Coyote sighting

Tonight on my ride home I came across a Coyote in the vicinity of Leavitt and Harrisson.

It was running somewhat gracefully away from me and eventually I lost it but I got plenty of fairly good looks.  It had a smallish head and an almost grotesquely long tail that got bushy (and darker in coloration) towards the tip just like this one:

although I had more of an impression that the one I saw was significantly taller at the shoulders than at the hip girdle.

What's the deal with these-- any risk to people or pets? Any reason to report it? Anyone else seen one in the city or elsewhere?

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on November 3, 2014 at 1:35am

Urban Coyote Research appears to be a local organization.  A quick look at the web site shows that they do eat pets, but that is not their main diet, and they are not usually aggressive toward humans.  The web site has lots of information.

Permalink Reply by David Beazley on November 3, 2014 at 1:41am

I encounter coyotes with some regularity on the North Shore (especially around the forest preserves and trails near the Botanic Garden).   They definitely don't like being around people and tend to run off pretty quickly when seen in my experience. 

Permalink Reply by Len Krietz on November 3, 2014 at 2:40am

Last year on Goose Island, I was riding on Cherry Street along the RR tracks and passed a Coyote within 10'.  I didn't see him until the last minute.   He pretty much ignored me. I think he was looking in the bush for a meal.

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on November 3, 2014 at 3:25am

I saw a coyote on Halsted, somewhere between North and Chicago (I don't quite remember). This past spring I think (could've been last fall). Probably around 10:00 p.m. It's crazy that they live in the city.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 3, 2014 at 4:32am

They're usually shy around people and shouldn't create any risk for you. I've heard stories about them eating cats and small dogs on occasion. They show up in our yard in Beverly fairly often. We have a lot fewer rabbits than in years past and a few less squirrels.

Here's a page from the Forest Preserve District of Cook County about local coyotes.
http://fpdcc.com/conservation/people-and-wildlife/coyotes-faq/

Permalink Reply by Larry Mysz on November 3, 2014 at 4:40am

I saw one last March around 9:00 pm strolling between the east entrance of the Field Museum and the Aquarium. I imagine Northerly Island would make a good home for it.

Alex Z said:

I saw a coyote on Halsted, somewhere between North and Chicago (I don't quite remember). This past spring I think (could've been last fall). Probably around 10:00 p.m. It's crazy that they live in the city.

Permalink Reply by JeffB on November 3, 2014 at 5:16am

Remember this from 2007?:

Permalink Reply by Thomas Bruzan on November 3, 2014 at 5:41am

Tom said-"This was(is) the coyotes' hunting grounds. We took it over. Protect your small dogs. Bring your cats in."  -   Definitely is, but wasn't always. When I was a boy no coyotes were to be seen in the Chicago area.They are a fairly recent immigrant, displacing many of the foxes, though not completely.To me it's always a blessing to see any predator (except the four wheeled kind,of course). Ride safe, Tom B.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 3, 2014 at 5:49am

It's been pretty amazing to watch so many wildlife species return here in recent years.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 3, 2014 at 5:49am

He was just chillin'.
 
JeffB (7+ miles) said:

Remember this from 2007?:

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on November 3, 2014 at 7:22am

What area?

Chris C said:

Out here they are a very real and serious threat to pets. There are regular reports of coyotes attacking dogs, even jumping over fences to get at dogs in backyards. Homeowners in this area are warned not to leave pets outside unattended.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 3, 2014 at 7:38am
It is kinda big deal. While coyotes are somewhat more common nowadays, they are still a rarity for most people. People that see them "all the time" must live near a good sanctuary for them: cemetery, park, forest preserve, etc.

It is all about location.
I think i saw one hummingbird in the 17 years I lived in Chicago. Until this summer, when we moved to a new location. Now I see them multiple times a day as long as they are here. Same goes for cardinals, hairy woodpeckers, yellow finches, and cooper hawk. A rarity in our other place, now they are common sights.

And we only moved four blocks...


h' 1.0 said:

So.... guess it was no big deal then.  Have never seen a Coyote, or a single rabbit in my neighborhood in 12 years.

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