Some methods to kill a wild animal in the yard

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There are a great number of problems associated with the culling of wild animals, whether that wild animal is considered to be a nuisance creature or not. Take bats, for example. In some states these flying mammals are protected, and certain species are even threatened or endangered. If you were to try and kill these animals, you would get yourself into an awful lot of trouble.



The biggest problem with trying to kill animals in the yard, of course, is doing it both safely and humanely. Certain animals carry very dangerous disease threats, such as the raccoon with rabies, or even the armadillo! Did you know that the armadillo can carry the same bacteria responsible for Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy. These are just two animals you will not want to get too close to, for exactly these reasons.

Many methods of killing wild animals can and will result in the death or injury caused to other animals too - animals that you won't want to kill. Body traps are sold to deal with larger animals, and these work in the same way that smaller snap traps do for mice and rats. When the animal runs over the trap, the trigger goes off, and the animal is caught between two strong, sharp-snapping bars which are designed to kill the animal on impact. In theory, this trap should work rather well. In reality, however, things are very different. If the snap trap is in the path of the opossum or skunk you're trying to eliminate, it will also be in the path of other wild animals, and some domesticated animals also. You could accidentally trap and kill or injure one of your neighbor's cats or dogs, which I'm sure they won't be very happy about. You may also capture other, larger animals, such as a raccoon, fox or coyote. The body traps aren't meant to kill or capture animals of this size, so there is a good chance the animal will end up not dead, but injured, which is likely to result in a very long and painful death. If the animal comes under attack from predators, not only will it be injured, but it will also be stuck on the trap and unable to escape. The ordeal could be terrifying, quite different from the humane approach I'm sure you had tried to take.

After the Kill

One thing that you will need to bear in mind, is that killing the animal isn't the end of the journey. Once you have captured the animal, and then killed it, you will need to find a way to dispose of it. Just as is the case with many other wild beasts, the one you have trapped and killed is likely to carry a number of diseases and parasites. Ticks, fleas and mites can stay active on the dead bodies of these animals for some time, and it takes one well-timed jump to then become your problem. In certain areas you will also find that there are very strict rules to the trapping, killing, and then disposal of biological matter, such as wild animals. Do your research before you take any action, and if you aren't sure of the rules, call up your local wildlife control expert to find out more. The fines and other punishments for ignoring these rules can be costly and life-changing. It’s not a mistake you will want to make by accident, that's for sure.

For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How To Guide: Who should I hire? - What questions to ask, to look for, who NOT to hire.
How To Guide: do it yourself! - Advice on saving money by doing wildlife removal yourself.
Guide: How much does wildlife removal cost? - Analysis of wildlife control prices.
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