Raccoons in Pecan Trees: Protecting the Harvest

Raccoons climb pecan trees at night in fall and eat nuts on the branch and on the ground. To protect the harvest, pick up fallen nuts every day, put smooth metal bands around the trunks of isolated trees, and trim limbs that let them cross from other trees or roofs.

For a lot of Texas families, the backyard pecan tree is a fall tradition. For raccoons, it is a buffet that shows up right when they want to eat the most. A few practical steps can keep more of the crop for you.

How do you know raccoons are eating your pecans?

Raccoons feed at night and leave a mess. Look for:

Cracked and broken shells scattered under the tree, often in piles. Small branches and twigs snapped off in the canopy where a heavy animal climbed out to reach nuts. Hand-like tracks with long toes in soft soil or on nearby patios. Nuts that were on the ground at dusk and gone by morning.

Squirrels eat pecans too, but they feed during the day and tend to carry nuts off and bury them. Crows and jays pick at nuts in daylight. If the damage happens overnight and the tree looks like something heavy has been climbing in it, a raccoon is the likely visitor.

Why do raccoons hit pecans so hard in fall?

Fall is when raccoons put on weight before colder weather. Pecans are rich, easy to find, and arrive in quantity right when raccoons want them. A loaded tree near cover such as a creek, brush line, barn, or the space under a deck is about as good as it gets for a raccoon. Once one finds your tree, it will come back night after night until the nuts are gone.

How do you protect a pecan tree?

You will not stop every visit, but you can make your trees much less rewarding.

• Gather fallen nuts daily: During nut drop, pick up the ground every day or two so there is nothing waiting at night.
• Band isolated trunks: Wrap a wide band of smooth sheet metal around the trunk at a height a raccoon cannot reach over. This works on trees that stand alone, with no branches touching anything else.
• Trim limbs that act as bridges: Cut back branches that touch roofs, fences, sheds, or other trees, so a raccoon cannot climb something nearby and cross over.
• Harvest promptly: Shake or pick nuts as soon as they are ready instead of letting them hang.
• Remove other attractants: Pet food, trash, and bird seed bring raccoons into the yard, and the pecan tree becomes the next stop.

What about a small orchard?

Banding every tree in a small orchard is more work, so focus where the pressure is highest. Trees closest to woods, creeks, fence lines, and outbuildings usually see the most visits. Find where raccoons are entering the property, often along a fence or a drainage line, and concentrate cleanup and banding there. Mow under the trees before harvest so fallen nuts are easy to find and pick up quickly.

When should you trap?

If raccoons keep coming despite cleanup and banding, trapping may be worth considering. In Texas, raccoons are classified as furbearers, so check with Texas Parks and Wildlife before trapping or relocating them, and check any local rules too. Outside Texas, ask your state wildlife agency. The practical challenge in an orchard is distance. Traps set near the trees are often a long walk from the house, which makes regular checks hard to keep up during a busy harvest.

How does OcuTrap help in the orchard?

OcuTrap works over cellular, so it runs out in the orchard where Wi-Fi does not reach. It sends a real-time photo alert the moment an animal is caught, so you know if it is a raccoon, an opossum, or a barn cat before you walk out. If it is a non-target, you can release it from the app.

Save the harvest without walking the orchard every morning. See how it works at ocutrap.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do raccoons climb pecan trees?

Yes. Raccoons are strong climbers and will climb pecan trees at night to eat nuts in the canopy, snapping small branches as they go. They also eat nuts that have fallen to the ground. Smooth metal trunk bands on isolated trees and trimming limbs that touch roofs or other trees can make climbing much harder.

How high should a trunk band be to stop raccoons?

The band needs to be wide and high enough that a raccoon cannot reach over it from the ground, and it only works on trees with no branches touching fences, roofs, or other trees. Local extension offices and orchard growers in your area can share the band width and height that work for their pecan trees.

What else eats pecans besides raccoons?

Squirrels, crows, jays, and opossums also eat pecans. Squirrels and birds feed during the day, while raccoons and opossums feed at night. Raccoons usually cause the most visible damage, leaving piles of broken shells and snapped twigs. Watching when nuts disappear helps narrow down which animal is responsible.

Do I need a permit to trap raccoons in Texas?

Raccoons are classified as furbearers in Texas, so rules apply to trapping and relocating them. Requirements can depend on your situation, such as whether the raccoon is a nuisance on your property. Check with Texas Parks and Wildlife and any local ordinances before setting a trap.