Keeping critters like deer, rabbits, raccoons, and squirrels out of your yard can feel like an endless battle. These unwelcome visitors not only ravage your lawn and gardens, but they also spread diseases, dig holes, and scatter trash from overturned garbage cans.
Using deterrents is the most environmentally friendly approach to controlling wildlife in your yard, which also prevents an influx of common household bugs that often set up shop where wild critters are.
Below, I share some of my best tips for critter-proofing your property.
Scare Tactics
You can frighten small animals away from your yard without harming them. Strategically place deterrents that make use of sound or movement to startle animals.
Motion-activated Sprinklers
Motion-activated sprinklers detect animals with a smart motion sensor. When triggered, they spray water in that direction, scaring animals away. Position the sprinkler to cover prime targets such as vegetable gardens. The unexpected spray of water startles animals without harming them.
The video below shows this type of product in action:
Noise Makers
Attach noise makers to garden stakes and place them around your yard. These devices emit sudden loud sounds when disturbed by animals brushing against them. The irritating noises scare skittish animals away. Choose noise makers designed for scaring animals, not standard wind chimes.
Scarecrow Sprinkler
For a budget option, make your own scarecrow sprinkler. Connect a motion detector to a garden hose splitter. Attach a sprinkler head to one splitter outlet and a hose to the other. Run the hose to a scarecrow or other large decoy. When the motion detector is triggered, it will turn on the sprinkler temporarily, making the decoy appear to come alive and spray water.
Physical Barriers
Fencing, netting, and prickly plants are physical barriers that keep animals out by preventing access.
Install wildlife-proof fencing around your entire yard or garden area. For deer, the fence should be eight feet tall. Bury the bottom one foot of fencing to prevent animals from digging underneath. Choose galvanized wire fencing with openings smaller than the animals you want to exclude.
Cover plants with netting to protect them from nibbling rabbits and deer. Use plastic netting or fabric row covers designed for gardening. Anchor the edges with stakes or rocks. Make sure not to trap animals underneath the netting.
Plant prickly hedges or shrubs around the perimeter of your yard. Thorny plants like barberry, holly, pyracantha, and Japanese spiraea act as living fences. Their sharp branches deter animals from pushing through.
Repellents
Apply odor and taste repellents to plants and areas where animals are causing problems. Reapply frequently, especially after rain. Repellents may lose effectiveness over time as animals become accustomed to them.
Here are three common repellent options:
Use an area repellent to treat your entire lawn or garden. Available products contain putrescent egg solids or predator urine to create odors that deter foraging animals. Some brands are nontoxic if used as directed.
Coat valuable plants with a bitter, sticky, repellent substance. As animals sample treated plants, they get an unpleasant taste. Contact repellents containing capsaicin (hot pepper) or denatonium benzoate work best. Avoid products with ammonia, as these can burn plant tissue.
Scatter granular repellents on the ground around plants. Products containing predator urine or garlic create a protective odor perimeter that drives away rabbits, squirrels, and deer. The odor dissipates over time, so reapply regularly. Use caution with pets in the area.
Make sure you read the label before purchasing repellents, as each one typically targets a specific type of animal. For example, the best skunk repellent is likely not the best chipmunk repellent or opossum repellent.
Remove Food Sources
Without sources of food and shelter, most animals will stop visiting your yard. Make your landscape as unappealing as possible.
Clear Brush and Debris
Keep your yard free of brush piles, fallen fruit, and other potential food sources. Trim back overgrown areas and remove vines from fences. Eliminate places where animals hide and feed.
Manage Compost
Your backyard compost bin attracts skunks, raccoons, and rodents looking for an easy meal. Knowing the dos and don’ts of composting goes a long way toward preventing unwelcome pests. Use secured compost bins, and never compost meat, dairy, or oily foods. Keep compost bins away from gardens and the house.
Secure Trash
Raccoons, opossums, and bears all raid trash cans.
Purchase trash cans with tight sealing lids that keep pests out. Only set cans out right before pickup day. Storing them in garages also denies access. Manage waste properly so your yard isn’t a buffet for wild animals.
Harvest Produce
Pick all garden fruits and vegetables promptly. Fallen, rotting produce draws unwelcome guests. Be diligent about harvesting your garden to eliminate a food magnet. Removing tempting food is a simple way to deter pests.
So, Is Keeping Animals Out of Your Yard Achievable?
Controlling wildlife that invades your yard takes diligence, but the effort is worthwhile to protect your landscape. While no single technique is foolproof, using multiple methods improves your odds.
Consistency is key — regularly maintain fences, refresh repellents, and eliminate food sources. If you stick with the program, you can gain the upper hand on deer, rabbits, raccoons, and other pesky animals. With the right DIY prevention plan in place before damage starts, you can have a yard that’s safe from annoying critters.
That said, if you have neighbors who also have animals in their backyards, your DIY efforts may not be as successful. In that case, I suggest researching the cost of pest removal for the specific animal you have an issue with or contacting a pest control company to manage the situation.
FAQs About Keeping Animals Out of Your Yard
What is the most effective animal repellent?
The most effective repellents use odors that animals instinctively avoid, such as predator urine or spoiled eggs. Look for repellents registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ensure safety and effectiveness.
How do you keep raccoons out of your yard?
Secure garbage in bins with tight-fitting lids. Eliminate potential food sources like fallen fruit and hiding spots like brush piles. Use noisemakers, repellents, and motion-activated sprinklers to scare raccoons away.
What scent will keep deer away?
Deer dislike the smell of predator urine, garlic, mothballs, and ammonia. Look for commercial repellents containing these scents and reapply them frequently around the perimeter of your yard.
Do mothballs keep snakes away?
Mothballs contain pesticides that can repel snakes if used correctly. Scatter them around the perimeter of your yard, using five to ten per linear foot. Replace them every 30 to 60 days as the smell dissipates. Avoid inhaling the fumes yourself.
What home remedy will keep rabbits out of my garden?
Mix hot pepper sauce with water and spray onto plants to deter rabbits. The capsaicin irritates their noses. You can also scatter human hair clippings, predator urine granules, or bars of strongly scented soap around your garden’s edge. Reapply these homemade options frequently.
