St. Charles Residents Report Coyote Sightings

Submitted by the city of St. Charles

It’s not uncommon to see a coyote around St. Charles.

Coyotes have become a permanent fixture in rural, urban and suburban areas throughout Illinois, and they are not going away any time soon. The City of St. Charles has received reports of coyote sightings lately, so we would like to share these precautions and tips for dealing with coyotes:

• Take away all unintentional food sources. If smaller animals are coming to your yard for food, coyotes will follow.
• Remove bird feeders, which often attract squirrels
• Don’t feed feral cats
• Secure your trash
• Never leave small pets unattended while they are outside. Coyotes prey on smaller animals.
• If a coyote does approach you, yell, stand up and wave your arms or throw something at it to scare it away.

There are experienced trappers available who are licensed by the State of Illinois in the safe removal of coyotes from the area. Visit the Kane County Animal Control website at www.kanecountypets.com/Coyotes.aspx for information on local trappers or contact the local Department of Natural Resources office at 847-608-3100.