Use a flashlight directed at their entry point along with a small radio playing for three to four days to evict the animal. From early spring through summer, infants may be present. If the noise and lights do not cause a female raccoon to move her young, let her raise them until they are weaned at three months and vacate the den. Any repair work to the entry point must be sturdy to prevent re-entry. Chimneys are common den sites for female raccoons and their young.
Damage is minimal for the homeowner.
Wait until the young are able to climb out with the mother, and cap the chimney. A burrowing animal, the woodchuck can dig four feet down before it starts tunneling. If you wish to persuade a woodchuck to move, you will succeed most easily by acting early. Using ammonia-soaked rags can work with woodchucks if used with persistence. This procedure should not be used during the breeding season, April through June.