How Do You Get Raccoons Out Of Your Yard: Top Tips

So, you want to know how to get raccoons out of your yard? The best way is to make your yard less appealing to them by removing their food, water, and shelter sources. You can also use deterrents or, in tough cases, get help from wildlife removal services. Getting rid of raccoons from your yard often needs more than one simple step. It usually involves a mix of actions to keep them from coming back.

Raccoons might look cute with their masked faces, but they can cause big problems in yards. They can raid trash cans, eat pet food, damage gardens, and even try to get into your house. They are very adaptable and smart, which is why they thrive near people. Getting them to leave and stay away means knowing why they are there and making your yard less inviting.

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Seeing Why Raccoons Visit Your Yard

Why are raccoons hanging out at your place? They are looking for three basic things: food, water, and a safe place to sleep or raise their babies. If your yard offers these things, raccoons see it as a great spot.

• Food: This is the biggest draw.
  • Open trash cans are like buffets for raccoons.
  • Pet food left outside overnight is easy to find.
  • Bird feeders drop seeds that raccoons enjoy.
  • Gardens with ripe fruits and vegetables are tasty treats.
  • Grubs and insects in your lawn are natural snacks.
• Water: Raccoons need to drink.
  • Bird baths, pet water bowls, and leaky hoses provide water.
  • Ponds or pools can be sources.
• Shelter: Raccoons need safe places to rest during the day and build dens.
  • Spaces under decks, sheds, or porches are common spots.
  • Holes in foundations or crawl spaces can be entries.
  • Attics and chimneys can also become dens.
  • Thick bushes, woodpiles, or hollow trees offer hiding spots.

Knowing what attracts them helps you take the right steps to make your yard less friendly for raccoons.

Ways To Stop Raccoons Before They Arrive

The easiest way to deal with raccoons is to stop them from coming in the first place. Preventing raccoons in yard areas is much simpler than trying to get rid of them once they are comfortable. This involves removing the things they want.

Keeping Food Hard to Find

Making food sources unavailable is the most important step. Raccoons are driven by their need to eat.

Keeping Raccoons Away From Garbage

Garbage is often the main reason raccoons visit homes. It smells strong and offers a variety of food.

• Use Strong Bins: Make sure your garbage cans have tight-fitting lids. Raccoons are strong and can often pry off loose lids.
• Secure Garbage Cans From Raccoons: This is key.
  • Use bungee cords or straps to hold lids down tightly.
  • Buy special raccoon-proof garbage cans. These have locking mechanisms or heavy-duty designs that raccoons can’t open.
  • Keep garbage cans in a secure location, like inside a garage or shed, until collection day.
• Reduce Odor: Rinse food containers before throwing them away. Put smelly food waste in sealed bags before placing it in the bin.
• Limit Time Outdoors: Only put garbage cans out on the morning of pick-up, not the night before.

A table can show different ways to secure your bins:

Method	Description	Effectiveness	Effort	Cost
Tight-fitting lid	Basic bin lid, must fit well.	Low to Medium	Low	Low
Bungee cords/Straps	Loop cords over the lid and handles.	Medium	Medium	Low
Heavy weights on lid	Place a brick or heavy object on top.	Medium	Low	Low
Raccoon-proof bin	Specially designed bin with locking lid.	High	Low	High
Store in garage/shed	Keep bins indoors until pick-up morning.	High	High	None
Secure Bin Storage Box	A sturdy outdoor box to keep bins inside.	High	Medium	Medium

Using a mix of these methods provides the best chance of securing garbage cans from raccoons effectively.

Managing Other Food Sources

Beyond garbage, other food items attract raccoons.

• Pet Food: Never leave pet food bowls outside, especially overnight. Feed pets indoors if possible. If feeding outdoors, remove the bowl immediately after they finish eating.
• Bird Feeders: Bird seed is an easy food source.
  • Use feeders with baffles or cages that prevent raccoons from reaching the seed.
  • Clean up spilled seed on the ground daily.
  • Consider taking feeders down at night.
• Gardens: Gardens are tempting, especially with sweet corn, melons, or berries.
  • Harvest ripe produce quickly.
  • Consider fencing around gardens. Electric fencing can be effective but needs care.
  • Some people try planting strong-smelling plants raccoons dislike near gardens.
• Grubs and Insects: Raccoons dig lawns looking for these. A healthy lawn with minimal grub problems is less attractive. There are natural or chemical ways to control grubs if they are a major issue, but understand the environmental impact.

