Top Wildlife Removal in Boise, Idaho Ranked

Living in Boise means sharing our beautiful landscape with a diverse array of native wildlife. While this is part of the city's charm, it can lead to conflicts when animals like raccoons, skunks, or squirrels decide your attic, garden, or crawl space is their new home. Professional wildlife removal is the safe, legal, and humane process of addressing these nuisance animal situations. It matters because Idaho law protects most wildlife as property of the state, making proper handling essential. This guide will help you understand the local regulations, common pests, and how to connect with licensed experts who can resolve your wildlife issue effectively.

Sawtooth Pest Control

1117 E Plaza Dr suite f, Eagle, ID 83616

Sawtooth Pest Control is a family-owned pest control company serving Boise, ID, and surrounding areas. They offer full-service residential and commercial pest solutions, including rodent control, mosquito control, wildlife removal, and ongoing maintenance. The company uses an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach that emphasizes long-term prevention, environmentally friendly methods, and customized strategies tailored to each client's needs. With more than 18 years of experience, Sawtooth Pest Control focuses on safe treatments for children and pets while addressing local pest challenges such as gophers, raccoons, and mosquitoes. They provide same-day and emergency services to ensure timely pest management.

5.0

567 Reviews

Bigfoot Pest Control

boise

Bigfoot Pest Control is a pest management company serving Boise, ID, and surrounding areas. They provide a wide range of services including bed bug treatment, ant and rodent control, termite inspections, mosquito and wasp removal, spider control, and commercial pest control. The company emphasizes eco-friendly and pet-safe pest control methods and handles over 30 common pests in the region. With over 20 years of combined experience, the owners focus on effective, locally tailored treatments to protect homes and businesses from pests.

5.0

351 Reviews

Orkin

107 W 43rd St, Boise, ID 83714

Orkin provides pest control services in Boise, ID, addressing common pests such as mice, ants, cockroaches, termites, mosquitoes, bees, wasps, birds, and wildlife. They offer both residential and commercial pest management, including specialized termite inspections and treatments using liquid barriers, Sentricon® bait, and dry foam void filler. Orkin also provides year-round pest control plans tailored to seasonal pest activity. Their customer care team is available day or night to assist with pest control needs.

4.9

2.1k Reviews

Sprague Pest Solutions

2049 W Airport Way, Boise, ID 83705

Sprague Pest Solutions is a commercial pest control company based in Boise, ID. They offer comprehensive pest management services including rodent control, insect prevention, bed bug inspections and treatments, bird exclusion, mosquito abatement, termite baiting, and fumigation alternatives. Their approach uses advanced, science-based solutions tailored to business operations, supported by technology like barcode-scanned devices and online reporting. Sprague Pest Solutions emphasizes compliance with government standards and green, LEED-certified methods. They provide a 24/7 client web portal for alerts and billing, ensuring continuous management of pests at every life cycle stage and entry point.

4.9

327 Reviews

Eco Pest Control

3799 E Mackay Ct, Meridian, ID 83642

Eco Pest Control is a locally owned pest control company serving Boise, ID, and nearby areas. They provide residential and commercial pest extermination and prevention services using environmentally friendly products. Their expertise covers a wide range of pests including cockroaches, ants, rodents, spiders, wasps, and wildlife removal. With over 20 years of combined experience, Eco Pest Control offers customized pest management plans tailored to each client's needs. They focus on eco-friendly methods that are safe for pets, children, and the environment.

4.9

164 Reviews

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Understanding Idaho's Wildlife Laws

The first step in addressing any nuisance animal in Boise is understanding the legal framework. Idaho's general regulation states that all wildlife is the property of the state, and most species are protected ^{1 2}. This means you cannot simply trap and relocate an animal you find troublesome. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) manages these protected species, and their regulations must be followed.

Property owners do have rights, however. Idaho law allows you to control, trap, or remove wild animals that are actively causing damage to your property ³. But this action typically requires obtaining permission or a permit from the IDFG first. Even after trapping, the animals remain state property. There are also strict rules about what to do with a trapped animal; they often must be released on-site or humanely euthanized to prevent the spread of disease, which is illegal when relocating wildlife to new areas ^{4 5}.

A key exception involves unprotected rodents. Species like pocket gophers, ground squirrels, and certain other rodents can generally be managed without a state permit ³. For all other creatures-from raccoons and bats to coyotes and snakes-coordination with authorities or a licensed professional is the required path.

