Pest control across Hutchinson County, TX
Hutchinson County takes in Borger, Stinnett, Fritch and the Canadian River breaks around Lake Meredith.Rough ground and shoreline bring snakes, skunks and raccoons up to homes and cabins. We drive out on SH-136 and answer 24/7.
County seat: StinnettPopulation 20,617
How do you deal with snakes and wildlife around Hutchinson County homes?
In Hutchinson County, snakes, skunks and raccoons come up from the canyon breaks and lake shore looking for shelter and food. We remove snakes from garages and sheds, check for the mice that drew them, take skunks and raccoons out of dens under homes and cabins, and seal crawlspaces and decks so the next animal can't move in.
Why the canyon breaks and Lake Meredith bring wildlife to Hutchinson County homes
Hutchinson County has about 20,617 people. Borger is the largest town, Stinnett is the county seat with its 1927 courthouse, and Fritch sits by the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area headquarters and Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument. ZIPs 79007, 79036 and 79083 cover the county, and SH-136 is how we get there from Amarillo.
The Canadian River breaks cut deep, rough country through the county, and Lake Meredith adds miles of shoreline. That is ideal ground for prairie rattlesnakes, which favor arid grassland and canyons, along with western diamondbacks, bullsnakes and coachwhips. Snakes follow mice and shelter, so a cabin with a woodpile, an open crawlspace and a few mice in the shed is an easy target. Local bites peak in July and August.
Mammals use the same ground. Raccoons den in barns and houses and have young in April and May. Striped skunks dig in under porches, sheds and pier-and-beam floors, breeding in February and March with young born in May. Lake cabins that sit empty for weeks give both animals time to settle in before anyone notices.
Telling a bullsnake from a rattlesnake in your Hutchinson County yard
Bullsnakes are common here, and they mimic rattlesnakes. They hiss loudly, flatten their heads and vibrate their tails in dry leaves, which can sound a lot like a rattle. Bullsnakes eat mice and are harmless to people. Rattlesnakes have a true rattle at the tail, a thick body and a broad, triangular head. Coachwhips are long, thin and fast, and usually flee.
From a distance it is hard to be sure, so don't get close. Keep kids and pets back, note where the snake goes, and call us. We remove the snake and look at why it came: mice in the garage, a gap under a shed, a rock border against the foundation. If the attraction stays, the next snake will find the same spot.
Pest problem in Hutchinson County?
Call and describe it. The phone is answered 24 hours a day.
What we do when wildlife moves in under a Hutchinson County home
Removal is only half the job; closing the entry is the other half.
Identify the animal
Tracks, droppings, odor and the size of the opening tell us whether it's a skunk, raccoon, snake or something else, and whether young may be inside.
Remove it the right way
We remove snakes by hand with tools, and use traps or one-way doors for mammals. Texas Parks and Wildlife rules limit where captured animals can be released, and moving live raccoons is illegal, so we follow those rules.
Check for young
In spring, we look for litters before sealing anything, so no animals are trapped inside to die and cause odor.
Seal the entry
Crawlspace vents, deck skirting and foundation gaps get closed with heavy wire, buried into the soil where animals dig.
Clean up attractants
We point out food, water, woodpiles and debris that drew the animal, and handle mice that may be feeding snakes.
Getting a Hutchinson County lake cabin ready for the season
Do these before you open the cabin each spring.
- Walk the cabin perimeter for fresh digging under decks, porches and the foundation.
- Check the crawlspace door and vents for bent or missing screens.
- Move woodpiles and lumber away from the cabin walls.
- Store trash and fishing bait in sealed containers that raccoons can't open.
- Clear tall grass and brush around the cabin to give snakes less cover.
- Look for droppings in drawers and closets that mice used over the winter.
Pest control services for Hutchinson County
Snake Removal
A snake coiled by the back door, in the garage or under the AC unit needs to be identified before anyone gets close.
Skunk Removal
A skunk denning under your porch, deck or shed brings odor, holes and a rabies concern for pets.
Raccoon Removal
Heavy thumping in the attic at night, a torn soffit or a chimney full of chatter usually means a raccoon has moved in.
Scorpion Control
Striped bark scorpions climb into attics, then drop into bedrooms and bathtubs when the summer heat builds.
Rodent Control
Droppings in a kitchen drawer or scratching in the attic at night usually mean house mice, and gnawed feed sacks in a barn often...
Dead Animal Removal
A sweet, rotten smell that gets worse every day usually means an animal died in a wall, attic or crawlspace.
Pest control questions from Hutchinson County
Which snakes are common near Lake Meredith in Hutchinson County?
Prairie rattlesnakes, western diamondbacks, bullsnakes and coachwhips are the snakes most people see around the lake and the Canadian River breaks. Bullsnakes are harmless and eat rodents but imitate rattlers. Bites peak in July and August. If you can't tell which one you're seeing, keep your distance and call us to remove it.
Can you remove a skunk from under my Hutchinson County cabin?
Yes. We confirm the skunk is there, check for young in spring, and remove it with a trap or one-way door. Then we close the opening with heavy wire buried into the soil so another skunk can't dig back in. Texas rules limit where captured skunks can be released, and we follow them.
How far are Borger and Fritch from your Amarillo office?
Borger is about 50 miles northeast of Amarillo and Fritch is about 35 miles away, both reached on SH-136, and we serve Stinnett too. We don't promise arrival times for these towns, but we answer 24/7, schedule the visit when you call, and same-day visits are often possible.