Winter is here, protect your home from some uninvited guests. Raccoons, squirrels, bats, and chimney swifts are wild animals that want to take up residence in household chimneys, and sometimes end up in the living room. Keep backyard wildlife in the backyard by screening off all access to your chimney or woodstove flue.

Learn more about how to prevent wildlife from getting too comfortable in your home with these helpful resources at wildohio.gov

Jamey Emmert, a native of southeast Ohio, serves as a Wildlife Communications Specialist for the ODNR Division of Wildlife’s NE Ohio district and is stationed in Akron. After graduating from Hocking College with an Associate Degree in Wildlife Management, she began her career with the Division in 2003. Jamey’s responsibilities vary greatly and include serving as a liaison between the Division and the news media, conducting informational workshops and programs connecting Ohioans with the outdoors, creating educational exhibits at various events, and partnering with educators who want to provide educational experiences to others regarding conservation of our natural resources. In her spare time, Jamey enjoys traveling, deer hunting, fishing for anything with gills, searching fields for ancient artifacts, gardening, and birding all in between coats of pink nail polish. You’ll likely find her outdoors and at any given moment next to her husband, Greg, and canine companion, Sophie.