At least three coyotes were caught in traps after an especially active six-month period for the canine predators on Sullivan’s Island.
Police Chief Chris Griffin told members of the Town Council at their Sept. 11 workshop that the animals had been captured between Station 25 and Station 28. He said coyotes had bitten or otherwise threatened dogs once each in April and June and three times each in July and August. In addition, the Police Department reported 12 sightings of or confrontations with coyotes between Aug. 12 and Aug. 27, including an Aug. 26 incident where a coyote attacked and dragged a small dog into the Maritime Forest.
“I’ve been here 26 years plus, and this is the most we’ve caught since we’ve been trapping them,” Griffin said. “Three in two weeks. I’m really happy with that. It’s not enough, but I’m happy with that. It’s a good start.”
He said eight traps have been set and that the trappers, who must be licensed by the Department of Natural Resources, have advised him that setting additional traps would be a bad idea.
“Too many traps is bad,” the chief said in response to a question from the audience. “I was the same way. Put out traps everywhere. But they said no; don’t do that. With too many traps, the scents are too much and it overwhelms them.”
Mayor Pat O’Neil cautioned local residents not to disturb the traps.
“Please don’t go out looking for the traps,” he said. “You’ll get your human smell all around them, and the coyotes will stay away when we want them to be enticed by whatever it is we’re using to entice them to the traps.”
Griffin added that “they’ll climb a 6-foot fence like it’s nothing. They’re very smart. If you go back there looking, you can put your scent down.”
O’Neil said residents who encounter a coyote should call the non emergency dispatch number at 843-743-7200. “If your dog has been attacked, call 9-1-1 for that,” he added.