Removing Easy Water Access

Raccoons need water. Removing easy sources helps.

• Empty bird baths at night.
• Bring pet water bowls inside.
• Fix leaky outdoor faucets or hoses.
• Cover swimming pools when not in use.

Blocking Shelter Spots

Raccoons look for safe, quiet places to rest and build dens. This is a big part of preventing raccoons in yard areas long-term.

• Seal Entry Points: Check your house, sheds, and other structures for holes or gaps. Raccoons can squeeze through surprisingly small openings. Use sturdy materials like wire mesh (at least 1/4 inch hardware cloth) to cover vents, chimneys (with caps), and openings under porches or sheds.
• Securing Sheds and Outbuildings: Ensure doors and windows are secure. Check for gaps where walls meet the foundation or roofline.
• Getting Rid of Raccoons Under Deck, Sheds, or Porches: This is a common problem. Raccoons love these dark, protected spaces.
  • If they are already there: Do not seal the opening immediately. This can trap them inside. If it’s springtime, there might be babies. Sealing them in means they will die inside, causing terrible smells and more problems.
  • Figuring Out if Raccoons Are Under Your Deck: Look for signs like tracks, droppings, disturbed insulation, or sounds (chittering from babies). A simple test is to lightly block the main entry point with loosely crumpled newspaper. If it’s undisturbed for a day or two, they might be gone (or using another entry). If it’s pushed out, they are still using it.
  • Humane Eviction: One humane raccoon removal method for dens is using mild irritants if you are sure it’s not a maternity den with babies. Loud radios, bright lights aimed into the space, or applying a scent deterrent like rags soaked in apple cider vinegar or commercial raccoon eviction fluid near the entry point can sometimes convince them to leave.
  • Installing Exclusion Barriers: Once you are absolutely sure they are gone (wait several days, maybe even a week, after eviction attempts or signs they have left), permanently seal the entry points. Dig a trench (at least 1 foot deep and 1 foot wide) around the base of the structure and bury heavy-gauge wire mesh (like galvanized hardware cloth). Bend the mesh outward at the bottom (an “L” shape) before burying it to prevent them from digging under. Secure the top of the mesh to the structure.
• Trimming Vegetation: Raccoons use trees and bushes for cover and pathways. Trim branches that hang close to your roof or fences that might allow them easy access. Clear away dense brush or woodpiles near your house.

These prevention steps are the foundation of any raccoon control plan. By consistently making your yard less appealing, you reduce the chances of raccoons moving in.

Using Active Deterrents

If prevention isn’t enough, or you have persistent visitors, raccoon deterrents can help. These work by making the raccoon feel uncomfortable or scared. However, raccoons are smart and can get used to deterrents over time, so they often work best when used in combination or rotated.

