House mice
Small, gray-brown and able to slip through a gap about the width of a pencil. They nest in kitchens, wall voids and stored boxes, and a few can turn into dozens over one winter.
Urgent? Phones answered 24/7
Rat and Mouse Control in Hawkins
Trapping and entry-point sealing for house mice, roof rats and Norway rats in homes, barns and feed rooms around Hawkins.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Licensed local partner
- Price approved before treatment
- Written report every visit
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (281) 326-6212. Or send this and we call you back.
Rodent Control
Rodent Control: what it covers
Quick answer
Rodent control in Hawkins means trapping the mice or rats already inside and sealing the gaps they used, so new ones cannot follow. A licensed local partner inspects the attic, crawlspace, garage and outbuildings, prices the job before starting, and comes back to check traps. Calls are answered 24/7 across Wood County.
The first real cold front of fall is the starting gun. Once it blows through, house mice, roof rats and Norway rats leave the fields, woodpiles and pine thickets around Hawkins and follow the warm air leaking out of houses, barns and feed rooms. By the first frost, plenty of homes have something scratching in the attic.
Poison alone rarely ends it. A rodent that eats bait in a wall dies in the wall, and the smell hangs around for weeks. Trapping removes the animals you have; sealing the entry points keeps the next ones out.
- Service area
- Hawkins & Wood County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7, emergencies first
- Typical cost
- $275–$1,100 (estimate)
- Phone
- (281) 326-6212
How do mice and rats get into Hawkins homes?
Most get in low or high. Down low, they use gaps around plumbing and AC lines, crawlspace vents, manufactured-home skirting and worn garage door seals. Up high, roof rats climb pines, fences and power lines to reach gaps at the eaves, roof vents and the chimney. A mouse needs only a pencil-sized hole.
Older pier-and-beam houses in town and manufactured homes on rural tracts are the hardest to seal, because a whole floor system sits open to the crawlspace. Slab homes are easier, but weep holes, dryer vents and the corners of the garage door still need a look.
Why do rodents show up in the fall around Hawkins?
Rodents move indoors in Wood County as the first fall cold fronts push through, fields are cut and nights turn cold. Houses, barns and feed rooms offer warmth, food and nesting material all in one place. Sealing gaps in late summer, before that first front, usually costs less than trapping an established family later.
The East Texas pest calendar marks this fall push along with spiders and lady beetles. If you heard scratching last winter, the openings are probably still there.
How are rats handled in a barn or feed room?
Barns and feed rooms are treated as their own job. The technician traps along walls and rafters, keeps any bait in locked stations where livestock, dogs and barn cats cannot reach it, and points out where feed and dog food need metal cans with tight lids. Sealing a barn completely is rarely possible, so control focuses on food.
Feed stores, shops and small businesses along US 80 can go on a monthly commercial pest control plan instead, which keeps stations serviced on a schedule and logged in writing.
Is it safe to clean up mouse droppings?
Clean droppings carefully. The CDC advises against sweeping or vacuuming them dry, because dust from rodent urine and droppings can carry hantavirus. Air out the space, wear gloves, spray droppings and nests with a disinfectant or bleach solution, let it soak, then wipe up with paper towels and bag everything.
Take extra care in closed-up spaces like barns, sheds, deer camps and lake houses that sat shut all winter. Open doors and windows for a while before cleaning, and wash your hands well afterward.
Warning signs
Signs you need rodent control
Do not toss loose rodent poison into attics, crawlspaces or barns. Pets, barn cats, owls and hawks can be poisoned by eating the bait or a poisoned rodent, and rodents that die in walls leave an odor that lasts for weeks.
- Scratching or running sounds in the attic or walls at night
- Droppings in kitchen drawers, under the sink or along garage walls
- Chewed feed sacks, dog food bags or deer corn in the barn or shop
- Gnawed wiring, AC line insulation or plastic pipe under the house
- Greasy rub marks along beams, pipes or the edge of a hole
- Nests of shredded insulation, paper or fabric in stored boxes
- A dog or cat staring at, or pawing at, one spot on a wall or cabinet
Our process
How our rodent control visit works
Inspection inside and out
The technician checks the attic, crawlspace, garage, kitchen and outbuildings for droppings, runways and gnaw marks, then walks the outside looking for gaps around plumbing, AC lines, vents, eaves and the roofline.
Plan and price
You get a price for trapping and sealing based on how many openings there are and how hard they are to reach. You approve it before work begins.
Trapping
Traps go along runways in the attic, crawlspace and garage, set where kids and pets cannot reach them. Outside, any bait stays in locked, tamper-resistant stations.
Sealing entry points
Gaps are closed with materials rodents have a hard time chewing, such as hardware cloth, sheet metal, copper or steel mesh and sealant, sized to each opening.
Follow-up checks
Return visits to check traps, remove catches and confirm activity has stopped are part of the plan. Each visit ends with a written service report.
Options
Types and options for rodent control
Roof rats
Slender, dark climbers that run power lines, fences and pine limbs up to the roof. Around Hawkins, they are a common culprit in attics, especially where trees hang over the house.
Norway rats
Heavier burrowing rats that live at ground level: under slabs, in crawlspaces, and around barns, chicken coops and feed rooms. They dig along foundations and under stored hay or lumber.
