Tracy Reitman has listened to coyote calls just about every night for more than a decade.
She has grown accustomed to the sounds of wildlife, including the nightly coyote chorus, after moving to Cottage Grove’s southwest corner 14 years ago.
The proximity to nature was appealing.
“That’s why I picked this city: We’ve got one foot in the city and one in the county,” Reitman said.
But growing concerns about coyotes spiked this summer when a Cottage Grove woman reported a coyote had killed her dog.
City officials discussed possible ways to address the community’s concerns, such as increasing awareness and relocating the animals, at a December meeting.
“When you escalate from having those wild dogs, in essence, coming after Fido, the next thing they do is jump up and maybe it’s a child or an older person that’s walking on one of our trails,” council member Steve Dennis said.
Coyote sightings reported to Cottage Grove police jumped from two in 2013 to 16 in 2017. Those numbers include living and dead animals.
Coyote populations are establishing and growing in the Twin Cities metro, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
They often find suitable habitats in the abundant parks and natural lands, said Cynthia Osmundson, the department’s regional wildlife manager.
The agency has no reports of coyotes attacking humans.
Clapping or making noises generally frightens coyotes, Osmundson said. “That little bit of harassment will probably keep them away.”
Small dogs, cats and other pets, however, could be seen as prey, she said.
WHAT TO DO
Residents concerned about coyotes can take a few precautions, such as removing bird feeders that attract the small rodents coyotes like to eat.
The DNR and Cottage Grove police suggest not allowing cats and small dogs to roam unsupervised.
“Cottage Grove has a leash law, so you’re not supposed to let cats roam around freely anyway,” Deputy Public Safety Director Pete Koerner said.
The city is finalizing a date for a public meeting on the coyote issue, where the public will have an opportunity to weigh in, Koerner said.
Cottage Grove already offers a “Living with Coyotes and Foxes” page on its website, and the city plans to boost awareness of existing resources, particularly information on how to deal with unhealthy or potentially rabid animals.
“As we move forward, there’s going to be a huge educational component to it,” Koerner said.
Dennis also suggested contracting a private company to trap coyotes and relocate them to a less populated area.
The DNR doesn’t actively trap coyotes. Police departments typically don’t, either.
In Woodbury, police spokeswoman Michelle Okada said there’s little police officers can do but refer callers to DNR resources.
If an animal is rabid or aggressive, Okada said, officers will work with the landowner to find the best course of action.
Because coyotes are not a protected species in Minnesota, residents with permits can hunt the animals where city ordinances allow discharging guns or archery.
Cottage Grove allows firearm hunting in parts of the eastern edge of town. Archery is permitted in largely the same area, along with areas in the city’s southwestern corner.
Woodbury allows hunting near its eastern and southern borders.
But Cottage Grove resident Reitman said she hopes the city and DNR can come up with an alternative to killing the animals.
Coyotes might mistake growing residential development as their natural habitat, she said.
“Why kill them when it’s not their fault?” Reitman said. “Coyotes don’t want to live near us. Given time, they will find a new spot to go — they just want us to leave them alone.”
Forum reporter Youssef Rddad contributed to this report.