Most critters want nothing to do with you. Your poke it till it leaves strategy is a sound one. Just don’t corner it and give it an easy way out. If it is an opposum they play dead which I am sure you are aware of. So if you spook it good it will lay there, then after awhile it will start moving again and take off.

I agree though that keeping it away might be the trickier part but I have no experience on that realm.

Earlier today I evicted a groundhog from my backyard so I feel your pain.