Living with Wildlife, Wildlife Control, & Nuisance Wildlife
We all love wildlife, but when wild animals are in the wrong place at the wrong time -- think bears at your birdfeeder, skunks under your porch, or deer in the garden -- you need a strategy. When wildlife/human conflicts occur, it's important to remember that there are no “cookbook recipe” solutions. Each wildlife problem is unique and you need to have some understanding of the animal and the available control methods before beginning any control strategy.
If you need technical assistance or help with a wildlife conflict in New Hampshire, call USDA Wildlife Services at (603) 223-6832 or contact a wildlife biologist at a NH Fish and Game Regional Office.
- See also: WildlifeHelp.org
- Brochure: Raising Poultry in New Hampshire
- Brochure: Preventing Poultry Loss by Bears
- Tips on Protecting Poultry from Predators
To prevent human/wildlife conflicts, it's important to have an understanding of the wildlife that you may be dealing with. Remember that basic wildlife requirements are food, cover and space. The fundamental first step in controlling a wildlife problem is to keep these wildlife requirements in mind and make prudent modifications in your own behavior.
The Major Control Techniques
- Remove what's attracting the wildlife
- Put barriers between the wildlife and the attractants
- Or remove the wildlife
It is critical to combine or integrate these basic control techniques with an understanding of the wildlife to be controlled.
Before Removing an Animal
If removing the animal(s) seems to be your best course of action, think about or be aware of these important considerations:
Fish and Game encourages people experiencing human/wildlife conflicts to contact our damage control partners at USDA Wildlife Services, who can be reached at (603) 223-6832. These professionals have the technical training and experience to properly guide you in your wildlife conflict decision-making process. This is an essential part of their mission.
If Wildlife Services is not able to help resolve your problems by providing technical information, they can direct you to a list of professional Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators (NWCOs) who, for a fee, can help you resolve your nuisance wildlife issue.
Read the latest fascinating articles about coexisting with wildlife in New Hampshire from some of the best writers in the field - subscribe to
NH Wildlife Journal
Helpful Links
Guidelines for Winter Feeding of NH Wild Turkeys - Please don't feed the wild turkeys! But if you insist, here's how to do it with minimal damage to the population.
- Seven Sleepers
Learn about hibernators and other winter wildlife (NH Wildlife Journal, Nov/Dec 2009)
- Wildlife-related Diseases - Lyme disease, rabies, chronic wasting disease, and others. What are they and how to protect yourself and/or our wildlife populations.
Learn More About Wildlife Control
- Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
- ICWDM Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Handbook
- Cornell University Cooperative Extension
- Planning to become a Wildlife Control Operator? Certification classes offered annually. Learn more.
- Tips on using cage traps
- WildlifeHelp.org