Davenport aldermen gave final approval to a plan allowing residents to hunt coyotes within city limits.
On Wednesday, October 22, 2014, the City Council voted unanimously to allow bow hunting of coyotes in conjunction with the urban deer hunt. The ordinance also allows shotgun hunting of coyotes on non-public property zoned for agricultural use that is at least 10 acres.
Shotguns cannot be discharged toward and within 1,500 feet of structures on the property or toward and within 1,500 feet of the property's boundary line.
A general hunting license will be required unless a landowner is hunting on their own property, and the landowner must grant permission to any other hunters.
Wednesday, DNR conservation officer Jeff Harrison said he supported the plan, which could help control the coyotes that have become urbanized, or lost their fear of humans.
"They're going to start having some threat. They're going to have some hunters actually pursuing them, and what's going to happen is it's going to reduce some of the population, but it's also going to make sure that they continue moving out of the area, or don't feel so secure," said Harrison
Harrison said the DNR has received an increasing number of complaints about coyotes in recent years.