Although wolf encounters are unlikely, below are wolf coexistence strategies that you can use at home or on the trails to respect wolves in their natural habitats and live in harmony with this important keystone species. Please note that this list of strategies does not replace expert consultation. 

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Wolf Coexistence Strategies At Home¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵:

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• Remove food sources, attractants, garbage, pet food, livestock feed, etc. from outdoor areas. Store garbage in a secure building or wildlife resistant container and compost food items where they are inaccessible to wildlife. When possible, feed pets inside.
• If you use a bird feeder, clean up any spilled seed frequently. Consider not setting up a bird feeder in wolf or bear country. 
• In the summer, remove all ripened or fallen fruit daily in the morning and before dusk. Do not allow it to rot on the ground. Wolves can prey on other animals that come to feed on the fruit.
• Use ungulate deterring landscaping. 
• Remove hedges and enclose any open spaces where wildlife can hide. 
• Consider enclosing your outdoor area to deter wolves and ungulates from entering your backyard. 
• In areas occupied by wolves, homeowners should avoid allowing their dogs to roam at large or remain outside overnight unless kept in a sturdy and secure kennel. If your pet must be let outside at night, use light and noise deterrents, including human presence, to increase its safety.
• Notify authorities about wolves that seem comfortable around people, seek human food, or frequent human areas. 

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*Wolf Coexistence Strategies On Trails¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵:

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*Please note that aggressive wolf encounters are extremely unlikely. Most of these strategies are recommendations for coexisting with bears and cougars on the trails, but can also apply to wolves. 

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• Supervise young children closely. Teach them not to approach wildlife.
• Never feed, approach, or encourage wolves to come near.

• Stay away from fresh wolf kills, dens, and rendezvous sites where wolves are likely present. 
• Watch for signs of wolves in the area. Signs may include tracks, scat, or the presence of an animal carcass (indicated by the smell of rotten meat or a gathering of scavenger birds). 
• Make noise frequently to warn wildlife of your presence. Carry deterrents that make loud noises, such as a whistle or rattle (e.g., pebbles in a canister). This will give wildlife time to move away to avoid an encounter with you. 
• Carry bear spray and know how to use it.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Do not inhibit your hearing by wearing ear-buds or earphones to listen to music.
• Be mindful that wildlife are more active at dusk and dawn. 
• Learn how to respond appropriately if you encounter a wolf. More details below.
• Restrain (leash) your dog when walking it, to reduce the potential of it harassing a wolf, or of being attacked by one. Unrestrained pets pose a greater risk to you as they may bring back a predator with them. 
• Avoid physical contact with wolf scat to reduce your risk of exposure to disease and parasites.
• Keep a clean and orderly camp. Cook and store food away from sleeping areas. Suspend food, toiletries, garbage and other loose objects on a rope between trees, or in secured kayak hatches, out of reach of wildlife. Wolves have been reported removing personal and other non-food items from campsites. 
• Do not bury garbage. If you pack it in – pack it out! 
• Wash dishes in a container and properly dispose of greywater. 
• Near the coast use areas below high tide mark, away from camp, in an area of high tidal exchange for toilets – do not use the upland areas, wolves may feed on human excrement.
• Learn how to respond appropriately if you encounter a wolf. More details below.

In the rare event that a wolf encounter occurs, enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience (from a safe distance of course!). 

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The following strategies apply if the wolf acts aggressively or approaches too close for comfort¹ ²:

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• Do not run or make sudden movements.
• Pick up small children and pets, but do not crouch down or turn your back; bring larger dogs close to you.  Slowly back away until you can leave the area safely. 
• Make yourself look bigger by raising your arms, opening your jacket, and/or opening an umbrella. 
• Always give the wolf an escape route and do not get between a wolf and its pups. 
• Do not let a wolf approach. Make yourself ‘human’ by making noise by yelling in a loud/firm voice, clapping, and deploying air horns/bear bangers.

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In the extreme and rare chance that a wolf attacks, do not play dead. Instead, fight back with everything and anything you can including gear, rocks, sticks, bear spray, etc.

Livestock is not the primary prey of wolves. Detailed records from the United States in 2015 indicate that wolves rarely kill livestock¹:

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• Cattle deaths: the number one cause of mortality is respiratory, with wolves rated as number 20.
• Sheep deaths: the number one cause of mortality is coyotes, with wolves rated as number 22.
• Dogs are twice as likely to kill cattle compared to wolves and twenty times more likely to kill sheep compared to wolves. 

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Occasional losses of cattle from wolves do occur where wolves and livestock ranges overlap. However, research shows that livestock predation can be reduced with the following proactive approaches² ³ ⁴ ⁵. Please note that this list of strategies does not replace expert consultation. 

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• Use hazing strategies, such as combination of water-pistols, whistles, horns, lights, etc. to undo effects of habituation.
• Immediately remove and dispose of dead and sick livestock.
• Surveillance and monitoring of flocks and herds through the use of herders, range riders, shepherds, etc., especially during lambing and calving. 
• Create barriers such as fences and fladry.
• Use livestock guardian animals, such as dogs or llamas, to protect herds. Placing a spiked collar around the livestock guardian animal can help defend the animal against an attack.
• Manage seasonal attractants (i.e. during calving).
• Use confined areas for calving or lambing (i.e. a fenced pasture) to reduce mother-offspring separation and therefore vulnerability of neonate livestock.
• Synchronize lambing and calving to reduce the period of maximum vulnerability in lambs and calves.
• Practice grazing management, including relocating livestock animals.
• Store garbage in a secure building or wildlife resistant container. 
• Fully enclose backyard beehives and chicken coops.