8 Natural Ways To Get Rid of Groundhogs
Good news! There are many ways to safely deter these pesky marmots using common items around your home and garden. No toxic chemicals!
Are you wondering how to get rid of groundhogs without harming them? Here are some top groundhog repellents and tips:
About Groundhogs
Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, “whistle pigs,” or marmots, are rodents that can do a lot of damage to your lawns and gardens. Because they are excellent diggers (their dens can be extensive tunnel systems containing chambers, hallways, and multiple exits), they can weaken the soil, resulting in damage to foundations, barns, and farm equipment, as well as cause possible injuries to livestock. And since groundhogs are herbivores, they enjoy making a meal on the plants in your garden, so all that hard work you put into it can be decimated in a single afternoon. They certainly make a nuisance of themselves.
So what can you do? If you don’t own a dog, or you’re not comfortable trapping and releasing* (or don’t have the means to), consult our list of 8 effective, natural remedies to help keep them out, below. These ideas won’t harm the environment, family pets, or the groundhogs themselves.
A few Key Things To Know
First, it’s important to know that prevention is very important when it comes to any rodent infestations. Try to identify and remove what they’re attracted to in your yard. For example, a food source like fruit from apple trees. Harvest your garden and pick up any fallen fruit often. Also, consider a covered compost bin—especially if your compost piles have sweet fruit like melons, a groundhog’s favorite. You’ll also want to reduce any woodpiles on your property.
Before you start tackling your groundhog problem, be sure that is what you are really up against. Some good indicators that a groundhog is present are:
- A hole 10 to 12 inches wide in the ground or under a shed, foundation or deck, with mounds of dirt around it.
- Teeth of claw marks.
- Damaged plants with good sized bites taken out of them.
Additionally, knowing the groundhog’s habits is key. The time when they emerge from their post-winter dens will differ depending on where you live (despite what you hear, most groundhogs are hibernating on February 2 and are not popping up to see their shadows), and they’re active during the day. Spring is when they start mating so they’ll be very active during this time.
8 Natural Ways To Get Rid of Groundhogs
1) Epsom Salts
Groundhogs hate the taste of Epsom salts. Sprinkle them around the perimeter of your garden and near burrow entrances and exits. You may also try placing a tin pie plate filled with the salts near the plants. (Replace after a rain.) If you are consistent, you will keep the groundhogs away.
If you are concerned about putting the salt near your garden, don’t worry. This isn’t table salt, and it may actually good for your plants.
2) Castor Oil
Groundhogs hate the smell of castor oil. To make your own homemade groundhog repellent, mix one half cup of castor oil with two cups of water and spray it in and around the burrow holes. But only apply it when you know they’re not there, otherwise, they’ll just stay burrowed. (You’ll have to keep vigil to see when they head out to find food.)
3) Human Hair Clippings
Clippings from your local barber or hairdresser may also prevent groundhogs well because they dislike the scent of humans. Sprinkle clippings around areas where the groundhog frequents. Or to avoid it blowing away in the wind, place clippings in a fine mesh bag and secure it to a stake near the groundhog’s dwelling.
4) Blood Meal Fertilizer
Blood meal is a great organic fertilizer for your plants, while also repelling pesty groundhogs (and squirrels). Sprinkle blood meal around the perimeter of your garden, concentrating on entry points or plants that have been a common target. The strong odor is a natural deterrent, while also being a good source of nitrogen for your plants. Consider this a win-win.
5) Soiled Kitty Litter
Kitty litter (used) poured around one of the den holes (but not the other) is also effective as it smells like a predator. Leaving one exit hole scent-free allows them to escape rather than stay burrowed.
6) Offensive Scents
There are certain smells groundhogs absolutely detest. If you can ensure these smells are present near their burrows and around the garden, you may be able to send them packing:
- Cayenne pepper – Our Farmers’ Almanac readers swear by this method: Simply pour cayenne pepper close to the groundhog’s holes. Buy a large container (bulk size) so you can create a small pile. When it rains or is windy, you’ll have to reapply. It’s actually the smell and the heat they don’t like. You can also spray tender plants with a mixture of 2 teaspoons cayenne with one quart of water to deter them from nibbling.
- Garlic – Crush some garlic cloves and spread the paste around areas of the garden you want groundhogs to avoid. Their sensitive noses can’t handle the pungent smell.
