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1
Marne Titchenell
Extension Program Specialist – Wildlife
School of Environment & Natural Resources
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
The Good, The Bad, & The Hungry:
Dealing with Wildlife Conflict
Human-Wildlife Conflict in the 21th Century
• Increasing wildlife conflict with increasing urbanization
Urban sprawl brings humans close to established, rural wildlife populations
Wildlife also moving into urban areas
– Greening our cities
Urban Wildlife Habitat
Quality habitat exists in urban and suburban areas
Also habitat provided in and around homes
◦ Landscaping, gardening
Many species adapt to find needed resources
◦ Some species thriving Deer, coyote, geese, raccoons
◦ Shift from a value to a pest
Shift from Value to Pest
“Hey look, a deer!
Cool!”
“$!&*! deer ate my
flowers, again!”
The Good, The Bad, and The Hungry…
• Deer, rabbits, squirrels moles, and voles
Damage and ID
Wildlife Ecology and Habits
Management Options
Steps for Managing Wildlife Damage
1) Correctly assess the damage
2) Identify the species responsible
3) Assess cost of damage vs. cost of management
4) Employ management options
Continuous monitoring Persistence and patience Combination of management
options
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Options for Managing Wildlife Damage
Lethal Control Short-term
Trapping Short-term
Exclusion Long-term
Scare Tactics Short-term
Habitat Modification Short-term
Repellents Long-term
CAN YOU ID THIS DAMAGE?
How to ID Deer Damage How to ID Deer Damage
• Deer lack upper incisors
• Jagged, torn surfaces on twigs and foliage Difficult with soft, succulent foliage
• Damage can be from ground up to 6-8 feet
Prefer the most desirable parts of plants (buds, twig ends, and foliage)
Plants less than 3 feet - focus on the top and sides of the plant
How to ID Deer Damage
• Antler Rubs September
Can continue through breeding season – Through
December
Some tree species preference recorded – Ash, cherry, red
maple, linden
Management Options for Deer Damage
• Repellents
• Habitat modification
Deer resistant plants
• Scare Tactics
• Exclusion
Individual plant protection
Fencing
• Population Management
Hunting
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Repellents 101
• Work one of 3 ways:
• Fearful/Repulsive odor
“Area Repellents” Applied near vegetation to be protected Intended to deter by odor alone
• Bad/Irritating taste
“Contact Repellents” Applied directly on to vegetation to be protected Aim to limit browsing by making plant taste bad
– So they need to take a bite before it works!
• Combination of both
Repellent Effectiveness: What You Need to Know
• A repellent is rarely 100% effective Intended to reduce NOT eliminate browsing
• Highest effectiveness achieved in smaller areas Landscaping, individual tree protection, orchards, nurseries, Christmas tree farms
• High risk of habituation Nothing will stop a hungry animal
• Can be costly and time consuming $17 -200 per gallon Note reapplication rates!
• Do not fall prey to human error Always read AND follow the label
When to Use Repellents as a Mgt Option:
• Deer repellents are most effective when:
Deer numbers and browsing are moderate to low
Repellent is applied before or immediately after damage begins
Repellent does not need to be applied more than 2-3x to reduce browsing
Area or plants to be protected is small
– Landscaping, individual tree protection, gardens, orchards, nurseries, Christmas tree farms
Odor Repellents Taste Repellents
• Hot Pepper (capsaicin) • Predator Urine
Coyote Urine, Shake Away
• Blood products Sachets
• Garlic oil Plant Pro-Tec, Deerbuster’s Deer
Repellent
• Ammonium and fatty acids Hinder, Revoke
• Hot Pepper (capsaicin) Miller’s Hot Sauce Animal
Repellent, Deer-off
• Blood products Repellex , Plantskydd
• Fungicide (thiram) Repel, Shot-gun Deer Repellent,
Magic Circle, Gustafson 42-S
• Bitter taste Ro-pel, Deer Guard
Types/Brands of Repellents
Odor and Taste
• Egg Solids • Deer-A-Way, Deer-off, Dr. T’s
Deer Blocker, Big Game Repellent
• Combination of odor and taste ingredients in one repellent • Repellex – garlic, pepper, and
blood
Which Deer Repellents Work Best?
