Coyote Activity Will Increase Bixby Knolls

I had the pleasure of playing golf at Virginia Country Club this Sunday. We teed off a little early, a bit after 6:30, and about 30 minutes later as we approached the 4th green we saw a coyote running parallel to the fairway and into the brush on the hill between the 4th green, 5th tee (Ladies), 16th tee and 15th green.

When I saw the coyote I said to my playing partner, "Looks like we have some company." He said that evidently there is a litter of pups in the brush in that area. Perhaps Mama was out foraging for her youngsters.

Later in the round we heard many "yips" that those who have heard them first hand know are definitely the sound a pack of coyotes make. Virginia Country Club is abundant with wildlife enjoying the brush, ponds and fields. Besides the coyote we saw a hawk doing lazy circles in the sky, copious amounts of squirrels and several varieties of birds busy in the morning hours. Plenty of feeding opportunities for a family of coyotes.

Also plentiful is the colony of feral cats that I believe still abound between Virginia CC and the Los Cerritos Rancho.

But no matter how abundant the current food supply may be for a mom and her young pups, eventually the hunting grounds will start to expand and when it does residents in the Los Cerritos area, and then Bixby Knolls east of Atlantic and then south of Carson, can expect some increased coyote activity as the summer gets going full swing and the little ones begin to mature.

As they roam the area at night they are looking for easy prey, which includes domesticated animals out for the night. If you see one or more during your morning or evening walks make plenty of noise, yelling, whistling and clapping, and usually they will trot off away from you.

One antidote for them coming onto your property is to spread human urine on your yard, garden or perimeter--sounds like a good excuse for the neighbors to come together for a "Make Coyote Repellent Party!"

For those golfers reading this, after spotting the coyote I two putted from the back of the green to the front pin location for par and my buddy knocked in his uphill eight footer for birdie. Mama Coyote was good luck, and we needed her for one more hole as we proceeded to double and triple the par 5 fifth.

Watch your pets.

DCS06152010