Is It Legal To Trap And Kill Raccoons In Tennessee [Yes]

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The people of Tennessee refer to Raccoons as ‘coons’ in the common language. Raccoons are in large numbers in this particular state of America, but is it legal to trap and kill raccoons in Tennessee?

Yes, it is legal to trap and kill Raccoons In Tennessee. Instead, the laws in Tennessee are much less stringent than the other states. Here, if you see raccoons damaging your property, you have the permit to kill them there and then. 

In this article, we will read through the laws of Tennessee and see what they have to say about the trapping and killing of Raccoons. Also, we will see what can be done if you are a licensed user or not. 

Raccoons are under the State Law of Tennessee. For relocating these raccoons, you need official permission to act according to the rules and regulations of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. 

Professional wildlife relocation services can also be availed if a complaint has been filed regarding unauthorized raccoon activity. This way, your problem comes under the notice of the authorities, and they dispatch professional help to resolve your issues.

For trapping Raccoons, you need to have a license for it. You can only do it if the state has allowed you to capture them, and this particular fact has been established that you can do it on your own. 

However, when it comes to private property, the laws differ slightly.

 In the case of being the landowner, you are a master of your actions and can choose between trapping raccoons or relocating them to a farther distance. 

Yes, it is legal to hunt Raccoons in the State of Tennessee. You can use the dogs to chase the coons away at any time of the year. However, care must be taken so that no coon ends up dead.

There are hunting seasons for the coons; it is called the ‘open season’ by the authorities of Tennessee. One must only go out during these seasons for hunting. Otherwise, it is considered a crime by the legal authorities.

While chasing the raccoons with dogs, you are not allowed to carry any firearm or axes. However, guns are allowed during the hunting season. You cannot shoot a coon otherwise from any motor vehicle or a boat even.

The training session for hunting down the coons lasts more than six months, in which the person is trained, and so are the dogs. The dogs are not permitted to chase and hunt down coons before June.

Laws Governing About Raccoon Trapping In Tennessee?

Many laws govern the trapping of Raccoons in the State of Tennessee, America. As many animals reside in Tennessee, the Tennessee wildlife regulating authority does not comply with assisting landowners in capturing wild animals like Raccoons.

The officers do not come to trap and remove nuisance wildlife animals. The maximum they can do is train you and provide you with the technical assistance to solve this problem independently.

The ADC operators have been granted permission by the TWRA to aid landowners in removing the wildlife. However, it is up to you to get a licensed Animal control operator from the authorities and coordinate with him to solve your raccoon problem.  

The laws are different for the landowners as they have legal permission to capture raccoons without having an official permit. Such leniency is not observed in other states of America.

Laws Governing About Raccoons Shooting In Tennessee?

For ordinary people and outsiders, there is a hunting season starting from June till September in which there is official permission to shoot Raccoons and use them for business purposes.

Tennessee Code 70-4-115 states that landowners have permission to kill nuisance animals, wild fowl, and wild birds. They can do as they please as it is their property, and they can choose to have whatever they want on it.

For the rest of the people, there is a proper training procedure of about six months that you have to clear to shoot the Raccoons down. It is better to inform the authorities and let them handle this problem for you.

Wildlife control sends away the professionals with the right equipment and the training to get the job done in no time.

How Can You Trap Raccoons In Tennessee State?

You can trap the raccoons by keeping the following point in your mind. Here is a list to go by:

  • You can trap Raccoons only if you have a license to do so
  • You cannot release Raccoons near any property from where it was captured. You have to relocate it someplace else. Preferably in the wild.  
  • The live trap should be checked after 36 hours. This is done to ensure that the captured animal is unharmed and is not dying out due to anything
  • You should always wear personal protective equipment like gloves before going near the Raccoons. They are vectors for diseases like Rabies and just a scratch is enough for you to contract this disease.
  • All the traps being used must have a user’s name and residential area address. For outsiders, their license number is mandatory and should be mentioned for sure.

How Can You Shoot And Hunt Raccoons In Tennessee?

Yes, you can shoot and hunt Raccoons in Tennessee, but here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • The private land season is open from 1st July to September.
  • For hunting, the bag limit is about two people per night.
  • For shooting and trapping, you need a license ( 009, 005, 019, 011, or 010). Any one of these should be purchased to hunt down nuisances. 
  • Live traps can be used for capturing before killing Raccoons.
  • As a landowner, you have the right to kill coons if they are causing property damage.
  • Some common points are worth considering, like hunting is not allowed in residential areas, and relocating should be at least two miles away from where people live.

Summarizing It Up

The laws of Tennessee differ from other states of America. They give you autonomy for controlling the nuisance animals on your property. Still, it is best to get official training for getting Raccoons. Training can provide you with confidence regarding dealing with any animal-related situation.

It is also better to inform authorities if the situation gets out of hand. You can report to them and have them send someone in so that they can put a boundary around your residency and you are no longer concerned about the Raccoon problem.

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