Marmot Infestation

   / Marmot Infestation #101  
Just so you all know, a groundhog ate my habanero peppers, leaves, fruit and all!

Now that you mention it, either marmots or gophers (or both) ate all my pepper plants two years running--right down to the ground.
I hope neither of you fine lads ever discovers a marmot or nest under a hood, or gopher either. I leave my trucks' hoods up but that won't keep mice out of the cab.

btw, don't leave paperwork, receipts, OM's etc for your farm truck IN it.

DAMHIK
 
   / Marmot Infestation
  • Thread Starter
#102  
Marmot Infestation Update

It has been 10 months since I last posted anything about my ongoing war against marmots. The total trapped at the end of August last year was 187. We got off to a slow start this year, but in the past 4 weeks I have trapped an additional 15, bringing the grand total of marmots trapped and removed from my property to 202. And that is good news!

I am hoping it will be like MossRoad predicted: I may eventually get control of the population. The rate of capture is way down compared to previous years; at one point I was trapping 75-80 marmots a year. I doubt it will ever reach a level of full control, but only 15 in 4 weeks is amazing. As long as I have a tall basalt cliff rising up in my front and an even taller cliff dropping off to my back, I will always have marmots looking at my literally greener pastures.

An interesting result of the constant trapping is that many of this year’s crop appear to be young’uns, much smaller than prior years. I did have an episode of hand-to-hand combat with a giant boar marmot who decided he would rather fight than run. He was sampling my garden so I ran toward him, expecting him to run: after all, they are just big ground squirrels. Instead, he moved toward me and rose up on his rear-end, emitting a sound like a mixture of growl and chirp. It was a strange event.

When I moved to this property, I never dreamed I would be battling marmots, gophers and starlings for control of my harvest. Still, as my daughter-in-law said, it is better than fighting an infant’s pee and poop and a toddler’s finicky diet.
 
   / Marmot Infestation #103  
Nice!

I'm seeing some mole activity this year. Been pretty dry, but the areas where I water I see the tunnels. Might have to start up the trap line soon, but fur prices are down.
 
   / Marmot Infestation #105  
This year I’m seeing a significant increase in the ground squirrel population and some of them are huge. I’m headed to TSC later this week to pickup traps and bait.
 
   / Marmot Infestation #106  
Just plug them in the head and leave it for the birds and bugs
 
   / Marmot Infestation #107  
My ground squirrel population has exploded this year. They are tearing up my leach field. Now they are eyeing my peach tree.
 
   / Marmot Infestation #108  
My ground squirrel population has exploded this year. They are tearing up my leach field. Now they are eyeing my peach tree.
I have had success live trapping them in my barn in the past with peanut butter and bread. But the population has exploded this year and I just ordered a bait station.
 
   / Marmot Infestation #109  
Just a camera and hope

How much money does Chunk The Groundhog make from YouTube?​

Below is an estimated average earnings from advertising on the channel, depending on language, price and current audience.

Daily​

$15

Weekly​

$104

Monthly​

$536

Yearly​

$20,342

The net worth of Chunk The Groundhog's channel through 28 Jun 2023

$90,434


Disclaimer: I like the 22LR solution......
 
   / Marmot Infestation
  • Thread Starter
#110  
How much are pelts bringing?
They can keep their pelts. I don’t touch them, if possible. They are carriers of multiple diseases, including rabies. Here is a quote from a pest control website:

Diseases Carried by Groundhogs

Of all the rodents, groundhogs are most likely to have rabies. Rabid groundhogs behave erratically, foam at the mouth, and are much less fearful of humans than healthy woodchucks, The viral diseases is transmitted via bite or scratch, so any encounters with aggressive groundhogs resulting in injury should be followed up with a visit to a medical professional.

Additionally, though rare, groundhogs can carry tularemia. Symptoms of this disease include fever, chills, headache, and diarrhea. Woodchucks can also carry groundhog ticks, which spread Lyme disease to humans.
 

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