Marmot Infestation

[jyoutz]

Well, it looks like it is back to “Marmot Wars” again.

Most of you who have followed this thread through the years are probably fed up with my periodic reports. But besides being an outlet for my frustration, I thought someone out there might benefit from my efforts to eliminate or at least decrease the negative effects of these nasty creatures.

After disposing of nearly 300 in four years, I was hopeful this year would be my R & R (rest and recuperation) year. Not so. As usually happens at this time of year, there was a sudden explosion of marmots digging around my house foundation, into the rock walls, around the barn, and under the chicken coop. I immediately set out all three have-a-heart type traps, and the war was on.

In just two weeks I have trapped 20 of the varmints. My big surprise is that every marmot trapped has been a juvenile. I have trapped loads of the big boars that are ready to fight (had hand-to-hand with a couple of them), so I know the difference between adult and juvenile. But these are plainly this year’s batch. As newbies, they are looking for new den sites, so every place I thought was safe is up for grabs.

As of today, I have gotten 12 of them from under my chicken coop alone, a 6 X 8 structure with a wood floor. The coop sets on a basalt rock shelf with a thin layer of dirt, and in previous years, seeing their tunneling efforts, I laid down a ring of concrete and basalt to block obvious entry points. This year they made it a team effort to defeat my protective barrier, and succeeded. They just keep coming. I don’t know whether new ones are coming in to take up the vacant tunnels, or whether they are living dormitory-style under there.

My barn has three external animal stall doors and two double-wide garage doors. Previously, every door was a potential entry point. I sealed the wide shop doors, taking out slack and closing openings. I laid concrete block sills under every stall door with basalt rock rubble under that. I figured that problem was solved. Hah! The marmots discovered one gap under one stall door, and in they went. They crossed the stall and tunneled under the main area concrete floor. So far I have gotten five from that spot.

There is more to the story, but I’ll save it for later. Have any of you had success with poisons? I have searched the net, but mostly people are just throwing up their hands in frustration. Any new ideas out there?

Ron

Maybe talk with USDA animal damage control specialists. The consultation is free.

 

[RockWrangler]

What kind of bait do you find works best with live traps? I have a few of those little devils around and got a few with Duke squirrel traps nothing I do is consistent.

If you are dealing with marmots/groundhogs/woodchucks/whistle pigs (all basically the same animal) then apple bits might work for you. That is what I use with consistent results. But I can't imagine you will capture something that big in a squirrel trap. If you are talking about ground squirrels or something that size, I don't have any recommendations.

 

[jyoutz]

If you are dealing with marmots/groundhogs/woodchucks/whistle pigs (all basically the same animal) then apple bits might work for you. That is what I use with consistent results. But I can't imagine you will capture something that big in a squirrel trap. If you are talking about ground squirrels or something that size, I don't have any recommendations.

Anything with peanut butter on it catches ground squirrels.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I am starting to have more and more as well on my property. My dog finally got his first one, he has been trying for a few years now. One time he got one but he didn't realized they could bite too, then they got in a stand off until the wife showed up with a shovel to separate them lol.

 

[MossRoad]

Mongolian marmot stew....

 

[Rockbadchild]

Mongolian marmot stew....

View attachment 3559759

ho boy that's something else...

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Man, after reading some of the pain you have been through I feel for you. I get em every now and again and have a shoot on sight mentality for them. I kill one or two a year. Although I consider it a fun past time too. They wreak havoc on my garden/dug under my new 24X30 shop and other dwellings. No room around here for that.

Since this started as an older thread you may have had other ideas (I didn't read every page sorry) but have you considered granting hunting permission to approved sportsman? The rule could be they have to drop off the carcasses in a designated area. I for one would welcome the opportunity to do so on occasion.

As for poisons the issues become the critters that eat the carcasses. Lost a dog once that ate a mouse that died from rat bait. I have read that rats/mice can't eat baking soda as it makes their stomach's explode as they have no way to pass gas.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I use Remington Sportsman loads with steel shot to keep from contaminating my property with lead.

 

[the old grind]

I bought another 20Ga just to shoot steel shot. (Wby Element, recommended) My Savage smooth-bore .22 LR SG/rifle (#12 shot from Win or CCI) is a bowser on anything with fur or feathers beyond 5 yd.

.410 isn't cheap and even #4 shot can be iffy when as big as ground hogs are afoot. While I have a semi auto (Rem 11-48) in the gauge, when I'm setting for them I often have this holstered as they are often spotted in daylight when I'm running my line. Just to show my guy with the piece, and I'll be looking for this BBB load:

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/handguns/comanche-super-45-long-colt-10in-blued-break-action-pistol-1-round/p/1506252?srsltid=AfmBOoreQKbl2KjZ78fHMUyfHg1P24g0NKiZCTrqv6tvHJvSfWlZwiD2

Trap the few and shoot the many. (Captivo, ergo sum)