Wildlife · exclusion, not capture
Wildlife exclusion — after the animals are gone
Exclusion means closing the entry so wildlife cannot return. It is the right DIY step after the cavity is empty. Sealing first can trap animals in insulation, force them to chew a new hole into living space, or leave dependent young behind. This page does not teach illegal trapping or relocation.
Confirm vacancy before you seal
- No sounds for several nights.
- No fresh droppings at the entry.
- When bats, raccoons, or other species that may have young are involved — and you cannot rule out a nursery — hire a licensed operator instead of guessing.
Do not trap illegally. In many states, live-trapping wildlife (especially to relocate it) requires a commercial nuisance-wildlife / problem-animal license. “Catch and dump” raccoons down the road is often illegal and spreads disease risk. This page will not give a live-trap how-to, a relocation route, or a poison recipe.
State law, briefly
Rules vary by state. Paid wildlife control is a licensed occupation in many places (examples from Shortell’s wildlife index: Ohio CNWACO, New York NWCO, Massachusetts PAC). A hunting or trapping license is not the same as a commercial wildlife-control credential. Read your state wildlife agency rules before you act on your own property.
DIY materials that make sense after vacancy
| Product type | Use when | Wrong when |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4-inch hardware cloth | Soffit gaps, vents, chewed fascia — cavity empty | Poultry netting (raccoons pull it apart); sealing over live animals |
| Masonry chimney cap | Unused flue measured to the clay tile; animals already out | Capping an occupied flue; wrong tile size |
| One-way eviction door | You are sure there are no dependent young | Nursery den — kits starve inside |
Verified exclusion products (paid links)
These ASINs already appear on Shortell wildlife how-to pages. They are screening/exclusion tools for empty holes — or a one-way door with the warning below — not a substitute for a licensed operator when a den is occupied, young are present, or bats / rabies-vector species are involved.
After vacancy
1/4-inch galvanized hardware cloth
Welded mesh for soffit gaps, vents, and chewed fascia once the cavity is empty. Cut larger than the hole and fasten into sound wood.
After vacancy
HY-C Draft King chimney cap (SS913U)
Bolt-on stainless cap for an unused flue. Measure the outside of the clay tile. Do not cap a chimney that still has animals in it. Other tile sizes exist on related listings.
One-way door — read the warning
Not for nursery dens
Raccoon one-way eviction door (large)
Lets an animal leave and not re-enter. Use only when you are sure there are no dependent young inside. If you cannot rule young out, hire a licensed operator instead of ordering this.
Seal order: vacancy first, then materials
Exclusion materials only work after animals are confirmed gone; sealing an active den traps wildlife and often violates state rules. One-way doors and professional removal come before foam, mesh, or caps. This page compares post-vacancy seal options — it is not a how-to for trapping or relocating protected species.
Buy on this visit · 24-hour basket (paid links)
After animals are gone only. Hardware cloth, a measured chimney cap, staples, and snips close empty holes. A one-way door is only for confirmed vacancy with no dependent young — otherwise hire a licensed operator. Do not buy this basket to trap, relocate, or seal an occupied den.
After vacancy
1/4-inch galvanized hardware cloth
Patch soffit gaps, vents, and chewed fascia into sound wood once the cavity is empty. Poultry netting is the wrong product for raccoons.
After vacancy
HY-C / Liberty SS913U chimney cap
Bolt-on stainless cap for an unused flue — measure the clay tile first. Never cap an occupied flue.
One-way · vacancy only
Not for nursery dens
Raccoon one-way eviction door (large)
Lets an animal leave and not re-enter when you are sure there are no dependent young. If you cannot rule young out, skip this ASIN and hire.
PPE
Wells Lamont cowhide work gloves
Hand protection while cutting and fastening mesh on rough wood and metal. Skip if a licensed operator is doing the seal.
Wells Lamont cowhide work gloves, ASIN B00004R9RW (paid link)
Fasteners
Arrow T50 staple gun + 1/2-inch T50 staples
Fasten hardware cloth into sound wood after vacancy. Pair the gun with matching staples; skip foam-only “fixes” over live animals.
Arrow T50 heavy-duty staple gun, ASIN B00002ND61 (paid link)
Arrow T50 1/2-inch staples (1250), ASIN B00004Z2I3 (paid link)
Tool
Crescent Wiss M1R aviation snips
Cut hardware cloth cleanly without leaving sharp jags animals can widen. Skip if your mesh is pre-cut and you will only screw it on.
When to hire
- Animals (or young) may still be inside.
- Bats in living space, or any rabies-vector species you cannot handle safely under local law.
- You need commercial methods that require a license in your state.
- Repeated re-entry after DIY patches — entry points you have not found.
For transcribed license lists in selected states, see Shortell’s Wildlife Control Index (separate site). Always verify the current license with the issuing agency.
Related comparisons
Exclusion alone is not enough while animals are still inside — use the how-to for hire vs DIY boundaries.