Services

Moles

In North Carolina we have two basic species of moles. The Eastern mole and the Star nosed mole. The most prevalent is the Eastern mole. The Star Nosed mole is a protected special concern species of mole. These two moles live in different types of habitat but share some areas while feeding. Moles will average 6 to 8 inches in length and are a dark to light grey in color with very soft fur. Moles have eyes but very poor eyesight. Their nose is their greater sense. 

The only way to remove moles from your landscape is to trap them. There are measures you can take to reduce their chance of coming or returning. Applying pesticides for grubs, and earthworms will help in removing their main food sources. Using poisons for mole eradication is against North Carolina State law and even buying it from out of state is against the law. All efficient mole traps are lethal traps.

Moles do not eat vegetation. Their diet consists of bugs, grubs, and worms. As moles search for food they make tunnels which in turn expose the roots to air which then kills the plant. Between the tunnels and the killing of the grass and flowers, a well-manicured lawn will be subject to hundreds of dollars of repair and months for your lawn to recover.

Moles are solitary animals and except during breeding season remain to themselves. A mole can tunnel up to 80 feet per day which leads people to think they have dozens of moles when they only really have two or three.

If you are having small plants pulled into the ground or larger plants dying, this could be voles. Voles are vegetarians. Voles need a different trap from that used for moles and the traps are set in different locations from that of moles.

Remember, if you set traps yourself, you must acquire a depredation permit prior to setting the trap. To protect your lawn, please call Denton Wildlife Services at the first sign of damage, for a consultation visit. Denton Wildlife Services is a certified Wildlife Damage Control Agent for the state of North Carolina and can issue animal damage permits.

Groundhogs

Groundhogs come with several names. Woodchucks and whistlepigs are all the same animal. In the past 20 years, groundhogs have expanded their range to just about all of North Carolina. Groundhogs are ground den dwellers. In the forest, a groundhog digging a den by an old tree is no big deal. A groundhog digging a den under your house is a big deal. They can upset the foundation of buildings and even central air units. If you are an avid gardener or love your flowers, then having a groundhog as a neighbor is not a good idea. Groundhogs cannot be relocated and must be euthanized. If you see a cat size light brown animal and fresh dug dirt call as soon as you can before you incur costly damage.

Remember if you set traps yourself, you must acquire a depredation permit prior to setting a trap. To protect your lawn, please call Denton Wildlife Services at the first sign of damage for a consultation visit. Denton Wildlife Services is a certified Wildlife Damage Control Agent for the state of North Carolina and can issue animal damage permits.

Bats

Bat are extremely useful animals eating large amounts of flying insects. Unless a bat enters the living quarter of an occupied residence, bats are not trapped but excluded from the facility. Though rare bats can and do carry rabies. Their guano (droppings) can contain histoplasmosis. Their droppings also draw bugs and insects. For these reasons, most people want them removed from their homes. Excluders are installed to allow bats to leave the building but unable to return. Since the bats are able to leave and not return, excluding does not take place during the months of May to July, due to the chance of leaving their pups unattended.

Denton Wildlife Services will survey and quote prices for the removal of the bats and the cleanup of the bats guano.

Predators

 

Predators are animals that prey on other animals, their young, eggs, and nest. Predators consist of opossums, raccoons, skunks, fox, coyotes, bobcats, mink, otter, and weasels.

All predators are vectors for the rabies virus and cannot be relocated and must be removed from the property and euthanized when caught.

Coyotes: The most complaints come during the time when the adults are raising their pups and are searching for large amounts of food. Poultry, sheep, goats, rabbits, and small pets are all considered food. At certain times of the year corn, cantaloupe, watermelons, and peanuts are also considered food.

Fox: The most complaints come during the time when the adults are raising their pups and are searching for large amounts of food. Fox will attack small pets but rabbits and poultry draw the most attention. Fox will also eat corn, cantaloupe, watermelons, and peanuts.  Fox will and do den extremely close to humans and have been found under whirlpools, wooden and cement decks. Most of the time, a healthy fox will not attack and bite but will defend their den.

Opossums, raccoons, skunks, mink, and weasels: These animals not only eat some plants and berries, they also eat poultry, eggs, rabbits and similar size animals. Items such as trash left uncovered, pet food left outside, or bird feeders, will all attract these animals.

Opossums and Skunks eat grubs and worms. Both will dig small holes in search of food. If they are looking in your yards, it will look like a tiller hit it. Skunks will return every night and will den under your house. Skunks will roam in the daylight hours so if you see one just slowly back off. Skunks spray when they feel threatened, otherwise they are fairly calm and gentle acting animals. If you see a skunk raise its tailor stamp its front feet, leave quickly.

Mink, Weasels, and Otter: These animals are all related. For people who have fish, or crawfish ponds these animals can be devastating. A single animal can do great harm to a fish pond but a family will stay until they kill all the fish. On the coast, soft shell crab shedders can lose thousands in a single night.

Beavers

Beavers are true engineers of water flow. Beaver will dam up flowing bodies of water using woody vegetation, and mud. Although there are several methods to allow water to flow where a beaver dam is, in time a beaver will stop it or just build a new dam downstream. Where beavers will make great habitat for many species, timber flooded for extended periods of time will kill the timber. Beaver dams will create a barrier for migrating fish.

Beaver will weigh an average of 40 pounds and some will get in the 70 pound range. Most of the beavers from North Carolina are not used for fur but are used in making hats. The higher grade cowboys hats are made with a blend of beaver and rabbit fur.
Beaver can carry rabies. In North Carolina, in the last 20 years, we have had two attacks on humans by beavers. Beavers cannot be relocated and must be euthanized when removed.

Denton Wildlife Services will survey the area of concern and will price the job of beaver removal as a set price with a 30 day guarantee all beavers have been removed. I am licensed with the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Agency (ATF) and can remove beaver dams by hand, in some cases by mechanical means, and with explosives.

Canada Geese

I have extensive experience with Canada Geese. I can set up goose harassment tools that work temporally if not monitored daily. For long term relief, the geese need to be removed. Denton Wildlife Services will assist with obtaining federal and state permits. Removal usually occurs during the molt (when the geese lose their flight feathers for new ones). A few Canada Geese are beautiful to watch. Hundreds become a human health and safety concern. Damage to lawns and crops can be extensive in a short period of time.

Outside of the molt, I can capture and remove Canada Geese with the use of waterfowl traps and cannon nets.