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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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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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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Letter: Wheaton Resident 'Disgusted' With City's Coyote Policy

Resident writes she is dissatisfied with the city's coyote policy. To send a letter to the editor, email Charlotte@patch.com.

Coyotes Spotted in Wheaton: Where You've Seen Them

We compiled a map of recent coyote sightings in town. Here's what you need to know about the elusive animals.

Have you seen any coyotes lurking around town recently? If so, you're among other Patch readers who've already sent in their spotting locations. Now, we're not telling you this to scare you. In fact, according to the Cook County Coyote Project, there hasn't been a documented case of a coyote attacking a human in Illinois since at least 1985—the beginning range of the study. On top of that, there have only been two cases of coyotes killing a human in the U.S. and Canada in modern history. That said, residents are reporting interactions with local coyotes and we want to keep those numbers from getting any higher. Coyotes typically come out at night. If you see a coyote during the day, that's indication the animal may be bolder and therefore …

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Dogs Survive Coyote Attack in Wheaton

Two small dogs survived a coyote attack in their backyard. One of the dogs sustained injuries.

Two small dogs survived a coyote attack Thursday, Sept. 27 in their backyard in the 2000 block of Stonebridge Court in Wheaton, police said. The coyote attacked around 10:21 p.m., when a babysitter for the dogs and house was playing ball with the dogs in the backyard. The babysitter thought one of the dogs, Evie, was dead and covered her in a towel before police arrived. When she showed police the towel, Evie was gone. They later found her in the house with injuries, police said.  Let Patch save you time. To get the news delivered to your inbox, sign up for our email newsletter. Fast signup here. You can also like us on Facebook. The dogs were taken to emergency vet services in Lisle. Evie had four bites around her neck and one on her nose…

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Vincent

4:02 pm on Sunday, October 28, 2012

I agree whole-heartedly, Unheard!   more ›

After Coyote Attack, Resident Urges Others to Know Wheaton Policy

A resident commends the City of Wheaton for its coyote policy and says recent fatal attack of a puppy should remind pet owners to know they coexist with the wild animals.

A resident of unincorporated Wheaton Monday night commended the city for its coyote awareness program, after a pack of coyotes last week attacked two small dogs, killing one. "The latest incident should serve as a reminder to all pet owners to realize we are co-existing with coyotes... Those predator animals are serving a balance in our nature to keep pests under control, said Paula McGowan of unincorporated Wheaton. In December 2010, a Bichon dog survived an attack by three coyotes in Wheaton. The city of Wheaton in 2010 adopted a coyote policy to change and adapt coyote behavior to different forms of human interaction. The Chicago area has seen a significant increase in the coyote population since the 1990s, and the Illinois Department …

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chrisrus

11:15 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012

If you watch the video and read the policy and such, it's clear that you go to far in your criticism of it. It is a good and reasoned policy and hazing has been shown to be effective. Since this video above was made, other experts would care to disagree with selected points. For one, lethal trapping has been shown effective elsewhere at ridding a location of coyotes for extened periods of time. …   more ›