Solving Wildlife Problems

Generally speaking, when wild creatures are
W e have a tendency to fall
back into the old doctrine
of "divine destiny," only now our
labeled "problem wildlife," that can usually be frontiers are the lawns of
translated to mean that they are refusing to suburbia, our railroads have
become vast networks of paved
recognize human rules and boundaries.
highways, and what we are
conquering are native plants
and animals.

It should come as no

Solving Wildlife surprise that, after we have
destroyed most of the habitat
and many of the natural
predators, wildlife is trying to

Problems survive by showing up in our
backyards.

For more nature habitat information Even for those of us who
Visit these helpful websites: welcome such visitors, there
can be concerns as we learn to
live together. It is the goal of
A Plant's Home WindStar Wildlife Institute to
A Bird's Home
A Homesteader's Home encourage people to learn more
about the wild inhabitants of
their property, because the
more we know, the more we can
understand their needs and
anticipate their behavior.

Then, by providing suitable
alternatives, we can lessen any
negative impact from either
side.

Every part of the country has
its own wildlife concerns,
depending on such factors as
climate, concentration of
houses, available water, local
flora, and even altitude.

In this pamphlet we can’t
cover all the possible animal
visitors that may appear on
your property, but all wildlife
shares the same need for food,
water, cover, and space.

If there is a shortage of
natural food and you put out

© WindStar Wildlife Institute Page 1 A Plant's Home

nourishment for your concern expressed by people The best way to prevent
household pet, you can be sure who are less knowledgeable wildlife problems inside your
that other animals will show up about wildlife is that such home is to take preventive
to share the bounty. habitat will attract rats. steps before problems ever
develop. Be sure that any easy
Putting the food “out of sight" Studies have been done to entry points are blocked off.
in a garage, for example, will not confirm that this simply is not
deter an animal focused on the case (for further details, This includes chimneys (there
survival. I did that once for our visit the Weed Laws site listed are special caps which let
cats when we had to be away for under Internet Resources). smoke escape but keep birds
a weekend. and raccoons out), open areas
Rats are attracted by food. under decks or stairs (these
Leaving the door open for If you fill your bird feeders can be blocked by lattice
them also meant leaving it open with seed that is not screens or wire mesh), or holes
for the raccoon and opossum completely consumed, and let under eaves which provide
who were both in residence when it accumulate and stay on the access to the attic (wood or
I returned! ground, then you may indeed insulation can be used to close
attract rats, as well as mice these openings).
The first rule for not turning a and voles and other wildlife.
wild animal into a nuisance is Trash cans should have
not to provide access to any Naturally planted areas, locking lids, and food should
household food products. The however, will also provide seed never be left in the open. Most
flip side of that is that you for birds, but they won’t wild animals are creatures of
should provide natural food attract rodents. habit, and once they learn that
sources in areas that wildlife a certain location will provide
can visit without causing any Sometimes animals become food or shelter, they are likely to
problems for you. so used to people and so return.
comfortable around houses
There are many good nature that the only solution is to From what we are hearing,
field guides which will give you trap them. This should the animal causing the most
insights into the habits of each generally only be handled by a concerns in suburbia these
creature and what it likes to professional wearing the proper days is the Whitetail Deer. This
eat, when it is active, and what protective gear. isn’t surprising, since a single
type of shelter it prefers. deer needs to eat more than
Even something as seemingly five lbs. of leaves a day.
The Cooperative Extension safe as cleaning up after mice
Service, the State Department can result in inhaling the
of Natural Resources, and the airborne bacteria that cause
U.S. Agriculture Department all the dangerous hanta virus.
offer fact sheets on a variety of
wildlife, and there are also Normally the risks from wild
Internet sites for just about creatures are relatively low,
every species. and can be minimized by
increasing your knowledge
When homeowners start about each species, but it is
trying to follow basic habitat safer – and often required by
replacement practices, such as law – to have a licensed
planting wildflower areas, letting professional involved, if the
grasses grow taller, or creating animal must be physically
brush piles, the most frequent moved.


