Adult males usually occupy the largest areas and there is usually much overlap in the home ranges of adult males and females. There is much variation in raccoons' daily activity patterns both by individuals and by season. Raccoons arc typically active from about sunset to sunrise. Although raccoons are not considered to hibernate, families do congregate in winter dens to sleep through severe winter periods. They prepare for this period of winter sleep by storing fat on their bodies during the late summer and fall.
Raccoons have a variety of calls.
Their calls include hissing, barks and snorts which are uttered to express fear or as threat. In addition to these calls, raccoons may growl snarl and squeal. Although some raccoons have lived up to 16 years in the wild, research indicates that the average life span is about three to four years. The principal causes of mortality in raccoons are man, predators, malnutrition and subsequently diseases such as canine distemper and rabies. The list of reported raccoon predators in North Dakota includes bobcats, coyotes, foxes and great horned owls.