Coyotes, raccoons, and black bears function as omnivores and are a lot more threatening than people think they are. For example, a bear can run at 30 mph and coyotes can run at 35-43 mph both faster than the Usain Bolt (fastest man alive) But raccoons have the short end of the stick, with a normal speed of 9.9-15 mph. So I am here to tell you what to do if you see one of these cute but deadly animals in the wild. I’ll start with the coyote, then move to the black bear, and follow up with the noble bandit, the raccoon.

With a coyote, it’s best if you don’t run away them because of their speeds that are supreme to the human body. So they would catch up to you and you won’t have the energy to fight back so you would be screwed. What you can do is back away slowly while puffing up and being loud as heck because they’ll think you are a bigger animal and the loudness will hurt their ears and distract them. Throw clumps of dirt and sticks at the coyote but try to just get it close with minimal hits to the magnificent beast so it’s not wounded when it returns to the pack. And be wary because they hunt in packs and will surround you if you are not careful. If they/it starts to attack try to protect your throat and arteries.

Now onto the black bear. I chose the black bear specifically because I like it the most and because different bears will react in different ways; like the grizzly bear will typically be more aggressive. If this bear starts to show signs of aggression then it’s best to walk back SLOWLY, same as the coyote, while keeping your eyes on it so you can see its moves and if possible climb a tree. If the bear starts to charge at you, then use pepper spray (pepper spray is always good to have in the wild or just around for defense) and then get to a nearby tree until the bear lets you be. In most cases, the bear will just let you go. It doesn’t really care. Just talk to it in a gentle way like you would a baby. That was just if it gets aggressive, but most the time they won’t. Still, keep your eye on it until it leaves.

Lastly, we have the trash thief, the raccoon. Most likely one to be seen so I’ll just tell you how to get it off your yard and keep them off. Fun fact, some people have them as pets where they can live up to 20 years if given a proper diet and exercise. But in the wild, they only live 2-3 years. A raccoon can be scared easily. If you see one in your yard go outside yelling and waving your arms or broom around. A natural repellent for raccoons is cayenne (not the car the pepper). They really don’t like the smell of this pepper and will keep away. So plant some of these in your garden. If you don’t like the peppers, you could keep them for the repelling use or give them to a friend who would like them.

That’s all I have in terms of this article. These animals will most likely not attack you unless you’re acting a fool or they feel threatened by you. Just remember not to look for these animals try to stay clear if possible this it’s if they pop up kinda thing. Stay tuned for the next outdoor adventure.