If there’s one thing you can count on a woodchuck to do, it’s burrow. 1 – Use a Trap. These devices transmit sonic waves through the ground, creating a noise and vibrations that irritate the groundhog. The trick to kicking them out is first closing the hole then installing a barrier so they can’t get under the porch again. These will only serve as hideouts for groundhogs. One woodchuck may turn away when it detects the vibrations from the device but the next won’t be so troubled. transfer your scent into the trap which is not ideal. Due to ammonia groundhogs come out from the burrow. Make the trap more inviting by camouflaging it Remember that the extensive burrow the groundhog has built — possibly over a period of years — is a hot commodity and another groundhog or other burrowing animal may want to take it as their own home in the future. Traps. Don’t leave piles of leaves or wood around the yard. The first step is installing fencing to protect your garden from groundhogs. ground level. Quickly cover the hole with the weighted bucket. Another option is installing an electric fence and reinforcing with L-brackets under the ground. While you are no longer required to inform a conservation officer within 3 days, you can’t keep the woodchuck trapped for more than 24 hours. Legal Traps to Get Rid of Groundhogs. Remove piles of debris, rocks and/or wood which can be used Rake regularly to keep your yard free of ripe fruits that might have fallen from trees. Groundhogs prefer to live in areas where open fields and meadows meet wooded areas. This section is a melting pot for different groundhog removal strategies. Still, groundhogs do have some plants they prefer. The most effective remedy to get rid of a groundhog denning under your shed or porch is by trapping and removing it. So I did some research. To evict the groundhog, cover all openings to the burrow except one then follow these easy steps for the best chances of success: An ultrasonic groundhog repeller may work in the short-term but it’s simply not a long-term solution. Some people wish to get rid of groundhogs in the most humane way possible, without killing them, while others just want to get rid of them quickly and efficiently. sufficient cover. Do you have fruit trees or a thriving vegetable garden on your property? If you have groundhogs invading your property and have tried to get rid them, you know that it is almost impossible to do. These animals don't like vibrations and will move if their home is … Here are some cheap plants you can add strategically around your home to lure groundhogs away from your prized plantings, shed, and home. These large tunnels aren’t visible from the surface unless they collapse but they’re large enough to break a tractor axle and damage surrounding structures. Step By Step Instructions. These repellents are not very effective and they wear off quickly and have to be reapplied every few days. Get Rid Of Groundhogs Under Deck. Groundhogs are often opportunists when it comes to choosing a nesting spot, and while their dens do have an extensive range of tunnels and escape routes, they will often use a cavity that is already present as the base for this den. Shock! For instance, pet cat’s paws knead when happy, or often, if they’re truly worried. They have brown fur which may range from light to dark brown with a round body and bushy tail. Sometimes the best or only solution for a groundhog is trapping it. These large rodents can reach up to 12 pounds and they’re found across the eastern and central U.S. and into Canada. It’s something extremely extensive and also various, nonetheless, to actually get inside How To Get Rid Of Groundhogs Under House that notion and recognize with ease, absolutely, just what that suggests. The use of fencing around gardens and other small areas can sometimes help reduce groundhog damage and act as a groundhog deterrent. I say “questionable” because a majority of the groundhog repellents on the market have almost no scientific evidence or research behind them to back up their claims—most of it is anecdotal or testimonial evidence. In my free time, I enjoy traveling and going to as many metal concerts as possible. This kit is DIY friendly and allows you to build your own short chicken wire fence and electrify it by running the aluminum wire around the base. Get a pet. Better yet, clear such areas altogether and start a new garden. This will encourage the creatures to comfortably enter the trap. Another humane answer to the how to get rid of groundhogs question is sonic groundhog repellers. Groundhogs tend to burrow in places that provide We waited until we knew he was out of his den, then filled in his hole (the only entrance we ever found) with rocks; then covered it with a large piece of chicken wire, secured in place with heavy rocks. groundhog can simply roll over and escape. How to Get Rid of Groundhogs. Getting Rid of Groundhogs with Fencing. If you have plenty of land and don’t mind sharing some with groundhogs — or you live close to a wooded area and just want the groundhogs a bit farther away — a possible solution may be planting the woodchucks a garden of their