Photo Album: Raccoons Investigation in Shrewsbury, NJ
Clues by the Chimney
As I began inspecting the roof, I noticed a few "smudges" near the base of the chimney. Turns out, they were raccoon paw prints.
How to Identify Raccoon Paw Prints
Easiest way to identify raccoon paw prints is by their four fingers and thumb. They are very distinctive.
More Evidence
If you look close enough, you can see some raccoon hair. This was their main access point into the home. Raccoons are experts at breaking into homes, but horrible at covering their tracks.
Marked the Spot
Since we are dealing with more than one raccoon, I marked the hole with tape to monitor the activity.
Why the Chimney Trap Won't Work
We do have chimney traps that'll slide right into the flute, but as soon as one raccoon is caught, the other raccoons will get trap shy, not enter that trap, and potentially cause more damage to the home.
Nearby Traps
Instead, I placed a few baited traps near the chimney. Once all the raccoons are safely caught, we will relocate them to a new, humane location and then cover the area with a chimney cap, which will prevent future intrusions from nuisance wildlife.