Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn

   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #51  
Any tips for luring them out of their holes? I have several that I would like to shoot, but it seems that I seldom see them out of their holes, and when I do, I'm not armed.:(

Steve

I had a friend tell me he used moth balls to drive them out from under his shed. He dumped a box in each opening he found, stunk for a few days but they were never seen again.
 
   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #52  
You may be right about it being regional. I think they are ground hogs in Ohio and Penn., but may be woodchucks in NJ like they are in (some, most, all?) of the New England states.
Anyone from NJ?

Bill

Most around here (southern nj) refer to them as groundhogs.
 
   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #53  
I had a friend tell me he used moth balls to drive them out from under his shed. He dumped a box in each opening he found, stunk for a few days but they were never seen again.

That may work for groundhogs -- it works for squirrels, members of the same family. I was having a problem with a squirrel trying to build a nest in the engine compartment of an older pickup that I seldom drove. Having read that moth balls were an effective deterrent, I distributed them under the hood and the squirrel departed for greener pastures.

My groundhog problem is along ditches and creek banks. I'm afraid that using moth balls will just cause the varmints to relocate along the ditches and banks.

Steve

PS -- Did you learn anything more about the pallets?
 
   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #54  
Whistle at them so they stand up to see where the sound's coming from. The make better targets that way.
 
   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #55  
That may work for groundhogs -- it works for squirrels, members of the same family. I was having a problem with a squirrel trying to build a nest in the engine compartment of an older pickup that I seldom drove. Having read that moth balls were an effective deterrent, I distributed them under the hood and the squirrel departed for greener pastures.

My groundhog problem is along ditches and creek banks. I'm afraid that using moth balls will just cause the varmints to relocate along the ditches and banks.

Steve

PS -- Did you learn anything more about the pallets?

I agree it won't work in your case.

Nothing new or changed on the pallets, they're still there.
 
   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #56  
pallets are there to protect the groundhogs, whistle pigs, and wood chucks.
 
   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #57  
   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #58  
Just my two cents...after you manage to get rid of the critters they will come back. Every time. If the site is attractive to woodchucks one year, it'll look just as good to the new chucks that come around the next year. The solution is a lot of work and some money, but when it's completed you shouldn't have to worry about them anymore. If you have a concrete floor inside your barn then you only have to worry about the outside wall, if it's dirt inside...well, you have a lot more work to do. The solution is burying fencing under the ground flat, just a few inches under the surface. If you can find someone tearing out an old chainlink fence you're good to go. Otherwise, buy some cheaper stuff. Attach the end to the girt boards securely, then bury the rest. A chuck won't go out 4' from the wall to dig. They'll dig right up against a wall, hit the fence and quit. If you have a dirt floor inside, the whole floor will need to be done, tied together and secured to the walls, then covered in gravel or more dirt. It's a lot of work for sure, but does work pretty well, until the woodchucks start carrying snippers....lol. Good luck. Besides that solution, I love my .223...
 
   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #59  
Just my two cents...after you manage to get rid of the critters they will come back. Every time. If the site is attractive to woodchucks one year, it'll look just as good to the new chucks that come around the next year. The solution is a lot of work and some money, but when it's completed you shouldn't have to worry about them anymore. If you have a concrete floor inside your barn then you only have to worry about the outside wall, if it's dirt inside...well, you have a lot more work to do. The solution is burying fencing under the ground flat, just a few inches under the surface. If you can find someone tearing out an old chainlink fence you're good to go. Otherwise, buy some cheaper stuff. Attach the end to the girt boards securely, then bury the rest. A chuck won't go out 4' from the wall to dig. They'll dig right up against a wall, hit the fence and quit. If you have a dirt floor inside, the whole floor will need to be done, tied together and secured to the walls, then covered in gravel or more dirt. It's a lot of work for sure, but does work pretty well, until the woodchucks start carrying snippers....lol. Good luck. Besides that solution, I love my .223...
I would think that dead brethren in the hole would deter a redig/reopening of the hole.
 
   / Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn #60  
When I was forced to deal with them causing damage around buildings..... I used the live trap, and 22 short method of control...
Bait live trap with apple slices.... I had more than one trap, so I could have one baited at all times.. And clean blood from the other when necessary..

You can fill the holes with exhaust gas fumes, but that is no guarentee you get all the animals in the group..
Several control methods may need to be used all at one time... For an extended time to solve the problem...

Relocation and release doesn't seem to work... If you don't take the animal far enough away it will beat you home...
If you take it far enough away, another will have time to move in before you can return home....

I never tried the BBQ thing, but know folks who have.... They reported mixed results on taste and texture...

Good luck...
 

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