Stories Of Coyote Attacks Throughout Northwest Ohio Are On The Rise

According to posts on Facebook, the population of coyotes in Williams County is on the uptick, and their supposed activities are also said to be on the rise. While the Williams County branch of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has said that the potential of coyote attacks as described in the Facebook posts is indeed a real possibility, no one has yet to come forward to file an official grievance documenting the loss of livestock due to a coyote, and request an investigation into the same.

Although nothing official has been filed, that does not rule out other courses of action available. “We have an open season on coyotes,” said Officer Austin Dickinson of the ODNR. “All year long, they can be hunted and trapped. All that is required is a hunting license. No Fur Taker Permit is required for coyotes, and it’s open all year long. They can be hunted day or night, so long as you are following all the regulations. We encourage the hunting and trapping of coyotes. The only way that their population is controlled at all is through our means; that’s why we have those seasons.”

The problem exists, but the problem is only magnified is someone decides to take the law into their own hands. The rules and regulations for hunting exist for a very specific purpose…safety. Man is the only natural predator that can hold the coyote population in check, but just because the open season exists doesn’t mean that the rules and regulations can be bent. Safe hunting practices will assure that the coyote population is trimmed back, without the need for reparations for collateral damages. Safety comes first.

Timothy can be reached at tim@thevillagereporter.com