What TWRA officers say pet owners should look out for during coyote mating season

JACKSON, Tenn.–Between mid-January and mid-March, mating season for coyotes is underway.  Some are saying they’re concerned for their pets.

“I’ve got actually several cats somewhere outside, so that would be a problem for them,” said Jim Haggard, lives in Jackson.

“When most wild animals mate they tend to be more spontaneous, more aggressive,” said Frank Smith, who lives in Jackson.

Regional Manager of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Alan Peterson said people won’t actually see coyotes that often.

“Probably more heard than seen in the winter months, you hear them a lot at night,” said Alan Peterson Regional Manager of TWRA.

“I did live in the country once and I did see some coyotes and they would attack like chickens and certain things like that,” said Jeremy Myles, who lives in Jackson.

Peterson says coyotes really aren’t that dangerous to people.

“There not a threat to humans, I don’t know that there’s ever been a recorded attack by coyotes on humans in Tennessee,” said Peterson.

But he said pet owners with small dogs and cats should be cautious.

“To avoid that, if you leave out dog food, or table scraps or whatever outside that attracts coyotes to easy food and you have little dogs than you just asking for trouble,” said Peterson.

But other than that, Peterson said: “don’t worry about it, they’re here to stay, they’re everywhere, they don’t cause problems.”

Peterson says coyotes will typically target small animals like rabbits and mice.

TWRA officials say coyote mating season will roughly end in about 6 weeks.