Behavior and Control Methods
DAMAGE
Raccoons are a problem in and around homes and buildings in cities, towns, and farms. They occasionally eat pet foods and sweet corn in the backyards and fields, open garbage cans, crawl into chimneys, remove shingles from homes, and kill domestic chickens and ducks.
CONTROL METHODS
Prevention and Exclusion
Problems with raccoons are best solved through prevention and exclusion. Pet foods should not be left outdoors at night. Lids should be secured to garbage cans. Screens should be placed over chimneys to prevent entry. Tree limbs that extend over buildings should be removed or a cone shaped funnel should be placed around trees to prevent raccoons from crawling up trees and onto roofs where they may remove shingles.
Entrances into buildings should be repaired. If exclusion is not practical for solving raccoon problems, they can be captured in live traps baited with fish, fish flavored cat food, or commercial raccoon lures.
Trapping
Steel leg hold traps may be appropriate if the locations exclude non-target animals from accidentally being caught. No poisons or repellents are registered for raccoons in Utah.
LEGAL STATUS
Raccoons are not protected under state law in Utah, so no hunting or trapping license is required to take this animal. Utah law prohibits possessing a live raccoon without a permit.
Raccoons are a problem in and around homes and buildings in cities, towns, and farms. They occasionally eat pet foods and sweet corn in the backyards and fields, open garbage cans, crawl into chimneys, remove shingles from homes, and kill domestic chickens and ducks.
CONTROL METHODS
Prevention and Exclusion
Problems with raccoons are best solved through prevention and exclusion. Pet foods should not be left outdoors at night. Lids should be secured to garbage cans. Screens should be placed over chimneys to prevent entry. Tree limbs that extend over buildings should be removed or a cone shaped funnel should be placed around trees to prevent raccoons from crawling up trees and onto roofs where they may remove shingles.
Entrances into buildings should be repaired. If exclusion is not practical for solving raccoon problems, they can be captured in live traps baited with fish, fish flavored cat food, or commercial raccoon lures.
Trapping
Steel leg hold traps may be appropriate if the locations exclude non-target animals from accidentally being caught. No poisons or repellents are registered for raccoons in Utah.
LEGAL STATUS
Raccoons are not protected under state law in Utah, so no hunting or trapping license is required to take this animal. Utah law prohibits possessing a live raccoon without a permit.
Source: VERTEBRATE PEST MANAGEMENT Study Guide for Pesticide Application and Safety P.20
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