• Odor only repellents have limited effectiveness, high risk of
habituation (blood sachets, egg solids, garlic oil)
• Repellents with immediate consequences most effective:
Irritation/pain – capsaicin
Flavor modification – animals products (egg, blood)
– Exception: repellents with only bitter compounds typically ineffective
• Caution: Many studies are highly variable
Highly motivated animals will ignore the most effective of repellents
Which Deer Repellents Work Best?
• Make your own egg solids (20% eggs, 80% water) Human hair – ineffective Soap bars – 50:50
• Mix of capsaicin and egg solids work well
• Food safe repellents: Capsaicin (hot pepper) Ammonia/potassium salts and fatty
acids (Hinder) Meat meal (animal blood and protein) Some egg solid based repellents
www.deer-departed.com/deer-repellent-recipes.html
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Fact Sheet on Deer Repellents Costs
• An Overview and Cost Analysis of Deer Repellents for Homeowners and Landowners
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
ANR-1370
Management Options for Deer Damage
• Repellents
• Habitat modification
Deer resistant plants
• Scare Tactics
Smart sprinkler and dogs
• Exclusion
Individual plant protection
Fencing
• Population Management
Hunting
Habitat Modification
http://njaes.rutgers.edu/deerresistance/
Avoid Favorites Otherwise Be Proactive
Exclusion: Individual Plant Protection
• Tree Shelters More expensive option
– $3-6 per tube for most – Blue-X closer to 2-3
• Wire Mesh Cheaper (0.50-$1) Also effective
• Bird Netting To protect shrubs and
smaller areas
Deer Management Options
• Fencing High numbers of deer,
high crop dependence, high crop value, <40 acres
www.icwdm.org for deer mgt fact sheet
• Hunting In areas where hunting is
allowed, it should be considered a top option for minimizing deer damage
Deer Damage Control Permits – Division of Wildlife – 1-800-WILDLIFE
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Community-Based Deer Management
• Sometimes the problem is simply too many deer Lethal means must be
taken to reduce deer herd
• Example: City of Avon Lake 12 square miles Healthy deer herd = 40 Actual deer herd = over
250
• Solutions: Organized lethal control
– Culling
Resource: Community-Based Deer Mgt
Cornell University Integrated
Deer
Research and Management
Study
http://wildlifecontrol.info/deer/Page
s/default.aspx
- Click on Community Involvement
CAN YOU ID THIS DAMAGE? How to ID Rabbit Damage
• No.1 test = 45 degree angle Incisors leave a neat, clipped
appearance
• Look for teeth marks on bark
• Damage no higher than 2 ½ feet above ground
• Also look for
tell-tale pellets…
**Exception to 2 ½’ rule!
Winter Rabbit Damage Rabbit Ecology
• Feeding Habits
Flowers (spring and summer) – Tulips and lilies – Daffodils = poisonous
Vegetables (summer) – Peas, beans, beets, carrots (of
course) – Corn, squash, cucumbers,
tomatoes, potatoes, and pepper are somewhat immune
– Suspect groundhog if these are extensively eaten
Woody plants (winter)
– Apple trees, black and red raspberries,, cherry trees, plum trees, maples, rose, and dogwood to name a few
Why, this
looks tasty!
