A Bay Creek resident reported to the Mirror the apparent shooting of a coyote on the property. Coyotes have been spotted in and around Cape Charles over the last several weeks. Sightings have prompted the Cape Charles Police to post warnings about the appearance of the animals in town.
According to the resident, “I was up early, and I heard the coyote howling, and it is a very distinct sound. I then heard on gun shot, then a second. After that, I did not hear the coyote anymore.”
While there tends to be a modicum of hysteria surrounding the existence of a coyotes around suburban neighborhoods, according to the Humane Society of the United States, the fear surrounding this phenomena is inflated:
“If you spot a coyote in your neighborhood, relax: Most coyotes avoid people. ‘Seeing a coyote out during the day is not a cause for alarm, especially in the spring and summer when they’re looking for food for their pups,’ says Lynsey White Dasher, HSUS director of humane wildlife conflict resolution.
If a coyote displays no fear of people, he’s probably been fed. You can reinstill his fear by raising your arms and yelling to drive him away. This is called hazing. Unlike trapping, which sometimes catches pets or other wildlife but rarely the coyotes who are causing problems, hazing works.”
Or, as the Red Hot Chili Peppers say, “True Men Don’t Kill Coyote”: