the same general spot over several days.
• Contents: hair, undigested plant, insect or animal matter, such as seeds, berries or insect wings.
• Timing: whether it was left at night or by day.
• Photographs, with a coin, pen or pocket knife for scale, plus your location and type of habitat.

We did not find an Arizona agency or extension description of what coyote scat specifically looks like, so we do not provide one. The statement above that diet changes appearance is the reason to be cautious about anyone who claims to be certain from a photograph.

Staying safe around scat

The University of Arizona advises these precautions before touching a sample: use disposable latex gloves, place the sample in a glass jar or sealable container, and do not breathe near or smell the scat, since some diseases can be contracted through airborne particles. Our additional advice is simpler: you do not have to touch it. If identification is not essential, photograph it and leave it. If you have contact and are worried about your health, call your doctor.

Also keep pets away from droppings and from anything left by a wild animal. For any contact between a pet and a wild animal, call your vet and local animal control, as CDC and AZGFD guidance on rabies suggests.

Other signs coyotes may be around

The sources we opened do not provide a checklist of other signs, and we are not going to invent one. What they do support:

• Food sources. AZGFD says coyotes eat whatever is available, including garbage, pet food, rodents, rabbits and fruit, and that a regular food source in one yard draws coyotes through the neighborhood. An overflowing trash can or outdoor pet bowl is a stronger concern than a track.
• Water and shelter. AZGFD lists pet water bowls, fountains and pools as attractants, and shrubs, storm drains and spaces under sheds or porches as shelter.
• Cover. AZGFD advises trimming plants and bushes around the house to prevent hiding or resting places.
• A pet reacting or missing. If a pet has had any contact with a wild animal, call your vet and local animal control. AZGFD says coyotes have taken cats and small dogs near their owners; see keeping small dogs safe from coyotes.
• Behavior in front of you. A coyote that stays near people, does not run when challenged, or approaches pets or children matters more than any print. Keep your distance and call.

What to do with what you find

1. Photograph it from a safe distance with an object for scale. Note the date, time and location.
2. Remove attractants around the yard, including pet food, as AZGFD advises.
3. If a coyote has been seen behaving boldly, report it to AZGFD or your local animal control. Our reporting page explains how.
4. Do not trap, relocate, poison or otherwise harm wildlife. AZGFD says coyotes can only be captured or killed by someone with a proper license from the department, or in defense of yourself or another person. Confirm rules with AZGFD. AZGFD does not relocate or remove coyotes unless there is a public-safety concern, and removal does not help if attractants remain.

What we could not source

• A description of coyote scat specific to Arizona or to coyotes (the Arizona extension guide covers method and caution but not species).
• A track-to-toe comparison for coyote, dog and fox. NMSU states toe counts and fox tracks are not covered.
• Any agency list of non-track “signs” such as digging or den indications.

Related guides

• Neighborhood coyote behavior
• Coyote vs dog, fox and bobcat: how to tell them apart
• Coyote breeding and pup season in Arizona
• Protecting pets and children from coyotes

If you have photographs of tracks you took yourself and hold the rights to, the owner can supply them for this page. We do not add images we do not have.

If you find signs and a coyote is acting boldly: emergency numbers and what AZGFD will and will not do

AZGFD (current Living with Coyotes page and April 2023 news release, both accessed 2026-11-14) says that if a coyote attacks a person, you should report it to the department or call 911, and that anyone who is bitten should seek medical care immediately. Its 24-hour Communications Center for wildlife acting aggressively toward people is 623-236-7201 (confirm before relying on it). If a coyote is approaching or has bitten someone, call 911. For a pet that has been attacked, call your vet first.

AZGFD does not respond to calls to relocate or remove coyotes unless there is a public-safety concern; for removal on private property it points residents to a licensed wildlife-removal business. The news release says predators that attacked people or show predatory or aggressive behavior toward people are removed lethally only as a last resort and cannot be relocated for public-safety reasons, and that removal does not help if attractants remain. Pima Animal Care Center dispatch is 520-724-5900 ext. 4 (pima.gov; confirm before relying on it).

Feeding wildlife (except birds and tree squirrels) is unlawful in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties under A.R.S. 13-2927, according to the AZGFD news release; some cities and counties have their own ordinances. Checked on 2026-11-14; confirm with AZGFD and your local animal control.