You may be asked to grab your bow and arrow and set out on a new hunt in Charlotte.  Due to the growing population of coyotes in the Charlotte and surrounding areas, the National Wildlife Association is considering allowing legal hunting of these predators.  The concern for the safety of the community has risen as the number of attacks has grown.  Mostly these animals are attacking dogs and other small animals but the fear that these aggressive creatures may pose a potential threat on humans is one that Charlotte officials are not taking lightly.

If permitted, hunting of these animals will have some restrictions. It will only be allowed at night, with a light and limited to Sundays only.  The weapon permitted will be a good old fashioned bow and arrow,no firearms of any kind will be allowed. The hope is that this will help to control the population without wiping out the species altogether. Officials are trying to determine where these coyotes are living and just how many there may be before making their decision. 

Coyotes weigh approximately 30 lbs and are very intelligent.  Most sightings have been reported in the suburbs and the edges of town but recently they have been spotted in the uptown area. This may indicate their lack of fear of humans which may put many in danger.  Chris Matthews, the natural resources manager for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation is planning to give a report this week and encourage citizens to visit the website that has been created. This site will give valuable information about these animals and provide a way for the community to report sightings and activity. "Any time we can involve our citizens in helping us gather data...we can better help them, Matthews said.  "We can use the data the citizens provide us and be able to show people exactly where there are concentrations of the animals in the county."