- Lavender – Try planting some lavender around the garden. While it smells lovely to us, groundhogs find it offensive and avoid the areas where it is. They also dislike the smell of these herbs: basil, chives, lemon balm, mint, sage, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. Consider planting these around the border of your garden or yard.
7) Essential Oils
Essential oils such as clove, lemongrass, rosemary, lavender, and thyme can get rid of groundhogs. Mix 5 to 10 drops of these essential oils in a spray bottle with water (or apple cider vinegar, which they also find repulsive), and apply it around your garden.
8) Add A Motion-Detector Devices
You may choose to place a motion-detector device on your property. Some emit a loud noise as a groundhog approaches, which scares it away. Others spray water, which is an equally effective deterrent. (Bear in mind: Avoid areas where you and your family normally walk. These work particularly well around a property perimeter or near your vegetable gardens.)
More About Groundhogs
Fun Fact: Groundhogs are the largest member of the squirrel family.
Wonder why groundhogs are known as “whistle pigs?” Listen to the sound they make in this video clip (you may have thought you were hearing a bird!):
*Note: If you do choose to set a groundhog trap, late winter to early spring is the best time. The groundhogs have yet to produce that year’s offspring and the food source will be scarce, making your trap bait more enticing. However always check with your state wildlife agency before relocating an animal from your property. There may be laws in your area prohibiting you from doing so. Relocating groundhogs is illegal in some states due, in part, to fears of spreading rabies. You might want to check with them about what a safe distance is, depending on where you live.
This article was published by the staff at Farmers' Almanac. Do you have a question or an idea for an article? Contact us!
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Will these recommended repellents work against Prairie Dogs?
My husbands family enjoys eating groundhog. They are herbivores and are quite tasty. Groundhog and sweet potatoes. Very good.
Been Battling these tenacious, maddening creatures for years! Installed a several thousand dollar pier system to support my collapsing deck and the beautiful screen porch that sits atop it. We’ve tried EVERYTHING to keep ‘em out from under the deck…..this seems to be working. We stapled (must use long, heavy duty staples) 3 foot chicken wire fencing around the perimeter of the deck, we dug down a full foot down and 2 feet out into the soil around the perimeter of the deck. We laid the rest of the already stapled fencing down and out into the trench we dug, replaced the soil and prayed! HARD WORK They’ve already tried to get back under and so far haven’t succeeded! I’ll keep you posted
Tenacious is the right word! Hope this fix works!
U could catch them and relocate them
I love groundhogs , however they can be very destructive. I had one weaken the foundation under my 20ft 30+year old holly tree which I had to have cut down and also dug a tunnel under the chicken run. I used human urine and poured into the tunnels then covered with a concrete block. He/she didn’t bother to dig another tunnel. It’s been over two years now and haven’t seen another groundhog since. Hope this is helpful!
I have at least one large ground hog living under my deck. I can’t get under there so how can get rid of them
Can you drop human hair or the offensive items between the planks? Or hire someone to take out some planks to gain access under your deck?
Are you supposed to use some kind of spell with the epsom salts? lol! I tried pouring them generously into the hole and around the entrance, and the groundhog just dug out some fresh dirt and ate my cilantro and knocked over my birdbath in retaliation. Maybe I needed an incantation.
I tried freshly used cat litter too. No effect.
Today I tried smoke, stuffing burning twigs and newspapers into the hole and covering it so that the smoke really got trapped and hopefully filled the burrow. Then I shoveled some dirt in to be sure the fire was out.
Fingers crossed.
They do not like strong smells. Ammonia works but only so long. I stuck a big sturdy stick down a hole about 5 feet. They tried to remove it but couldn’t. Haven’t seen it in a while.
A stick of ammonia?
I have lavender growing around the flowers from which a groundhog has eaten all of the buds just before they opened, which have been sprayed liberally and repeatedly with a pungent combination of putrescent egg-solids, garlic oil, ghost-pepper sauce, and lemon oil-soap. Sunflowers, Zinnias, Rudbeckia, Runner Beans, Sweet Peas … all demolished just prior to blooming. None of these suggestions actually work.
Hi Jonathan,
Groundhogs are a tough pest to get rid of! For some these suggestions have worked, for others, not so much. We might suggest a trap that allows you to re-locate the obnoxious “hog” or calling in a professional. Good luck.