Under normal conditions, landscaped trees and shrubs. It Deer follow regular pathways,
deer populations are kept is only natural that the deer and will nibble anything that
under control by predators and are going to take advantage of grows along the way. Although
by food supplies. When there is what is available and easy to there are many lists of plants
less food, females produce find. that are “unattractive" to
fewer offspring. deer, that doesn’t mean that
As individuals, we are they are immune.
This is true of many other generally not in a position to do
species as well. Those deer what should be done: Deer will taste them, even if
that are weak never get the reestablish vast tracts of they are toxic, and then forget
chance to reproduce because wilderness inhabited by both that they didn’t like them and
wolves or coyotes kill them. prey and predators. will chew on them again.
Sometimes they will pull the
Nature works very effectively However, that doesn’t entire newly-planted shrub out
when there is no human necessarily mean that we can’t of the ground, tossing it away
interference. Today, however, we enjoy landscaping our yards. To once they discover that they
have removed the natural protect valuable plantings, you don’t care for the taste.
predators, and even when have to study the habits of the
native food and habitat are deer that visit your property, In addition, taste preferences
scarce, we provide a wealth of and know something about deer seem to vary from region to
alternatives in the form of behavior in general. region, so that what is not
preferred by deer in one state
might be a favorite snack in
NATIVE PLANTS RESISTANT TO DEER DAMAGE your yard. Notice the location of
deer paths and avoid planting
Perennials anything vulnerable along their
Yarrow (Achillea) route.
Milkweeds (Asclepias)
Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum) In general, deer don’t like
Sneezeweed (Helenium) leaves that are fuzzy or plants
Goldenrod (Solidago) with strong scents. Some
Ground covers like wild strawberries, May apples, wild ginger, people have had luck with
nodding onions hanging bars of soap or bags of
Culinary herbs such as sage, tarragon, mint unwashed human hair in plants,
(including Bee Balm) or applying the fertilizer
Milorganite (which must be re-
Shrubs applied after rain).
Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)
Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) Other treatments which are
Holly (Ilex) sometimes effective are sprays
Viburnum combining water with raw eggs
Juniper (Juniperus) or hot peppers, as well as some
commercial preparations.
Trees
Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) However, fences seems to be
Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) the most effective deterrent.
Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) Deer can jump very high, but
American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) they don’t jump wide, and they
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) don’t like to jump when they
Colorado spruce (Picea pungens) can’t see the barrier.


One WindStar Master Wildlife carefully considered. It is harder
Habitat Naturalist has had to install, is illegal in some
good success with relatively localities, and is a definite risk if
short stakes (about 4' tall) there are any children in the
holding up strands of area.
transparent fishing line. The
deer know that the “fencing" is Solid fences are effective,
there but can’t see the actual because deer won’t see the
strands well enough to feel safe plants and won’t jump if they
if they try to jump it. You will don’t have a view of what’s on
need at least two strands, one the other side. But these are
high enough (3') for the deer to costly and sometimes
feel when they walk up to it, and unsightly, and may be in
one low enough (2') so that violation of neighborhood
fawns can’t just duck covenants. Sometimes smearing lithium
underneath. grease on a feeder pole will
According to one gardener in discourage them, because
Other gardeners who have not New York, music is the answer. raccoons don’t like the feel of it
wanted to put up really tall He claims that the deer loved in their fur.
fencing (it needs to be at least classical, but were driven off by
8' high to discourage jumping) country and western. While we If you get permission to catch
have found that two shorter are not claiming to favor any one in a humane trap, bait and
fences (4'-5'), with one erected style over another, let us know if set it off the ground, perhaps
4 or 5 ft. inside the other, are you experiment and come to any on a picnic table or similar
effective because the deer conclusions! surface, because the bait that
aren’t given a convenient place you use (dog food, chicken, etc.)
to land. Raccoons are cute. They are will also attract skunks if it is
soft and furry and have sweet at ground level. Trapping skunks
If possible, construct any faces. They are also very agile is definitely better left to
fencing before doing your and clever, and this can mean professionals!
planting, so that the animals problems for the homeowner.
don’t have a chance to realize Speaking of skunks, they may
just how tasty the plants The most common complaint also appear at your feeders, but
inside really are. is that they are raiding the bird only at night. Usually you will
feeders. If allowed to develop a get a faint whiff in the morning
Some experts suggest tying pattern of eating there, they that lets you know that they
white strips of fabric to the can become very bold and hard were there. If the area is raked
fence. When they blow in the to discourage. clean and the feeders removed
wind, they imitate the danger for a while, they will usually
signal of the white raised tail of As soon as you notice a move on to a different location.
the deer. raccoon at the feeder you
should move the food, at least Fences also help, because
If you do opt for taller fencing, temporarily, or stop filling the they prefer not to climb. Bury
it seems to help if it is angled feeder until the unwelcome the bottom in the ground so
30 degrees away from the visitor stops expecting to find that they can’t dig under it.
protected area. This makes seed there. Suet and Sometimes moth balls or rags
jumping much harder. hummingbird feeders can be soaked in ammonia will
moved to tree branches which discourage them for a while, but
Some people choose electric are too weak to support the these are usually temporary
fencing, but that needs to be weight of a raccoon. measures.


