OMAHA — Kit Lemon spent 31 years in law enforcement handling all types of tense situations.
Nothing, she said, compares to her recent encounter with a coyote at in Sarpy County.
A coyote charged at Lemon as she and her leashed dog, Pebbles, were enjoying a recent morning walk on the paved trail on the west side of the lake near the Nebraska 370 parking lot.
“I have been well trained and successfully navigated a variety of difficult situations over the years both professionally and personally," Lemon said. "Yet, in this instance, I can’t believe how vulnerable I felt.â€
The large, healthy coyote stopped within 3 feet of Lemon and refused to budge, even as she threw her hands up in the air and yelled, then threw her water bottle at it, hitting its chest.
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When the 5-foot-5 Lemon began to back up, it followed, coming even closer. That, she said, was the scariest moment.
“It wasn’t snarling. It wasn’t growling. It was just standing there,†Lemon said. “I couldn’t get my phone out. I was too worried about this animal eating my dog.â€
The coyotes Lemon sees on her rural property northwest of Gretna run the other way when humans appear. This one followed Lemon for yards, gradually allowing her to increase the distance between them. Only a cyclist whizzing by finally scared off the animal.
Lemon said it felt like the coyote was escorting her out of the area. Laura Stastny of said that’s probably exactly what it was doing.
“They are just making sure their territory stays safe so their babies stay safe,†she said. “If they have a den nearby, they will follow people until they are out of range of their babies. We are their predator. They are making sure their babies are safe by watching them. People interpret it as stalking them.â€
Stastny said coyotes are becoming more and more common on the edges of the city as humans disrupt their natural habitat. Rabbits are plentiful.
Stastny's organization gets reports of coyote sightings almost daily. Sam Wilson, furbearer/carnivore program manager for , said there are no estimates for coyote numbers in the city and surrounding area, but he said the animals are common statewide.
By yelling and making herself appear larger, Stastny said, Lemon did everything right.
“You make yourself big and loud,†she said. “Throw something at their feet and they will tend to go away. Most don’t weigh more than 40 pounds. They are afraid of people but can get acclimated, and they can be very curious.â€
If you see one near your home, keep your dogs on a leash and under your direct control, and keep your cats indoors. Stastny recommends people have fences to protect their pets. She also said people never should leave food available for coyotes.
Wilson said people always should have their pets on a leash. “Most coyotes don't want to interact with a person," he said, "but there can be issues with small dogs. Most are addressed by having them on a 6-foot leash. The coyotes don't want to get that close to people in most cases.â€
Lemon said this one got a lot closer than she liked. But she understands that it probably was trying to protect its offspring. Nonetheless, she took the longer way back to her car that day.
Stastny said coyotes and foxes, which also are becoming common within city limits, are just looking for a place to survive and usually don’t cause problems.
“As you know, there is no reason to get rid of the wildlife,†Stastny said. “You just use some common-sense tips to live with them. As we take up their territory, they have no place else to go.â€