I'm doing a pro bono coon removal for a older lady.. how many miles away would one need to travel before relocating these furry terrors?? thanks!

Adult males at least 12 miles. Adult females at least 7 miles. Young should only be relocated with the female until they are old

enough to fend for themselves. Then a few miles is okay because they've never been out of their home range. Tests have shown that

raccoons can travel 10 miles when relocated before they find a home range they are happy with. If they get lucky and pick the right

direction, they can wind up back home. The adult males are the wanderers. Females and young, not so much. And it really doesn't

matter if you ship them to Australia. The next raccoon you catch, the customer will say, "Your raccoon came back." Even if it's no

longer living.

I though about spraying a little dab of orange paint on their tail to see if they are coming back.. thanks!!

Good idea.

Better idea- put em down (euthanize) if legal.

Your state might regulate the max distance you can relocate as they are a vector.

I used to do that when I first started. I found 10 miles to be the magic number for raccoons.

I guess I should have added that any raccoon that doesn't look or act 100% healthy is relocated to the garbage dump. We don't have

raccoon rabies and those areas of distemper fill in quickly but I still don't release questionable animals.

Illinois radio collared some a few years ago. In a week, some of the males had found their way for 20 miles.

20 miles isn't far when you drive 150 miles one way. But most of us aren't animal docs. Just because it acts normal doesn't mean its healthy. Im not telling anyone what to do or not do, but the reason behind what you do matters. I don't think dropping a coon off in a strange territory is all that nice. Not that euthanasia is so much better, but we all smile when ricky raccoon runs outa the trap and we think he is in a safe area, and we get all warm and fuzzy thinking we did something nice for him. His battle has just begun. All his life he knew where to get food and shelter, and water and avoid hazzards, cause the mama showed him. Now hes on the run, duckin and dodgin until he can figure the new area out.

It's been illegal to relocate coons in Illinois since '99, BUT when we could (1990 through late '99) our regs stated at least 10 miles, but no farther than 40 miles. The reasoning (DNR) was far enough not to return, but not too far, as to limit the possibility of releasing a diseased animal into a healthy population. Back when I was relocating a LOT of them, I'd usually take them 20 to 25 miles away, as my daily travels usually had me driving that far anyway. Had to have permission from landowners for a release site, and could NOT be released on any public ground. Still holds true for the species we CAN release.

I'd go at least 20 miles we relocate pretty much every one customers like it and I have better things to do then senseless killing after driving all day

OMG! Pesky is back and I wholeheartedly agree with the above post. Let's be honest here. Raccoons can find their way back from 20

miles but they can't find food in their new environment? Somebody is full of it. We all release so many diseased animals that there

are no healthy animals left in southeast Wisconsin and that's why we catch more every year. I don't release animals because I get a

warm, fuzzy feeling. I release them because it's about ten times quicker than killing them and disposing of the body. If I lived in a

state that mandated killing, that wouldn't bother me either. What we kill or release has nothing to do with overall populations.

It sure is easier Paul. And I do get to feeling good when they run off. But I dont think a whole bunch about what that animal has to do to survive now in a totally new zip code. I shoot most of mine and make stuff, but sometimes I let them go.

Mine all go to the farm

I was just discussing this with someone. I try to explain relocating is illegal where we live.
The poor coon will not have a tree hollow to bed down in.
They don't know where they are, like a lost homeless person.
They don't know where to look for food.
They don't know what night is garbage night in the new area.
They may spread disease to a new area.
They will fight with the dominate male in the new area.
It'll likely get run over crossing a new road.
It'll invade a new attic or barn if it gets lucky.
Probably won't be too happy, and be all stressed out for a few weeks.
So it'll probably die of stress.

I'm sure there is an official list of relocation problems.

Mine are walking the Streets of Glory.......

My state allows release on the same property where they were caught only, otherwise dispatch.

x2

Prior to 1999, we could still relocate (actually translocate) coons in Illinois. We were required to take them a minimum of 10 miles, and maximum of 40. DNR said 10 usually insured they wouldn't return, and they limited to 40 in hopes of not introducing a potentially diseased animal into a healthy population somewhere else.

In the IDNR raccoon study back in the 80's, they discovered the average distance a raccoon traveled the FIRST NIGHT after it was released (relocated) was FOUR MILES. So anyone who "drops them off at a lake or creek where they'll like it" is only kidding themselves. They do NOT remain where they are released.