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Control Wildlife Damage Around the
Home With Common Sense Control Methods:
 | Whether you are a home gardener, enjoy
landscaping around your home or just own your own home, there are times
when certain species of wildlife can become a nuisance or a pest and
cause
damage to plants and even economic losses. Wildlife damage problems can
occur throughout the year, but the fall and winter months are times when
food supplies and cover may become more limited for many wildlife
species, causing them to find your home or landscape an attractive place
to call home. Solving wildlife damage problems may seem out of your
control - but most often, you have more control over the problem than
you think. It might not be easy - but if you think through the problem
and put forth some effort - you can often cut your losses and maybe even
eliminate them. Many different species of wildlife can become a nuisance
and cause problems under certain conditions. Raccoons, skunks, snakes,
woodchucks and other rodents such as moles, house mice, and tree
squirrels can often cause problems. In addition, whitetail deer
populations have increased to the point in many urban environments where
they are becoming a nuisance by browsing on landscape plantings. Other
problem wildlife can include starlings, pigeons, sparrows, or the
nuisance woodpecker damaging the wood siding on your home, just to name
a few. |
| Many different species of wildlife can
become a nuisance and cause problems under certain conditions. Raccoons,
skunks, snakes, woodchucks and other rodents such as moles, house mice,
and tree squirrels can often cause problems. In addition, whitetail deer
populations have increased to the point in many urban environments where
they are becoming a nuisance by browsing on landscape plantings. Other
problem wildlife can include starlings, pigeons, sparrows, or the
nuisance woodpecker damaging the wood siding on your home, just to name
a few. |
Think Through the Problem:
| People experiencing a problem caused by
critters usually want an easy, quick solution and often ask "Is there
something I can spray to get rid of this pest?" It is never quite that
easy. Preventing and controlling wildlife damage requires a thought
process and often includes using integrated pest management techniques.
A successful wildlife damage program often makes use of a combination of
control options and usually begins with an accurate assessment of the
damage and identification of the desired outcome. Wildlife damage
management is the opposite of managing property to attract wildlife. To
manage for wildlife, you must make sure that animals have sufficient
food, water, and cover throughout the year. If you have unwanted animals
around your home, it is a sure bet that there is food, water and cover
in the area. The solution is to remove at least one of these elements -
and if you can remove two, it’s even better. |
Try this sequence in thinking through a
wildlife damage problem:
| Identify the wildlife species causing
the problem. This is the most important step. Correctly identifying the
species of wildlife causing damage may seem simple, but it can be
challenging under certain circumstances. Learn about the life history
and habitat requirements for the wildlife species that may be a
potential problem in your area. |
| Are there cultural techniques which you
could use to modify the habitat and reduce the chances of having a wild
life damage problem? For instance, there may be certain plants which
could be used in your home landscape that might not be an attractive
food source for deer. Would more frequent mowing or herbicide use reduce
the amount of weedy cover needed for a build up of rodent populations?
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| Is there some way you can keep the
animal causing damage from getting into the site? |
| If you can’t build them out, can you
repel them from the area? Sometimes you can use chemical, home-made,
visual or sound repellents to solve and control a problem. |
| If you can’t put up an effective barrier
or repel the animals from the problem site, the last step may involve
removing from the area the animals that are causing the damage. It may
be necessary to trap, shoot, use gas cartridges in dens, or use poison
baits to control a wildlife damage problem. Of course, when considering
these alternatives for controlling most wildlife species you should
check with a Conservation Agent or local animal damage control agent to
get approval. Often these persons will also provide some assistance. |
| Remember that no entire species of wild
animal is a nuisance or pest all the time. The trick is to deal only
with the animal(s) causing damage, not try to eradicate the entire
population. |
| A final consideration: Is it worth the
effort? It takes quite a bit of time and money to solve and control a
wildlife damage problem. Can you tolerate some damage or losses caused
by wildlife? Remember the aesthetic benefits derived from viewing
wildlife and the importance of managing habitats for those wildlife
species you wish to attract to your property. Ask yourself if the
economic loss is greater than the control cost. If it is, then it is
worthwhile to develop and implement a wildlife damage control program.
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| Wild animals contribute to our enjoyment
of nature and outdoor recreation, but they can also damage property,
agriculture, and natural resources and threaten human health and safety.
Equipped with the right information and tools, most homeowners can solve
their own problems and learn to live with wildlife. For example,
trimming trees and shrubbery are ways of changing a habitat to make it
less attractive to unwanted flocks of birds or even snakes. |
| The following information may assist in
keeping that curious raccoon out of the garbage can, that persistent
rabbit or deer out of the garden, that goose or duck out of the backyard
pool, that woodpecker off the siding, and that swooping bat out of the
attic. Caution should always be taken to avoid overly aggressive
animals. |
Squirrels and Other Rodents:
| To keep these animals from becoming a
permanent part of the family home and yard, screens, vents, and fan
openings; keep doors and windows in good repair; tighten eaves; replace
rotten boards; cap the chimney; trim overhanging trees; remove bird
feeders or use squirrel-proof feeders; and remove acorns and other nuts
from the yard. Chipmunks can be deterred by removing denning habitat,
which includes logs, rock walls, and stones. |
| These animals, also known as groundhogs,
sometimes burrow near buildings, browse in gardens, and damage fruit
trees and ornamental shrubs. Fencing can help reduce woodchuck damage.
