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NDOW briefing in North Valleys: how to interpret coyote, bobcat and rare wolf sightings and protect property
Summary
Nevada Department of Wildlife urban wildlife coordinator explained common misperceptions about coyotes and bobcats, advised on signs of illness versus normal behavior, discouraged the myth that coyotes 'lure' dogs, and described confirmed dispersing wolves seen near Peavine.
Drew Glover, urban wildlife education coordinator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife, gave a detailed presentation about living with urban wildlife in the North Valleys.
Glover emphasized that seasonal behavior—especially spring breeding—can make animals appear bolder and that daytime sightings are not always evidence of illness. He described 'escorting' behavior by coyotes (where animals follow people to escort them out of territory) and said this is commonly misinterpreted as stalking. "So they're basically keeping an eye on you to make sure you're not a threat," Glover said.
Glover also addressed the recurring myth that coyotes intentionally lure dogs to be killed, saying there is no evidence that coyotes lure dogs; instead, many coyote-dog conflicts stem from dogs chasing or cornering coyotes. He recommended practical deterrents such as well-built coops, electric fencing, motion-activated lights and keeping poultry indoors at night; guardian dogs can help, but unsupervised domestic dogs cause many poultry losses.
On wolves, Glover acknowledged confirmed sightings of dispersing California wolves near Peavine and stressed the importance of photographic or physical evidence before declaring a wolf sighting, noting wolves' much larger size and broader facial structure compared with coyotes.
