A raccoon tearing through your attic insulation or raiding your chicken coop at 2 a.m. is not an abstract wildlife issue — it is a property damage problem that demands a real answer. Michigan law does give you options, but those options come with specific conditions, and crossing the wrong line can turn a pest problem into a legal one.
Whether you are a homeowner dealing with a persistent nuisance animal, a farmer protecting livestock, or simply trying to understand your rights, this guide breaks down exactly what Michigan allows — and what it does not — when it comes to killing, trapping, or removing raccoons on your property.
Are Raccoons Protected in Michigan
Raccoons in Michigan occupy a specific legal category that shapes everything about how you can deal with them. In Michigan, raccoons are classified as furbearers under the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA), Part 401. This designation allows for regulated hunting and trapping, reflecting the state’s approach to managing raccoon populations while considering ecological balance and public interest.
Being classified as a furbearer means raccoons are neither fully protected like endangered species nor completely unregulated like true pests. Raccoons are considered game animals in Michigan, which means you can hunt them during specific times of the year and with proper permits. Without following the rules, you risk fines or worse.
That said, raccoons are not on any state or federal threatened or endangered species list, which is why Michigan law does carve out meaningful exceptions for property owners dealing with damage situations. You can learn more about raccoon behavior and biology to better understand why these animals are so drawn to human-occupied spaces in the first place.
Key Insight: Raccoons are furbearers under Michigan law — not pests, not protected endangered animals. This middle-ground status means you have real options, but each one comes with rules attached.
When Can You Legally Kill a Raccoon in Michigan
Michigan law creates two separate pathways for legally killing a raccoon: doing so as part of a regulated hunting or fur harvesting season, or doing so outside of season when the animal is actively causing damage to your property.
During Hunting Season
Although many game animals have limited seasons in the state, hunters can legally hunt several types of small game year-round. With a valid Michigan hunting license, you can harvest coyotes, opossums, woodchucks, raccoons, skunks, weasels, red squirrels, porcupines, and feral swine. This means that if you hold a valid base hunting license, you are not restricted to a narrow seasonal window for raccoons the way you would be for deer or turkey.
Outside of Season — The Damage Exception
The more commonly used pathway for homeowners and farmers is the damage exception. Coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and woodchuck are not protected and can be taken year-round when they are doing or about to do damage on private property. This applies without a hunting license, but only under specific conditions.
Property owners (or someone working for them) can only trap and kill the wild animal on their own property and only if that animal is causing immediate or imminent damage. The 2023 amendment to Michigan’s Wildlife Conservation Order also clarified the definition of damage. The amendment defines “damage” as “physical harm to forest products; roads; dams; buildings; orchards; apiaries; livestock; and horticultural or agricultural crops.”
Important Note: The damage exception only applies on your own private property. You cannot use it on a neighbor’s land, on public land, or in any situation where the raccoon is simply present but not actively causing or about to cause damage.
Non-compliance with raccoon hunting and trapping regulations in Michigan can result in significant penalties. Fines range from $50 to $500, depending on the severity of the infraction and whether it is a repeat offense. More serious violations, such as poaching or selling pelts without a fur harvester license, may lead to misdemeanor charges, including up to 90 days of imprisonment.
Legal Methods for Killing Raccoons in Michigan
Michigan law specifies not just when you can kill a raccoon, but how. Using an unlawful method — even when you are otherwise within your rights to take the animal — can still result in penalties.
Firearms
Firearms such as rifles and shotguns are allowed during raccoon hunting season, but you must follow caliber and ammunition restrictions. Night hunting rules have also evolved. The use of centerfire firearms .269 caliber or smaller for the take of coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and opossums at night is now permitted on public and private lands statewide. However, nighttime take with centerfire firearms is still prohibited in all state parks and recreation areas.
If you are hunting raccoons with dogs at night, a more specific rule applies. An individual may use a rimfire firearm .22 caliber or smaller to kill a raccoon while hunting with dogs between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. during the firearm deer season period — so always verify the current season-specific firearm rules in the DNR’s annual Fur Harvester Digest.
Hunting with Dogs
Hunting with dogs is permitted in some areas, but you may need a special permit and must follow leash and control rules. Dog hunting is a traditional and popular method for raccoons in Michigan, particularly at night when raccoons are most active. Check the Michigan DNR trapping and fur harvesting page for current season-specific restrictions.
Trapping as a Lethal Method
Trapping raccoons requires using approved traps and following humane treatment standards set by the state. Body-gripping traps and conibear-style traps can be lethal when set correctly and are legal under Michigan trapping regulations during the appropriate season with a fur harvester license. However, some municipalities restrict trap types — more on that in the local ordinances section below.