6
Management Options for Rabbit Damage
• Repellents
• Habitat Modification
Remove shelter
Rabbit resistant plants
• Exclusion
Individual Plant Protection
Fencing
• Hunting/Trapping
Note the 45̊ angle and sharp,
clean edge
Repellents
• Best results with repellents causing immediate consequences
Hot pepper and egg solids
– Taste repellents over odor repellents
• Food safe repellents:
Ammonia/potassium salts and fatty acids (Hinder)
Some hot pepper and egg solid repellents
Habitat Modification
• Remove shelter
Brush piles, tall dense grasses, stone piles
Rabbit Resistant Plants
• List from PA Extension Pulled from variety of sources
– Master gardeners
– Commercial landscaping companies
– Universities
– Research studies
Nothing will stop a hungry animal
Boost protection by using repellents on resistant plants
• *** Dash next to name represent resistance to deer as well!
Exclusion: Individual Plant Protection
• Tree shelter and tubes Will protect against
rabbits as well as deer
• Cylinders of wire
hardware cloth ¼” mesh
– If use ½” + mesh, leave 1-2” between tree and guard
Wrap around trees or landscape plants
Bury 2-3” into ground
Height - height of expected snow depth plus 20” (a rabbit’s reach on hind legs)
Exclusion: Fences
• Provides long-term solution
Recommended over repellents for areas suffering moderate to heavy damage
• 24” tall fence (+ snow depth) of wire mesh
• Mesh should be 1” or smaller
• Bury 6-8” underground or stake securely to the ground
• This could be added to a fence already constructed to exclude deer and other animals
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Management Options for Rabbit Damage
• Repellents
• Habitat Modification
Remove shelter
Rabbit resistant plants
• Exclusion
Individual Plant Protection
Fencing
• Hunting/Trapping
Note the 45̊ angle and sharp,
clean edge
The Thing About Trapping
• Legally, you can trap the following species:
• Rabbits, squirrels, raccoon, woodchuck, skunk, opossum, beaver, coyote, fox
But what do you do once it’s trapped?
– This can influence a homeowner’s decision to trap in the first place
– Are they willing to euthanize the trapped animal?
Trapping R&R’s
• Squirrels and rabbits Fox, gray, red squirrels Chipmunks, 13-lined ground squirrels Groundhog Eastern cottontail Can be relocated with permission
• Raccoon, skunk, opossum, beaver, coyote, fox
MUST be released on site or euthanized
• Raccoon, skunk, opossums Illegal to relocate Why?? RABIES
• Coyote, beaver, fox Would just be someone else’s problem
Trapping R&R’s
FOR MORE INFO
Contact Ohio Division of Wildlife
Trapping Regulations
http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/trapping.aspx
Back to Trapping Rabbits
• Trapping and relocation is legal Must have permission to relocate
But…due to the reproduction strategy of rabbits, this kind of control is a very short
term solution.
CAN YOU ID THIS DAMAGE?
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Squirrel Damage
• Stripping bark from trees • Entering homes and nesting in
attics
• Chewing
• Digging and searching in yard and flower beds
Bird Feeder Bandits
The Sneakiest.. Squirrel-Proof Feeder Fact Sheet
• University of Nebraska Extension
EC1783
Management Options for Squirrel Damage
• Trapping 19x6x6 sized box/cage trap
– Rat traps for red squirrels
– May be located above ground, on travel routes
– Use at least 3 traps
If relocating must release outside city limits with permission of property owner
• Repellents Taste repellents work best
– Ropel (bitter)
– Capsaicin (cayenne pepper) – Powder (sprinkle in flower beds
AND bird seed)
– Mixed with Vaseline (smooth over wood surfaces to prevent chewing)
Management Options for Squirrel Damage
• Exclusion
Polybutenes – sticky materials
– Apply masking tape before polybutenes
Bulb protection
– Plant bulbs in cylinder of 1” mesh chicken wire
• Habitat modification
Identify corridors from mature woods to orchards and gardens
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What about Chipmunks?
• SOME rat poisons labeled for use on chipmunks
• Toxic baits are restricted use Need pesticide applicators
license to use – Pre-bait!
• Trapping Live catch traps
Snap traps – Baits: nuts, sunflower seeds,
raisins, peanut butter, breakfast cereal grains
Pre-baiting helps
• Capsaicin repellents
CAN YOU ID THIS DAMAGE?
