# How do I get rid of a ground hog?



## Vortex (Jun 1, 2006)

I have one that loves the flowers and shrubs and vegetables we grow.  I have 3 cats so I'm concerned about not hurting them and guns are not feasible in my neighborhood.  I keep filling the holes he digs under my fences, but its war and he has been winning for the last 2 years.:smash:   Inspired by 2knees battle.


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## JimG. (Jun 1, 2006)

Bob R said:
			
		

> I have one that loves the flowers and shrubs and vegetables we grow.  I have 3 cats so I'm concerned about not hurting them and guns are not feasible in my neighborhood.  I keep filling the holes he digs under my fences, but its war and he has been winning for the last 2 years.:smash:   Inspired by 2knees battle.



Call a critter control company. Tell them about your pets and any aversions you may have to certain treatments like poison or traps.

Then leave the house with your family and don't ask questions. 

I had 2 groundhog families when we moved in 3 years ago and for the last 2 years we haven't had any groundhogs. Whatever my critter control guy did it worked, and I don't need to know the details.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 1, 2006)

Easy if you are in VT:  Shot gun.  :wink:

Otherwise, mothballs?  

I'd have to second pest control.


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## Greg (Jun 1, 2006)

thetrailboss said:
			
		

> Easy if you are in VT:  Shot gun.  :wink:


I was gonna say .22 caliber...


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## Vortex (Jun 1, 2006)

I did not know there were control companies.  I'll check da phone book.  Its a start thankx Jim.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 1, 2006)

Greg said:
			
		

> I was gonna say .22 caliber...



Gotta have more power!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





5,700 posts 

Back to work.


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## Greg (Jun 1, 2006)

thetrailboss said:
			
		

> Gotta have more power!


Nahhh... If you're a good shot, a hollow point to the head will take him out. Gotta make it somewhat of a challenge...


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## roark (Jun 1, 2006)

Heh, I've got one too. Wife thinks it's cute and has named it ('Chuck' of course).


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## jack97 (Jun 1, 2006)

Greg said:
			
		

> Nahhh... If you're a good shot, a hollow point to the head will take him out. Gotta make it somewhat of a challenge...




We had several families of chipmunks living in dry wells that I never bother up rooting. I have a wife and daughter that would never forgive me if I used a pellet gun or poison.

I ended up using a live trap, it took me about half a month to get them out of the area. 

http://www.havahart.com/nuisance/groundhogs/groundhog_solutions.asp


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## Vortex (Jun 1, 2006)

Great linc jack97.  I sent it home and will look tonight.  Cool.  Thankx


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## ChileMass (Jun 1, 2006)

About 10 years ago I paid a pest control outfit $55 to trap and take away a pesky skunk that was hanging around, but never again.  I bought a medium sized Havahart trap and have taken away a few woodchucks and possums since.  The animal doesn't die, it's easy, and it's cheaper in the long run.  We baited the trap with lettuce and peanut butter.  When the animal goes in the unit, you just throw an old sheet over the trap so the animal doesn't see what's going on and get spooked, throw it in the back of the car and head for some woods out in the sticks.  It's pretty funny to see how fast a woodchuck can move when you let him loose.  Realize that technically it's illegal to move an animal yourself, at least I'm pretty sure it is in Mass......


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## YardSaleDad (Jun 1, 2006)

Anyone else notice the deafening silence from the one member who used a famous gopher hunter as his avatar?


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## ski_resort_observer (Jun 1, 2006)

They are a pain...had to fence my garden. A Good Heart trap works well.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 1, 2006)

ChileMass said:
			
		

> Realize that technically it's illegal to move an animal yourself, at least I'm pretty sure it is in Mass......



There are lots of things that are illegal in Massachusetts :roll:


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## Chris I (Jun 1, 2006)

Pour some gas down each one of the holes in your yard.  Wait a few minutes for the fumes to spread through the tunnels.  Light a match and your problem is gone.  A guy down the street from me used to have to do it every year.

I know gas is expensive, but it's worth it, you get a little dose of 4th of July!


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## andyzee (Jun 1, 2006)

Watch Caddyshack, plenty of good pointers in that flick.


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## ChileMass (Jun 1, 2006)

andyzee said:
			
		

> Watch Caddyshack, plenty of good pointers in that flick.



