Nuisance & damage wildlife — what you can handle on your own land

Start here: most conflicts, your own property

For many nuisance species, a landowner may control the animal on their own property when it's causing damage. Use your local city and county firearm and trapping rules first. Those rules can be stricter than state law. Whatever you do under the damage rule, do it only on your own property.

Prevention first

Start by making your place less inviting. Remove the attractant: secure trash, pet food, and bird feeders, and pick up fallen fruit. Then exclude the animal: seal gaps and vents, cap the chimney, and screen openings into attics, sheds, and crawl spaces. For gardens and beds, a good fence does more than a trap ever will. Prevention is cheaper, kinder, and lasts longer.

When to call a pro

Some jobs — an animal in the walls or attic, a damaged structure, or a species you can't legally handle — are worth handing to an expert. Hire an MDC-authorized Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator, and follow their reporting and disposal instructions. MDC keeps a searchable list of operators you can use to find one near you.

Common situations

The right approach changes from animal to animal, so match the method to the species:

• Canada geese — federally protected migratory birds: use non-lethal deterrents only (stop feeding, let grass grow tall near water). Hazing, nest or egg removal, or any take needs a federal permit — call your county conservation agent.
• Raccoons — secure trash and pet food, cap chimneys, and seal attic and crawl-space entries.
• Moles & voles — usually a lawn-and-garden problem; reduce grubs, protect plantings, and use approved control methods.
• Beavers — protect trees with wire wrap and manage water levels with flow devices before considering removal.
• Woodchucks — exclude with fencing dug into the ground and close off burrows under sheds and decks.
• Starlings & house sparrows — these introduced birds are not protected like native birds; block nest sites and use deterrents.