Raccoons are Massachusetts’ fifth most-recorded mammal, and the record leans toward wetland refuges close to people, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge’s Concord River marshes, the woods ringing Walden Pond, and the reservoirs and rocky summits of Blue Hills Reservation. That combination of water, cover, and easy access to houses and trash is exactly the mix raccoons exploit best.
Reports climb into a clear April and May peak, when females are raising newborn kits and both parents forage more widely to keep up with the demand. The count drops off gradually through the rest of the year rather than falling sharply, matching a species that stays active through mild New England winters instead of denning up for good.
