Raccoons

Homeowner, renter or HOA

Prevent problems

Key strategies

• Ensure pet food, bird food and food compost are not accessible to raccoons.
• Secure garbage in an animal-proof receptacle.
• Clean grills of food scraps and grease.
• Sturdy fencing with 3 inch or smaller holes can help protect gardens or individual plants from wildlife. Installing hot-wire/electric fencing may especially help exclude raccoons from gardens.

Person cleaning food waste off a grill.

Around home

• Check your home and other structures for holes that raccoons may use for access. Seal any holes with durable materials, such as metal flashing or hardware cloth.
• To keep raccoons from climbing onto your roof, cut any tree limbs overhanging the roof. Also be sure to cap your chimney to keep raccoons from climbing in your fireplace.
• Seal pet doors at night to keep raccoons from entering your house.
• Raccoons will sometimes climb into window wells and find themselves unable to climb out. Place a rough board into the well and allow the raccoons to climb out.

Pets and livestock

• Ensure poultry is in a secure location, especially at night. Attempt to place all roosting areas away from fencing as raccoons are often able to reach through most wire fencing. Spilled or accessible poultry food can also attract raccoons.
• Raccoons can become aggressive if cornered. Be mindful that some dogs may have an instinct to chase raccoons. Keep dogs fenced or leashed, particularly at night, if this is a concern.

Raccoon aggressively snarling.

Solve a problem

Non-lethal methods

• Eliminating access to food and shelter around your house are the best ways to control raccoon conflicts.
• If a raccoon gets into an attic or similar space, use noise (loud radio, banging pots and pans) or ammonia-soaked rags to scare the raccoon out. Seal the opening through which the raccoon entered once the raccoon leaves.
• Various raccoon deterrents, such as lights and chemical repellants, are available from retailers. However, their effectiveness is often brief, and alternative methods may need to be used.
• If damage from wildlife is occurring but you are not sure what type of animal is causing it, setting up at least one trail camera at that location is a good way to identify the animal.
• Michigan DNR does not authorize or conduct live capture and release of raccoons other than for permitted research.
• If you find an injured raccoon or young raccoon that you believe it’s mother is dead, you can contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before removing it from the wild. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators may possess abandoned or injured wildlife.

Lethal methods

• A raccoon may be lethally removed using a legal weapon or trap on private property year-round by property owners or their designees without a written permit if doing damage or physically present where it could imminently cause damage.
• If hunting or trapping is allowed in your area, raccoons can be lethally removed during the regulated season provided a valid hunting or trapping license.
• In areas where hunting and trapping are not allowed, contact a nuisance animal control company.
• Consider contacting the Michigan Trappers & Predator Callers to check if they have anyone interested in hunting or trapping raccoons, if allowed in your area.

Local government

Prevent problems

Key strategies

• Educate residents about removing food sources like pet food and bird food that can attract raccoons. Spring and fall are the best times for messaging.
• Encourage residents and park staff to put garbage out the morning of garbage pick-up rather than the night before. Consider talking to your waste disposal company about integrating animal-proof trash receptacles.
• Ensure parks have ordinances and signage requiring users to clean grills, not feed wildlife, etc. to reduce attracting raccoons.
• Sturdy fencing with 3 inch or smaller holes can help protect gardens or individual plants from wildlife. A single or double strand hot-wire/electric fence may help discourage raccoons from gardens.

Sign asking park users to not feed wildlife.

Your community

• Check buildings for holes that raccoons may use for access. Seal any holes with durable materials.
• To keep raccoons from climbing onto a roof, cut any tree limbs overhanging the roof. Also be sure to cap chimneys to keep raccoons from climbing into buildings.
• Raccoons will sometimes climb into window wells and find themselves unable to climb out. Place a rough board into the well and allow the raccoons to climb out.
• Implement ordinances and enforcement that prohibit feeding raccoons and other wildlife that may cause problems.

Public spaces

• Eliminate or board up abandoned structures that can provide shelter for raccoons.

Pets and livestock

• Educate residents with poultry about housing them in a secure location, especially at night. Roosting areas should be placed away from fencing as raccoons are often able to reach through most wire fencing. Spilled or accessible poultry food can also attract raccoons.
• Raccoons can become aggressive if cornered. Be mindful that some dogs may have an instinct to chase raccoons. Dogs should be fenced or leashed if this is a concern.

