Page 22 - Kansas Sportsman

FURBEARERS

COPING WITH RASCALLY RACCOONS

By Drew Ricketts, KSU Wildlife Management and Control Specialist

Raccoons are very intelli- doesn’t necessarily mean
gent, resourceful animals that there are 4 times more
that often live around raccoons in KS now than
farmyards in hollow trees, there were in 1980, there are
holes created by other definitely more, and there
animals, brush piles, aban- are likely more raccoons in
doned vehicles and farm the state now than there ever
machinery, and buildings. have been.
Raccoons are omnivorous,
meaning that their diet is The obvious cause for the
very diverse and can include increase in their abun-
plant material such as fruits dance is reduced harvest
and nuts, animal matter from by trappers and hunters
Raccoons can become a nuisance if not controlled properly.
earthworms and insects to since the fur market crash of
Darcy Daniels, Darcy D. Photography
reptiles, amphibians, small the late 1980s, but several
mammals and birds. While other factors associated
raccoons are fascinating animals, their broad diet, intelligence, with settlement of the Great Plains are also probably important
and willingness to live close to humans can lead to conflicts including fewer predators and increased habitat from tree
with people and pets and the need for some form of control. planting and fire prevention.

As with most wildlife species, we don’t know exactly how many More raccoons living in areas occupied by people, or the
raccoons there are in KS, but we do have a very good idea of resources we care about, leads to more conflicts. Because of
the trend in their abundance throughout the state because of this, many folks are grasping for options to manage problems
long-term records kept by Kansas Department of Wildlife and with raccoons on their own. Sometimes, the solution is as
Parks (KDWP). simple as not feeding pets free choice outdoors, removing bird
or other wildlife feeders, or securing trash containers, as these
For furbearing animals, like raccoons, KDWP has developed food sources often attract raccoons that can cause problems.
a survey by having employees record the number of animals However, when raccoons have made homes in buildings, are
of each species that they see (dead or alive) while driving for causing significant crop damage, killing poultry, or damaging
their daily activities during a specific time of the year, and then livestock food sources, they may need to be removed.
correcting the count by the number of miles driven by those
employees. Wildlife professionals do not recommend moving problem
animals around on the landscape, because of the risk of
A couple of trends about raccoons in KS are very clear from the spreading diseases, passing a problem on to someone else,
Roadside Index. First, the species can be found throughout the and low survival of the individuals moved. Therefore, it is more
state, and densities increase as water and trees become more appropriate to euthanize the animals that need to be removed.
common from west to east. Second, raccoons have become A quick search on the internet for “how to kill raccoons” turns
more abundant during the last 30-40 years. up all sorts of options, but it may be hard to know which options
are humane, ethical, and legal.
In fact, the roadside index (page 23) for raccoons has increased
from about 2 in 1980 to approximately 8 in 2023! While this Many states, including Kansas, have a statute that allows

22 THE KANSAS SPORTSMAN | SPRING 2024