Pro Tip: Always verify the current season dates and firearm rules in the Michigan DNR’s Fur Harvester Regulations Summary before taking any action. Regulations are updated annually and vary by management unit.
Prohibited Methods
- Poison is not a legal or approved method for killing raccoons in Michigan
- Drowning a trapped animal is considered inhumane and is not a lawful euthanasia method
- Destroying a raccoon’s den, burrow, or nest is prohibited under Michigan’s Wildlife Conservation Order
- Killing a raccoon on public land without a valid license and outside of open season is illegal
For a broader look at what animals pose risks and how wildlife conflicts are handled across different states, the natural predators of raccoons page offers useful context on population dynamics.
Trapping Raccoons in Michigan: Rules and Restrictions
Trapping is often the most practical option for homeowners who want to deal with a problem raccoon without discharging a firearm in a residential area. Michigan has a detailed set of rules governing both the trapping season and the equipment you are allowed to use.
License Requirements
A valid Michigan hunting license is required for anyone 17 years or older to hunt raccoons in the state. You may need a small game license or a fur harvester license if you plan to trap raccoons for their fur. If you are trapping solely to remove a nuisance animal on your own property under the damage exception, a written permit is not required — but you are still bound by the rules on what you do with the animal afterward.
Trap Tending Requirements
A person using a live trap shall release or kill an animal captured in a live trap immediately upon finding that animal in a trap. A person using a live trap shall tend the trap daily. Leaving a trapped raccoon unattended for extended periods can result in animal cruelty charges under both state law and local ordinances.
Local Trap Restrictions
Some Michigan municipalities add their own restrictions on top of state law. For example, only safe, humane live traps may be used within some city limits. No leg traps, snares, or conibears are allowed in certain jurisdictions. Always check with your local animal control office before setting any trap in a residential area.
| Trapping Scenario | License Required? | Permit Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational/fur harvesting (in season) | Yes — Fur Harvester License | No | Must follow season dates and bag limits |
| Property damage on your own land (out of season) | No | No written permit required | Animal must be causing or about to cause damage |
| Nuisance control by a hired operator | N/A (operator’s license) | Yes — Wildlife Damage and Nuisance Control Permit | Operator must be DNR-licensed |
| Trapping in a residential safety zone (within 150 yards of occupied dwelling) | Varies | Varies | Live traps generally permitted; check local ordinances |
Can You Relocate a Raccoon Instead of Killing It in Michigan
Many people instinctively prefer relocation over lethal removal, but Michigan’s rules on raccoon relocation are more restrictive than most people expect — and for good reason. Raccoons are a primary vector for rabies in Michigan, and moving animals between counties can spread disease.
The County Rule
Effective February 1, 2000, live raccoons captured under a damage and nuisance animal control permit shall be possessed and released only as follows: raccoons, if released, shall be released only in the same county where captured and if held in captivity shall be isolated in a manner to prevent physical contact with animals not originating from the same county.
This is a hard rule — you cannot simply drive a trapped raccoon to the next county and release it. Animals should be relocated in suitable habitat at least 10 miles from the original capture site, but still within the county of capture.
Time Limits on Holding
Raccoons that are to be relocated must be released within a set timeframe. Permittees cannot hold wild animals for more than 24 hours. During that time all animals should be released or destroyed. This means you cannot keep a trapped raccoon in a cage for days while you figure out what to do with it.
When Relocation Is Not an Option
Captured wildlife which are unfit for relocation due to injury or other reason should be destroyed. In addition, where the captured animal is a persistent offender or an individual of a species that is overabundant throughout an entire region, the permittee should destroy, rather than release, the captured animal.
Private individuals (not licensed operators) face an even more practical problem. You cannot just legally let them go down the road. You can hunt certain animals, but that has to be in season and usually with a permit of its own. Since animals cannot be released on public land or other private property without expressed permission, this means the animal will likely have to be euthanized.
Common Mistake: Many homeowners trap a raccoon, then drive it to a park or wooded area and release it. In Michigan, releasing a raccoon on public land or on private property without written permission from that landowner is illegal — regardless of how humane your intentions are.
If you are looking for non-lethal deterrence strategies before resorting to trapping, reviewing plants that repel raccoons may offer some practical options for keeping them off your property in the first place.
Hiring a Licensed Wildlife Control Operator in Michigan
When the situation is beyond what you want to handle yourself — a raccoon family in your attic, a persistent repeat offender, or a property in a residential zone where discharging a firearm is not an option — a licensed wildlife control operator is your best path forward.