Which brings us back around to our silent friend..........


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## skidbump (Jun 1, 2006)

i have a friend who made a silencer for his 22 and will shoot anything that crosses onto his property"he will eat the deer" but raccoon,oposum,skunk,fox he wont think twice...set up a shelf and a sand bag outside second floor bathroom..not a sound...lives in a pretty populated area in dutchess county....I have one woodchuck and i keep tryin to pop him with my crossman pumped 20 times with pellet...wanna wound him and hope it dies from said wound...not working


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## dmc (Jun 1, 2006)

Some native americans would plant the first row in the garden for the animals...


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## skijay (Jun 1, 2006)

If you go to your Agway store, ask for "fox urine" in granular form.  I do not have any left or I would give you the brand name.  It worked for me.  Smells kind of nasty though.


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## Plowboy (Jun 2, 2006)

Try a farm store. They used to make smoke bombs, don't know of they still do though. Pull top, put in hole, look for smoke coming out of other holes, fill all holes with dirt and bye, bye "chuck".


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## Sparky (Jun 2, 2006)

Get a dog.


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## BeanoNYC (Jun 3, 2006)

please don't kill it


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## ckofer (Jun 3, 2006)

Hey, the 4th of July is soon. There must be a store in Seabrook with all the firepower you need to finish the job. In fact, if you can hold the project off till the 4th, nobody will notice.

Or you can borrow my havahart trap that I bought to capture the cat I was watching for my mother while she travelled but let out anyhow.


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## riverc0il (Jun 4, 2006)

andyzee said:
			
		

> Watch Caddyshack, plenty of good pointers in that flick.


i figured marc would have popped into this discussion for sure with some pointers!


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## Vortex (Jun 5, 2006)

Lots of good ideas.  I'll buy a trap I think.  Thankx


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## ckofer (Jun 5, 2006)

Bob R said:
			
		

> Lots of good ideas.  I'll buy a trap I think.  Thankx



I have one that you can borrow. Works for cats too. If lived in Nashua, I'd leave it in Hudson.


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## tree_skier (Jun 5, 2006)

The bomb method works great, you should be able to get one at any farm store. Make sure the critter is in the hole. Light bomb drop it in the hole fill hole with dirt look for second hole (smoke will give it away) fill it with dirt.  

Second method is car exhust.  Tape garden hose to exhust pipe and put down hole, fill with dirt, look for second hole and fill with dirt run car for 1/2 to 1 hour

problem solved


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## Vortex (Jun 5, 2006)

Dave thats just funny Dave.  I can see you hitching up the hose as I speak.  Priceless.  Thankx.


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## dmc (Jun 5, 2006)

BeanoNYC said:
			
		

> please don't kill it




Exactly...  Why can't you learn to live with it?
There must be better alternatives then killing the poor thing...   I think it's important to learn to exist with the critters that live outside..  Unless they are threatining your existence...  Then you gotta get rid of them...

Nothing worse then a bunch of guys get all pumped up talking about killing animals...


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## Vortex (Jun 5, 2006)

I had no plan on killing it just keeping my flowers and garden,  ckofer had offered me his cage so we are cool.


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## tree_skier (Jun 5, 2006)

Bob who do you plan on giving the large rodent to.  I am sure they will be pleased to have it.  Plus take it far far away as it has found a nice home in your garden and will likely return.

Growing up on a farm I used both the lead and the gas (both auto and bomb) solutions.  The lead is more fun but the gas is more effective.  They used to make better bombs thru the 70's but the damn envioremntalists got the good ones banned.


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## Vortex (Jun 5, 2006)

Dave back to therapy.


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## ski_resort_observer (Jun 5, 2006)

andyzee said:
			
		

> Watch Caddyshack, plenty of good pointers in that flick.



That's too funny!!!!!!


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## tree_skier (Jun 5, 2006)

Bob you still didn't say who you are giving the nice loveable critter to.


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## andyzee (Jun 5, 2006)

Bob, in one of the ads that are now popping up in this thread you have http://www.critter-repellent.com/groundhog/groundhog-repellent.php?source=GoogleAW


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## hammer (Jun 5, 2006)

Can gophers catch rabies?

