How To Scare Off Raccoons

Scaring raccoons could involve little more than exposing them to lights and sounds. Even dampening them with water may have the desired "fright" effect.

Raccoons Find Their Way to Your Property

Raccoons may find themselves attracted to a particular property. Not surprisingly, the search for food and shelter drives the attraction. Few homeowners wish to find trash cans overturned and trash bags torn apart. Nor do they like to see a garden ravaged by a hungry animal. Killing or trapping raccoons might not be preferable or even viable, though. New creatures could migrate to the area, replacing the trapped ones. So, perhaps it is best to come up with a method that scares them from the property.

Motion Detecting Strategies to Foil Raccoons

Raccoons are nocturnal creatures that prefer to forage for food at night. Installing motion detector lights, particularly bright and jarring ones, may scare off the raccoons when they enter the perimeter.

Motion-detecting sprinkler systems might also startle and scare off raccoons. These animals might not appreciate getting hit with water when going about their business.

Noise Offers a Scare Factor

Raccoons don't entirely appreciate loud noises and sounds. Honking an emergency horn at them would likely chase them off. Of course, the property owner would need to see the raccoons before using this method. Consider this a harmless way to scare them off from a distance. Avoid getting close to raccoons, though. They could be dangerous.

A standard fence won't likely be enough to keep raccoons out. The animals have natural climbing skills. However, they do not possess a natural immunity to electricity. Installing a properly sized electric fence delivers a deterrent that may keep raccoons at bay.

Raccoons might be diligent in their attempts to reach a food source. So, homeowners might need to employ several steps to scare them away.