woodchuck problems

[gerard]

Anyone know of a way to get rid of woodchucks other than shooting them? I have a couple on my property in the horse pasture and near them (not a good thing!) and would like to evict them. So far they've ignored my eviction notice (filling up the hole with the loader) and just dig out. Idea's??

 

[Mikemas]

Do you not want to kill them? or is it that you just cannot do it with a firearm? I have other methods, but the result is always the same, a dead varmint.

Mike

 

[TomG]

About this time of year, at least around here, the females distribute their young to old burrows, and then visit them for awhile. The young hang around for about a month and then go elsewhere. If you've got a young one it might move on it's own. I don't think filling burrows works--ground hogs can dig really fast. I read they are known to excavate 700 lbs. of soil for a burrow.

We've got one on the edge of our bush right now. Comes into the yard to mow the red clover and several other broad leaf plants. We're just going to leave it alone unless we get a burrow under one of the buildings, then it'll be time to borrow the neighbou'rs .222. However, understandably you can't tolerate ground hog burrows in a horse pasture.

Shooting is perhaps the most humane method, if that's a consideration. I think one of my cousins used to use leg hold traps-- I wouldn't.

 

[Von]

My grandfather used the gas treatment on them to get the ones that would get into his garden. Find all the holes and fill them all but two, put a screen or cage of something that will let air out but not the woodchuck on one hole. On the other take a hose and put one end on the end of your tailpipe of your car or truck and the other end in the hole and fill around the hose. I think you get the idea of what to do next. After 15min. all will be dead in the hole and you just backfill the holes to intomb them. Always worked for grandpa!

Von

 

[gerard]

Thanx for the ideas. I didn't mind shooting them, it's just there's a lot of tall grass around and I didn't see them out that often. I think the gas idea has a lot of merit, pretty humane too. Just puts them to sleep.......

 

[Thomas]

gerard,
Maybe a have a heart trap w/ lettuce might help,than relocate them.

Thomas..NH

 

[CraigM]

Shooting them works, but who has time to sit and wait for them to show up? A box trap will wait patiently, and hold them till you can disposition them. Best bait I have found is a chunk of cantaloupe. I put a small chunk at the entrance of the trap and another on the trigger plate. Putting the trap near the burrow seems to speed things up. The only problem I have had with this is that the kittens living in our barn like cantaloupe. I wouldn't have believed it either, but it's true.

Craig
Hershey PA

 

[gerard]

If I can live trap them that's even a better option since I'm not a hunter type anyway. I just didn't know if they would respond to "bait". Now to borrow a box trap......

 

[Mikemas]

Gerard,
The gas method that Von recommended works very well. There is also an item on the market that does the same thing. (I think it's called a Gopher Gasser at Agway) It's like a smoke bomb that depletes the oxygen in their burrow. I personally use a Conibear 220 trap in the hole. It works every time.
Mike

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Another method of getting rid of groundhogs is to offer them antifreeze cocktails. Learned this from an old farmer. Put small butter tubs of antifreeze in their holes. Just be sure to protect it from other friendly animals as it will really mess up any animal that drinks it. I have used it on holes around barns, and put screen over the hole to keep the dogs out.

 

[W5FL]

Let them die a slow painful death is not my way of doing things. Hope it does not continue to be your's either. It calcifies the kidneys and then they die a slow and painful death. Several states have not outlawed Ethelene Glycol antifreeze and others continue to follow. That is the reason is the toxity is so bad.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Anybody have any other suggested sources on the "Gopher Gasser"? I used this with great success 2 yrs ago - cleared ~8 dens from horse pasture (this is real important, some of those holes are definite leg breakers). I had no dens last year but I've got a couple again. I previously bought it at Quality Farm & Fleet but can't find it now (don't have Agway where I am - SW MI).

 

[gerard]

No worries Wen, if I even mentioned the antifreeze route my wife would have me out sleeping with the 'chucks! Not my style anyway, I feel bad hitting a rabbit when driving my car! Think I'll scrounge up a box trap and "relocate" them to a more hospitable place (far from farmland as they don't help tractor wheels any more than horse legs)

 

[W5FL]

The gassers are just sulphur. Stinks a lot and burns a long time. Smells like rotten eggs.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I have had good luck getting woodchucks to move by filling their holes with fresh dog droppings. I guess their instincts tell them that if the predators are close enough to crap in their holes then it is time to leave.

 

[TomWAiken]

I use the gas from Agway. It's like a quarter stick of dynamite. Fill all the holes except one. Tape the stick to the end of a broom handle. Light the fuse and put the broom handle as far into the hole as possible. Close up the hole around the broom handle so no gas gets out. When it's done burning, pull out the broom handle and close up the hole..Gotta make sure he or she is in there first!

An old farmer I know used cynide gas powder he pumped through a hose into the closed holes. Had to make sure you were standing up wind!

 

[gerard]

I kind of like Dave M's suggestion of all I've heard so far. I have a Rotty so the supply of dog refuse is readily available!!