DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — From late January to March, coyotes are in their peak mating season, meaning they become more active during this period.
Officials say this is the time to keep your pets, especially cats and dogs, out of harms way. 2 NEWS spoke to a local expert on what to keep an eye out for.
As we enter peak coyote making season, law enforcement and wildlife experts are giving some guidance about what to do if you encounter one and how to protect your pets and children.
January through March is peak coyote matting season, where not only are they more active at night but also during the day, usually moving an hour before sunrise and sunset.
“They’re seeking out their denning area as they move into denning season and then they’re also increased food source,” explained Jeff Turner, owner of Predator Precision. “They have an increased need for food as they have an increased for activity.”
Jeff Turner is the owner of Predator Precision, which works to eliminate coyote threats year round, focusing on livestock preservation. And this time of year is when they are the busiest.
Coyotes are apex predators — they primarily prey on small animals, which can include cats and dogs.
When it comes to taking the best precautions, Turner says to keep your pets inside and go with them outside during the early morning and at night.
“Coyotes are going to use cover, and they’re not going to break cover until the last point,” said Turner. “But as soon as they have an opportunity because they need more food, they’re going to prey on people’s pets, their small dogs, cats, anything like that.”
Now more than ever it’s important for communities to be aware of their presence. Most of the times, a key indicator of coyotes are prints in the mud. Security or trail systems will also catch them on camera.
Turner says coyotes can be fearful of humans, but in some instances that’s not always the case.
“The predatory instinct for a territorial coyote is to go after something small. Generally, coyotes are afraid of people. Whatever creates pressure will scare off a coyote,” said Turner. “So a person coming out, yelling, making noise — you can generally scare off a coyote, but there are some isolated incidents where they have gone after small children.”
For more information on coyotes and what local law enforcement are advising residents to do, click here.