Squirrel Trapping & Legalities: What You Need to Know

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We always recommend that you do your own research before you decided to take part in any animal removal activity. There are a number of reasons for this. To start with, you should know the behavior of the animal you’re up against. Will it bite or lash out? Are males more vicious than females? Will it turn and run when you walk in, or wait and fight it out? The more you know, the better chance you have of winning against your opponent.



Secondly, you will need to have an idea of where these creatures like to hang out. If you're looking in all the wrong places for signs of a squirrel infestation or a potential nesting site, you’re never going to have much luck. The more you know, the more you can predict, and the easier your squirrel removal job will be.

The third reason that we suggest you always do your research before taking part in any kind of squirrel trapping, is to protect yourself. There are laws surrounding the capturing, killing, and even transporting of wild animals, and especially those that are known to be aggressive when captured or have a potential high threat disease risk associate with it.

In most places across the United States, it is perfectly legal to trap a squirrel using snap traps or similar — traps that are designed to kill the animal on impact. These work in much the same way as rat and mouse traps do for rodents, keeping the problem relatively contained.

Live cage traps for squirrels, on the other hand, are a different story. In most places, you aren't allowed to simply trap a squirrel and then release it back into the wild again, and that's where life gets a little complicated. One rule in one state won't apply to another state, and different species of squirrels will have different endangered or threatened statuses across the states.

You will find a lot of information on the internet, especially as far as trapping and removing wild or pest animals are concerned. Make sure the website you're reading your information from actually has the right information to start with. Local government or authority websites are a great place to start looking. They will usually have details of hunting seasons and similar -- this is where you are likely to find information on trapping and removing squirrels from both residential and commercial properties. If you have doubts, give wildlife removal experts a call too. Many of them are more than happy to offer some free advice over the phone, and in the event that you can resolve the issue yourself, they'll be happy to give you all the information you need.

At the end of the day, all everyone wants is for these creatures to be moved safely, quickly, and with the least amount of stress and hassle.

Go back to the Squirrel Removal page, or learn tips to do it yourself with my How to Get Rid of Squirrels guide.