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Opossum Removal in Hattiesburg

Last reviewed September 8, 2026 against MDWFP published rules and federal statute. How we research this site.

Opossums are less destructive than raccoons but they den in the same places, and they are much harder to smell out until the mess is substantial.

Hattiesburg specifically

Pine straw, stacked firewood and the crawlspaces under older Pine Belt housing all make good opossum cover, and they are opportunists rather than engineers. Look for the opening something else made: a torn crawlspace screen, a missing access panel, a gap where a pier has settled.

Opossums in Forrest County: who does what

Hattiesburg’s animal control is a unit of the police department, and the ordinance it enforces is written around owned animals: running at large, restraint, and the responsibilities of an owner. An animal in your attic has no owner and falls outside that framework entirely. Mississippi handles nuisance wildlife through the state’s permitted operator system instead, which is a private, paid arrangement.

For identifying an animal or damage before anyone is paid to look, the MSU Extension, Forrest County office is at 952 Sullivan Drive, Hattiesburg, MS 39401, 601-545-6083 (office page).

What Mississippi law says about opossums

Opossums are not on Mississippi’s nuisance-animal list; they are hunted under a regulated season (2026-27: 1 to 31 October, then 1 November to 15 March with no limit). MDWFP keeps a list of permitted trappers rather than removing animals itself. All Mississippi rules →

Sources: MDWFP: nuisance wildlife; MDWFP: 2026-2027 hunting seasons; MDWFP: rabbit and squirrel damage management; City of Hattiesburg, Chapter 118, Animal Incidents and Control. Checked October 2026.

An opossum at a broken crawlspace access door
Illustrative Opossums use holes something else made.

Signs, and why they matter

  • Shuffling or dragging sounds under a deck, shed or porch at night
  • A strong, musty animal odour near a crawlspace vent
  • Droppings and a matted den area under decking
  • Heavy faecal accumulation in crawlspaces and under decks
  • Fleas, ticks and mites carried into the structure

How removal works

Trapping and removal, then exclusion fencing dug in along the deck or shed skirt so they cannot re-enter: opossums will simply move back in if the gap stays open.

Cut-away of a one-way exclusion door fitted over an entry hole A wall in cross-section with the attic on the left and outside on the right. A hinged flap is fitted over the entry hole on the outer face. An animal pushes the flap open from inside and leaves; the flap falls shut behind it, and a stop below prevents it opening inwards, so the animal cannot get back in. INSIDE: ATTIC OR CRAWLSPACE OUTSIDE WALL STOP: IT ONLY SWINGS OUT HINGED AT THE TOP OUT: ONE WAY AND NEVER BACK IN
A one-way door lets the animal leave and not return, which is why sealing the hole is the last step, not the first.

Opossum questions

How much does opossum removal cost in Hattiesburg?

$250 – $500 typical, depending on access and whether young are present. After a long stay in an attic the cleanup is often the bigger bill (attic restoration).

Is there a wrong time of year to deal with opossums?

Active year-round in the Southeast. Females carry young in a pouch, so removal timing matters less than with attic-denning species.

Request a quote

We read every request and pass it to a licensed wildlife operator covering Hattiesburg where one is available. We are still building our list of operators here, so we cannot promise one is available or say how quickly they will respond.

We are an information and referral service, not a licensed wildlife control operator, and we may be paid for the introduction. You are never charged.

Request a quote from a licensed Mississippi operator

Tell us what is in your house. We read every request and pass it to a licensed wildlife operator covering Hattiesburg where one is available. We are still building our list of operators here, so we cannot promise one is available or say how quickly they will respond.

Request a Quote