Job stories
Typical jobs for rodent control
Mice in the feed room and metal shop on a property near Winona
- What homeowners notice
- Soon after the first cold front of fall, a landowner near Winona finds chewed feed sacks, droppings across the shop workbench and a nest tucked into a stored mower's seat. Wiring under the hood of a parked truck has been gnawed as well.
- What we do
- The technician walks the barn, feed room and shop, sets traps along walls, shelves and rafters, and closes gaps at door bottoms, pipe openings and the base of the metal siding using galvanized mesh and metal flashing. Moving feed into lidded metal cans is recommended to cut off the food supply.
- What to expect
- Catches usually drop within a few weeks as the sealed openings keep new mice from moving in, and every follow-up check is recorded on the written report.
Cost
How much does rodent control cost in Hawkins?
Most of the cost is labor: finding and sealing every gap. A tight brick house with two openings costs far less than an older pier-and-beam home or a barn with open eaves.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Rodent control: trapping + entry-point sealing | $275–$1,100 | Traps, follow-up checks and sealing |
| After-hours / emergency fee | $50–$150 | Only if you ask for a night or weekend visit |
| Commercial pest plan (per month) | $65–$225 | Feed stores, shops and restaurants on a monthly plan |
| One-time general pest treatment (inside + outside) | $150–$275 | For roaches or spiders found during the rodent visit |
2026 estimates for Wood County properties. Barns, shops and large crawlspaces are priced after the inspection, and no trap is set or gap sealed until you approve the price.
Still stuck? We pick up 24/7.
If it's an emergency, call now. For non-urgent rodent control, send the form and we'll call you back.
Wood County
Why rodent control is different in East Texas
Rural life around Hawkins feeds rodents well. Deer corn, chicken feed, horse feed and dog food stored in sacks are easy meals, and barns, shops and well houses give shelter. A property with tight food storage has a much easier time keeping numbers down.
Tall pines and oaks crowd many homes here, and their limbs give roof rats a highway to the roof. Trimming limbs back several feet from the roofline is one of the cheapest fixes there is. Lake houses near Lake Hawkins and cabins that sit empty for weeks are prone to nests in closets, drawers and boat storage.
Out toward Hainesville and the farm country along FM 49, older farmhouses and outbuildings with open eaves tend to see steady rodent pressure all winter. On those places, sealing focuses on the living space, while outbuildings get trapping and stations.
Related
Related services
Pest Control
Quarterly or one-time pest control for Hawkins-area homes, from town lots off US 80 to lake houses and acreage.
Commercial Pest Control
Scheduled pest service for restaurants, churches, schools, RV parks, farm stores and offices, with a written report every visit.
Termite Inspection
Yearly termite checks and wood-destroying insect (WDI) reports for buying, selling or refinancing a home near Hawkins.
Cockroach Control
German roach cleanouts and outdoor roach work for Hawkins homes, lake houses and barns, priced before any treatment.
Where we work
Rodent Control across Wood County
- Rodent Control in Lake Hawkins
- Rodent Control in Big Sandy
- Rodent Control in Fouke
- Rodent Control in Red Springs
- Rodent Control in Crow
- Rodent Control in Winona
- Rodent Control in Holly Lake Ranch
- Rodent Control in Sand Flat
- Rodent Control in Starrville
- Rodent Control in Pritchett
- Rodent Control in Owentown
- Rodent Control in Hoard
- Rodent Control in Shady Grove
- Rodent Control in Pine Mills
- Rodent Control in Rhonesboro
- Rodent Control in Hainesville
- Rodent Control in New Hope
- Rodent Control in Lindale
- Rodent Control in Little Hope
- Rodent Control in Pine Springs
- Rodent Control in Wood Springs
- Rodent Control in Swan
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
Termites in Pier-and-Beam Homes Around Hawkins: Signs, Fixes and Treatment
Pier-and-beam houses around Hawkins give eastern subterranean termites an easy route: mud tubes up brick or concrete piers, damp soil in the crawlspace and wood that touches dirt.
FAQ
Rodent Control FAQs
How long does it take to get rid of mice?
A light mouse problem in a well-sealed house often settles down within a couple of weeks of trapping. Heavier infestations, rats in the attic, or houses with many openings take longer. The follow-up checks tell you when activity has truly stopped.
Is poison used inside the house?
Usually not. Indoors, traps are the better tool because they remove the animal and avoid dead rodents in the walls. Bait, when it is used, goes outdoors in locked, tamper-resistant stations according to the label.
Can rats damage my truck or tractor?
Yes. Rodents nest under the hoods of vehicles and equipment that sit for a while, and they chew wiring. Barn-stored tractors, mowers and boats are frequent targets in fall and winter, so trapping in the barn and storing feed properly both help.
Will sealing my house trap rodents inside?
That is why trapping comes first or happens alongside sealing. The technician closes most openings, traps along the main runway, and seals the last gaps once activity stops. Sealing everything on day one without trapping can leave animals stuck in the walls.
Do I need regular pest control after the rodents are gone?
Not always, but the gaps rodents use also let in roaches, spiders and scorpions. Many homeowners add quarterly pest control once the house is sealed, so the technician can watch for fresh gnaw marks on each visit.