Ground Hogs

[murphy1244]

What is the best way to remove ground hogs or wood chucks from under my deck?I bought a house in a rural area and it seems I moved in with them and they refuse to pay rent. I was told they are now sleeping the winter off so i have to wait till spring. I would not mind that but since I have a slab floor these freeloaders seem to fight every now and then to wake me up.
So two questions. 1 Do I have to wait till spring? 2 How do I remove the freeloaders? Thanks.

 

[YesDeere]

Shoot, trap or poison them out. I have used the poison smoke bombs and had good luck with them. They are called giant killers and they have them at southern states. Just fill the hole in so you don't have to smell them.

Another way is to soak apples in antifreeze. Bit that will have to wait until spring. I personally don't suggest this because it could kill other animals that you don't mean to. Good luck!

 

[LD1]

.223 works well for me.

But then again, I get them out to 350-400 yards too.

For your case, a well placed shot from a .22LR would be sufficient.

 

[Rod in Forfar]

Years ago while living next to an abandoned quarry I found the easiest way to get rid of fish entrails was to drop them down the many woodchuck holes in the area. I soon noticed that the chucks had all moved out of my range. Apparently they're quite fastidious animals, and decaying meat really puts them off.

Forty years later, there are no woodchucks on the property. The resident coyotes keep them cleaned them right out.

 

[MotorSeven]

I'm with LD....223 for the long shots & .22LR for close in. They dig big holes straight down in our pastures...not good for horses & cattle, so I am constantly on the alert for new arrivals.

 

[studor]

Not sure whatever is waking you up is ground hogs -- they wake up in warmth so unless it has been warm enough in your area to do so, the noise is from something else. This year groundhogs were getting into my walled garden so I used a connibear trap over the hole to fix that problem :thumbsup: -- you have to make sure nothing else will have access to the trap (like pets or kids)
If they are under your porch and might have a hole or tunnel under the slab I would stay away from the smoke poisons -- they might end up where you do not want them and I think they are cyanide. Other poisons will not work as during hibernation they obviously do not eat. Poisoning an animal with antifreeze is just plain cruel.
Sudden onset lead poisoning from a .22 or better probably the best but that will wait until spring -- JMHO

 

[murphy1244]

Not sure whatever is waking you up is ground hogs -- they wake up in warmth so unless it has been warm enough in your area to do so, the noise is from something else. This year groundhogs were getting into my walled garden so I used a connibear trap over the hole to fix that problem :thumbsup: -- you have to make sure nothing else will have access to the trap (like pets or kids)
If they are under your porch and might have a hole or tunnel under the slab I would stay away from the smoke poisons -- they might end up where you do not want them and I think they are cyanide. Other poisons will not work as during hibernation they obviously do not eat. Poisoning an animal with antifreeze is just plain cruel.
Sudden onset lead poisoning from a .22 or better probably the best but that will wait until spring -- JMHO

Agree but I guess I have to wait for spring... The reason why they are making noise IMO is the heat duct workunder the slab.

 

[LD1]

Poisoning an animal with antifreeze is just plain cruel.
Sudden onset lead poisoning from a .22 or better probably the best but that will wait until spring -- JMHO

I dont see how poisioning with antifreeze is any different than anyother kind of poision.

But I do agree that a bullet is the quickest and IMO, the most humane of the options if the shot is well placed.

 

[murphy1244]

Are they're any trappers out there to help????

 

[toppop52]

drop a hose from your tailpipe into any one of the openings, in a matter of minutes they'll be dead or gone, keep the .22 handy in case they come out another hole, but they usually just die in the burrow.