I do not agree on your answer of calling pest control and relocate the animal! In my state of Virginia it is illegal to relocate a wild animal from your property.
I would anyway. Want a small fine if u get caught. Or your foundation ruined and cost u thousands of dollars to fix.
We have more than on that has destroyed our garden. Ate sunflowers and almost every veggie. They ignore the potatoes though. I came across a recording of their call. Not sure if it was a come hither or a go away call but when I played it, the grazing groundhog stood up and then ran the fastest I’ve ever seen it move. I’m going to find an aggressive call to see if the critters decide to find a new home.
I have never laughed this hard . That is such a funny story . O boy they are tough guys . I am not familiar with them but my neighbors complain about them.. I think I will be ready when they show up where I am lol lol. Good luck my friend !
How do you kill them?
you don’t
Rifle or poison bait pellets
What an awful thing to ask!
Relocate!!! Not kill!! this land was the animals before us. Respect them!!
Okay… so the cat litter thing does actually work. We’ve used it several times where they’ve never come back to the holes, but I think it’s dependent on the size or extent of the hole. And we’re not talking a single scooped litter box… we’re talking a couple of weeks worth dumped into one hole. they definitely left, but eventually we filled in with dirt which apparently gave them the green light to try again. same spot just directly past where the litter had been dumped so they could have the same tunnels I suppose. They will claim and reclaim old holes made from any animal. We’ve had them kick foxes out of their dens so they could take the hole over. FYI- Foxes do not mess with groundhogs…
Hi,
Thanks for sharing. We have some pesky groundhogs here too and the cat litter didn’t work but that’s because we weren’t diligent in putting it in the hole. Thanks for the tip. Running outside right now to try it!
Don’t release groundhogs. Compost them.
I have found that a 22 or bigger Works best
My parents killed them and cooked them for dinner………..
The best way….!
They are a pain in the back Side
ground hogs These remedies do NOT WORK . USE EVERYONE and ground came out and LAID ON EACH ONE THAT WAS PUTOUT . THAT IS NO LIE !
Alcohol
Animals should not be killed, just because they are trying to survive. Humans are not the only species that live on our planet or deserve to live,
Well the one under my garage keeps charging out after my son and even charges my dog. He’s got to go. Waiting on the trapper now.
Never just one.
He probably has rabies because they usely run people and dogs
Well let them go live in the woods and not under my shed ! I’m ready to kill
Use an emergency flare, they hate smell of sodium! Works every time!
There are plenty of them! They belong in the forest and not in my small suburban yard.
What do you suppose happens to them in the wild, while they’re foraging? A Fisher cat or an eagle will turn gophers into a tasty snack. Your argument is one that arrogantly takes humans out of the food chain, and places us as an aloof and superior species. It’s the same logic we use to bolster our superiority and assume we understand the planet enough, to control our environment. It’s the same arrogance that will inevitably lead to our early extinction.
I generally feel the same way, but they’ve caused damage to my porch foundation. I’m waiting on a structural engineer to come out and tell me how much the damage is going to cost. I chased it away, it went under the neighbor’s shed, and another one moved in here. I just can’t risk more damage, nor the risk of rabies being spread to my pets.
I am desperate as well- They established the residence under the new shed 32 years ago and had been there ever since…. with all the tunnels under the shed I am even concerned about its collapse!! Now they dug up against foundation of my home and I am terrified of what will happen … People do not realize the damage even critters like Chipmunks cause! The hole dug against foundation caused a mud slide into my basement via French drain -took me years to fully clean up the French drain around perimeter of the entire house as well as clean up the mud..My neighbor had a driveway collapsed because of chipmunks’ tunnels
I don’t believe they can carry rabies.
Understandably so, however WHAT DO YOU DO when they dig under the home foundation? Move out and let the house collapse ???
I am an animal lover but I call woodchuck terrorists. I re homed 18 one year. They dug under my house so bad it pitched down in the center of the house. The fireplace chimney started sinking. As long as they aren’t close to my house I will not kill them. If I see them close or my yard starts sinking due to tunnels. They are very destructive. I sold my house for 80000$ less because of the woodchuck damage. Sorry they mess with my house they get bombed.
WOW! That is one of the worst stories we’ve heard about them! I hope they leave you (and your house) be!