Be sure that garbage cans peanuts – in a location removed
are tightly covered and that no from the bird feeding area and
food products are left where find that the squirrels are
they can be reached. The same happy to partake of a better
advice applies to opossums, meal elsewhere.
but in that case the fencing
needs to have an electric wire Growing nut trees provides a
at the top, because they will source of their favorite foods
climb quite readily. as well as beauty for your yard.
are cute, energetic, and Adding some squirrel nesting
Raccoons have been known to entertaining. They can also boxes can make this alternative
enter dwellings, where they can create havoc when they get area even more attractive to
do considerable damage with inside an attic, and often chew them.
their strong teeth and clever the covering off wires,
hands. Be sure that common sometimes causing serious Although relatively rare, some
entry sites are protected. fires. areas of the country are
These include any vents, rotten experiencing problems with
wood, and chimneys. In addition to closing the bears interacting with humans,
common access sites, trim tree especially as development
Females will often raise their branches so that they are 8'-12' erodes the large expanses of
young on the fire shelf inside a from the roof. habitat that they need for
chimney, but after a few weeks survival.
will lead the youngsters out To keep squirrels from climbing
when it is time for weaning, so power poles or isolated trees, The main thing to remember
sometimes patience is the use a 2'-3' metal collar (with is that bears locate food by
best solution. springs for growth if on a tree) scent. Keep any food or
installed about 6' off the garbage completely enclosed
Try to provide alternative den ground. and covered tightly. If they are
sites – hollow logs or rock piles attacking apiaries, electric
with large spaces are good – To protect outside wires, slit fences around the bee hives
situated away from your a 2'-3' piece of lightweight are the best protection.
house. plastic pipe and slip it over the
strands. The squirrels will fall You may glance at your lawn
If these are located near a off when the pipe spins under one day and find that it is
water source, that will be even their weight. looking rather “lumpy" due to
more appealing to the raccoon. the raised tunnels created by
You may also suffer raccoon Squirrels raid bird feeders moles. Although they eat more
damage to your garden, mercilessly. There are a number than their weight every day in
chicken population, or nesting of baffles and special “squirrel- grubs, worms and harmful
birds. proof" feeders on the market, insects, they can also damage
most of which can eventually be plants with their constant
Electric fences work fairly outsmarted. The most effective burrowing.
well in such cases. If a small seems to be the type with a
stand of corn is under attack, counter-weighted bar which Incredibly, if the soil isn’t too
wrap individual ears with closes over the seed when hard, moles can create shallow
filament tape or cover them anything heavier than a small tunnels at a rate of a foot per
with plastic bags. bird lands on it. minute! Sometimes putting
mothballs into the tunnels will
Squirrels are either loved or Some nature lovers offer encourage them to move
hated by homeowners. They preferred food – such as corn or elsewhere.


