'Bold and aggressive' coyotes lead forest preserve officials to close part of Libertyville trail to dog walkers

The presence of “bold and aggressive” coyotes has led Lake County Forest Preserve District officials to close a section of trail in the Old School Forest Preserve in Libertyville to people walking their dogs.

Andrew Rutter, a forest district wildlife ecologist, said coyotes in the area likely are acting differently because they have puppies nearby.

Rutter said officials have received several complaints from people who said they were followed by a coyote when they were walking their dog along the trail. He said he investigated the reports on July 9 and personally witnessed a coyote “shadowing” a woman who was walking two dogs on the trail.

Rutter said there haven't been reports of coyote attacks, but officials closed the trails to dog walkers that day.

“They don't follow walkers or bicyclists. It's specifically dogs,” Rutter said. “They perceive other canines as a possible threat.”

The trail at Old School is the only one to be closed to dog walkers because of coyotes in the forest preserve district. Rutter said the coyotes there must have made their den close to the trail.

Chris Anchor, a senior wildlife biologist for the Forest Preserves of Cook County, said officials in Cook County also usually hear reports of similar coyote behavior around this time of year.

“In counties where they are actively hunted or trapped, coyotes will know to run when they see humans,” said Anchor, who works on the Urban Coyote Research Project. “Coyotes are smart. They know we are no immediate threat, so they mostly ignore us.”

Anchor said it isn't policy in Cook County forest preserves to close trails to people walking dogs.

“We haven't had any serious incidents other than coyotes shadowing or doing the stare-down routine,” Anchor said, adding the only serious incidents happen when people have their dogs off the leash, which is against forest preserve rules. “I would never begrudge another agency for doing what they think they need to do to keep people safe.”

Rutter said that if people encounter a coyote, whether they have their dogs with them or not, they should scare it off.

“We want to reinforce their fear response to people,” Rutter said. “A lot of times, people's first instinct is to pick up their dog and run away, and that is not advisable. That initiates the coyote's predatory response and they are going to chase you.”

Rutter said Lake County officials will likely open the portion of the Old School Forest Preserve trail to dog walkers in mid-August when the coyote puppies have matured to the point that they aren't living with their parents.