Rural and suburban-rural Missouri properties experience nuisance wildlife encounters as a routine part of property management — not exceptional events. Raccoons that find roof access points or crawlspace gaps, squirrels that exploit soffit corners or unscreened gable vents, skunks that den beneath decks and porches, opossums that take up residence in crawlspaces — these are the predictable consequences of living at the interface of developed and natural land in a state with high wildlife populations. The management approach that works is structural, not just animal-specific.
The Three-Step Wildlife Removal Protocol
Step 1: Identify All Entry Points
Before any trapping begins, a thorough exterior inspection identifies all actual and potential entry points. The animal being trapped almost certainly has multiple entry point options — sealing only the one it's currently using while trapping through another is standard practice that ensures the animal doesn't re-enter after capture. Common entry points include: soffit-fascia junctions with gaps; damaged or unscreened gable and ridge vents; the joint where a deck or porch attaches to the structure (skunks and opossums); and foundation gaps or crawlspace vent damage.
Step 2: Trapping and Removal
Live cage trapping is the standard method for raccoons, squirrels, opossums, and skunks. Missouri law requires that trapped wildlife be either released on the property where captured or euthanized — relocation to a distant site is not permitted without specific permits. A licensed wildlife control operator handles the legal disposal requirements. Squirrels in attic spaces often require one-way exclusion devices that allow animals already inside to exit while preventing re-entry, followed by permanent sealing once the population has been removed.
Step 3: Exclusion and Structural Repair
Permanent exclusion follows removal — sealing all identified entry points with materials appropriate to the site: hardware cloth for vent openings, metal flashing for soffit corners, concrete or foam-backer-rod-plus-caulk for foundation gaps. The material matters: raccoons can tear through thin aluminum flashing; squirrels can gnaw through wood repairs. Galvanized hardware cloth (1/2-inch mesh) and 16-gauge or heavier steel flashing are the durable standards. D&D Pest Control handles wildlife management for Franklin County and rural Missouri — visit ddpestcontrolmo.com.