Coyotes Spotted in Backyards in LITH

Brian Quast, of Lake in the Hills, is accustomed to living with various species of wildlife that visit his backyard.

Quast's home, at 971 Creekview Lane, backs up to Crystal Creek, which meanders through a hilly terrain adorned by trees and bushes and eventually empties into Goose Lake. It's the perfect environment for animals, offering fresh water and plenty of food sources.

"We bought this house because of the view," Quast said. "It's quiet here, and we loved the natural area."

The Quests' have gladly shared their backyard with a giant snapping turtle, raccoons, plenty of birds, gardener snakes, deer and a family of foxes.

 But then the coyotes set up camp.

"We had a fox den right beyond our yard, and we could watch the fox pups running and playing, and then the coyote took over," Quast said. "We haven't had the deer like we used to for the past couple years. But I can see the coyotes, mainly very early in the morning. Sometimes I see a couple of them together. And the foxes are gone."

While the suburbs seem like an unlikely place for coyotes to live, some have been spotted in back yards and open fields throughout the area, according to a recent LITH newsletter.  The highly adaptable animal is not known for hurting humans and there have been no reports with the LITH Police Department of issues or incidents stemming from the coyotes.

"We have a healthy population of coyotes," said Sara Denham, manager of the Wildlife Resource Center, a department of the McHenry County Conservation District, which assists residents with all types of wildlife questions and concerns. "Coyotes are found throughout the county, but we haven't heard of any complaints."

Coyotes typically weigh between 15 to 40 pounds and are said to resemble a small German Shepherd. The animals have bushy tails, are most active during the evening hours and typically travel in packs.

While some experts warn that a very hungry coyote may threaten a cat or small dog, researchers say it's much more common that the animals will prey on a rodent.  

The McHenry County Conservation District and the University of Illinois Extension's Living With Wildlife program offer tips and detail the steps homeowner can take to keep coyotes – and other wildlife - off their property, reducing any potential damage or threat to their yards, themselves, their families and pet:

• Never feed coyotes or any other wild animal

• Never leave pet food or other food outside and keep food products that are thrown in the garbage inside a structure until garbage day
• Never leave your small dog or cat unattended in open areas. Keep dogs and cats in a secured fence or run, or accompany them outdoors, especially at night, to ensure their safety. Coyotes can leap up to 14 feet, and run at speeds up to 40 mph in short distances so fences should be six to eight feet above the soil surface. For pets regularly kept outdoors, owners should provide a shelter the pet can use to escape a predator.
• Water sources, such as bird baths, backyard ponds, leaky faucets, and rainwater containers also attract small animals and coyotes.  Homeowners can make their yards less attractive to wildlife by removing any potential shelters, such as firewood piles, tall grasses and overgrown bushes.
• If a coyote does become a nuisance or poses a threat, homeowners are advised to hire a wildlife removal professional licensed the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. In urban areas, a permit issued by the district wildlife biologist must be obtained before a coyote can be trapped and removed.
•  Coyotes can be carriers of canine distemper, parvo virus, rabies and mange, which can be transferred to dogs, cats and livestock. Homeowners are advised to contact their local Illinois DNR wildlife biologist should they encounter a coyote that displays neurological symptoms such as tremors, paralysis or convulsions.