Permanent solutions are the only way to deal with groundhogs. If you can’t shoot in your area, try gas bombs from your local farm supply store. Groundhogs cause major damage to buildings which can result in hundreds of dollars to repair. You can also lose livestock from broken legs from their holes in or near fence lines. Trapping and releasing them to another area is irresponsible because your dumping your problem on other people…not cool!
What’s your permanent solution? Please share.
Had garlic and lavender growing right by my tomatoes, that didn’t work, they crawled up the tomatoes cages and destroyed every one. Only way I have kept them at bay is with welded wire completely covering my garden beds.
Ditto
For a permanent solution if you can get close enough with your car. Run a hose from the exhaust into the hole. The co2 being heavier than air will settle into the lower areas of the tunnels and kill them.
Please don’t trivialize the Holocaust.
had 1 just chew thru the housing & all the wires for my steering on my Honda ! omg !
You may have the “new” soy based wiring. Dealers are not taking responsibility for this problem. Squirrels and rodents will come back. Go on Amazon and order the gadget that emits a hum they don’t like. Make sure it attaches to your car battery so it will work. It will not drain your car battery, unless the car sits for 10+ days. I have one and it solved the very expensive problem!
I’m new to this groundhogs issue. I say him for the first time yesterday when I discovered that my morning glories were eaten. I appreciate any ideas.
I have been reading numerous articles on what the Whistle Pig hates, most suggest human urine. I am going to try the cat litter first and think hard on the urine.
I don’t have a cat does anyone know if the urine works…I have three boys lol
Have a hearts with apple, peanut butter and honey – they love it then bring to a field with forest and old stone walls
Caught squirrels no chucky
As mentioned on previous postings, in many regions where Wood Chucks (Ground Hogs) are prevalent and a nuisance, it is illegal to trap and then release off of your property. It is also a very hit and miss method. Last year, 2021, we had such a problem with tunneling and eating much of our garden I reluctantly resorted to my “22”. After shooting 10 Wood Chucks over a period of 2 weeks, no more appeared for the rest of the year. This year, 2022, I eliminated 3 more over a few days and haven’t seen any more for several weeks. The only other option is hiring a licensed trapper who can legally move the critters off of your land. Not sure how expensive that service may be or how effective either. Ground hogs have many offspring and if not eliminated in one season, you will have multiple generations. Though I love sharing and observing wildlife where I live, I also deserve to pursue my life and liberty.
I just wasted my money on a professional trapper. They are not cheap! Here in Maryland it was $475 for 5 days. They caught a fox and a possum but no groundhogs.
unfortunately do skunks also like that? I have one of those too…dog got skunked the other day…and I DON”T want to catch a skunk
One keeps digging under my neighbors fence and into my yard so I mixed clove essential oils with water after I filled the hole. It stayed away for a month so I am going to use it again.
As mentioned on previous postings, in many regions where Wood Chucks (Ground Hogs) are prevalent and a nuisance, it is illegal to trap and then release off of your property. It is also a very hit and miss method. Last year, 2021, we had such a problem with tunneling and eating much of our garden I reluctantly resorted to my “22”. After shooting 10 Wood Chucks over a period of 2 weeks, no more appeared for the rest of the year. This year, 2022, I eliminated 3 more over a few days and haven’t seen any more for several weeks. The only other option is hiring a licensed trapper who can legally move the critters off of your land. Not sure how expensive that service may be or how effective either. Ground hogs have many offspring and if not eliminated in one season, you will have multiple generations. Though I love sharing and observing wildlife where I live, I also deserve to pursue my life and liberty.
Sorry, this was meant to reply to “MOLLY”
The only thing that will get rid of them is a .22 caliber.
I can’t shoot in the city where I live. Besides, I’d just rather it go away. I don’t want to shoot an animal that no one is going to eat.
They’re good eatin
No they are not good eating –unless you are starving.
We grew up eating them,squirrels and venison. We didn’t buy steak or much meat at all.
