Wheaton begins 'coyote control' push with 4 captures

Four coyotes were captured near Wheaton and killed on Monday - the same day the city announced it had hired a trapper to conduct "coyote control activities."

Professional trapper Rob Erickson caught the coyotes in an unincorporated area near Chicago Golf Club, officials said Tuesday. That is close to the southside neighborhoods where a string of deadly attacks on pets occurred, including a Jan. 27 incident involving a small dog in its owner's backyard on the 1500 block of Camden Place.

Erickson has written permission to set traps on private property with the owners' permission and is complying with all federal, state and local regulations, Deputy Police Chief Tom Meloni said.

"They (the coyotes) live in the wooded sections where there's brush and cover for them," Meloni said. "What's happening is that they're coming out into the neighborhoods to search for food. That's why he's concentrating on the unincorporated pockets."

The plan is to have Erickson target "diseased coyotes and coyotes that exhibit aggressive behavior" citywide, officials said.

"I am never ever going to catch every coyote in the city of Wheaton, nor am I going to try," Erickson said. "I am trying to target the ones who are going to become a problem before they are a problem."

Unlike most coyotes, which are shy and tend to avoid human contact, Erickson said, the coyotes in Wheaton appear to no longer fear humans.

"It's very important to try to capture those animals before they get more habituated, get closer to people, and then we have a problem," he said.

While coyote attacks on humans are extremely rare, Mayor Michael Gresk said he doesn't want to risk something happening in Wheaton.

"When coyotes are in backyards and not moving on when they are approached, something tells me that's not right," Gresk said. "These coyotes are not acting normally."

Still, Councilman John Prendiville, who voted against hiring a trapper, said he believes education - not killing - is the way to address Wheaton's coyote situation.

"Ultimately, science tells us that trapping and killing the coyotes like this will have no impact on their numbers," he said. "The population will quickly rebound. So we're throwing money away."

Prendiville said he doesn't believe that only certain coyotes will be caught. "He's catching whatever animals wander into the trap," he said.

However, Erickson stressed he is doing a targeted effort. His traps - which are designed to restrain and not injure animals - are set only after days of observation. Part of the reason is to avoid potential conflicts with people or pets. Once a trap is set, it is closely monitored.

Meloni also clarified that coyotes won't be euthanized with guns within the city limits.

In unincorporated areas, trappers can use a rifle to kill coyotes as long as it occurs more than 300 yards from a home, Meloni said. He said coyotes caught in Wheaton will be removed and euthanized elsewhere.

Assistant City Manager Mike Dzugan said Erickson is expected to report within 10 days whether the trapping is complete or should continue. As part of his deal with Wheaton, Erickson received a $3,500 setup fee and will receive an additional $250 for each coyote he captures, officials said.

The bottom line, Gresk said, is that trapping is needed in the short term. Still, the city will continue its public awareness campaign to educate residents about how to act around coyotes

"Pet owners, particularly dog and cat owners, need to be more aware of the situation and protect their animals accordingly," Gresk said.