UPDATE: Davis Residents Upset Over Killing Of Coyotes At Golf Course

DAVIS (CBS13) - Five coyotes, including four pups, were recently killed by federal agents at a public golf course in Davis, angering residents and prompting city leaders to sever ties with the agency.

The coyotes were caught and killed at Wildhorse Golf Club. The city held a meeting on the matter Tuesday and the council voted unanimously to cut ties with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services agency, which shot the animals, and explore other non-lethal ways of dealing with the coyotes.

Earlier Tuesday, golfers said coyotes are par for the course at Wildhorse.

"I've seen the coyotes on the course running around," one player said Tuesday. "They don't bother anybody."

But Wildhorse managers say the wild dogs had crossed the line, aggressively approaching pedestrians and joggers.

So last month managers enlisted the aid of a USDA trapper. People say four cubs and one adult coyote were shot and killed.

Now some residents are teed off they got no warning the coyotes were going to be killed.

"There was no discussion," Sharon Montooth said. "They just went out and they shot the coyotes."

Montooth is just one person in a growing group questioning the slaying. In 12 years Sharon says she's never been approached by a coyote when out jogging.

She snapped a picture of coyote cubs in their den in May and believes they may have been some of the ones killed.

"If it was, they were less than 6 months old, and I just can't imagine they were threatening to people," she said.

The public outcry over the killings reached City Hall, where a special council meeting was scheduled Tuesday. Several residents spoke out against action during the meeting before the council voted to end its relationship with the federal agency.

"We've had to clarify it's not the city that took that action and so we're trying to figure out exactly what took place," Deputy City Manager Kelly Stachowicz said before Tuesday's meeting.

Many who live near Wildhorse want to make sure their 18-hole course doesn't turn into a wildlife shooting range.

"I think there at least needs to be a discussion with the city and the biologist with the city of Davis before they make decisions like that," Sharon said.