Moles Voles
Is it a Mole or a Vole?
MOLE
- Insectivore (worms, beetles, grubs)
- Unique appearance
- No external ears
- Naked snout
- 3 species in Ohio
-Eastern mole most common
VOLE
-Rodent (plant material)
-Looks like a mouse
- Smaller ears and stocky bodies
- 4 species in Ohio, two are common
- Meadow and Woodland vole
Identifying Mole Damage
• Feeding tunnels
Just below soil surface
• Volcanic-like mounds of soil
From excavation of deeper burrows and tunnels
Some Options Just Don’t Work!
Management Options for Mole Damage
• Trapping
• Repellents
• Toxic baits
• Fumigation
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Management Options for Mole Damage
• Trapping
Several types of traps (harpoon, choker loop, scissor jaw)
All are effective if used properly
All are lethal
Best to trap during spring or fall – Ground is damp and easy to move in
Place traps in straightest runways
Management Options for Mole Damage
• Repellents Few have been proven effective
under rigorous standards
– Castor oil based
• Toxic bait
Zinc Phosphide – Bonide Moletox II, Sweeney’s – Granular/pellet form
Warfarin gel bait
– Kaput Mole Gel Bait
– Injected into runs
Bromethalin – Talpirid, Victor Moleworms
– Bait in the form of worm
Is it a Mole or a Vole?
MOLE
- Insectivore (worms, beetles, grubs)
- Unique appearance
- No external ears
- Naked snout
- 3 species in Ohio
-Eastern mole most common
VOLE
-Rodent (plant material)
-Looks like a mouse
- Smaller ears and stocky bodies
- 4 species in Ohio, two are common
- Meadow and Woodland vole
Vole Damage
Identifying Vole Damage
• Girdling
Look at teeth marks
– Non-uniform occurring at various angles
– Irregular patches
– Should be able to see the chisel marks
• Surface runways (1-2” wide)
Vegetation clipped close to ground
Pieces of vegetation and feces found in the runway
Identifying Vole Damage
1.5-2”
diameter
holes
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Vole Biology and Habitat
Cyclic populations
~2-5 years
4000 voles/acre
• Average densities vary
Canada – 32-162/acre
Illinois – 2-6/acre
• 1-5 litters/year
3-6 up to 11 young/litter
• Exclusion
Hardware cloth cylinders
– ¼ - 1/8 inch mesh
– Most effective for small areas
• Habitat Modification
Eliminate areas with dense grassy cover
Keep grass cut very short into the fall
Management Options for
Vole Damage
• Trapping
Snap traps
Place at mouth of tunnels or near holes
– Covered with 1 gallon plastic plant pots
Most effective for smaller areas or in conjunction with toxic baiting
– Set more at once not fewer over longer period of time
• Repellents
Capsaicin and predator urine (coyote, bobcat, fox)
– May afford short term protection
Management Options for
Vole Damage
• Toxic bait
Zinc phosphide – Restricted Use – Grain & pellet
– Bonide Orchard Mouse Bait
– For use on orchards and citrus groves
– Prozap Zinc Phosphide Oat Bait
– For use in nurseries, Christmas tree plantations, ornamentals
Anticoagulants – Chlorphacinone, Diphacinone
– Rozol Vole Bait, Ramik Brown Weather Resistant Rodenticide
– Multiple treatments necessary
• Pre-baiting will increase effectiveness • Bait placed above ground
Use bait stations to protect non-target species (ex. birds)
Management Options for
Vole Damage
List of Nuisance Wild Animal Control Trappers by County
www.wildohio.gov
Species and Habitats
Nuisance Wildlife
Web Resources
• Internet Center for Wildlife Damage - Manual
http://www.icwdm.org/handbook/index.asp
• OSU Extension Publications www.woodlandstewards.com
• Extension Wildlife Damages Website
http://www.extension.org/wildlife+damage+management
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Contact Info: Marne Titchenell, [email protected], 614-292-0402