Solve a problem

Non-lethal methods

• Preventing raccoons from being attracted to food and shelter resources are the best ways to control raccoon problems.
• If a raccoon gets into an attic or similar space, use noise (loud radio, banging pots and pans) or ammonia-soaked rags to scare the raccoon out. Seal the opening through which the raccoon entered once the raccoon leaves.
• Various raccoon deterrents, such as lights and chemical repellants, are available from retailers. However, their effectiveness is often brief, and alternative methods may need to be used.
• If damage from wildlife is occurring but you are not sure what type of animal is causing it, setting up at least one trail camera at that location is a good way to identify the animal.
• Michigan DNR does not authorize or conduct live capture and release of raccoons other than for permitted research.
• If someone finds an injured raccoon or young raccoon that they believe it’s mother is dead, they can contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before removing it from the wild. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators may possess abandoned or injured wildlife.

Lethal methods

• If your jurisdiction allows hunting or trapping, a raccoon may be lethally removed using a legal weapon or trap on private property year-round by property owners or their designees without a written permit if doing damage or physically present where it could imminently cause damage.
• If hunting or trapping is allowed in your area, raccoons can be lethally removed during the regulated season provided a valid hunting or trapping license.
• If your jurisdiction does not allow hunting or trapping, contact a nuisance animal control company.
• If interested in implementing a hunting or trapping program in your jurisdiction, contact your local DNR Wildlife Division office for guidance.
• Consider contacting the Michigan Trappers & Predator Callers to check if they have anyone interested in hunting or trapping raccoons, if allowed in your area.

Business or school

Prevent problems

Key strategies

• Remove food sources like cafeteria waste and bird food that can attract raccoons.
• Ensure that garbage is secured in an animal-proof receptacle.

Raccoon eating seed from a bird feeder.

Around buildings

• Check your building and other structures for holes that raccoons may use for access. Seal any holes with durable materials.
• To keep raccoons from climbing onto your roof, cut any tree limbs overhanging the roof.
• Raccoons will sometimes climb into window wells and find themselves unable to climb out. Place a rough board into the well and allow the raccoons to climb out.

Pets and livestock

• Raccoons can become aggressive if cornered. Be mindful that some dogs may have an instinct to chase raccoons. Keep dogs fenced or leashed, particularly at night, if this is a concern.

Solve a problem

Non-lethal methods

• Eliminating access to food and shelter around your house are the best ways to control raccoon conflicts.
• If a raccoon gets into an attic or similar space, use noise (loud radio, banging pots and pans) or ammonia-soaked rags to scare the raccoon out. Seal the opening through which the raccoon entered once the raccoon leaves.
• Various raccoon deterrents, such as lights and chemical repellants, are available from retailers. However, their effectiveness is often brief, and alternative methods may need to be used.
• If damage from wildlife is occurring but you are not sure what type of animal is causing it, setting up at least one trail camera at that location is a good way to identify the animal.
• Michigan DNR does not authorize or conduct live capture and release of raccoons other than for permitted research.
• If someone finds an injured raccoon or young raccoon that they believe it’s mother is dead, they can contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before removing it from the wild. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators may possess abandoned or injured wildlife.

Lethal methods

• A raccoon may be lethally removed using a legal weapon or trap on private property year-round by property owners or their designees without a written permit if doing damage or physically present where it could imminently cause damage.
• If hunting or trapping is allowed in your area, raccoons can be lethally removed during the regulated season provided a valid hunting or trapping license.
• In areas where hunting and trapping are not allowed, contact a nuisance animal control company.
• Consider contacting the Michigan Trappers & Predator Callers to check if they have anyone interested in hunting or trapping raccoons, if allowed in your area.

Agriculture

Prevent problems

Key strategies

• Keep livestock feed stored secured to minimize raccoon access.
• Sturdy fencing with 3 inch or smaller holes can help discourage raccoons from climbing fruit trees and other plants. Fitting hot-wire/electric fencing around plants may especially discourage raccoons.

Your farm or orchard

• Check outbuildings and other structures for holes that raccoons may use for access. Seal any holes with durable materials.
• To keep raccoons from climbing onto your roof, cut any tree limbs overhanging the roof.
• Secure doors for livestock at night to keep raccoons from entering outbuildings
• Keep hay bales, silage and similar materials stored securely to reduce raccoons use it for shelter.

