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Understanding Raccoon Behavior and Why They Enter Backyards

Raccoons are highly intelligent mammals native to North America, found in nearly every U.S. state except for parts of the Southwest. These animals have become increasingly common in residential areas over the past few decades. According to wildlife management data, raccoon populations in suburban and urban areas have grown significantly since the 1990s, with some regions reporting population increases of 50% or more.

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Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are most active between dusk and dawn. They have excellent night vision and a keen sense of smell, which makes them particularly effective at locating food sources. A raccoon's sense of smell is roughly seven times stronger than that of a bloodhound. This exceptional olfactory ability allows them to detect food from considerable distances.

Raccoons enter backyards for several specific reasons. The most common motivator is the availability of food sources. Unsecured garbage cans, pet food left outside, fruit trees, garden vegetables, and compost piles all attract raccoons. A single raccoon may travel a home range of 1 to 5 miles in urban areas, checking multiple properties for food opportunities each night. During spring and early summer, female raccoons with litters are particularly motivated to find food to support their young, making this season a peak time for residential raccoon activity.

Water sources also draw raccoons to yards. Birdbaths, pet water bowls, ponds, and even swimming pools can attract them. In dry seasons, raccoons may travel further than usual searching for water. Additionally, raccoons seek shelter and denning sites. Sheds, attics, crawl spaces, and areas under decks provide protection from predators and weather. Once a raccoon identifies a suitable denning location, it may return repeatedly or establish a semi-permanent residence.

Understanding these motivations is the foundation of effective raccoon control. Rather than viewing raccoons as simple pests, recognizing them as intelligent animals responding to available resources allows you to address the underlying attractants. Most residential raccoon problems stem not from the animals themselves, but from environmental conditions that make your property appealing to them.

Practical Takeaway: Document what resources on your property might attract raccoons—garbage, pet food, water sources, or potential shelter areas. This inventory becomes your roadmap for making changes.

Securing Garbage and Food Storage

Garbage is the single most common attractant drawing raccoons to residential properties. Studies from wildlife management programs indicate that over 75% of residential raccoon problems involve unsecured garbage cans. Raccoons are remarkably dexterous, with front paws that function almost like human hands. They can manipulate latches, flip can lids, and tear through plastic bags with relative ease. A hungry raccoon will work persistently at garbage containers, often returning night after night until it successfully breaches them.

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Standard plastic garbage cans provide minimal protection against determined raccoons. Lightweight plastic cans can be tipped over easily, and raccoons quickly learn to pry off or chew through lids. Metal cans with locking mechanisms provide substantially better protection. When selecting garbage containers, look for heavy-duty metal cans with mechanisms that require more than simple flipping to open. Some municipalities now require animal-resistant containers in areas with known raccoon populations.

The timing and placement of garbage containers significantly impacts raccoon encounters. Garbage should be stored in a secure location—a garage, shed, or locked bin—until collection day. If you must keep cans outside, store them behind a fence or in an enclosure if possible. Critically, put garbage out only on the morning of collection, never the night before. Raccoons are crepuscular in autumn and winter, becoming active in early evening. Cans left out overnight present an open invitation. After collection, bring empty cans inside promptly rather than leaving them at the curb for extended periods.

Beyond garbage containers, securing other food sources is equally important. Pet food should never be left outside, particularly overnight. Feed pets indoors, or if outdoor feeding is necessary, remove uneaten food within 30 minutes. Even small amounts of pet food can attract raccoons from blocks away. Birdseed is another frequently overlooked attractant. Raccoons readily climb to access bird feeders, and spilled seed on the ground provides an easy meal. Consider removing bird feeders during months when raccoon activity peaks in your region, typically May through October in most areas.

Garden and fruit tree management requires attention as well. Fallen fruit should be collected and removed promptly. Vegetable gardens may need temporary fencing—at least 4 feet high—to deter raccoons, though determined individuals may still breach these barriers. Compost piles should use enclosed bins rather than open piles, and avoid composting meat, fish, dairy, or oily foods that particularly attract raccoons.

Practical Takeaway: Conduct a garbage audit this week. Identify which cans are being accessed, upgrade to locking containers, and establish a new routine of storing garbage indoors until collection morning.

Removing Water Sources and Addressing Shelter Areas

While less obvious than food, water sources play a significant role in attracting and sustaining raccoon populations in residential areas. Raccoons require water daily for drinking and often for washing food items before consumption—a behavior called "dabbling." Properties with reliable water sources hold particular appeal, especially during dry seasons or in arid regions where natural water is scarce.

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Common water sources on residential properties include birdbaths, pet water dishes, ornamental ponds, fountains, and swimming pools. Even shallow puddles in low-lying areas or improperly graded landscape can provide water access. The solution for most water sources is simple: remove them or secure them. Birdbaths can be brought inside during raccoon season or emptied each evening. Pet water bowls should be removed after pets finish eating, rather than being left available all day. This is particularly important during spring through fall when raccoon activity typically peaks.

Ponds and water features present more complex challenges. Installing predator-proof fencing around water features—mesh at least a quarter-inch in diameter sunk into the ground—can deter raccoons, though very persistent individuals may eventually circumvent these barriers. Some property owners choose to eliminate ponds and water features that become persistent attractants. If you choose to maintain a pond, netting over it at night combined with motion-activated lighting can reduce raccoon visits.

Shelter areas are the second major reason raccoons establish territories on residential properties. Raccoons seek denning locations to raise young (March through July in most regions) and to shelter during winter. Common denning sites include attics, crawl spaces, chimneys, sheds, decks, and areas under porches or stairs. Once a female raccoon establishes a den on your property to bear and raise kits, removing her becomes significantly more complicated because wildlife regulations protect dependent young animals.

Prevention focuses on excluding raccoons from potential shelter areas before they establish dens. Inspect your home's exterior for openings larger than 3 inches. Seal gaps around pipes, vents, and utility lines with heavy-gauge screening or metal flashing. Install chimney caps—a common denning site—before spring breeding season. Cap or screen attic vents. Trim tree branches within 8 feet of roof lines to prevent easy roof access. Check for gaps in soffit, fascia, and siding. For decks and porches, install quarter-inch hardware cloth barriers beneath them, extending at least 12 inches into the ground and bent outward to prevent digging underneath.

If you discover raccoons already sheltering on your property, do not attempt removal during spring through early summer if you suspect young are present. Instead, contact a licensed wildlife removal professional. After raccoons vacate naturally in fall (or after professional removal in appropriate seasons), seal all entry points immediately to prevent re-entry.

Practical Takeaway: Walk around your home's exterior with a flashlight at dusk. Identify and document potential entry points and shelter areas, then create a prioritized sealing plan.

Using Deterrents and Exclusion Methods

Deterrents and exclusion methods work best as components of a comprehensive approach combining food source removal, shelter prevention, and active discouragement. No single deterrent is universally effective against all raccoons, as individuals vary in boldness and persistence, but a combination of methods increases success rates.

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Motion-activated lighting and noise devices operate on the principle that raccoons prefer undisturbed for