That's one thing that makes me nervous about any wild animals I see in the neighborhood...


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## JimG. (Jun 5, 2006)

This has been my favorite thread since I stopped skiing...keep up the good work.


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## tree_skier (Jun 5, 2006)

hammer said:
			
		

> Can gophers catch rabies?
> 
> That's one thing that makes me nervous about any wild animals I see in the neighborhood...



Yes


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## Greg (Jun 5, 2006)

*KILL *the little bastard! :angry: 


















....kidding.


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## ski_resort_observer (Jun 5, 2006)

The only way your going to get rabies from a gopher/groundhog is to pick one up and try to kiss it. :lol: Seriously, although it's possible I have never heard of someone being attacked by one of these cute but annoying critters. Regarding your pets you just have to use common sense.

As myself and others have mentioned traps can work well. If you have an outside cat be sure to check your trap in the morning as one time our kitty found herself spending the night in one. If you end up trapping the beast you can take it near someone you want to take revenge on by releasing it near their place. While we all like to think we are releasing them "in the wild" what eventually happens it finds another poor unsuspecting homeowner to take up residence with.


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## hammer (Jun 5, 2006)

ski_resort_observer said:
			
		

> The only way your going to get rabies from a gopher/groundhog is to pick one up and try to kiss it. :lol: Seriously, although it's possible I have never heard of someone being attacked by one of these cute but annoying critters. Regarding your pets you just have to use common sense.


 As long as they don't act too weird I guess you're right...I just remember seeing a strangely-behaving raccoon at a day camp once that eventually was euthanized :uzi: by a local police officer...


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## andyzee (Jun 5, 2006)

Greg said:
			
		

> *KILL *the little bastard! :angry:


 



			
				Greg said:
			
		

> I just think you need to ski.... :roll:.....:lol:


.


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## ski_resort_observer (Jun 5, 2006)

hammer said:
			
		

> As long as they don't act too weird I guess you're right...I just remember seeing a strangely-behaving raccoon at a day camp once that eventually was euthanized :uzi: by a local police officer...



Raccoons/skunks vs gophers/groundhogs are a whole diferent matter


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## JimG. (Jun 5, 2006)

ski_resort_observer said:
			
		

> Raccoons/skunks vs gophers/groundhogs are a whole diferent matter



Excellent English dubbed Japanese movie title!


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## ski_resort_observer (Jun 5, 2006)

JimG. said:
			
		

> Excellent English dubbed Japanese movie title!



Yeah, kind of a cute little furry plant eating rabies carrying version of Godzilla vs Mothra


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## YardSaleDad (Jun 5, 2006)

tree_skier said:
			
		

> Bob who do you plan on giving the large rodent to.



To Marc of course!


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## ckofer (Jun 5, 2006)

dmc said:
			
		

> -snip-
> Nothing worse then a bunch of guys get all pumped up talking about killing animals...



Even worse with recipes.


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## ga2ski (Jun 5, 2006)

tree_skier said:
			
		

> Bob who do you plan on giving the large rodent to. I am sure they will be pleased to have it. Plus take it far far away as it has found a nice home in your garden and will likely return.
> 
> Growing up on a farm I used both the lead and the gas (both auto and bomb) solutions. The lead is more fun but the gas is more effective. They used to make better bombs thru the 70's but the damn envioremntalists got the good ones banned.


 
Give it to Dave ..  he loves free stuff.


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## ga2ski (Jun 5, 2006)

Bob - hope the havahart works. The best part about the trap is once you catch it, you can take bets on how long it can swim. . . underwater and in the cage of course.

If you get a trap let me know. I'll "rent" from you so I can catch my neighborhood's groundhog. Seriously i'll help reduce your cost of the trap. All I caught with my coworker's trap were three cats . No i didn't let them swim.

One last suggestion - get a paint ball gun and different color paintballs. That way you can count how times you hit it. I bet C would love this game.


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## ckofer (Jun 5, 2006)

ga2ski said:
			
		

> Bob - hope the havahart works. The best part about the trap is once you catch it, you can take bets on how long it can swim. . . underwater and in the cage of course.
> 
> If you get a trap let me know. I'll "rent" from you so I can catch my neighborhood's groundhog. Seriously i'll help reduce your cost of the trap. All I caught with my coworker's trap were three cats . No i didn't let them swim.
> 
> One last suggestion - get a paint ball gun and different color paintballs. That way you can count how times you hit it. I bet C would love this game.



