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Problem Wildlife in the Garden and Yard
Although it is often fun to watch a deer or a wild rabbit in the yard, wildlife can cause problems if they stray into gardens or landscaped areas. Wild animals can damage plants and other property, carry disease, and bring disease-carrying fleas and ticks into the yard or home. Animals are attracted to gardens and yards because they provide food, water, or shelter. Keeping unwelcome wildlife at a distance may require changes to make your yard or garden less attractive to them.
The following tips and resources are intended to help you make informed decisions about controlling nuisance wildlife in the yard and garden, while reducing any risks to people, pets, and non-target wildlife.
Some tips to keep in mind:
- Know your pest! If you properly identify the species, you can learn about its habits, preferences and needs to develop the best control strategies. Your local Cooperative Extension Service or state wildlife agency can help.
- Keep your garbage in a secure container that cannot be opened by animals.
- Bird feeders and suet blocks may attract raccoons, possums, or even bears. Store bird-seed in a secure place and hang your feeders in locations where only birds can reach them.
- Bird-baths, fountains or pet water dishes may draw wildlife pests, especially where water is scarce. Placing bird-baths where wildlife cannot reach them or providing water away from the home can help discourage problem wildlife.
- Fencing, plant choice and landscape design can help make your yard and garden less attractive to nuisance wildlife. Your Cooperative Extension Service or Master Gardener may have suggestions that are appropriate in your region.
- If you choose to use a wildlife repellent, make sure the product can be used where and how you want to use it. Repellents for cats and dogs may be very different from those meant to work on deer and rabbits.
- Always use pesticides, including animal repellents, only according to the label instructions. Mothballs are not animal repellents and they are not meant to be used outside.
If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (7:30am-3:30pm PST), or email us at npic@ace.orst.edu.
Information on Specific Types of Wildlife
Additional Resources on Controlling Wildlife in the Yard or Garden:
- Wildlife Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Nuisance Wildlife Repellent Handbook - Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
- State Contacts, Fish and Wildlife Officials - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Dealing with Nuisance Wildlife - University of Georgia Extension
- Repellents for Nuisance Wildlife - Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
Deer
- Deer Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Deer Control Options - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - ATTRA
- Reducing Deer Damage to Homes Gardens and Landscapes - Cornell University Extension
- Deer Control and Management Information - Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
- Controlling Deer Damage to Gardens and Ornamental Plants - Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
- Deer Repellents - Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
Rabbits
- Pests in Gardens and Landscapes: Rabbits - University of California Statewide IPM Program
- Controlling Nuisance Cottontails - Conservation Commission of Missouri
- Keeping Rabbits Away from Desirable Plants - Rutgers Cooperative Extension
- Rabbits in the Garden - Iowa State University Extension
- Cottontail Rabbit Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Jack Rabbit Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
Woodchucks
- Woodchucks and Their Control - Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
- Woodchuck Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Managing Woodchucks - University of Missouri Extension
- Woodchucks: Wildlife Damage Management - Cornell University Extension
Skunks
- Managing Skunk Problems - Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control
- Dealing with Skunks - University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
- Skunks: Damage Prevention and Control Methods - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Controlling Skunks - Michigan State University Extension
- Pests in Gardens and Landscapes: Skunks - University of California Statewide IPM Program
Raccoons
- Raccoon Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Raccoons - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Raccoons: Preventing and Controlling Property Damage - Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
- Managing Raccoon Problems - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Animal Pests in the Garden: Squirrels and Raccoons - Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
Tree Squirrels
- Tree Squirrel Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Tree Squirrels - Penn State Cooperative Extension
- Controlling Tree Squirrels - Texas Wildlife Damage Management Service
- Tree Squirrel Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Animal Pests in the Garden - Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
- Tree Squirrel Damage Control - Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service
- Tree Squirrels - University of Illinois Extension
- Solving Problems with Squirrels - The Humane Society of the U.S.
Opossum
- Opossums: Urban Wildlife Damage Control - Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service
- Opossum Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Wildlife Conflicts: Opossums - Purdue University
- Opossums - University of Georgia
Moles
- Mole Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Pests in Gardens and Landscapes: Moles - University of California Statewide IPM Program
- Controlling Nuisance Moles - University of Missouri Extension
- Effective Mole Control - Ohio State University Extension
- Moles and Voles - Nevada Department of Agriculture
- Cover the holes while baiting for moles (or gophers!) - NPIC Common Pesticide Questions
Gophers
- Pests in Gardens and Landscapes: Pocket Gophers - University of California Statewide IPM Program
- Pocket Gopher Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- A Burrowing Pest: Controlling Gophers on Your Small Acreages - Oregon State University Extension Service
- Managing Pocket Gophers - University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Pocket Gophers - University of California, Davis
- Cover the holes while baiting for moles (or gophers!) - NPIC Common Pesticide Questions
Voles
- Vole Damage Management - University Cooperative Extension System (eXtension.org)
- Controlling Vole Damage - University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
- Pests in Gardens and Landscapes: Voles (Meadow Mice) - University of California Statewide IPM Program
- How to Get Rid of Voles - Utah State University Cooperative Extension
Last updated February 28, 2013
