Three coyotes were caught on camera roaming through a neighborhood in Brookfield.
It's not uncommon, says the Wisconsin DNR, but it is a good reminder that coyotes are active this time of year.
"One coyote goes across, then another one by the road, a bigger one comes across," said Dan Pennington, who caught the critters on his motion-activated camera early Thursday morning.
"It was very concerning because right in your front yard, 40 feet from your house," he said.
Dianne Robinson, a wildlife biologist with the Wisconsin DNR says this time of year, coyote pups that were born in the spring are starting to venture out on their own and tend to be more curious.
"Because of that, sometimes people see more of them because they're moving in areas they weren't previously," she said.
Since it is also getting darker early, Robinson says humans are out and about when coyotes are the most active.
"You just have more animals during this time of year that are out and active on the landscape," said Robinson. "Doesn't mean the population as a whole has increased, it's just a cycle we see."
She says the video Pennington captured is a good reminder to keep an eye on pets when they're outside. And if a coyote does come too close for comfort, there are ways to scare it away.
"Something as simple as yelling at it, waving your arms," said Robinson. "Maybe actively throwing something at them, even spraying water at them with a hose."
Pennington says he doesn't have any pets, but he wanted his neighbors to be on the lookout just in case.
"I know they're around but you see that many that close, it's a little scary," he said.
Researchers in Milwaukee County track coyote sightings to better understand the animal's behavior. To report a sighting, click here.