Different Kinds of Raccoon Deterrents

• Scent Deterrents: These use smells raccoons dislike.
  • Natural Raccoon Repellent Ideas:
    • Spices: Cayenne pepper flakes sprinkled around areas they visit (like garbage cans or garden edges). Reapply often, especially after rain.
    • Garlic and Onion: Strong smells they dislike. You can make a spray by boiling chopped garlic and onions in water, straining it, and spraying the liquid.
    • Peppermint Oil: Rags soaked in peppermint oil placed near entry points or areas they frequent.
    • Epsom Salts: Sprinkling Epsom salts around areas can deter them.
    • Predator Urine: Some people use urine from predators like coyotes or foxes. This can signal danger. However, its effectiveness is debated, and it needs frequent reapplication. Be sure to get this from reputable sources if you try it.
  • Commercial Raccoon Repellents: Products are sold specifically to deter raccoons using scents or tastes they find unpleasant. Follow product instructions carefully.
  • Note: Scent deterrents often need reapplication after rain or watering and might not work if the raccoon is very motivated (e.g., by a strong food source or den site).
• Taste Deterrents: Applying a bitter or spicy substance to things you don’t want them to chew on (like garbage bags or garden plants). Many commercial repellents combine scent and taste. Make sure whatever you use is safe for plants, pets, and the environment.
• Auditory Deterrents: Using noise to scare them.
  • Loud Radios: Some people leave a radio playing near problem areas. The human voices can deter them.
  • Ultrasonic Devices: These devices emit high-frequency sounds that humans can’t hear but are supposed to bother animals. Their effectiveness is highly debated and often limited. Obstacles block the sound, and animals may get used to the noise.
• Visual Deterrents: Things that look scary.
  • Scarecrows: Raccoons are smart and quickly learn scarecrows are harmless.
  • Shiny Objects: Pie plates, reflective tape. Again, raccoons tend to ignore these after a short time.
  • Motion-Activated Lights: Sudden bright lights can startle them. However, raccoons are nocturnal and might just get used to the light after a while.
• Water Deterrents: Motion-activated sprinklers. These are often quite effective as the sudden spray of water startles them without causing harm. Place them near garbage cans, gardens, or paths they use.

When using raccoon deterrents, remember that consistency is important, and rotating different types can prevent raccoons from getting used to just one method.

Humane Ways to Handle Raccoons Already Present

Sometimes, preventing them isn’t enough, or you discover a raccoon has already moved in, perhaps under your deck or in a shed. Humane raccoon removal means trying to get them to leave without harming them.

Encouraging Them to Leave

As mentioned when discussing getting rid of raccoons under deck or sheds, you can make the area uncomfortable.

• Use Lights and Noise: Place a bright light and a radio tuned to a talk station near the den entrance. Raccoons prefer dark, quiet places to sleep and raise young. This disturbance might encourage them to move to a quieter spot. Leave this on for a few days continuously.
• Add Smells: Put rags soaked in apple cider vinegar, ammonia (use with caution and good ventilation as fumes are strong), or commercial eviction fluid near the entry point. Raccoons dislike these strong smells. Eviction fluid specifically mimics the smell of a male raccoon, which can scare away a mother raccoon with babies, as male raccoons sometimes kill young. This works best for female raccoons with young in a den.
• Be Patient: Give them time to find a new home. Do these things for several days, and watch for signs they have left before sealing any entry points.

Knowing How to Trap a Raccoon (and Why You Might Not Want To)

Live trapping a raccoon might seem like a direct solution, but it comes with significant challenges and ethical concerns.

• Legality: Very important: Check your local and state laws regarding trapping and relocating raccoons. In many places, it is illegal to trap and move wildlife yourself. There might be rules about trap types, where you can release animals, and who is allowed to do it. Breaking these laws can result in fines.
• Humane Concerns:
  • Trapping can be very stressful for the animal.
  • Relocating a raccoon can cause it great harm. It might be moved to an unfamiliar area where it struggles to find food, water, or shelter, or where it faces conflicts with other animals already living there. If a mother is moved, her babies might be left behind to die.
• Handling the Trap: Once caught, you have to handle the trap with the raccoon inside. Raccoons can be aggressive when scared or trapped. They can bite or scratch, and they can carry diseases like rabies or roundworm.
• Catching Non-Target Animals: You might accidentally trap a skunk, opossum, or even a neighbor’s pet.

If you choose to trap (and it is legal where you are), follow these steps carefully and always wear thick gloves:

1. Choose the Right Trap: Use a sturdy, humane live trap big enough for a raccoon (usually about 32 inches long).
2. Placement: Put the trap on a flat, stable surface near where you see the raccoon or its entry point.
3. Baiting: Raccoons are attracted to smelly food. Marshmallows, sweet corn, or canned fish (like tuna or sardines) work well. Place the bait behind the trigger plate so the raccoon has to step inside fully to reach it.
4. Checking: Check the trap very often. Do not leave a trapped animal for long periods. It will be stressed, scared, and exposed to weather. Check at least early morning and late evening.
5. Handling: Approach the trap carefully. Drape a blanket or tarp over the trap to help calm the raccoon. Keep clear of the trap and the raccoon’s reach.
6. What to do after catching: This is where local laws become critical. If it’s legal to relocate, know exactly where you are allowed to take it (often a specific distance away). If it’s not legal or you are uncomfortable, this is the time to call a professional wildlife removal service.

