Yes, there are probably coyotes in your area

WOODLAWN, Ohio -- If you hadn't noticed, there are coyotes pretty much everywhere in the Tri-State.

Still, the novelty hasn't worn off, so Woodlawn Police are reminding people in their village (which has some dense woodland areas) about what they can do to keep the critters away.

For starters, there's this: You probably have coyotes somewhere around your neighborhood. Maybe you've seen them, maybe you haven't, but they're common to this region -- in the country, in the suburbs, and yes, in the city, too.

They've been spotted in Hebron, Park Hills, Fort Thomas, Indian Hill, Loveland and Madeira, along with the Cincinnati neighborhoods of Clifton and Pleasant Ridge.

That said, coyotes tend to be scared of people and typically aren't aggressive toward humans. You can probably clap your hands and shout to scare them off.

• If you don't want them near your house, remove anything outside that might attract them. That means if you're putting pet food outside, bring it in before nightfall (when coyotes are most active).
• Same goes for garbage.
• And clean up around your grill. That delicious meat smell you love? They love it, too.
• Keep bird feeders up high, where they're less likely to attract small animals (like rabbits and rats, aka good eats to a coyote).
• Coyotes might eat small dogs and cats if you leave them outside overnight, so experts say you should bring them inside.
• High fencing (that's not easy to climb) can also keep them off your property.

Researchers at the Ohio State University found coyotes are able to thrive in urban environments, where they're more active at night than their rural counterparts (and tend to live longer, too).

They also do some good, OSU researchers said: Coyotes help control exploding populations of Canada geese by eating their eggs. (Officials in Blue Ash even turned to fake coyotes to scare geese away from Summit Park.)

If a coyote near your home doesn't seem to be afraid of humans, though, you can find a trapper to remove them. (Hunting them on private property isn't legal in every place in the Tri-State, so check with your local police department first.)

And, in case you missed it the first time, here's a video of some adorable coyote pups in a Northern Kentucky yard: