Give the coyote space
Keep a healthy distance, never approach it, and do not run.
Coyotes
Understand coyotes near the beach
Coyotes live in all 46 South Carolina counties. Simply seeing a coyote is not cause for concern, and attacks on people are extremely rare.
Sources checked August 24, 2026: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources coyote guide (opens in a new tab) and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources coyote species guide (opens in a new tab) and Cape Hatteras National Seashore coexisting with coyotes guide (opens in a new tab) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission coyote guide (opens in a new tab) and National Park Service coyote guide (opens in a new tab) .
Four choices
Make yourself loud and large
Wave your arms and yell until the coyote retreats.
Never feed a coyote
A fed coyote loses its natural wariness of people.
Keep pets close
Keep cats indoors and walk a small dog on a short leash, especially at dusk and dawn.
What this page covers
This guidance comes from statewide and federal wildlife agency pages.
This record reports no Surfside Beach sighting claim, local frequency claim, local attack claim, season claim, or den claim. It makes no identification promise or removal promise. It gives no hunting instruction, trapping instruction, or treatment step. It states no feeding legality claim, legal penalty, or phone number.
Source: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources coyote guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources coyote species guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: Cape Hatteras National Seashore coexisting with coyotes guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission coyote guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: National Park Service coyote guide (opens in a new tab)
Coyote questions
- Are coyotes near the beach dangerous?
- Attacks on people are extremely rare, and simply seeing a coyote is not cause for concern.
- Source: Cape Hatteras National Seashore coexisting with coyotes guide (opens in a new tab)
- What should I do when I see a coyote?
- Keep your distance, do not run, and wave your arms and yell until the coyote retreats.
- Sources: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission coyote guide (opens in a new tab), National Park Service coyote guide (opens in a new tab)
- Why should I never feed a coyote?
- A fed coyote loses its natural wariness of people.
- Source: Cape Hatteras National Seashore coexisting with coyotes guide (opens in a new tab)
- How do I keep a pet safe from coyotes?
- Keep cats indoors and walk a small dog on a short leash, especially at dusk and dawn, when coyotes are most active.
- Sources: Cape Hatteras National Seashore coexisting with coyotes guide (opens in a new tab), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission coyote guide (opens in a new tab)