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Winter reveals Ohio coyote population

Heather Newton

While wintertime usually gives way to more visibility of snow, the cold months have also shone a light on Ohio's high population of coyotes.

Oxford residents are learning what has become common knowledge for Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife - Ohio is full of coyotes.

According to Butler County Game Warden Aaron Ireland, the majority of coyote sightings occur during the winter months.

"This is the time of year they become more visible," Ireland said.

Coyotes have become more noticeable because of the reduced level of vegetation across the state during the winter months, according to Brett Beatty, Butler County assistant wildlife management supervisor. Now living in all of Ohio's 88 counties, the coyote population is high, but stable.

While the state does not keep records of the number of coyotes in Ohio, Beatty said the increase in coyotes is determined by the number of animal killings.

"We count animals that have been killed on the road," Beatty said. "There has pretty much been a steady increase in population for the past 15 years."

Increases and decreases in coyote population are determined by wildlife trends. According to Beatty, trends include the number of coyote sightings in proportion to other forms of wildlife, dead and alive.

Laurie Guest, Miami administrative assistant of paper and chemical engineering, had an encounter with a coyote in February 2005.

"(The coyotes) were attacking the geese and I came out and yelled at them," Guest said. "The female looked up at me and looked back down and continued her business like I was no one."

However according to Miami University Police Lt. Andrew Powers, there have been no known recent coyote incidents on Miami's campus.

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Ohio residents have expressed concern that the state is becoming overpopulated with coyotes. However, Ireland has a different opinion.

"I don't know that there are more of them, but they do seem to be more visual," Ireland said. "I have had more reports of sightings."

Coyotes' diets consist of small animals androdents as well as berries and fruits. They are usually nocturnal animals, but will hunt during the day if unthreatened. They generally avoid people, but have been seemingly more socialized and less fearful of humans.

"I only had one reported claim of a farmer who lost his calf," Ireland said. "When it is proven, we reimburse farmers for cattle. I have had no reports of injured persons."

Ireland noted reimbursement applies only to livestock that are killed by coyotes.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, conflict has arisen from advocates who believe coyotes are important because they reduce the number of rodents and keep a balance among wildlife. Conversely, hunters and owners of animals argue that the coyote population should be reduced because they kill the level of game and reduce the population of livestock and domestic animals.

"I'm all for hunting and trapping," Ireland said. "That's how you control the population. We encourage individuals to hunt or trap them. They are a predator and can damage many things and they need to be managed."

According to Donna Schrappe from the Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife in Columbus, there is no time frame limiting when coyotes can be trapped or killed.

"They are a nuisance animal," Schrappe said. "There is no closed season on them. You can hunt them 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as long as you are in an area that is legal to hunt."