own away from your own. We are going to pour a mixture of sand and portland cement to fill the holes. This is one of the worst places to have woodchuck activity as their burrowing can damage the structural integrity of your deck or foundation. You see evidence of many tunnels or openings. If the trap is not stable, the Gardeners do not have to just accept the havoc that a groundhog, or several of them, can wreak on all their hard work. Groundhog Control: How To Get Rid of Groundhogs. Practice placing the gas cartridge in the burrow opening a few times to make sure you have good clearance. You hear distinctive groundhog sounds. This ensures that the groundhog can’t simply back If you can’t build a fence around your garden and woodchucks are a concern, there are a few other options to consider: What’s one of a groundhog’s favorite places to hideout? Fencing is one of the most effective solutions to keep out a variety of pests — but it’s also one of the most expensive. Getting rid of groundhogs | Groundhogs Are you worried seeing big burrows, marks of claws on fruit trees and ripped plantations in your garden or yard? Epsom salts sprinkled near a burrow entrance and around tasty garden plants also keeps groundhogs at bay. Try these helpful tips to rid your yard of your groundhog problem and do so with a clear conscience. Groundhogs can get through a fence by climbing or burrowing — they’re great at both. Their abandoned burrows can become homes for other wildlife, such as foxes, skunks, and rabbits. The sand will seek the lowest point and the cement will harden. Most substances that kill rats are strong enough to act as groundhog poison. L-footer style fencing is the most effective barrier against burrowing pests like woodchucks and it’s essentially wire mesh that extends away from the fence under the ground in an L shape. Get Rid of Groundhogs Without Fumigation 1.) Handle the trap carefully when relocating the groundhog by covering the trap with a cloth and wearing heavy-duty gloves. There are a couple of options for protecting your garden with a groundhog-proof fence. This can be a sign of scent marking or areas where the groundhog was chewing to wear down their incisors. Stay on Top of Mowing and Trimming Shrubs. In fact, the average groundhog can dig up more than 700 pounds of dirt just to make one den. You’ll notice groundhog activity between spring and fall when they are active during the day, especially in the early morning and evening when they’re busy gathering food. This will allow the mammal to stay trapped while you safely take it somewhere else. Make Your Garden Less Attractive to Groundhogs. How To Get Rid Of A Groundhog. Wear gloves while adding the bait and handling the trap to avoid transferring your scent. Read an article about Why do groundhogs hibernate? Make it a habit to trim back plants that They provide food for predators, including hawks, owls, coyotes, and eagles. Trapping and relocation will get rid of the groundhog without hurting either party and you can even have a professional take care of it for you. Groundhogs don’t like the smell of ammonia. One potentially permanent solution is to gas the groundhog out. The use of groundhog repellents as a way to get rid of groundhogs is questionable but a non-lethal tactic worth trying. So, what’s the big deal with a groundhog or two living on your property? The last thing a groundhog wants is wet or saturated soil which makes it almost impossible for them to create the extensive tunnel system they need. Eliminating cover around your yard probably won’t be enough to encourage a groundhog to move on if it’s already built a comfortable home near food — but it definitely makes your property less appealing to groundhogs. This option means you won’t have a high, ugly fence over your garden and you’ll still have protection from burrowing. Here’s how to get rid of groundhogs in your yard safely and quickly. The majority of these will be preventative, as this will avoid the need to having to trap and get rid of the pests in the first place. Build a simple box house to invite Owls to nest in your yard. 1. A good option for electrifying a fence around your garden is the Patriot PE2 electric fence. During the spring, you may see a groundhog slipping under your deck, porch, or shed but not emerging as they’re entering their extensive tunnel system. Trapping to relocate or exterminate the pest is an option in some states during specific seasons. You may notice teeth marks around 1/2″ wide on plants, low tree branches, and wood as well as hollowed or damaged vegetables and fruits. Groundhogs can cause extensive damage thanks to their non-stop tunneling behavior. Groundhogs can be quite determined so make sure You will need to check the laws regarding trapping, killing, and relocating groundhogs in your … Groundhogs, unlike their squirrel cousins and other rodents, don’t spread disease and they’re only active for part of the year. If you live in the Rockies, as I do, and are reading this for any hints to get rid of ground squirrels, as I am, be aware: Every few years someone in Colorado dies of Bubonic Plague or of another rodent born