Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor) is in the Raccoons, Coatis, and Allies family (Procyonidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 137,067 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Common Raccoon: observations by month (U.S.)
About Common Raccoon
The raccoon (/rəˈkuːn/ or US: /ræˈkuːn/ ( listen), Procyon lotor), sometimes spelled racoon, also known as the common raccoon, North American raccoon, northern raccoon,and colloquially as coon, is a medium-sized mammal native to North America. The raccoon is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of 40 to 70 cm (16 to 28 in) and a body weight of 5 to 26 kg (11 to 57 lb). Its grayish coat mostly consists of dense underfur which insulates it against...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Common Raccoon by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 26,070 | April | Mar–Feb |
| California | 19,645 | October | Sep–Aug |
| Florida | 11,505 | March | Feb–Jan |
| New York | 5,426 | May | Jan–Oct |
| Ohio | 5,036 | May | Feb–Oct |
| North Carolina | 4,546 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Illinois | 4,254 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Virginia | 4,076 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Maryland | 3,924 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Washington | 3,900 | June | May–Apr |
| Pennsylvania | 3,710 | June | Jan–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 3,588 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Michigan | 2,844 | May | Mar–Oct |
| Oregon | 2,702 | June | May–Apr |
| Vermont | 2,311 | April | Jan–Nov |
| Missouri | 2,250 | April | Jan–Nov |
| Minnesota | 2,137 | June | Jan–Oct |
| Wisconsin | 1,926 | May | Mar–Oct |
| Tennessee | 1,889 | June | May–Apr |
| Louisiana | 1,886 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Georgia | 1,799 | March | Feb–Jan |
| New Jersey | 1,786 | May | Apr–Mar |
| Colorado | 1,755 | September | Mar–Nov |
| Indiana | 1,598 | May | Mar–Sep |
| Arkansas | 1,539 | May | Apr–Mar |
| Alabama | 1,487 | September | Aug–Jul |
| South Carolina | 1,358 | June | May–Apr |
| Connecticut | 1,139 | May | Jan–Nov |
| Arizona | 1,064 | September | Aug–Jul |
| New Mexico | 913 | September | Feb–Dec |
| Kentucky | 878 | June | Feb–Oct |
| Oklahoma | 878 | April | Mar–Nov |
| Iowa | 821 | May | Mar–Oct |
| Nebraska | 731 | May | Mar–Nov |
| Mississippi | 672 | October | Sep–Aug |
| Kansas | 668 | April | Feb–Nov |
| Utah | 668 | July | Jan–Nov |
| New Hampshire | 605 | May | Jan–Oct |
| West Virginia | 579 | June | Feb–Nov |
| Maine | 544 | June | Mar–Oct |
| Delaware | 425 | May | Jan–Oct |
| Rhode Island | 311 | June | Apr–Sep |
| District of Columbia | 268 | April | Jan–Nov |
| Montana | 248 | August | May–Oct |
| Idaho | 243 | July | Jan–Nov |
| Nevada | 203 | September | Aug–Jul |
| Wyoming | 103 | September | May–Oct |
| South Dakota | 96 | May | Mar–Sep |
| North Dakota | 63 | June | Apr–Nov |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related mammals (Raccoons, Coatis, and Allies)
Photography tips
- Keep a legal and safe distance: 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other large animals in national parks.
- Dawn and dusk are peak activity times for most mammals.
- Use your car as a blind on wildlife drives.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Common Raccoon?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to February.
Where is Common Raccoon most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, California, Florida.