Leavenworth Considering Plan to Deal with Coyote Boom

Some Leavenworth residents say that they are seeing entirely too many coyotes in town lately, and now the city may be close to making it open season on the animals – with some limits.

The City of Leavenworth is considering adding coyotes to an ordinance which already allows bow hunting for deer in the city limits. Leavenworth resident Bill Bentley recently saw a coyote in front of his house, and another two coyotes while out walking his dog.

“They didn’t even seem to be too intimidated by the dog, and I wasn’t intimidated by them,” said Bentley.

Another Leavenworth resident, Ron Wilkerson, says that he has seen the animals hanging out and howling each evening. He says that the coyotes never bother him, but he says that they can be quite a nuisance.

“They come running through here about every evening,” said Wilkerson.

There has never been a documented coyote attack in Leavenworth, and city officials say that they aim to keep it that way. City manager Scott Miller says that the city has considered using traps, but learned from the state’s wildlife biologist just how tough it is to trap a wily coyote.

“I’m also concerned about setting traps and snares in back of residential areas where possibly domestic pets and children could get hit by them,” said Miller. “The other would one would be the use of firearms and we certainly don’t want the discharge of firearms in the confines of the corporate limites.”

The Leavenwoth City Commission is expected to get its first look at the plan to reduce the coyote numbers next Tuesday evening.