Hooksett??? You guys have real ammo shops. 

ga2ski, I've promised my trap (the one I purchased to recover my mother's stupid cat) to Bob R. You can use it next. Remember, you want to bring the thing to the other side of the Merrimack River. That's what I've advised BobR to do already.

_
Stacy: Well, don't you want to open your present?  
  Wayne Campbell: If it's a severed head I'm going to be very upset  
  Stacy: Open it.  
  Wayne Campbell: What is it?  
  Stacy: It's a gun rack.  
  Wayne Campbell: A gun rack... a gun rack. I don't even own *a* gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack. What am I gonna do... with a gun rack?  
  Stacy: You don't like it? Fine. You know Wayne, if you're not careful, you're going to lose me.  
  Wayne Campbell: I lost you 2 months ago. We broke up. Are you mental? Get the net
_


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## ckofer (Jun 5, 2006)

http://www.briansbelly.com/recipes/game/groundhog.shtml
http://ushotstuff.com/wg/GroundhogSmp.htm


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## ga2ski (Jun 6, 2006)

ckofer said:
			
		

> Hooksett??? You guys have real ammo shops.
> 
> ga2ski, I've promised my trap (the one I purchased to recover my mother's stupid cat) to Bob R. You can use it next. Remember, you want to bring the thing to the other side of the Merrimack River. That's what I've advised BobR to do already.


 
No I'm bringing the to Tree_skier's house.. .. .. actually i would be putting it in the stream along my property line and watching it swim then bringing to tree_skier's house and hiding it in his trunk on a nice warm summer day.

I have already thought about shotting it, but my neighbor's live too close.  All I need to do is miss and one of their houses or worse one of them.


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## tree_skier (Jun 6, 2006)

ga2ski said:
			
		

> No I'm bringing the to Tree_skier's house.. .. .. actually i would be putting it in the stream along my property line and watching it swim then bringing to tree_skier's house and hiding it in his trunk on a nice warm summer day.
> 
> I have already thought about shotting it, but my neighbor's live too close.  All I need to do is miss and one of their houses or worse one of them.




I don't want no stinking woodchuck.

 A Hint, shoot out a second story window or better yet off the roof, that way if you miss it hits the ground.  Besides it's like the commercial, bring a toolbox full of cold ones and tell the wife you are fixing the gutters/chimney/antenna or whatever.


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## Vortex (Jun 6, 2006)

I guess I have been away from this thread to long.  Ga2ski I'm getting the trap Sat am. When I'm done I'll get it to you and then we have to get it back to ckofer.  I'm not drowing the critter just doing some relocating.  Anyway it was cool Chris was setting us up.  Ga2ski you need therapy also.  You can car Pool with Dave and pay his for gas also.


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## ga2ski (Jun 6, 2006)

Therapy .. . . no way.  Those things will build raft and just float back across the river.

Bob - No need to get me the trap.  I have a dog.  She loves chasing the groundhog.  
Ckofer - Thanks for the offer.


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## Vortex (Jun 7, 2006)

ok


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## ckofer (Jun 7, 2006)

Hey DMC,

I know it seems sad but I guess it's like having mice in your home. I think in the original post, Bob was sharing how the animal gets under his fence to his gardens. Not exactly threatening existence but very discouraging (like the deer that eat my expensive plants). He is seeking to move the animal to another place and I will loan him a humane trap. I feel a little conflicted in dropping off animals in unfamiliar environments. This is a rodent. It is cuter than a rat but it is a rodent.

Damn, I hope it snows soon so BobR's garden is covered with white stuff and we get back to seeking pass discounts and powder days.


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## Vortex (Jun 7, 2006)

FWIW  check out Chris's site.  He is an advocate of skiing deals here.  And ya he was just helping me out here in the relocation process.


