Randy wrote in with this report last night…

Someone has set a leg hold trap of the type used to trap coyotes on the CSX rail line right of way between the Durand Mill and Westchester neighborhoods. My wife was walking our dogs down the right of way this afternoon–as many in the neighborhood do–and our dog got her leg caught one of these traps. My wife managed to get our dog’s leg out of the trap, but sustained a fractured wrist in the process.

It might be worth posting a note to let people in the Chelsea Heights and Westchester neighborhoods know that someone is setting leg hold traps along this right of way. LOTS of folks around here walk their dogs down that right of way.

Though no coyotes or coyotes experts are quoted in this article, many Decaturites are well aware that if you bring in experts, they will advise against capture and killing coyotes.  Not for any moral reason, but because the animals will just quickly repopulate your coyote-friendly areas.  Guess Sandy Springs has some money to burn.  From the AJC…

Confrontations between residents and coyotes in a Sandy Springs neighborhood have gotten so serious, a homeowners association board recently voted to hire trappers to capture and kill the animals – the latest to do so in the area, but creating a split in the community.

“It was a tough decision, but we’ve made it. I’m having about 12-to-1 calls and emails in favor of this process,” Dane Seibert, president of the Huntcliff Homeowners Association, told the AJC in a phone interview.

Ah well, ’tis better to have killed and lost, than never to have killed at all, I suppose.

Be aware!  Decatur Heights Dad wrote in a couple days back…

While making a late night/ early morning (4am) run to the N. Decatur Rd CVS, I spotted 2 baby coyotes crossing Winn Way. They were leaving the rear of some homes in Sycamore Ridge and making their way over to the DeVry Campus.

2 things that immediately crossed my mind:

1) Where there are babies, clearly there are parents, and

2) Perhaps they’re just scouting a Decatur location for their pub, Coyote Ugly. da duh duh…thank you, thank you…I’ll be here all week..

Then this morning on the Clairmont Heights Civic Association blog…

From a neighbor: On October 30th, three coyotes were spotted near the intersection of N. Superior and N. Decatur. Neighbors who have outdoor pets should be informed so they can be brought in at night.