Pets and livestock

• Ensure poultry is in a secure location, especially at night. Attempt to place all roosting areas away from fencing as raccoons are often able to reach through most wire fencing. Spilled or accessible poultry food can also attract raccoons.
• Raccoons can become aggressive if cornered. Be mindful that some dogs may have an instinct to chase raccoons. Keep dogs fenced or leashed, particularly at night, if this is a concern for your dog.

Solve a problem

Non-lethal methods

• Eliminating access to food and shelter around your farm or orchard are the best ways to control raccoon conflicts.
• If a raccoon gets into an attic or similar space, use noise (loud radio, banging pots and pans) or ammonia-soaked rags to scare the raccoon out. Seal the opening through which the raccoon entered once the raccoon leaves.
• Various raccoon deterrents, such as lights and chemical repellants, are available from retailers. However, their effectiveness is often brief, and alternative methods may need to be used.
• If damage from wildlife is occurring but you are not sure what type of animal is causing it, setting up at least one trail camera at that location is a good way to identify the animal.
• Michigan DNR does not authorize or conduct live capture and release of raccoons other than for permitted research.
• If you find an injured raccoon or young raccoon that you believe it’s mother is dead, you can contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before removing it from the wild. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators may possess abandoned or injured wildlife.

Crop damage

• Raccoon damage to crops is typically concentrated on field edges bordering woodlots, particularly those near water.
• Raccoon damage to corn will mostly occur during the milk stage. Corn damage will often appear as broken stalks laying in various directions. Husks will typically have a shredded appearance, and cobs will have many torn kernels. Corn ears may appear muddied from raccoons feeding on them on the ground.
• Raccoon damage to beans will mostly occur during the milk stage. Bean damage will often appear as plants pulled in various directions to access the beans. Raccoons will typically peel the husk and may leave them looking muddied from handling.

Lethal methods

• A raccoon may be lethally removed using a legal weapon or trap on private property year-round by property owners or their designees without a written permit if doing damage or physically present where it could imminently cause damage.
• If hunting or trapping is allowed in your area, raccoons can be lethally removed during the regulated season provided a valid hunting or trapping license.
• In areas where hunting and trapping are not allowed, contact a nuisance animal control company.
• Consider contacting the Michigan Trappers & Predator Callers to check if they have anyone interested in hunting or trapping raccoons, if allowed in your area.

Airport

Prevent problems

Key strategies

• Ensure food sources like cafeteria waste and garbage are secured to avoid attracting raccoons.
• Use animal-proof garbage receptacles when possible.

Around buildings

• Check buildings and other structures for holes that raccoons may use for access. Seal any holes with durable materials.
• To keep raccoons from climbing onto your roof, cut any tree limbs overhanging the roof.
• Raccoons will sometimes climb into window wells and find themselves unable to climb out. Place a rough board into the well and allow the raccoons to climb out.

Airfields

• Minimize shelter for raccoons by maintaining short vegetation and removing features like rock piles or trees with large cavities.
• Raccoons can become aggressive if cornered. Be mindful of this behavior if you try to capture a raccoon yourself.

Solve a problem

Non-lethal methods

• Eliminating access to food and shelter around the airfield are the best ways to control raccoon conflicts.
• If a raccoon gets into a hangar loft or similar space, use noise (loud radio, banging pots and pans) or ammonia-soaked rags to scare the raccoon out. Seal the opening through which the raccoon entered once the raccoon leaves.
• Various raccoon deterrents, such as lights and chemical repellants, are available from retailers. However, their effectiveness is often brief, and alternative methods may need to be used.
• If damage from wildlife is occurring but you are not sure what type of animal is causing it, setting up at least one trail camera at that location is a good way to identify the animal.
• Michigan DNR does not authorize or conduct live capture and release of raccoons other than for permitted research.
• If you find an injured raccoon or young raccoon that you believe it’s mother is dead, you can contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before removing it from the wild. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators may possess abandoned or injured wildlife.

Lethal methods

• If a raccoon is causing a public safety issue at an airport, a DNR Wildlife Division regional supervisor or district law enforcement supervisor or their designee can issue a removal permit without investigation.
• If hunting or trapping is allowed on airport property, raccoons can be removed with legal hunting or trapping methods during the regulated season provided a valid hunting or trapping license.
• For raccoon issues other than public safety, contact a nuisance animal control company.