It wasn’t a cartoon character that showed up in the back yard of an Ironton resident early last week.

A coyote was spotted at a residence on Campbell Drive early last week.

“It was just lying in the back yard and then it ran on to the hill,” Gary Brammer said. The animal was spotted at Brammer’s neighbor’s house.

But according to experts, the animals are not too out of place in urban areas.

“It’s not uncommon for them to be around the city,” said Dan Smith, assistant wildlife manager for district 4 of the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Smith recommended removing the animal’s food source to keep them from being a nuisance. For instance, put the trash out the night before the garbage is picked up.

Ohio has no season on hunting coyotes, meaning that they can be hunted year-round. Smith recommends calling a nuisance trapper to remove the animal if it becomes a problem.

More information about nuisance trappers can be found by calling the Division of Wildlife at 740-589-9930.