How to Deal With Nuisance Raccoons

Eradicate Raccoon Problems and Prevent Damage; Dual Perspectives

Oct 13, 2009

Raccoons are an annoyance, a nuisance, and an occurrence which has afflicted homeowners in an expensive way. And there is a debate on just what to do to solve the crime.

The theme of this Thanksgiving dinner at the farm, sitting around the table in plentiful humour and plenty full bellies, aside from the usual local and global political grievances, and the global and local agricultural climate, and the municipal infrastructure and the machine shed super structure and other homestead anomalies and farmstead phenomena, was the newly instated raccoon relocation program.

Demeanor and Misdemeanor

Most people know that raccoons are a nuisance. They get into the garbage. And then they get into the garbage in the time between walking the dog in the morning and leaving for work. They look for any hole to climb into and make themselves at home, including attics and crawl spaces in houses rural and urban. They then proceed to severely damage and destroy their surroundings.

The debate arises. How does one deal with the problem? More specifically, how does one deal with the problem at the family farm where around the table and involved in the discussion are avid hunters and conversely, passionate environmental protectionists, each harbouring very reasonable, very intuitive and very different views on how to address the bandit mammalian situation.

Two Approaches

For the hunters, what better way to spend a long weekend than staked out on the roof with a shotgun waiting for the critter to take its running chance from out of the trees, across the yard, up the television antennae and toward its cozy attic den after having consumed its fill of gizzard, turkey neck, and potato skins. This scenario is completely abhorrent to the animal friendly counterpart environmentalist.

The animal lover, instead, prefers live traps to be strategically placed throughout the property. After being trapped, the animal is to be safely and considerately relocated to another area of rural refuge. It is agreed this is a much more humane way to eradicate the problem, however slow and difficult it may be.

Intent, Intelligent, and Perseverant

Raccoons are thoughtful and known to retain the knowledge of how to solve a problem for up to three years. Consequently, they are able to effectively avoid the trap, or more efficiently, they can choose to find another home to raise their kits.

Raccoons may be in the attic. But they may also have used dens in the past in hollowed trees, culverts, or any space that will keep them sheltered from the elements which they can return to. They do not hibernate and they reproduce seven months of the year. This means that the problem can grow rapidly, while placement of the live trap can be frustrating and fruitless.

There are also methods of deterring the wily creatures from setting up shop. These are meant to annoy the raccoons and prevent them from establishing a comfortable place to nest. These methods include flashing lights and loud noises. This is an attack on the animals’ nocturnal nature. But this may just as easily impose on the homeowner’s own sound slumber during the night hours.

Raccoons sense their persecution and are cunning in deceiving and escaping their human predators. They relocate, reproduce, and return. Whatever the perspective of the terrorized victims of racoon vandals, it is a problem which not easily nor permanently solved.

The copyright of the article How to Deal With Nuisance Raccoons in Wildlife Preservation is owned by Scott Riddell. Permission to republish How to Deal With Nuisance Raccoons in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.