Coyote Mating Period Begins Soon

City warns residents coyotes could be seen more as mating season begins in February.

Coyote Mating Period Begins Soon

City warns residents coyotes could be seen more as mating season begins in February.

From the City of Wheaton: From approximately February through April, residents may see more coyotes in the community, as this is their typical mating period. While pets do not comprise a large portion of a coyote’s diet, it is especially important to keep your pets on a leash during this time of year, when you may be more likely to encounter a coyote. Coyotes are opportunistic and will go for easy prey, such as an unattended pet. Coyotes can become a nuisance when they have easy access to food in residential areas, such as pet food or garbage. To discourage their presence, eliminate these outdoor sources of food. Many wildlife experts believe that coyote "hazing" can help deter coyotes. This is the term used for actions such as making loud…

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Coyotes in the Western Suburbs Get More Aggressive?

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that a pack broke a door trying to get at dogs in suburban Riverside.

By Dawn Aulet, Channahon-Minooka Patch Coyotes are timid and more afraid of people than we are of them, experts say. "Coyotes are actually very timid by nature," Channahon police Lt. Mark Fischer said in a 2010 story. But while they are not aggressive towards people, they can go after small animals, especially if food is scarce. That seems to be exactly what happened in Riverside, a western suburb of Chicago. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that a pack broke an exterior door of a residence while chasing down a dog that had been outside. Riverside Police Sgt Bill Gutschick said in the Sun-Times story "in his 25 years on duty, this was the first time he’s heard of coyotes trying to get into a home while chasing a pet." Related:

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Coyote Kills Dog in Wheaton

A coyote attacked and killed a schnauzer in Wheaton late Friday night.

A coyote killed a dog in the 600 block of Plamondon Court in Wheaton around 11:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21. A resident told police the coyote attacked his black and white schnauzer around 10:30 p.m. after jumping the resident's fence, according to Wheaton police. Wheaton police remind residents:  Related:

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Coyote Reports Down in Wheaton

The City of Wheaton received 50 coyote sighting reports between Oct. 18 and Nov. 18 and eight reports between Nov. 18 and Dec. 18.

Coyote activity in Wheaton has been on a decline after reports of attacks against small dogs in the area earlier this fall.  According to a City of Wheaton map, the city received eight reports via its website between Nov. 18 and Dec. 18, including one encounter and two observations of coyotes. The number was down more than 80 percent from the 50 reports the city receive from Oct. 18 to Nov. 18. The 50 reports included four encounters and five observations, according to the map.  The most recent attack on a small dog in the area was last month, when a coyote took a dog from a Warrenville yard late at night and killed it. Related:

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Coyote Kills Dog in Warrenville

A coyote kills a small dog in Warrenville.

A coyote killed a small dog in Warrenville last Friday, according to news release from Warrenville police. Police said the dog did not return after a resident let it out just after midnight.  According to the Daily Herald, the dog was a 13-year-old miniature pinscher named Sugar. The dog's owner told the Herald she called police to report a coyote that had been lingering in her yard. She said animal control officers arrived when the coyote brought Sugar's body to the yard.  Related:

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Coyotes: Report Sightings Directly to Interactive Map

Residents can report coyote sightings directly to this interactive map, courtesy of SeeClickFix.

According to the city, there were 20 reports of coyote sightings in Wheaton as of Oct. 10. There were 22 reports in September. There have been a few incidents of coyote attacks on dogs, including on earlier this week, Wheaton police said Thursday. Patch published an interactive map of coyote sightings in Wheaton, based on reader feedback on Patch Facebook and on information obtained through a FOIA request from the City of Wheaton. This new interactive map allows you to tell us where you've seen coyotes directly in the map. To report a sighting, click "Report an Issue" at the top of the map and drag the orange cursor to the location of the sighting. Add when the sighting occurred and any additional information you think is important. Your …

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Coyote Attacks Dog

A coyote attacked a dog in the 1300 block of Brighton Drive in Wheaton Tuesday night, police say.

A coyote attacked a dog in the 1300 block of Brighton Drive in Wheaton Tuesday night, police said Thursday. The coyote jumped over a six-foot fence around 9:15 p.m. and grabbed the dog, police said. The owner saw the coyote and yelled at it until it left. The dog will recover, police said. Related:

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Vincent

8:17 pm on Monday, December 17, 2012

Unheard, as the coyotes say, "Yip-yip-yip!" In human language that translates to, "Happy Holidays to you!"   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter: It's Up to Humans to Solve Coyote Problem

To send a letter to the editor, email Charlotte@patch.com.

Wheaton Patch accepts and publishes letters to the editor emailed to Local Editor Charlotte Eriksen at Charlotte@patch.com, or sent as a message through the Wheaton Patch Facebook page. Please note in subject lines the message is a Letter to the Editor. ------------ Dear Charlotte,   I am in total agreement with every point made in Kathy O'Brien's letter.   Our home backs up to  a retention area, and behind that is the Arboraetum. We fully understand that in a location such as this we can expect to experience a little more wildlife than in your typical Wheaton neighborhood. We are used to the raccoons, skunks, squirrels, we look forward to seeing deer in the Winter, and we have for years heard the far away howls of coyotes late in the …

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Wheaton Residents Report 20 Coyote Sightings in October

This map includes reports of coyote sightings the City of Wheaton has received since June.

After reports of coyote sightings and attacks on small pets in the Wheaton area, Patch submitted a FOIA request asking for reported sightings. In Patch's interactive map, small green markers indicate sightings Patch readers reported in our comments or on our Facebook page. The blue markers with the black animal indicate reports to the city in September and October. The red triangular markers indicate reports of attacks on pets or other small animals and other dangerous incidents. The small yellow, red and blue markers indicate reports in June, July and August. According to the city, there have been 20 reports in Wheaton in October, as of Oct. 10. There were 22 reports in September. Let Patch save you time. To get the news delivered to your…

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