A rather charming folk remedy Providing good food and
involves sinking empty bottles habitat away from your garden
into the ground in the tunnel plot is the easiest way to save
area, with the necks sticking up your plants. They love dill, so a
a few inches. The wind whistling nice plot of those herbs will
in the bottles is reported to attract them to another part
disturb the moles enough to of the yard.
cause them to leave.
Brush piles or thickets
Because they create visible should be at least 20 ft. wide
mounds, moles are sometimes if they are to provide
unfairly blamed for plant protection from predators.
damage which is actually done
by voles or shrews, or one of Planting something like
the other small creatures that blackberry bushes will give them
uses the mole tunnels for easy cover and will give you a
access to the roots and delicious crop. Leaving an
tubers on which they feed. unmowed strip of land along the
Another potential threat to edge of the thicket will provide
They can also harm above- garden plants is the the rabbits with a healthy food
ground shrubs and other woodchuck. You may become supply.
plants. Wire mesh around trees, aware of the presence of one
embedded about 3" into the soil of these “ground hogs" when This can become a transition
and rising above normal snow you come out one morning to zone between your property
depth, will prevent some of the enjoy your flower bed and find edges (where you plant native
potential damage. the blossoms neatly removed trees and shrubs and
from each plant, leaving a wildflowers, and where you put
Since they prefer tall grasses garden of stems. brush piles, snags and rock
as their habitat, keep unmowed piles) and your cultivated yard
areas at a distance from Sometimes their underground (including your lawn and garden
cultivated gardens. When using burrows can also cause plots).
mulch, keep it no deeper than 1"- problems. Fences can help keep
3". You may have a few more them out of cultivated areas, Rabbits don’t like to cross
weeds, but it will make a less but they need to be heavy, at large, unprotected areas, so
attractive habitat for voles. least 3' tall, and buried a having nice rabbit habitat on
minimum of 12" under the one side of your lawn and your
Voles make up the largest ground. garden on the other side should
part of the diet of many keep the two nicely separated.
predators, including owls, foxes, Who doesn’t love a sweet,
and snakes. If you provide furry rabbit. Well, gardeners Foxes are primarily a threat
habitat that these predators trying to save their crops are to poultry, waterfowl, and
favor, they will help to keep the often not too fond of them. small animals. They will be
rodent population under Fencing is usually effective. noticed especially in the
control. spring, when the parents are
Planting things that they hunting food for their young.
Some people even provide don’t like, such as onions and
perches for hawks, using an 8'- foxglove, will sometimes keep Exclusion fences like the one
10' pole with a 2'-3' crossbar, to them out, assuming that there for woodchucks are generally
encourage them to hunt in a are alternate food sources effective if topped with electric
desired area. available. or net wire.


Since even very small openings
can serve as entryways, the
process may take several weeks
as you continue to watch for
those individuals which have
found a way to return.

Put some bat houses in your
yard, giving the animals an
alternative place to roost away
from the house, yet keeping
them in the area to eat the
mosquitoes.

If possible, put the bat house
on a post a few hundred feet
away from the attic, in a very
hot location, and erect it before
A naturalized area, rich in voles There is some danger of July.
and other small creatures, will rabies, but only if you actually
give foxes an alternative to come in contact with an When you seal your house in
raiding the chicken coop. infected bat. The easiest way the winter, the bats will already
to get them out of the house is be familiar with the bat house
Despite their less-than- to turn on a light and open all and will use it when they return
favorable reputation in past the doors and windows after in the spring and find that their
years, people are finally beginning dark. old haunts are no longer
to realize the value of attracting accessible.
bats. In addition to being unique There are also devices which
(they are the only flying funnel the bats outside when Another creature that is
mammals in the world), they are they leave to eat, then won’t let under-appreciated and gets a
a wonderful natural defense them return, but even dime- lot of bad press is the snake.
against pesky insects, including sized holes must be sealed or Many people have what seems
mosquitoes. they will be able to re-enter the to be almost a genetic
dwelling. aversion to them, regardless
They will each eat more than of whether or not they’re a
500 flying insects per hour! Closing openings can be poisonous variety.
Unfortunately, most of their done with caulk, screens,
preferred roosting places – insulation, or flashing. Don’t Snakes avoid, rather than
caves, old barns, trees with loose seal up the roosting space attack humans, and they
bark – have been destroyed by between April and August, or consume large numbers of
development. you might trap the flightless rodents and insects, helping to
offspring inside. keep their populations under
Problems arise when they control.
decide to roost inside a house, The best time to bat-proof
most commonly in an attic. Their your house is in November and Knowing the type of
droppings (guano) have a terrible December. By then the young conditions that attract snakes
odor and can be hazardous if bats have started flying, and allows you to provide similar
they come in contact with moist winter roosting hasn’t begun. habitat in locations that are
soil because they can harbor the Wait until after dark, when the acceptable. Usually when they
histoplasmosis virus. bats will be out feeding. live near a house they can be