I’ve tried mothballs and mothball flakes. They just bury them with dort. I tried pouring hot sauce down the hole. We’ve tried trap and release. I might as well get paid doing that for people. It worked as we had property 20 miles away. Didn’t last long. We fell like marking them somehow to see if they’re making it back here ? They are a huge pain! They are underneath the back part of the house, the kitchen. I don’t want them to get in!!! Their burrows go under the road across the street into our crop.?we plant and harvest soy beans, turnips and sometimes corn. We rotate the crops to keep the soil fresh, fertile. Oh yeah, their cute little burrows allow snakes in. An extra bonus, RIGHT??!!?? I HATE them so much but love the quiet country living. Good luck getting a rid of them everybody!!???????
try ammonia down the holes also liming your yard with agricultural lime helps (note BAD for pet paws–it burns them)
one other issue–other groundhogs can smell groundhog burrows for months so removing the current resident means other nearby groundhogs will be attracted to the existing burrows once they are empty (no groundhog to protect the territory means others will move in so keep adding ammonia every month to the holes)–to start use at least a quart down each hole)
Do not use mothballs outdoors, they do not repel rodents or snakes and are extremely toxic to the environment, its also illegal to do so in most places.
I live in the city I have had a gardon for years last years gardon was awful this year all is doing very well corn pole green beans and cucumbers there and corn is a very large groundhog that comes threw my numbers fence well he slides under the fence to get into my yard then he eats my grass I caught him today around 10 am or so coming up to my flower garden the seen him about to climb my fence to get into my garden I opened my door and yelled at him three times then he scurried away I have dogs I think he waits for them not to be outside I have tried to put things up to the fence but has not helped its a plastic fence the neighbors I seen soiled cat litter on the list think I will try that one any other natural ideas to detur him from my yard?
hot pepper (2teaspoons per quart water) sprayed on foliage will deter if you see holes pour ammonia down them
Kitty litter does not work .I have tried all these ideas except smoke bombs and a gun …they are next the groundhogs destroyed my utility shed. 5000 dollars down the drain and now starting on my garage….use smoke bombs next …than it’s time to wipe them off my property …going to have a gun party and wipe them all out…….one of the most destructive creatures you can find…have gadi being Mr. Nice guy!
This article isn’t accurate. I have groundhogs living under my deck eating my chives, sage, and lemon balm, as well as nearly everything else. Those plants don’t deter them.
Oooooohh… Not fair!
Agreed. They dig up and eat my garlic and onions. They dug under the foundation of my deck creating a huge issue. I mixed anomia and dish soap in a sprayer and sprayed between the boards and around the deck. They stick their heads out from under the deck to get fresh air but will not move out.
I have ground hog infestation and need to get rid of them permanently. I am planning to break small-broken-glass and mixing it with dirt – stuffing it down the burrow and watching them dig out. Will this cause enough bleeding and or infections to eliminate them permanently?
Bob, sorry, but that’s a terrible idea. Please call a wildlife professional after you have tried all our ideas.
Bad idea just cruel you’ll deal with suffering slow death and div under house area to die
That would smell awful, then you will be unable to get rid of the smell.
Inhumane and disgusting. They are living creatures.
How awful!! Don’t do that.
i am an animal lover and now have a serious ground hog problem causing $$$ of damage and people are talking humane ???they are overtaking the neighborhood…god forbid they should bite a child or someone …this is no longer a matter of being humane ,,it is defending my property against a destructive RODENT ..you can call a trapper but other ground hog will take up in the holes….as i said i am animal lover these are not kind animals and they can be vicious !!
thank you 4 the info
Do squirrels eat apples? I’m trying to put out apples for the deer but can’t be sure who’s eating them. I know there are groundhogs too but I’m going to try the epsom salts for them
No they don’t. They just bite into them and watch it fall and move along to all the rest
I leave the apple cores out for the squirrels. They also eat all the apples that I leave on the ground under my apple trees.
Squirrels eat almost everything
I have seen a squirrel eating an apple! I have a picture of it.
I use them for target practice. Works great!
My yard is a mess I didn’t know they can climb trees also
Seriously?
I’m going crazy it’s bad my yard looks a mess
So I just scooped my cat box out all the poop and pee clumps into a bag and poured cayenne pepper and roasted garlic powder all over it then emptied the bag into the hole then I shoveled some dog poop in there and covered it with a mixture of dirt and rocks.. Wish me luck!!!
Did it work Jennifer?
did it work?
Hope you haven’t’trapped’ them in their den, they will die and rot away leaving a horrible smell that will be around for a looong time! Best of luck with your situation!