Given the difficulties and risks, trapping is often best left to professionals who know the laws, use the right equipment, and can handle the animal safely and humanely.

When to Call for Professional Help

Sometimes, dealing with raccoons needs experts. Wildlife removal services are trained to handle animal problems safely and legally.

• Persistent Problems: If you’ve tried prevention and deterrents and raccoons keep returning or causing damage.
• Animals Inside Your Home: If a raccoon is in your attic, chimney, crawl space, or living area, it’s a complex and potentially dangerous situation for you and the animal. Professionals have the tools and knowledge to remove them safely.
• Trapped or Injured Animals: If a raccoon is clearly stuck or hurt, call a service or local animal control.
• Signs of Illness: If a raccoon is acting strangely (stumbling, foaming at the mouth, aggressive during the day), it could have rabies or distemper. Do not approach it. Call animal control or a professional service immediately.
• Maternity Dens: If you find a den with babies (especially in your home or under a structure), a professional service can help remove the mother and young together, keeping the family unit intact and relocating them safely (where permitted).

Choosing a reputable wildlife removal service is important. Look for services that emphasize humane raccoon removal practices. They should focus on removing the animal and helping you figure out how to prevent future problems, including raccoon damage prevention by repairing entry points.

Repairing and Preventing Damage

Raccoons can cause quite a mess. They might:

• Rip open garbage bags.
• Dig up lawns looking for grubs.
• Break into chicken coops.
• Tear shingles or siding to get into attics.
• Chew wires or damage ductwork.
• Destroy gardens.

Raccoon damage prevention involves fixing the damage they’ve caused and making areas stronger against them.

• Fix Entry Points: After getting rid of raccoons under deck or from other spaces, repair the damage they caused getting in. Use sturdy materials like heavy-gauge wire mesh, metal flashing, or solid wood.
• Secure Vulnerable Areas: Reinforce weak spots like vent covers, chimney caps, or screens.
• Repair Lawn Damage: Re-seed or patch areas dug up by raccoons. Address the grub problem if that was the cause.
• Protect Gardens: Use fencing or netting if raccoons are raiding your vegetables.

Addressing the damage quickly is part of the process. It removes evidence that your yard is a good place for them and prevents further entry.

Legal and Safety Considerations

Dealing with raccoons means thinking about rules and safety.

• Local Laws: Always check with your local animal control, wildlife agency, or city government about regulations regarding raccoons. Laws vary greatly by location. They cover things like:
  • Whether you can trap raccoons.
  • Where you can release trapped animals.
  • Rules about handling sick or injured wildlife.
• Raccoon Behavior: Raccoons are usually not aggressive towards humans unless they feel trapped or are protecting their young. However, they are wild animals.
  • Never corner a raccoon. Give it space to escape.
  • Do not try to pet or feed wild raccoons. This teaches them to associate humans with food and can lead to them becoming pushy or losing their fear of people.
  • Keep pets safe. Raccoons can fight with dogs or cats. Keep pets supervised outside, especially at night, and bring pet food inside.
• Diseases: Raccoons can carry diseases that can affect humans and pets.
  • Rabies: While not all raccoons have rabies, they are a carrier species. A raccoon acting strangely (active during the day without clear cause, aggressive, stumbling, paralyzed) could be rabid. Do not approach. Contact animal control.
  • Raccoon Roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis): This is a serious parasite found in raccoon feces. Humans and other animals can get infected if they accidentally swallow the microscopic eggs.
    • Be very careful cleaning up raccoon droppings.
    • Wear gloves and a mask.
    • Use hot water and disinfectant.
    • Dispose of feces carefully (seal in bags).
    • Wash hands thoroughly afterward.
    • Avoid letting children play in areas where raccoons have been defecating.
  • Other risks: Raccoons can also carry fleas, ticks, and other parasites.

