Raccoons are highly adaptable mammals often drawn to suburban and urban environments by the easy availability of food and shelter. These nocturnal animals can quickly become a nuisance, causing property damage by raiding garbage cans, foraging in gardens, and seeking den sites in attics, chimneys, or under porches. Capturing a raccoon requires a careful, multi-step approach that prioritizes legality and humane practice.
Understanding Local Wildlife Regulations
Before attempting to trap any wild animal, check with local authorities because wildlife laws are highly variable. You must contact your state’s fish and wildlife department, or an equivalent county or municipal agency, to understand the specific rules in your area. Regulations dictate the legal status of the raccoon, which can range from a protected furbearer with specific hunting seasons to an unprotected nuisance animal that can be removed year-round.
In many jurisdictions, a permit may be required even for a homeowner to trap a nuisance animal on their property. Some states prohibit the live trapping and relocation of raccoons to prevent the spread of diseases, requiring the animal to be released on the same property or humanely euthanized. Other areas make it unlawful to release wildlife anywhere other than on the property where it was trapped without a special permit. Relocation is restricted due to the risk of spreading rabies, for which raccoons are a known vector, or because the relocated animal may not survive in an unfamiliar territory.
Prevention Before Trapping
Before deploying a live trap, the most effective step is to make your property unattractive to raccoons using exclusion and deterrence methods. Raccoons are motivated by easily accessible food and secure shelter, so removing these attractants is the first line of defense.
All outdoor food sources must be eliminated, including securing garbage cans using bungee cords, latches, or weights to prevent animals from tipping them over or removing the lids. Pet food and water bowls should be brought indoors overnight. Additionally, any fallen fruit from trees should be cleared from the yard.
To prevent raccoons from accessing your home, inspect the exterior for potential entry points, focusing on uncapped chimneys, loose attic vents, and gaps under porches or sheds. Temporarily sealing these openings with mesh or hardware cloth can deter them. Never permanently seal an entry point without first verifying that no animals are currently inside, which could trap a mother and her young. Deterrents like motion-activated sprinklers can startle foraging raccoons, and strong odors such as ammonia, placed near den sites, may encourage the animals to relocate.
Selecting and Setting the Live Trap
When prevention measures fail, a humane live cage trap is the most common method used for capture. The appropriate size is large to extra-large, typically at least 32 inches long by 10 to 12 inches high and wide. Traps constructed of heavy-duty galvanized steel are preferred because raccoons are strong animals that may otherwise bend or escape from flimsy cages.
Ideal trap placement should be along a fence line, near an entry hole they are using, or in an area where you have observed significant damage. Placing the trap on a level surface ensures the trigger mechanism functions correctly. Placing a brick or weight on top can also prevent a captured animal from tipping or moving the trap.
Raccoons are drawn to sweet, aromatic foods, making marshmallows, sweet vegetables, or commercial baits effective. The bait must be positioned at the rear of the trap, behind the trigger plate, ensuring the raccoon is fully inside the cage when the mechanism is activated. Once set, the trap must be checked frequently, ideally in the early morning. Raccoons should not be left confined for long periods, which can lead to distress, dehydration, or injury.
Post-Capture Handling and Release
After a raccoon is successfully trapped, safety precautions must be followed due to the risk of bites and disease transmission, particularly rabies. Always wear thick gloves when approaching or moving a trap containing a wild animal to avoid direct contact.
To calm the captured animal and reduce its anxiety, the trap should be gently covered with a heavy cloth, blanket, or tarp. Reducing visual stimuli helps to keep the raccoon quiet during transport.
The next steps are strictly governed by the local regulations you researched, as relocating the animal may be illegal. If relocation is permitted, the animal should be moved at least two to five miles away to discourage its return. It must be released on private land with the owner’s permission, or in a legally designated area. If local laws prohibit relocation, or if you are uncomfortable with the handling process, contact a licensed nuisance wildlife control operator or local animal control for proper disposal or humane euthanasia.