OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION The Good, The Bad, and The Hungry: Managing Wildlife in the Home Landscape Marne Titchenell Extension Program Specialist Wildlife School of Environment & Natural Resources Human-Wildlife Conflict Increasing wildlife conflict with increasing urbanization Urban sprawl brings humans close to established, rural wildlife populations Wildlife also moving into urban areas Greening our cities What s Yours is Mine, Right? Shift from Value to Pest Hey look, a deer! Cool! ARRGH! The deer ate my flowers, again! Living with Wildlife: Who are we living with? Living with Wildlife: Who are you living with? ~2 1
Eastern Chipmunk Living with Wildlife: Who are you living with? 8-15 Groundhog/Woodchuck Living with Wildlife: Who are you living with? Eastern Mole Living with Wildlife: Who are you living with? 2
White-tailed Deer Steps for Managing Wildlife Damage: 1. Assess the damage. Steps for Managing Wildlife Damage: 2. Identify the species responsible. Steps for Managing Wildlife Damage: 3. Perform a cost assessment. Steps for Managing Wildlife Damage: 4. Employ management options. Steps for Managing Wildlife Damage: 4. Employ management options. Rabbit Fence Rules: - 3 feet high - 1 mesh or smaller - No plastic mesh Well, this is embarrassing. 3
Options for Managing Wildlife Damage Repellents Repellents Harassment Habitat Modification Trapping Lethal Control Contact vs. area repellents None are 100% effective Read the label Habituation Exclusion Education When to Use Repellents as a Mgt Option: Repellents are most effective against deer and rabbits when: Numbers and browsing are moderate to low Repellent is applied before or immediately after damage begins Repellent does not need to be applied more than 2-3x to reduce browsing Area or plants to be protected is small Landscaping, individual tree protection, gardens, orchards, nurseries, Christmas tree farms Types/Brands of Repellents Odor Repellents Predator Urine Coyote Urine, Shake Away Blood products Sachets Garlic oil Plant Pro-Tec, Deerbuster s Deer Repellent Ammonium and fatty acids Hinder, Revoke Egg Solids Deer-A-Way, Deer-off, Dr. T s Deer Blocker, Big Game Repellent Odor and Taste Taste Repellents Hot Pepper (capsaicin) Miller s Hot Sauce Animal Repellent, Deer-off Blood products Repellex, Plantskydd Fungicide (thiram) Repel, Shot-gun Deer Repellent, Magic Circle, Gustafson 42-S Bitter taste Ro-pel, Deer Guard Combination of odor and taste ingredients in one repellent Repellex garlic, pepper, and blood Which Rabbit and Deer Repellents Work Best? Fact Sheet on Deer Repellents Costs Best results with repellents causing immediate consequences Hot pepper and egg solids Taste repellents over odor repellents Blood products taste only Food safe repellents: Ammonia/potassium salts and fatty acids (Hinder) Some hot pepper and egg solid repellents An Overview and Cost Analysis of Deer Repellents for Homeowners and Landowners Alabama Cooperative Extension System ANR-1370 4
Squirrel Repellents Bird Feeder Bandits Taste repellents work best Bitter taste (Ropel) Capsaicin (cayenne pepper) Bird seed Mixed with Vaseline (smooth over wood surfaces to prevent chewing) Prevent foraging The Sneakiest.. Squirrel-Proof Feeder Fact Sheet University of Nebraska Extension EC1783 Harassment/Scare Tactics Motion Activated Sprinkler 5
Motion Activated Sprinkler Harassment/Scare Tactics Coyote Decoys Decoy Ineffectiveness Canada Goose Fact Sheet Education www.woodlandstewards.osu.edu Coyotes are common throughout Ohio and regularly seen within city limits. Remove attractants. Keep pets inside at night or on leash. Harass coyotes that are not frightened of you. Remove coyotes that don t respond to harassment. 6
Targeted Removal of Problem Coyote 2000 2001 2001-2008 Coyote Fact Sheets Habitat Modification Repellents more effective when used on less preferred species (Swihart 1991). www.woodlandstewards.osu.edu http://njaes.rutgers.edu/deerresistance/ 7
Habitat Modification Trapping Remove attractive shelter and food (skunks, raccoons, opossum, coyotes) Brush piles, tall dense grasses, stone piles, open spaces under buildings Pet food, bird feeders, garbage The Thing About Trapping Legally, you can trap the following species without a permit (unless for hire): Rabbits, squirrels, raccoon, woodchuck, skunk, opossum, beaver, coyote, fox But what do you do once it s trapped? Squirrels and rabbits Relocated or euthanize Raccoons, skunk, opossum, coyote, beaver, or fox Euthanize or release back onto property List of Nuisance Wild Animal Control Trappers by County www.wildohio.gov Species and Habitats Nuisance Wildlife Trapping Trapping Moles Trapping Several types of traps (harpoon, choker loop, scissor jaw) All are effective if used properly All are lethal Best to trap during spring or fall Ground is damp and easy to move in Place traps in straightest runways 8
Trapping Moles WWW.ICWDM.ORG Use more than 1 trap Locate the best runs to place trap in Travel runs Straightest and longest (at least 3 + feet) New runs Indicates mole is traveling into new areas Safety precautions Make sure tines are below soil surface Cover trap with 5 gallon bucket Step down in tunnel where trap will be Straddle the hole, don t pierce it Pre-form tine holes Trigger pan should rest evenly on depressed run Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook. Editors, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Robert M. Timm, Gary E. Larson. 1994. Lethal Control: Toxic Bait Moles Warfarin gel bait Kaput Mole Gel Bait Injected into runs Bromethalin Talpirid, Victor Moleworms Bait in the form of worm Voles Warfarin Kaput Must be used within 50-100 of building/residence with a bait station Be sure bait is contained within the bait station Lethal Control/Population Management Canada Goose Selective removal Round-up Reproductive suppression Egg destruction Nest removal Nest memorandum: Legal to remove nest if no eggs or chicks White-tailed Deer ODNR Division of Wildlife District 3 Office 330-889-3280 Exclusion: Individual Plant Protection Exclusion: Individual Plant Protection 2-3 high for rabbits + estimated snow depth Bury 2-3 into ground 4-5 high for deer 9
Exclusion Exclusion: The Peanut-Butter Deer Fence Single or double strand of wire or polytape String 8 and 30 from ground Deer prefer to go under than over Low cost Effective for smaller areas (15 acres or less) Electrobraid Also found to be effective on small areas www.electrobraid.com Maintenance always higher for electric fences Exclusion: Fencing WWW.ICWDM.ORG Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook. Editors, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Robert M. Timm, Gary E. Larson. 1994. Web Resources Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management www.icwdm.org Wildlife Damages Manual www.icwdm.org/handbook/index.asp OSU Extension Publications www.woodlandstewards.com Contact Info: Marne Titchenell, titchenell.4@osu.edu, 614-292-0402 10