Opossum Removal in Lake in the Hills, IL
Winter pushes opossums toward shelter: the space under a deck, a shed, sometimes the garage. Opossum removal in Lake in the Hills means moving the animal out under Illinois rules, then closing that space so the next cold snap finds it shut.
Cold Nights Send Opossums Looking for Shelter
An opossum’s ears and tail have no fur, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) says both often get frostbitten in Illinois winters. So when it turns cold, shelter matters. An opossum moves into whatever it finds: another animal’s old den, a brush pile, a shed, the space under a deck.
Lake in the Hills has plenty of wild cover. Exner Marsh, entered from Lakewood and Miller roads, is a marsh dotted with shallow ponds, the McHenry County Conservation District notes. The Woods Creek watershed, which the village shares with Algonquin and Crystal Lake, holds more than a hundred detention basins. On a cold night, a deck or shed near that cover is an easy place to hole up.
Midwinter is also mating season, from late January into early February, IDNR says. A female that settles in then may be carrying a pouch full of young by spring.
From Trap to Release: What Illinois Requires
Opossums are protected furbearers in Illinois, so trapping one without a state permit isn’t an option for a homeowner.
A licensed operator needs your written permission before setting a trap. From there, a caught opossum is either euthanized or released within a day of capture on suitable land 10 to 40 miles away, with that landowner’s written OK. AquaText’s IL DNR license holds us to all of it.
Closing the Space and Keeping It Closed
A free inspection finds where the opossum is staying, and nothing gets closed until that space is confirmed empty.
Metal screen then goes along the open bottom edge of the deck, porch or shed, fastened in place and buried, since digging is how a returning opossum gets back under. The barrier falls under our written warranty on exclusion work.
For garages, keep the door down after dark and replace a worn bottom seal that leaves a gap. The opossum removal overview has the full method. Skunks, raccoons and other visitors are covered under Lake in the Hills wildlife removal.
Lake in the Hills Opossum Questions
An opossum is in our garage. How do we get it out tonight?
Bring kids and pets inside and open the overhead door. For a wild mammal indoors, IDNR’s advice, which it extends to opossums, is to give it an open exterior door and ease it toward the opening with a broom. Never touch it, don’t corner it, and don’t set a trap without a permit. If it stays put or keeps coming back, a free inspection can find how it’s getting in.
The opossum’s ears and tail look ragged. Is it sick?
Not necessarily. It may be the frostbite damage IDNR says is common in Illinois winters, so ragged edges alone don’t tell you much. If one seems sick or injured, call McHenry County Animal Control at (815) 459-6222.
We found a baby opossum by itself in the yard. Can we keep it?
No. McHenry County Animal Control’s advice is to leave a baby wild animal alone, since its mother is likely nearby. IDNR’s general advice for young wildlife is to watch from a distance and not touch it unless you’re sure it’s orphaned. If it’s hurt, or no parent comes back, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, and don’t try to feed it. Keeping it isn’t an option either: village code bars residents from keeping any naturally wild animal except birds and fish.
Is an opossum hanging around the kids’ play set a health worry?
Not much of one. IDNR’s guidance is that opossums aren’t a public health concern, though they aren’t rabies-proof. Teach kids the state health department’s rule anyway: never feed or touch a wild animal. Cornered, an opossum will hiss and show its teeth, so give it room to leave.
Get the Opossum Out and the Opening Closed
A free on-site visit finds where the opossum is staying. IL DNR licensed, Hampshire based, 25 years of humane wildlife work.
Related & Nearby
Opossum basics plus raccoons, skunks and more in Lake in the Hills and surrounding areas.