Coyote Safety Checklist: St. Charles City, Park District Provide Tips to Deter Confrontation
To help residents discourage coyotes from settling in neighborhoods, the city of St. Charles and St. Charles Park District have developed a Coyote Management Plan. The plan is available on this page of the city’s website.
“The Coyote Management Plan was created to educate residents on normal coyote behaviors and activity,” said Laura Rudow, superintendent of Parks and Planning. “Following the easy steps listed in the plan can help residents can deter coyotes from becoming habituated in neighborhoods.”
Coyotes are common across the state of Illinois, and are necessary in order to keep populations of smaller wild animals and vermin in check. An increase in coyote sightings between now and the spring is expected as young coyotes leave their parents in search of mates and territories to call their own.
“The city of St. Charles is happy to team up with the Park District to provide this important information to our residents,” said St. Charles City Administrator Mark Koenen. “The goal of this plan is to allow our residents and local coyotes to continue to safely coexist without incident.”
For more information about the Coyote Management Plan, please contact the city of St. Charles at 630.377.4400.
Coyote Safety Checklist — What You Can Do
SOURCE: St. Charles Coyote Management Plan
A critical element of any coyote management plan is educating people about coyote behavior and what they can do to help deter coyotes from frequenting their neighborhoods. It’s important to take the appropriate preventative actions before coyotes establish feeding patterns. Consult this handy checklist to remove conditions that could potentially attract coyotes to your neighborhood:
1. Remove Food and Water Sources
- NEVER intentionally feed a coyote!
- Do not feed feral cats, deer or other wildlife. This attracts coyotes too.
- Don’t feed pets outdoors; store all pet food securely inside.
- Remove bird feeders or clean up fallen seed to reduce the presence of small mammals that coyotes prey on.
- Clean up fallen fruit around trees.
- Do not include meat or dairy among compost contents.
- Clean up food and grease around barbeque grills after each use.
- Secure all trash containers with locking lids and place curbside the morning of trash pickup. Periodically clean cans to reduce residual odors.
2. Keep Your Pets Safe
- Never leave pets unattended outside.
- Never allow pets to “play” with coyotes.
- Fully enclose outdoor pet kennels.
- Walk pets on a leash that is no longer than 6 feet.
3. Remove Favorable Den Sites
- Trim vegetation to reduce hiding places and potential denning sites.
- Restrict access under decks and sheds, around woodpiles, or any other structure that can provide cover or denning sites for coyotes or their prey.
4. Other Deterrents
- Enclose property with a fence. Ensure that there are no gaps and that the bottom of the fence extends underground 6 inches or is fitted with a mesh apron to hinder coyotes from digging underneath.
- Install motion-activated lighting in your yard.
About the City of St. Charles
City of St. Charles Mission: Heritage. Community. Service. Opportunity. Friendly neighborhoods, unique architecture, beautiful parks, cultural amenities and innovative schools have earned St. Charles its reputation as the Pride of the Fox. Located in both DuPage and Kane counties, the City of St. Charles is 35 miles west of downtown Chicago, and has a population of approximately 33,000. Over 2,100 businesses, consisting of a balanced mix of retailers, restaurants and manufacturing facilities, employ more than 18,000 people. The city of St. Charles was named the #1 City for Families by Family Circle® magazine in 2011; one of the “150 Great Places in Illinois,” by the AIA Illinois; and one of the “Top 10 Towns To Live In” by West Suburban Living magazine. www.stcharlesil.gov