Common Nuisance Wildlife in Boise

The Boise area is home to many animals that can become a nuisance for homeowners and businesses. Frequent offenders include:

• Mid-Sized Mammals: Raccoons, skunks, opossums, and squirrels are common culprits. They seek shelter in attics, under decks, and in chimneys, often causing noise, odors, and structural damage.
• Burrowing Rodents: Rats, mice, moles, voles, and groundhogs (also known as woodchucks) can damage lawns, gardens, and foundations ^{6 7}.
• Bats: These protected species sometimes roost in attics or wall voids. Their guano can create health hazards and require specialized removal and decontamination.
• Coyotes and Foxes: While less likely to enter homes, they can threaten pets, livestock, and poultry.
• Snakes and Birds: Various snake species, along with birds like woodpeckers and starlings, can also create nuisance situations, from property damage to noise ⁷.

Prevention: Your First Line of Defense

Before an animal moves in, proactive prevention is the most effective and cost-efficient strategy. The core principle is to eliminate attractants and access points on your property.

• Secure Food Sources: Keep garbage in tightly sealed, animal-proof containers. Avoid leaving pet food outdoors overnight, and clean up fallen fruit from trees.
• Remove Shelter: Seal potential entry points. This includes repairing holes in foundations, screening vents, installing chimney caps, and ensuring soffits and roof edges are secure. Trim tree branches that overhang your roof.
• Protect Vulnerable Areas: Secure chicken coops and rabbit hutches with sturdy wire. Bring small pets inside at night, especially in areas where coyotes are known to roam.

The IDFG emphasizes that prevention and property modification should always be the first response to nuisance wildlife ^{2 3 8}.

Who to Call for Wildlife Issues in Boise

Knowing which agency or service to contact saves time and ensures the problem is handled correctly.

• Boise Animal Control & The Idaho Humane Society: This service primarily handles domestic animal issues. Call them for stray dogs and cats, animal cruelty complaints, dog bites, or removing animal carcasses from public property. They typically do not handle wild animals ⁹.
• Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG): This is the primary agency for all protected wildlife. Contact the IDFG for issues involving large game (deer, elk, moose on your property), protected furbearers (beavers, raccoons, etc.), and other protected species. They can grant permission for removal, provide guidance, or sometimes send a conservation officer to assess a serious situation ^{1 10 11}.
• Licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators (NWCOs): For persistent, complex, or immediate issues, hiring a private, state-licensed NWCO is the recommended course of action. These professionals are trained in humane trapping, exclusion techniques, and understand all local and state regulations. They handle the entire process from inspection and removal to cleanup and repair, providing a complete solution ^{12 11}.

The Professional Wildlife Removal Process

When you hire a licensed wildlife control operator in Boise, they follow a systematic approach to ensure a lasting resolution.

1. Inspection and Assessment: The professional will conduct a thorough inspection of your property to identify the animal species, locate all entry and exit points, and assess the extent of damage or contamination.
2. Humane Removal: Using methods approved by state regulations, the operator will remove the animals. This may involve live trapping, one-way exclusion doors, or other techniques tailored to the specific species and situation.
3. Exclusion and Repair: Simply removing the animals isn't enough. The critical step is "exclusion"-permanently sealing all entry points to prevent re-infestation. This may also involve repairing damage to siding, roofing, or insulation.
4. Cleanup and Decontamination: Areas soiled by animal waste, especially from rodents or bats, require professional cleaning and sanitizing to eliminate health risks from parasites, bacteria, and viruses.
5. Prevention Advice: A reputable professional will provide recommendations for ongoing prevention to keep your property wildlife-free in the future.

Understanding Wildlife Removal Costs in Boise

The cost of animal removal and control services in Boise varies significantly. It depends on the type of animal, the severity of the infestation, the extent of damage, and the complexity of the exclusion work required. Most private companies provide free or low-cost inspections and then offer a detailed quote ^{13 14 15}.

• Service/Inspection Fees: Many companies charge a trip fee for the initial assessment.
• Removal and Exclusion Costs: Total project costs can range from a few hundred dollars for basic trapping of a single animal to several thousand dollars for extensive work like removing a raccoon family from an attic, replacing contaminated insulation, and sealing multiple entry points ^{13 16 17}.
• Government Assistance: In specific damage control situations involving protected animals, the Idaho Fish and Game department may offer free assistance or guidance, but this is not guaranteed and depends on the circumstances ^{1 10}.

When evaluating quotes, ensure they include both removal and exclusion. The cheapest option may only address the immediate problem, leaving your home vulnerable to the next animal looking for a new den.

Frequently asked questions

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