One of the most identifiable creatures in Georgia is the raccoon. These nocturnal mammals can occasionally be an annoyance because they live in urban areas. There are laws regarding capturing raccoons in every state but is it legal to trap and kill Raccoons in New Jersey?
Yes, it is legal to trap and kill raccoons in Georgia. However, it is better advised to trap them humanely and relocate them. Before attempting to kill or capture a raccoon, check with your neighborhood animal control agency.
In this article, we will study Georgia’s laws for capturing raccoons. Moreover, we will also see the rules under which raccoon killing is permissible in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is recommending new regulations for raccoon hunting.
Is it Legal to Trap and Relocate Raccoons in Georgia?
Georgia’s House Bill 160, enacted on April 27, 2015, made raccoon trapping permissible. Recently, the Georgia legislature approved a bill permitting year-round raccoon hunting and trapping.
Relocating unwanted wildlife is typically discouraged and can even be against the law. Before removing any nature from your property, consult with the local health department and wildlife conservation officers.
Generally, taking an animal out of your home and releasing it on your land may be permitted. Any wildlife transported in Georgia without a license or permit is against the law.
A commercial trapping license or a free landowner trapping permit is necessary for capturing the raccoon. In addition to adhering to Georgia wildlife regulations and humane wildlife removal guidelines, it is essential to have a solid awareness of wildlife biology and the issues of animal removal, like the well-being of the animals.
Is It Legal to Hunt Raccoons in Georgia?
The law in Georgia permits year-round raccoon hunting and trapping. House Bill 1147, which would allow year-round raccoon hunting and trapping, was passed by state legislators in Georgia in response to the alarming reduction in wild turkey populations across the state.
The safest and kindest way to handle stray raccoons is through humane raccoon removal. Safety, cleanliness, and animal kindness are among the benefits of using gentler methods to reduce the raccoon infestation in your neighborhood.
Suppose raccoons continue to be a nuisance despite their relocation. In that case, there is a list of nuisance wildlife control operators that are private individuals who are licensed by the DNR wildlife resources division to do nuisance wildlife work in Georgia.
Laws Governing About Raccoon Trapping in Georgia
Any person who does not have a current, valid commercial trapping license issued by the department is not permitted to conduct business as a trapper. A license for this purpose may be obtained annually from the department.
Instead of having a fixed, four-month hunting season, House Bill 1147 would allow private property owners to shoot and capture the raccoons any time of the year.
It is not illegal to trap a fur-bearing animal during that time or a portion of it if the board has identified that time as an open trapping season for that fur-bearing animal; it is illegal to trap any wildlife between November 20 and February 29.
Except for the owner of the property on which the trap is placed, it is forbidden for anyone to move a legally established surprise, remove any legally trapped animals from a legally recognized web, or possess any wildlife
Laws Governing About Raccoon Shootings in Georgia
Raccoons can be hunted all year round on private property. Both houses of the legislature approved Bill no. 1147. It permits year-round raccoon hunting and removal, which sometimes may aid the turkey population. Raccoons and opossums both devour eggs.
Raccoons are prohibited from being hunted or trapped on public lands or wildlife conservation areas throughout the year. However, the season will be extended when the squirrel hunting season starts in August.
Never try shooting a raccoon inside your house or in an urban area. Shooting is only viable in isolated locations far from residences and other people. The safest and kindest way to handle stray raccoons is through humane raccoon eradication.
Poisons for killing raccoons can also harm people, so instead of using poisons, it is advisable to use humane raccoon repellent to protect your children and pets from accidental ingestion.
How Can You Trap Raccoons in Georgia?
You can trap raccoons in several proper ways per the laws and regulations of Georgia. Here is the right way to go about it:
Setting up a cage trap. Single-cage traps are closed steel cages into which bait is placed while you wait for an animal to enter in search of the appeal; after the animal has done so, the door flips shut, trapping it inside.
Double Door Cage Traps: A double-ended door trap doubles your chances of catching the Georgia raccoon and is more effective than a single-door trap. When the raccoon enters, the doors flip closed to lock the animal inside.
Dog Proof Leg Traps: They are contemporary leg traps that are gentle and very successful; the bait (again, a marshmallow is an excellent option) is placed inside the tube-style trap and set. The raccoon traps its paw within the trap.
How Can You Shoot and Hunt Raccoons in Georgia?
You will need bait, bullets, a rifle, and a steady hand to shoot. Killing a raccoon with a gun is risky and requires knowledge. Here is how you can go about it:
Body traps are a lethal type of trap intended to kill the prey swiftly. They can be positioned in one of two ways.
- Open, with a lure set inside, catching the mammal by its body as it lunges for the food.
- Over a route so that when the animal goes through it, it triggers the trap.
- The effectiveness of other humane traps is superior to this method, which is also quite dangerous
- Many solutions are available, but they are all cruel and hazardous. Poisoning a raccoon is a horrible and ineffective way to get rid of it.
Wrapping It Up
Hunting and shooting raccoons are permissible in Georgia. However, there are some terms and conditions which you need to abide by. Without them, you can be charged with illegal conduct.
Rabies can exist in raccoons. Even if an animal is dead or in a cage, never attempt to handle it without wearing gloves. Visit your doctor right away if you are bitten! Before you trap or go hunting, check your local laws. Not only could the raccoon in your yard not die but just become very unwell, but you would also have to deal with a dead, rotting raccoon carcass that might be hard to locate.
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