found in a wood pile, gardens You may find them to be a to try a scarecrow to protect
with heavy mulch, junk-filled problem at bird feeders where grain crops, red has been found
basements or garages, or under they arrive in large numbers, to be the most effective color for
tight shrubs up close to displacing native songbirds. its clothing.
foundations. They also take over nesting
sites, often killing both the Folk wisdom suggests hanging
Keep the close-in area free of parents and chicks of the glass wind chimes in the area.
cover like that, while replacing it native birds. The birds are supposed to dislike
with rock and brush piles in a the sound of glass hitting glass.
more distant location, and you The Minnesota Department
will be able to coexist more of Natural Resources Remember, however, that birds
happily on the same property. recommends “house sparrow are also eating lots of harmful
brackets" to discourage them insects in your lawn, garden, and
Sealing up entry holes will keep from visiting feeders. shrubs, so you will come out
snakes out of your house. There Encircling the feeder with ahead if you provide appropriate
are snake-proof fences, but they monofilament line seems to native food plants, water, and
are quite expensive and are disrupt them without nesting sites for them,
generally used only when there is interfering with other encouraging them to remain in
a high danger from poisonous species. your yard.
snakes.
Avoid serving millet and Although it is relatively rare,
Be sure that you aren’t leaving bread crumbs to house sometimes woodpeckers
out food or anything else that sparrows, and reduce the become pests because they
will attract rodents, which will in length of feeder perches to decide to peck into your house
turn attract snakes. Using piles 1/4" to make it hard for them rather than into trees.
of damp burlap bags or towels to feed. Starlings can be Generally they are trying to
to attract them, then scooping discouraged by not offering create a nest cavity or to find
them up with a shovel during corn, suet, or peanut butter, insects to eat.
midday when they are less which are their preferred
active, is a fairly easy way to foods. Between the explosion of land
relocate snakes. development and our desire to
Although starlings are too have tidy yards, there are
Although overlooked by many large to enter bluebird and
as a problem, European house purple martin houses, house
sparrows (which are actually a sparrows do so regularly, and
type of finch) and European it is recommended that you
starlings are having negative remove and destroy their
effects on native bird nests to give the native birds
populations. a better chance of survival.
Plans for traps for house
Since they are non-native sparrows and starlings can
species (the starlings having be found at several Internet
been brought here in a misguided sources (see page 10).
attempt to increase public
awareness of Shakespeare by If birds are eating your fruit
introducing all the birds from crop, you can stretch black
that author’s writings, and the thread through tree branches,
sparrows as a form of insect making it hard for the birds to
control), they are not legally navigate, or cover the plants
protected in North America. with bird netting. If you decide


