It’s the time of year when pesky critters start to invade your yard, and wildlife specialists with the Indiana DNR are reminding you to take the proper steps before getting rid of them yourself.

Michelle Cain, Wildlife Information Specialist with the Indiana DNR, says that it’s very important that you know what you can legally do before taking on the job. Raccoons, rabbits, groundhogs, and gophers are among a longer list of animals that you can legally get rid of through varying methods.

However you need to be careful when it comes to animals like coyotes and Canada geese. She suggest that if you plan to “live trap” an animal that you wait until after the breeding season is over, as it’s not uncommon for people to unknowingly trap a pregnant animal and suddenly find themselves in a moral conundrum.

Also, when releasing those animals it has to be in the same county and not on private land without written consent. Coyote sightings are on the rise around many metro areas, and Cain wants residents to know that just because you see a coyote does not mean it’s a nuisance. In rural areas there are very specific laws about hunting coyotes and killing them for nuisance purposes.

There are common sense things you can do to deter them from your property and keep your animals safe. When it comes to geese you cannot remove them yourself, but you can pay a licensed person to do so. You also cannot shoot them because it violates several federal and state laws, but like most other animals there are things you can do to make your yard seem less desirable. You can find a list of what to do at www.in.gov/dnr or you can call local wildlife specialists.