How To Become Your Own Home Wildlife Control Officer
How do you free an elk with its antlers stuck in your children’s backyard swing set? While majestic, beautiful, and often harmless, these kinds of wild animals can also become dangerous and destructive pests. A safe solution is often a homeowner’s do-it-yourself wildlife control program.
With squirrels, deer, and other cute furry creatures, many homeowners are torn between love for their almost magical appearance in one’s yard to the potential danger to people and property they represent in residential settings. As a response, many people look to methods of home and farm wildlife control that are harmless to the animals yet protective of people and property.
Humans are often responsible for reducing the natural habitats of wild animals. These animals often respond by trying to establish homes and hunting grounds in the residential areas left over for them. Additionally, a temporary shortage of food or water in animal turfs will drive them to human habitats on a temporary basis.
As a result, more dangerous animals like bears can sometimes be found taking a dip in an outdoor backyard swimming pool, or a mountain lion which followed deer down from a mountain lounging on a tree branch near a golf course. In these situations, wildlife control takes on a more serious mission.
But how dangerous are squirrels and deer? Squirrels and deer can be pests, and both can be destructive as well. Do home owners need wildlife control efforts against these seemingly harmless creatures?
Squirrels are not as likely as other rodents to carry disease. If a homeowner feeds them via a squirrel feeder attached high up a tree wildlife control works well. If a person spreads feed on the ground, however, that easily accessible chow can attract skunks, prairie dogs (in Western locations) and other critters who might carry rabies, plaque, or other diseases animals share with humans.
Deer like to eat garden plants and the leaves and bark off decorative shrubs and trees. Attempts to pet or handle deer can result in them raring up on people causing, cuts, scratches, falls and other injuries.
The most effective form of home wildlife control is prevention. Animals living in a yard or frequently visiting a home do so because there is something at that location they like. Getting rid of what attracts animals is a safe and effective method of wildlife control.
Proper selection of bird feeders and feed will attract songbirds and discourage less desirable birds. Replacing plants wild animals eat with ones they don’t like is a similar do-it-yourself wildlife control program. Keeping one’s property free from trash and garbage works too.
So the first step in keeping an elk out of one’s family swing set is taking away what attracts it. How do you free a stuck one? – very carefully. A trapped animal is frightened, often aggressive, and very dangerous. Elk are the size of adult horses and just as strong, and can drag a swing set away with them! Advice from the local humane society, large animal veterinarian, or even the police or fire department may be the safest wildlife control effort in this kind of situation.