sometimes few dead trees generally claim a small pond as monofilament line across
around for them. its territory and will defend it small ponds, or frighten the
from any other individuals. geese away with anchored
If woodpeckers have chosen helium balloons or strips of
an unacceptable place to peck, Once the young are hatched, red and silver mylar ribbon.
the easiest solution is to put the parents will instinctively
plastic bird netting over that march them overland to Although we have been
area, secured so that it’s tight another body of water for focusing on “wildlife," it
enough that they can’t get safety. should be mentioned that
behind it. one of the greatest
Problems usually only occur “nuisance animals" is the
Aluminum flashing or wire if supplemental food is being popular house cat. They are a
mesh are other suggestions. provided for the geese, causing huge problem in this country,
Some species will use them to give up their taking an enormous toll on
appropriate nest boxes, but instinctive migration pattern. birds and small mammals
dead trees (also known as such as voles and chipmunks.
"snags") are the most Letting grasses grow longer,
attractive temptation. planting alternatives to turf In addition to the direct
grass, and installing losses, they are killing the
If you have a dead tree on hedgerows as barriers to basic food sources of larger
your property, leave it in place. landing are techniques that wildlife, such as foxes and
If it’s in an unsafe location, sometimes discourage geese. owls, which are already
chop it down and move it to a suffering from reduced
better spot, perhaps anchoring If large flocks are damaging habitat.
it to another tree. crops, you can offer alternate
food sources by planting lure Bells on collars are usually
Canada geese are not crops in another area. Farmers not effective. Surrounding bird
generally a problem for the can apply for surplus grain from feeders with wire mesh can
average homeowner, since flocks the Commodity Credit reduce losses, but the best
prefer larger expanses of grass Corporation for this purpose. treatment is for cats to be
and water than are found in the kept indoors.
typical yard. To protect ponds, mow to the
water’s edge to eliminate cover, Having read all of the above
If you do attract these install a 3' poultry fence around information, you may believe
handsome birds, one pair will the water, create a grid of that you are going to walk out
the door and find your yard
and home under siege from all
manner of harmful and
aggressive wildlife!

This is certainly not the
case. Generally speaking, if
you work toward preventing
access to your home and
provide natural planting areas
on your property, the wildlife
that you attract will bring you
hours of enjoyment, and you
will be contributing to the
protection of biodiversity.


RESOURCES

Internet
s http://fur-harvester-network.hypermart.net/articles/
vantassel.htm (good article on living with wildlife)
s http://www.bird-x.com
(products sold to control birds)
s http://www.bugspray.com/articles98/birds.html
(good articles; products to control various nuisance creatures)
s http://mgfx.com/pve
(source of written material and videos for pest control)
s http://www.crittercontrol.com/animals.htm
(fact sheets on raccoons, moles, skunks, squirrels, and bats;
links to other animal-related sites)
s http://www.batmanagement.com
(bat management and conservation; links; do-it-yourself tips)
s http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod03/01701331.html
(Suggestions for getting rid of house sparrows. Not for the
squeamish!)
s http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/agdex/600/8500005.html
(house sparrow controls)
s http://www.blackpool.net/www/sbwalsh/pests.htm
(Information on various “pests." Although largely negative about
their presence, it gives good basic information about each
species. Does not offer solutions.)
s http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/champaign/ag/csl980513.html
(some prevention suggestions)
This article was written by
s http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/conmag/1996/dec/
Maryland Master Wildlife Habitat
2.html (background on the house sparrow and starling problem) Naturalist Cathy Gilleland.
s http://batbox.org
(lots of information on building a bat house; links to other sites) For more information or for the
http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/greenacres/weedlaws/index.html name of a Master Wildlife Habitat
s
Naturalist in your area, please
(Weed Laws from the EPA; good information on natural
contact:
landscaping)
WindStar Wildlife Institute

Books E-mail: wildlife@windstar.org
s A Guide to Rabbit-Proof Gardening, Janet Thomson http://www.windstar.org
s Gardening in Deer Country, Vincent Drzewucki, Jr.
s Deer Proofing Your Yard and Garden, Rhonda Massingham
s Wild About Birds, Carrol Henderson, Minnesota Department of WindStar Wildlife Institute is a
national, non-profit, conservation
Natural Resources organization whose mission is to
s Bat House Builder’s Handbook, Bat Conservation International help individuals and families
s Beastly Abodes: Homes for Birds, Bats, Butterflies and Other establish or improve the wildlife
Backyard Wildlife, Bobbe Needham habitat on their properties.
s Woodworking for Wildlife: Homes for Birds and Mammals,
Photography by Cathy Gilleland.
Carrol Henderson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources


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