Raccoon skull Description: Skunk (left) and raccoon also have large canine teeth. Photo Credits: Dallas Virchow
Nocturnal
Females raise 3-5 young without the help of their mate.
Young typically born in the Spring but not exclusively so.
Omnivores (i.e. they eat almost everything)
Raccoon fur Description: Can be long and thick during winter Photo Credits: Dallas Virchow
Sign
Tracks. Raccoon
prints in powder. Description: shows use of tracking powder to get prints Photo Credits: Kirk LaPierre, A1 Saver Services
Smudge Marks. Raccoon
paw marks on the down spout--This is a common way raccoons gain access to house roofs. Raccoons are exceptional climbers for their size. Photo Credits: Kirk LaPierre, A1 Saver Services
Hole Size. A raccoon only needs a 4 inch diameter hole to enter a structure.
Sounds. Chirping sounds emanating from the fireplace, typically in the
Spring, are a classic sign of raccoon young. Racous screaming and crying is a sign of raccoon mating. Typically heard in February.
Damage
Livestock. Raccoons will kill poultry;
Crops. Raccoons love sweet corn, other garden & truck crops, pet foods, pets;
Landscape. Raccoons will roll-up turf and sod in search of worms and grubs. Damage can be quite extensive.
Trash Cans. Raccoon
in garbage.
Structures. Raccoons can damage shingles, fascia boards; Raccoon roof entry. Note how the raccoon removed asphalt shingles and wood sheeting to enter through the building's roof. Photo Credits: Kirk LaPierre, A1 Saver Services
raccoon
damage to wood soffit. Note how it looks torn out which is characteristic of raccoon activity. Squirrel damage would show gnaw damage. Photo Credits: Kirk
LaPierre, A1 Saver Services
Chimneys. Secure all chimneys with professionally manufactured chimney caps to prevent raccoon entry to chimneys. Capping also helps to protect the chimney crown and prevent other animals from entering the chimeny. Photo by Dallas Virchow.
Female raccoons have been repelled with coyote urine and professionally manufactured materials. These products work best to convince a mother raccoon to take her young elsewhere.
Otherwise, repellents are not effective on raccoons.
Trapping
Footholds. #1 Longspring, 1.5 coilspring
Bodygrips. 160's through 220's.
Cage Traps. 10x12x32 single door trap would be a minimum size. Cage trapped raccoons, that are released, are very difficult to capture again. Even if translocation is legal in your area, think long and hard about the wisdom of doing it.
Specialty traps. Egg trap, Little Griz, Duffer Trap
Raccoons are increasingly very comfortable around people making them an active vector of disease transmission to humans. Not this raccoon near door acting relatively tame. Photo Credits: Kevin Clark of Critter Control.
Scientific Name:
Procyon lotor 
Raccoon skull Description: Skunk (left) and raccoon also have large canine teeth. Photo Credits: Dallas Virchow
Raccoon fur Description: Can be long and thick during winter Photo Credits: Dallas Virchow
raccoon
damage to wood soffit. Note how it looks torn out which is characteristic of raccoon activity. Squirrel damage would show gnaw damage. Photo Credits: Kirk
LaPierre, A1 Saver Services 
Raccoons are increasingly very comfortable around people making them an active vector of disease transmission to humans. Not this raccoon near door acting relatively tame. Photo Credits: Kevin Clark of Critter Control. 
Ringtail
cat in cage. Description: shows Ringtail cat in cage trap--illustrates all raccoon family suseptible Photo Credits: Wes Patrick