Being aware of these risks helps you handle the situation safely and responsibly.

Putting It All Together: Your Action Plan

Getting raccoons out of your yard and keeping them away is a process. Here’s a simple plan:

1. Look Around (Inspect): Figure out why raccoons are coming to your yard. Look for food sources, water, and potential shelter spots (under decks, sheds, etc.). Look for signs like tracks, droppings, or damage.
2. Lock It Down (Secure): Remove the attractants you found. This is the most critical step for preventing raccoons in yard areas.
   • Secure garbage cans from raccoons using bungee cords or special bins.
   • Bring in pet food and water.
   • Manage bird feeders.
   • Harvest gardens quickly.
   • Fix leaky faucets.
   • Seal up any holes or gaps leading into structures with strong materials (like 1/4 inch hardware cloth). Address getting rid of raccoons under deck or shed humanely before sealing.
3. Make It Unpleasant (Deter): Use raccoon deterrents to make your yard less comfortable. Try scents, motion-activated sprinklers, or lights. Use natural raccoon repellent methods if you prefer. Remember to rotate deterrents.
4. Fix What’s Broken (Repair): Fix any damage raccoons have caused to prevent them from using those spots again and for overall raccoon damage prevention.
5. Know When to Call (Seek Help): If raccoons are inside your home, acting sick, or if you can’t solve the problem yourself, call professional wildlife removal services who practice humane raccoon removal. Know your local laws.

Consistency is key. Raccoons are clever and persistent. Keep your yard clean, secure, and less inviting, and you’ll have a much better chance of keeping them away for good.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are answers to common questions about raccoons in yards:

Q: Are raccoons dangerous?
A: Raccoons are wild animals and can be dangerous if they feel threatened. They might bite or scratch to defend themselves or their young. They can also carry diseases like rabies and roundworm. It’s best to keep your distance and never try to pet or feed them.

Q: What time of day are raccoons most active?
A: Raccoons are mostly nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. You’ll typically see them searching for food or moving around between dusk and dawn. Seeing one out during the day doesn’t automatically mean it’s sick, but a raccoon acting strangely during the day should be treated with caution.

Q: Can I scare raccoons away with loud noise?
A: Loud noises can sometimes startle raccoons and make them leave for a short time. Playing a radio or using sound deterrents might work as a temporary fix or part of an eviction process (like getting rid of raccoons under a deck), but they usually get used to constant noise over time.

Q: Do natural repellents like cayenne pepper or peppermint oil really work?
A: Natural raccoon repellent methods using strong scents like cayenne pepper, garlic, peppermint oil, or vinegar can sometimes deter raccoons. Their effectiveness varies greatly depending on the individual raccoon, how hungry it is, and how often you reapply the repellent. They are often best used in combination with other methods like securing food sources.

Q: If I trap a raccoon, can I just move it somewhere else?
A: In most places, it is illegal to trap and relocate raccoons yourself. Relocating animals can also cause them stress, harm, or death. It’s often better and required by law to contact animal control or a wildlife removal service if trapping is necessary. Humane raccoon removal focuses on preventing access or using eviction methods rather than relocation.

Q: How can I tell if a raccoon under my deck has babies?
A: Signs of a maternity den include seeing the mother coming and going regularly, hearing soft chittering or squealing sounds (especially in spring/early summer), or finding nesting materials. If you suspect there are babies, do not try to seal the entry hole or use strong eviction methods without confirming they are gone or consulting a professional wildlife service. Trapping and moving a mother means the babies will be left to die.

Q: How do I prevent raccoons from digging up my lawn?
A: Raccoons often dig for grubs, worms, or other insects in the soil. Controlling the grub population in your lawn can help. You can also try using scent deterrents on affected areas or setting up motion-activated sprinklers. Keeping your lawn healthy makes it less attractive for foraging.

By taking away their reasons to visit and using smart, consistent methods, you can make your yard a less appealing place for raccoons and solve your wildlife problem peacefully.