disease, Hanta Virus. Fumigation and shooting are options best reserved for rural settings. Answered. Way of Approach. And once a groundhog gives birth, you'll have more groundhogs on your property to control. The local feed and seed felt so bad for me they gave me more toxic bombs for free. You can also make L-footers yourself with fencing material and wire mesh. For example, Indiana law allows homeowners and renters to trap woodchucks legally if the animal is causing damage to the property. The program pays this website advertising fees for products purchased after users click the links to Amazon. Here are the steps to take to make your lawn and garden inhospitable to woodchucks and force them to move on to a new home. In most cases, the first choice of any homeowner is to get rid of a groundhog. Each exit is about 12 inches wide with a mound of excavated dirt. Ready to evict a groundhog from your property? There are probably more than one and maybe up to half a dozen, depending on the size of the burrow and how long the groundhog has been living in your yard. When you want to know how to get rid of groundhogs in your yard, you’ll probably hear or see ultrasonic repellers that can be staked into the ground. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. They eat a varied plant-based diet, consuming everything from apples, carrots, and garden vegetables to dandelions, flowers, and tree bark. If you can’t keep sprinklers on for an hour or more a day, the next-best solution is thoroughly soaking areas that might appeal to groundhogs. In their search for their nest, groundhogs almost destroy mine. This is one of the most affordable and easy solutions as you can buy Scotts clover lawn or ground cover which will establish itself quickly away from your garden. Other gardeners should consider these control solutions: Prevention ; Scaring and repelling groundhogs; Fencing and floating row covers; Trapping; Preventing Groundhog Infestations . If you’re already planning to fence your yard or you want to give your existing fence some work to exclude groundhogs, there are several steps you can take. It’s … However, they are excellent climbers, easily crawling over top of fences with ease. The success of these devices also varies a great deal from one animal to the next. How to Get Rid of Groundhogs. To use the ultrasonic ground stakes with best results, make sure they’re installed no further than 100 feet apart in areas prone to groundhogs — but with plenty of sunlight if you use a solar-powered device. Essential Commodities. For this reason, you should close the existing ground hog pest control tunnels with rocks. How to Get Rid of Groundhogs Naturally. Clear your yard of food. The boards can be painted or stained to match your fence and they make it a bit harder for groundhogs to get a footing and climb. How can I get rid of a groundhog under my deck? Feline’s feet serve items and also not just for walking and also body assistance. Once the groundhog is trapped, remember that it’s very frightening and may try to bite or lash out. Live trapping and relocation places the groundhog in an unfamiliar area where they won’t know where to find food, water, and shelter. A fence is one of the best ways to prevent groundhogs from burrowing into your yard. This leads the groundhogs to become uncomfortable without hurting them. These ultrasonic pest control devices claim to chase away moles, gophers, groundhogs, and other burrowing animals but the truth isn’t so simple. Use a repellent. Get rid of piles of dirt from your yard and trim any overgrown grass or plants in your yard. by groundhogs for shelter. You are here to learn how to get rid of groundhogs or woodchucks in garden or yard. You can simply excavate each opening of the burrow a bit to close the entrance with half-inch hardware cloth or aluminum screening. Unlike some rodents, you can have a groundhog problem without ever seeing the animals as woodchucks spend most of their time in their burrows underground. A live groundhog can be relocated a few miles away without worry of it returning. Related Article: 7 Best Ways to Get Rid of Moles. There are different live traps available, but most follow the same rules for use. Make sure that the cage is made of a strong material such as a sturdy wire mesh so that the groundhog can’t chew through it. If you wait too long, you won’t have another chance until next year. Woodchucks make very distinctive noises. As soon as you light the fuse, hold your breath and place the cartridge in the burrow opening. Female groundhogs give birth to litters of three to five pups. Set the trap up near one of the groundhog’s burrow openings or an area they frequently search for food like the garden. Physicists have been saying for decades, How To Get Rid Of Groundhogs Under House perhaps centuries, and mystics for years that everything is made of energy. This site provides many groundhog control articles and strategies, if you wish to attempt to solve the problem yourself. In addition to raiding your garden, their tunnels can collapse in your yard and they can even cause structural damage to your home, shed, walkways, and