If
you have just caught a raccoon in a raccoon
trap and are wondering were to let your raccoon go, you
may want to check with the local humane society and
bylaw officers. In some cities they have restrictions
on what you can do with urban animals that have been
captured. In fact, on one community you are not allowed
to let the raccoon more than two blocks away, which
basically defeats the purpose of catching them in
the first place!
First a few facts which may help you decide what you would like to do about were to let raccoons go. There are usually 20 to 40 families of raccoons per square mile in urban areas and each family will have 4 or 5 dens that they move around to based on availability of food and suitability for their needs. So even if you take your raccoon 100 miles away there is another group waiting to move in to the old den which just happens to be in your attic!
Several animal agencies suggest that you not bother wasting time trapping
the raccoons. Instead of worrying about were to let them go, you focus on getting them
out of the den and then blocking the den entrance so they cannot get back in. Installing a one way trap door which allows them out but not back in is an effective way of getting rid of your raccoons and you do not have to worry about were to let the raccoons go.
A word of caution is in order. If you are going to install the one way door, make sure that the babies, if there are babies, are old enough to also come out and pass through the one way door. A mother raccoon who cannot get to her young has been know to practically tear
the roof apart trying to reenter the den and feed her young raccoons. If you have this situation, you may want to wait till they are old enough to travel.