The lower edge of the fence should be buried at least 10 inches in the
ground to prevent burrowing. The fence should be 3 to 4 feet high, with
a surrounding electric hot-shot wire placed 4 to 5 inches off the
ground. |
| Opossums and skunks become a problem to
homeowners by raiding garbage cans and bird feeders; eating pet foods;
and living under porches, low decks, open sheds, and any other areas
that provide shelter. Skunks also dig holes in lawns, golf courses, and
gardens. Both animals sometimes kill poultry and eat eggs. To keep
opossums and skunks from denning under buildings, seal off all
foundation openings with wire mesh, sheet metal, or concrete. Chicken
coops can be protected by sealing all ground-level openings into the
buildings and by closing the doors at night. Foraging in garbage cans
may be eliminated by providing tight?-fitting lids and straps. |
| Bats prefer to avoid human contact;
however, they are known to establish roosts in attics and abandoned
buildings. Building and attic roosts can be eliminated by sealing entry
and exit holes (after the bats have left) with such materials as
1/4-inch hardware cloth, caulking, or wire mesh. If a bat makes its way
into the house, you can usually encourage it to leave after dark by
turning on lights and opening windows and doors. |
| Rabbits can be kept out of the garden or
away from ornamental plants and small trees by using products containing
repellents such as Hinder or by placing a 2-foot poultry fence around
the area. It is important to bury the fence at least 6 inches beneath
the surface of the ground. For information about taste repellents, check
your local garden or farm center. Before using any chemical repellents,
read the label carefully and check with your State pesticide regulatory
agency for application guidelines. |
| Raccoons are attracted to easy food
sources, like garden produce, garbage, and pet food. To help prevent
scavenging, use metal trash cans that are fastened to a pole or to
another solid object. A strap or latch that secures the lid of the
garbage can is also helpful. To keep raccoons out of the garden, use two
strands of electric livestock fence. The strands should be placed 4 and
8 inches respectively off the ground and surround the entire garden.
Exercise caution when implementing this exclusionary method in urban
areas. |
| Raccoons will also readily inhabit
attics, chimneys, and sheds. Use metal flashing and 1-inch-mesh hardware
cloth to block entrances. |
| The best way to keep snakes out of your
house and yard is to seal cracks and openings around doors, windows,
water pipes, attics, and foundations. Removing logs, woodpiles, and high
grass and controlling insects and rodents are also helpful. Remove
nonpoisonous snakes from inside buildings by placing piles of damp
burlap bags in areas where snakes have been seen. After the snakes have
curled up beneath the bags, remove the bags and snakes from the
building. To remove dangerous snakes, call a professional pest control
company. |
| These birds damage buildings by drilling
holes into wooden siding, eaves, or trim boards, especially those made
of cedar or redwood. If the pecking creates a suitable cavity, the bird
may use it for nesting. Effective methods of excluding woodpeckers
include placing lightweight mesh nylon or plastic netting on the wooden
siding beneath the eaves, covering pecked areas with metal sheathing,
and using visual repellents like "eye-spot" balloons.
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| Deer feed on row crops, vegetables,
fruit trees, nursery stock, stacked hay, and ornamental plants and
trees. Deer can be discouraged by removing supplemental food sources and
by using scare devices and repellents. The only sure way to eliminate
deer damage is to fence the deer out. A wire-mesh fence is effective if
it is solidly constructed and at least 8 feet high. Electric fencing
also helps reduce damage. |
| These animals may carry rabies and
sometimes prey on domestic pets, rabbits, ducks, geese, chickens, young
pigs, and lambs. Coyotes also kill calves, goats, and deer. Net-wire and
electric fencing will help exclude foxes and coyotes; however, because
they are good climbers, a roof of net wire on livestock pens may also be
necessary. For more information about fencing, contact your local county
extension office. |
| The protection of livestock and poultry
is most important during the spring denning period. Foxes and coyotes
will often den close to farm buildings, under haystacks, or inside hog
lots or small pastures used for lambing. Shed lambing and farrowing in
protected enclosures can be useful in preventing predation on young
livestock. Additionally, noise- and light-making devices, such as the
Electronic Guard, may keep these predators away. Guarding dogs are also
useful in preventing predation on sheep. Regrettably, dispersal methods
are not effective in all situations, so other methods, including
trapping or snaring, may have to be used. |
Mountain Lions and Bears:
| As bear and lion habitats continue to
decrease, interactions between these animals and humans continue to
increase. Bears are noted for destroying cornfields and trees,
scavenging in garbage cans, demolishing the interiors of cabins and
campers, and killing livestock. Lions are serious predators of sheep,
goats, domestic pets, large livestock, poultry, bighorn sheep, and deer.
Typical bear and lion predation on sheep leaves 10 or more killed in a
single attack, and both species are known to attack humans. |
| Prevention is the best method of
controlling bear and lion damage. Heavy woven and electric fencing can
effectively deter bears and lions from attacking livestock and damaging
property. Loud music, barking dogs, exploder cannons, fireworks,
gunfire, nightlights, scarecrows, and changes in the position of objects
in the depredation area often provide temporary relief. The best way to
protect pets is to keep them inside an enclosed kennel or shelter. Using
guarding dogs, removing garbage and dead carcasses, and placing crops
and beehives at considerable distances away from timber and brush may
reduce damage by bears. Mountain lions also prefer to hunt where escape
cover is close by; removal of brush and trees within a quarter of a mile
of buildings and livestock may reduce lion predation. |
| Professional relocation of damaging
mountain lions and bears is sometimes necessary. For more information
about State laws and regulations concerning relocation or lethal control
of mountain lions and bears, contact your State wildlife agency. |
Remember:
| Think through your problem before
attempting to invest in a control program. What is the easiest,
cheapest, most practical way to control the problem? What will be the
least hazardous to pets, people, and non-target wildlife? Are you losing
enough money to justify a control expense? Your goal should be to reduce
damage to a level you can live with.
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