fencing. Because groundhogs hibernate deep underground for the winter, the best time to exclude or evict groundhogs from your yard is the middle to end of summer. TOP-4 Best Products To Get Rid Of Groundhogs. You may hire or buy a live trap as they are readily available. Stand behind the cage and manipulate the door mechanism, allowing the groundhog to run straight out and away from you. How I got rid of groundhogs under the shed. Groundhogs sometimes den in crawlspaces, so it is important to inspect the outside of the home for access points, such as broken vent covers or holes in the foundation. Ranging from 6 to 12 pounds, groundhogs get around 20 inches long with a 6-inch tail. Your fence produces brand-new living space. Make sure that your trap is stable and secure by Ripe fruits and vegetables are at the most risk of attracting rodents and being stolen. As a bonus, many of these plants can be harvested by you — if there’s anything left after the groundhogs have their share! There you have them, effective control methods to get rid of groundhogs and to keep them away for good. You can use an expanding tunnel fill product or hardware cloth to close the hole under your deck. The next step is filling the groundhog holes. You have worn or gnawed trees and siding. We have used gas bombs to get rid of the groundhogs under porch. As you can see, there are various ways in which you can get rid of groundhogs. groundhogs may eat or use for cover. After mid-July, you can evict the groundhog with the methods above or stuff garlic oil or clove oil-soaked rags into every hole. Because you have just seconds to cover the hole, the best thing to do is add some rocks to a large bucket and keep it right by the burrow entrance. Pick fruits and vegetables as soon as they ripen and rake up any pieces that have dropped or have begun to rot. If you decide to relocate the woodchuck you need permission from the landowner (even for public land) and the woodchuck must be released in the same county. Install a Fence. Learn how to get rid of groundhogs (aka, woodchucks) and read interesting woodchuck facts. One of the best ways to get rid of groundhogs is to find them another place to live. The first option is using chicken wire that’s 6′ high and installed with 5-foot posts. Repelling a large, hungry rodent isn't always enough to get rid of it permanently. Groundhogs are territorial rodents and if there was a groundhog living in your yard at one point, there is a good shot that a new one will move in eventually. You may need to trap the groundhog if it’s burrowing close to your home or under your deck where it can cause serious damage or pose a risk to you and your family. Related Article: Do Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Work. To get rid of a groundhog in the garden, you need to decide if you want to trap the animal alive or dead. You may notice results initially but ultrasonic devices won’t keep groundhogs away for long without other methods. attractive to groundhogs since they can gnaw and grind their teeth on them. There may be specific rules you need to follow when it comes to trapping and releasing the woodchuck, however. Pick vegetables and fruits as soon as they’re ripe and don’t allow them to rot on the ground. You see signs of digging near a porch or shed. If you can’t build a fence around your garden and woodchucks are a concern, there are a few other options to consider: Add plants that repel woodchucks. Below, you will find the TOP-4 best products that will allow you to get rid of groundhogs. Once a groundhog enters gestation, it will be difficult to repel her. The use of live traps to catch and relocate groundhogs is popular and it is known to be very effective. All you will need is bait and trap to lure the groundhog and then get rid of it. The good news is there are several ways to get rid of groundhogs in a garden and it all begins with fencing. these crops as soon as possible. Get Rid of Groundhogs. The fence should penetrate the ground at least a What Is a Groundhog? Frustrated by groundhog damage to your garden? Use an Ultrasonic Groundhog Repellent, 12. As an animal that hibernates, groundhogs are known to store fat as winter approaches. Make sure you use galvanized steel mesh that’s installed well below ground level to keep the woodchuck from burrowing back under the deck. The downside is that you run the risk of potential injury to yourself or the animal. Smoke them out. Once a groundhog has gone to the trouble of creating its burrow and it has access to food, it’s unlikely to move even in the face of annoying vibrations. You can make your fence more secure by digging a small ditch under your fence and positioning these boards partially below the surface of the ground. When you’re ready to release the groundhog, place the trap on level ground with the door facing away from you. Groundhog Repellents. This product, which resembles pellets,  is an absorbing material that expands to many times the original size when it’s combined with water. The Groundhog is a rodent. Affiliate Disclosure. Create Vibrations in the Ground. 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