Coyote mating season underway. What that means for central Illinois residents
With food sources on the decline in winter, central Illinois pet owners face a greater risk of coyotes attacking their small dogs or cats.
“They’re omnivores and in the spring and summer, they’re eating a lot of fruit,” said Dave Scifres, owner of Dave Scifres Wildlife Services in Morton. “They can eat just about anything. They can survive on earthworms and insects if they need to. But this time of year is definitely when food sources are lowest, so I’d say it’s possible that pets would be more of a target.”
Austin Gillespie, owner of Central Illinois Wildlife Removal in Pekin noted that coyotes will often wander into residential areas in winter as food sources near the habitats dwindle. The majority of his winter coyote-related calls are from area residents concerned about their pets’ safety.
“They’re scared their dogs and cats could be at risk, because coyotes are starting to move into neighborhoods where they’re not typically seen any other time of year,” Gillespie said. “So, they get nervous and that’s when I get a phone call.”
There appears to have been a recent uptick in coyote sightings in the greater Peoria area since the beginning of the year. East Peoria resident Camila VanOppen reported last week that she saw “Coyotes running again … one very big one and two smaller. Watch your pets. They travel fast!” Alyssa Picardi, also of East Peoria, began her New Year by seeing a coyote cross a field near Springfield Road. And while Delavan City Administrator Matt Fick has not seen any coyotes, he said that he has heard “rumbling” from area residents who have heard or seen them in the winter.
Winter is also a time when people and their pets are more likely to encounter a pack of coyotes rather than a lone animal. According to information from the Illinois Department of Natural resources, less favorable conditions for finding food can cause such animals as deer, turkeys and coyotes to forage in groups. They also may become more daring in their quest for sustenance.
The California-based wildlife protection association Project Coyote noted that coyote mating season is typically from January to the end of February. During this time, area residents can expect to hear and see them more frequently. While coyotes will protect their families and territory, they do not become unduly aggressive during mating season.
For pet owners concerned about coyotes interrupting their winter courtship rituals to snack on their dogs or cats, IDNR recommends not leaving pets outside at night and keeping them leashed when walking them. Pet owners who encounter coyotes can deter attacks by shouting, waving their arms, carrying flashlights at night, and possibly carrying noise makers like whistles or air horns.
“In the winter, you have less daylight,” Scifres said. “Avoid walking your pet in the dark if you can, because coyotes aren’t entirely nocturnal, but they’re mostly nocturnal. They can be more active in the daytime than some other species, but they prefer the night. They like that cover of darkness.”
Gillespie believes an effective way of limiting coyote incursions into residential neighborhoods is eliminating such unintentional food sources as spilled bird seed, pet food, ripe fruit, or trash.
“If people are putting trash out in their yards, coyotes will get into the trash for pieces of meat or whatever else they can find,” he said. “It could draw them in when they normally wouldn’t eat that kind of stuff. When it’s summer, there are plenty of rabbits and rodents.”
This article originally appeared on Pekin Daily Times: Coyote sightings up in central Illinois to start the year. Here's why