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## dmc (Jun 7, 2006)

ckofer said:
			
		

> Hey DMC,
> 
> I know it seems sad but I guess it's like having mice in your home. I think in the original post, Bob was sharing how the animal gets under his fence to his gardens. Not exactly threatening existence but very discouraging (like the deer that eat my expensive plants). He is seeking to move the animal to another place and I will loan him a humane trap. I feel a little conflicted in dropping off animals in unfamiliar environments. This is a rodent. It is cuter than a rat but it is a rodent.
> 
> Damn, I hope it snows soon so BobR's garden is covered with white stuff and we get back to seeking pass discounts and powder days.




I think sometimes it's better(at least for me) to try and adapt to the environemnt I live in and try and exist with whatever fauna exists where I live..

Does the bear piss me off when it comes in my yard and shakes my apple tree to snag apples?  Sure..  But - it was my choice to live where bears are...  So it is what it is...

If I didn't want critters around I'd live in a city again...

....jmho...


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## Vortex (Jun 7, 2006)

I like fresh vegetable and flowers... thats all.  He never came until I had a nice vegetable and flower gardens.   He has been away for about a week, must be vacation and travel season.


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## ga2ski (Jun 7, 2006)

funny the sponsor is selling BW and nashua stuff from Bob's avatar


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## Vortex (Jun 7, 2006)

Add changed, but I saw it also.  Groundhog.com or something like that.


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## tree_skier (Jun 7, 2006)

Bob R said:
			
		

> I like fresh vegetable and flowers... thats all.  He never came until I had a nice vegetable and flower gardens.   He has been away for about a week, must be vacation and travel season.




Bob, I thought about sending you a woodchuck recipe so at least you can eat something from your vegetable garden this summer, but woodchuck isn't very tasty (unlike rabbit)


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## Vortex (Jun 7, 2006)

Figured for a road kill stew you would be the one to ask.   I can see how you became successful....  you never paid for anything Dave.  You wife and kids must be proud.


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## tree_skier (Jun 7, 2006)

I pay for things I want and can't get for free.  For example my wife just recieved as a gift a nice Yamaha TT-R 250 so she can join the kids and me trail riding.  Yes i do look for free places to ride but just like skiing why pay when I can do it for free and sometimes get paid to ski.

Oh and buy the way you would have a hard time getting me to eat woodchuck let alone roadkill woodchuck


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## Vortex (Jun 7, 2006)

Nothing wrong with that.  Keep giving logical explantions and Ga2ski and I will have to pick something else to bust you on though.:smash:   Hey look at you Pm's once in a while
I sent you one am today.


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## Marc (Jun 7, 2006)

Best way to kill a gohper: rifle and flashlight- also plenty of beer.









And some plastic explosive doesn't hurt either...








:dunce:


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## Vortex (Jun 7, 2006)

You were missed on this thread Marc.


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## ctenidae (Jun 7, 2006)

_Best way to kill a gohper: rifle and flashlight- also plenty of beer._

Took you long enough.


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## andyzee (Jun 7, 2006)

Bob R said:
			
		

> You were missed on this thread Marc.


 
Yeah, about time he woke up!


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## Marc (Jun 8, 2006)

ctenidae said:
			
		

> Took you long enough.



Hey, this coming from "Mr. MIA."  We were about to send andyzee with a search party out looking for you but andy didn't get the "search" party and we ended up just throwing a big kegger at Sky's place without you.


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## ctenidae (Jun 8, 2006)

Marc said:
			
		

> Hey, this coming from "Mr. MIA."  We were about to send andyzee with a search party out looking for you but andy didn't get the "search" party and we ended up just throwing a big kegger at Sky's place without you.




Stupid school, making me miss a party.
I thought college was all keggers and all-nighters. Turns out, it's mostly just all-nighters.


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## Greg (Jun 16, 2006)

I find it amusing that this thread shows up on page 1 if you search this in google:

http://www.google.com/search?q=get+rid+of+groundhog


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## ctenidae (Jun 16, 2006)

That, sir, is awesome. 

I do have to wonder, though- why were you googling that particular string?

No, wait. I don't want to know.


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## Greg (Jun 16, 2006)

ctenidae said:
			
		

> That, sir, is awesome.
> 
> I do have to wonder, though- why were you googling that particular string?
> 
> No, wait. I don't want to know.


I was just looking at the site stats and that keyphrase showed up as one of the bigger referrers...


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