Coyotes are amazing creatures. They are very adaptable and can survive in almost any environment even in close proximity to humans where it appears they thrive. One fact remains however, they are a medium size predator and do what medium size predators do, which brings them into conflict with humans. Coyotes are either despised or revered, but somewhere in the middle is the true coyote. If you seek the truth about coyotes, you will find a lot of information and a lot of misinformation. Based on my experience, I feel the misinformation is one of the reasons communities are experiencing problems with coyotes. The misinformation leads people to believe we can co-exist with all coyotes. Some we can, some we cannot.
One example of misinformation is “hazing” or simply scaring the animal away will work. Research has proven that hazing a habituated coyote does not work because there is no real negative impact for the animal.
“Coyotes are protected in Illinois so nothing can be done about them.” This is also a false statement. Coyotes can be hunted year-round and there is no limit to the number of coyotes you can harvest. They can be hunted twenty-four hours a day between mid-November until mid-March. All that is required is that the hunter is licensed and possess a habitat stamp.
Another example of misinformation is the statement “We moved into the coyote’s territory.” Coyotes did not really start becoming abundant in Illinois until 1979. The way that we design and build our communities has provided a lush living area for coyotes, so the coyote has actually moved in on us.
“If you walk your dog on a six-foot leash it will protect your dog from coyote attacks.” This is another example of misinformation. There are ample news stories from around the country that proves this false.
Many agencies and special interest groups preach to co-exist with coyotes. Some of their information has merit. The co-exist group tells us what we need to do to get along with coyotes. The major flaw in this thinking is that the coyote never reads the guidelines. They are wild animals and will always do what wild animals do.
We believe, based on scientific research and our experience managing problem coyotes, that coyotes cannot be relocated. Feeding coyotes will create problems for you and your pets. It has been scientifically proven that human food is detrimental to a coyote’s health, so when you think you are helping the animal you are actually contributing to its death.
Coyotes that are sick, habituated or aggressive need to be removed from the community. Often only one or two animals need to be removed to solve the immediate problem. Research has also proven that sick/injured coyotes are five times more likely to interact with humans.
For more information, please view our blog posts for truthful information about coyotes.
Feel free to contact us. Questions will be answered promptly. Inquiries are always welcome.
Dave Munch
Reece Bend
We separate fact from fiction as it relates to urban coyotes; the type of coyote that lives in your or your neighbors’ back yard. Our website contains information from biologist and researchers from across the country as to the nature of these animals.
Livestock producers and land managers have always struggled with how best to control damage caused by some of these animals. We will explore issues that affect Livestock Producers, Quality Deer Management Areas, Outfitters and Hunt Clubs.