What They Are Authorized to Do
Permittees shall be authorized to undertake control measures on the premises of the complainant for the control of bats that are not threatened or endangered and the control of coyote, fox, weasels, mink, raccoon, skunk, opossum, woodchuck, badger, muskrat, squirrels, ground squirrels, rabbits, English sparrows, feral pigeons, starlings, and crows. Licensed operators work under a Wildlife Damage and Nuisance Control Permit issued by the Michigan DNR.
Producers and landowners may elect to enlist the services of private nuisance wildlife control companies. These companies are licensed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to provide wildlife control services. This licensing ensures they are trained in both the legal requirements and the humane handling standards the state requires.
How Euthanasia Is Handled
Licensed operators have access to euthanasia methods that are not available to the general public. There aren’t many legal ways to euthanize a raccoon yourself since it has to be done in a humane way. You can’t just drown an animal. Even pest control companies have very strict guidelines for it. Operators typically use CO2 to knock the animal out and then humanely euthanize it.
How to Find a Licensed Operator
The Michigan DNR maintains a directory of licensed nuisance animal control companies. You can access it at michigan.gov/dnr under the nuisance wildlife section. You can also contact the DNR Wildlife Division Permit Specialist at 517-284-6210 or at DNR-PermitSpecialist@michigan.gov for referrals and permit questions.
In the past, government agencies like the Department of Natural Resources or county animal control often handled nuisance wildlife problems. However, nowadays, this responsibility has largely shifted to licensed private wildlife control operators. Do not expect your local animal control office to trap or remove a healthy adult raccoon — that is typically outside their scope.
Pro Tip: When hiring a wildlife control operator, ask to see their DNR Wildlife Damage and Nuisance Control Permit number. A legitimate operator will have it on hand and will be able to explain exactly what methods they plan to use and how they will handle disposal or relocation.
For context on how Michigan compares to other states on roadkill and wildlife possession rules, see the guides on roadkill laws in Michigan and roadkill laws in Wisconsin.
Local Ordinances That May Override State Law in Michigan
State law sets the floor for raccoon control in Michigan, but local governments — cities, townships, and counties — can and do layer additional restrictions on top of it. Before you trap, shoot, or hire anyone to remove a raccoon, it is worth a quick check with your local municipality.
Discharge of Firearms
Many Michigan cities and townships have ordinances that prohibit or restrict the discharge of firearms within city limits, regardless of what state hunting law permits. Even if you legally qualify to shoot a damage-causing raccoon under the DNR’s rules, your city ordinance may make it unlawful to fire a weapon in your backyard. Violations of local discharge ordinances are handled separately from DNR enforcement and can carry their own fines.
Trap Type Restrictions
As noted earlier, some municipalities restrict the types of traps that can be used. Only safe, humane live traps may be used within some city limits, with no leg traps, snares, or conibears allowed. A trap that is perfectly legal under state law may be prohibited by your city’s animal control ordinance. Always verify before setting anything.
Feeding Bans
Some Michigan municipalities have enacted ordinances that prohibit feeding wildlife, including raccoons. The City of Trenton, for example, prohibits feeding wild animals, including feral cats. Feeding bans are relevant here because attracting raccoons to your property through intentional feeding can complicate any legal claim that the animal was causing unsolicited damage.
Where to Check
- Your city or township’s official website (look for animal control or municipal code sections)
- Your local animal control office — they can tell you what is and is not permitted in your jurisdiction
- The Michigan DNR’s nuisance wildlife directory, which lists licensed operators familiar with local rules
- Your county health department, especially if the raccoon showed signs of rabies or distemper
Understanding how wildlife law varies by jurisdiction is a recurring theme across the country. For comparison, you can review how neighboring states handle similar issues through guides like roadkill laws in Ohio or roadkill laws in Indiana — states that share Michigan’s general approach of balancing property rights with wildlife management. You may also find it useful to compare how other states treat nuisance wildlife by reading about roadkill laws in Tennessee and roadkill laws in Wyoming.
The bottom line on local ordinances: state law gives you the framework, but your local rules determine what is actually practical where you live. When in doubt, call your local animal control office before taking any action — it takes five minutes and can save you a significant legal headache.
Michigan gives property owners real tools to deal with problem raccoons, but the rules are specific. Killing a raccoon that is actively damaging your property does not require a license, but it does require that the damage be real and immediate. Hunting raccoons recreationally requires a valid license. Trapping requires daily tending and careful attention to what you do with the animal afterward. And relocation — despite feeling like the humane option — is heavily restricted by county boundaries and time limits. When the situation is complicated, a licensed wildlife control operator is almost always the cleanest solution.