Many of you have asked us questions concerning urban coyotes. There will be many questions from groups or individuals opposed to trapping or removing habituated animals. Let’s talk about a few common myths regarding urban coyotes.
Myth # 1 Coyotes are protected or on the endangered species list and cannot be touched.
This is a standard talking point of villages that are not well informed about habituated coyotes. There is not one state that has the coyote listed as endangered. As a matter of fact open hunting season year round is the norm regarding coyotes.
Myth # 2 Trapping is not a viable option because the coyote removed will be quickly replaced.
Not true. I have successfully kept entire subdivisions coyote free for over 4 years at a time. It is like telling a farmer not to bother pulling weeds in the cornfield because they will just grow back. What if they were rats or mice in your area, would the response be the same? I doubt it.
How long will an area remain free from coyotes after removal?
There is no proof of a specific time frame regarding this about the urban coyote that is living in parks, under decks and storage sheds etc. An animal rights activist may tell you that once the habituated coyotes are removed they will quickly be replaced so trapping is not effective. Quickly might mean 2 to 4 years. That is 2 to 4 years without the problem coyote! The fact is that no one can give a definitive time frame of how long it will take those animals to be replaced. Once a coyote becomes habituated to people and starts attacking and killing pets; they need to be removed.
Some large semi-rural areas will eventually have replacement too. However those areas are thousands of acres and the animals there might not even leave the safety of those areas to become a habituated problem coyote.
More Myths coming……stay tuned!
