Nuisance Wildlife Trapping and Relocation

Nuisance wildlife trapping and relocation is a way to control certain species of wild animals that have become too accustomed to humans or are causing damage or spreading disease. It involves capturing and killing the animal, or in some cases humanely harassing it to leave the property and find another area where it can live more comfortably. Some common nuisance wildlife species include raccoons, woodchucks, squirrels, deer, skunks, opossums, birds, and bats. The goal of this form of wildlife management is to protect people, pets and property. In order to effectively deal with this type of problem, it is best to consult a professional that offers nuisance wildlife trapping services and can offer preventative strategies.

Trying to solve the problem yourself often fails. Physical barriers, such as fencing or spraying chemical repellents around the area of concern are sometimes effective, but animals can often figure out ways to get past them and they may require constant reapplication. Traps and other lethal methods can be more effective, but they are often illegal to do on your own. The best course of action is to work with a nuisance wildlife control specialist that offers trapping, shooting (where legal) and otherĀ nuisance wildlife trapping and relocation techniques to solve the problem.

One of the most effective ways to prevent unwanted wildlife on your property is to make the area unattractive by removing any areas where animals can hide or den and by reducing food sources that attract them. This includes keeping tall grass mowed, removing piles of brush or logs, clearing fallen branches and other debris that may provide cover and nesting sites, and removing items that can be used as food or shelter by wildlife such as bird feeders, compost heaps and garbage cans.

If you do decide to have the problem animal trapped, it is important to use a qualified and experienced nuisance wildlife control company or wildlife rehabilitator who follows the proper handling and release guidelines. Relocating an animal to a new area can be very stressful on the animal, often leading to disease and even death. Many relocated animals also end up becoming prey for predators or starve from a lack of available resources in their new home territory.

It is illegal in most states, including New York, to transport or release live nuisance wildlife without a state permit. It is also not in the best interest of the animal to be relocated because it can cause problems for others on their new home turf. Wild animals have a very sophisticated knowledge of their home ranges, or the area they spend most of their lives in. They know where food, water, shelter and protection are located in their territory, and they can usually find these in their natural environment. Relocating a nuisance animal forces it to compete with other animals for the limited food, water and shelter resources in its new territory. This is often a death sentence. It is better to try other means of resolving the conflict such as peaceful coexistence, habitat modification, repellents and shooting (where legal) than to trap and relocate the wildlife.

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