Carl, you do know burrowing animals like this…well…erm…burrow? They won’t get trapped in their dens or tunnels if you block one way out…if you can find both exits and contaminate the holes, they will just make a detour and make another exit. The only way to get rid of burrowing animals is to get rid of them. Pouring used cat litter, etc down a hole just contaminates your yard. I know it is a ‘cruel’ thing to “kill” animals, but if it is between my garden where I am growing food for the year, or an animal that I don’t want to feed, then…that animal will go.
Instead of killing them (unless you are going to eat them), buy a HavaHeart trap, trap them and relocate them far away from your house.
Wildlife Control Must Be Done In A Humane Way
If you choose to remove wildlife yourself you could face animal cruelty charges if you use a trap improperly and injure wildlife in the process. Most jurisdictions have rules and regulations that govern the use of live-traps for humane wildlife services. It is important to do your research and be aware of these laws and abide by them or risk facing animal cruelty charges.
2. Capturing Non-Target Animals
When setting a trap there’s no guarantee that you’ll capture the animal you’re after. The bait you place inside the trap could attract other animals that have nothing to do with the wildlife issue you’re experiencing. Many homeowners attempting to trap raccoons on their property end up with skunk in their trap and risk getting sprayed trying to release the animal.
3. Trapped Wildlife Spreads Disease
Wild animals can be carriers of dangerous diseases, rabies chief among them. When homeowners trap and relocate wildlife they risk spreading diseases to locations where the disease didn’t exist before. Raccoons and skunks are both common carriers of rabies and are capable of transmitting the fatal disease to people and pets.
4.Relocating Wildlife Is Not Humane
Many homeowners are under the impression that wildlife trapped in cities are better off in the country. Nothing could be further from the truth as studies show that most relocated animals don’t survive in their new environment because they’re unfamiliar with where to find food and shelter. You could also relocate a mother which could lead to the deaths of her orphaned babies. Hardly a humane solution.
5. Humane Wildlife Control Also Dictates Releasing Trapped Animals Within 24 Hours
Captured animals should be released within 24 hours. This is because animals are vulnerable when in traps. Live trapping puts the animal through tons of stress and if left in them for a long time, they could die from dehydration and starvation. Similarly, they could also be seriously injured or die from trying to escape, frostbite or heat stroke or even other w
As much as I am opposed to killing or hurting animals unless absolutely nessesary. Or unless your going to kill it to eat…
But It’s quite obvious that those opposed to trapping and releasing or killing these destructive animals have never had to pay anything to repair their property.
How about you foot the bill the next time the floor of my shed collapses because of the tunnels they make. Or you pay to repairs someones foundation because they ate at it or dug underneath it. I bet you would feel differently if it were you footing the bill or your family were at risk of being hurt.
People shouldn’t talk if they have never had to deal with this sort of thing.
I have no issues in doing what needs to be done. For the safety of my family and my pets.
It would be different if these pesky creatures were going extinct…but sadly they are not. It would be nice to live in harmony with all living creatures, but it usually doesn’t work that way.
They have the wild to live in…we have our property.
Kill them. If you don’t want to eat them, then compost them and eat whatever they nourish.
would you say that if you had a rat infestation in your neighborhood??? Have a heart ??
Will motion activated owls or something that glitters flutters flops or shakes do anything to help or will it just entertain the neighbor
Ground hogs are literally eating my front door and posts under my front deck! I’ve tried commercial products and set traps
They are huge and not very afraid of me! Help@
That is happening at my house right now too. What did you end up doing to get them to stop? I thought they were cute at first, but this is getting old quick!
I tried mothballs, seemed to work somewhat. They won’t go into a havaheart trap even with melon in it. Guess the one I have is “experienced”.
I could not get the melon to work either .. But they love cabbage, caught 3 of them with this
OH…OK…will give it a shot…thanks
Thanks I’ll try that. All my neighbors blame me because I have bird feeders. I’m very diligent about clean up and plan to get the seed catchers that go underneath. We live on the boarder of a woodlands.
Marcia that’s what I used and it really works well.
I try to trap them, I had lettuce, celery, Apple core, and carrots, I didn’t get a groundhog but I got a squirrel and the squirrel ate every single thing in there and then I read that groundhogs are in the squirrel family
try sunflower seeds, Iput the havaheart,cover some grass over the the steel andsprinkle sun flowers seed on the other side of it . I have removed 7 of then good luckshirl
tried sunflower seeds and caught a snunk!
I catch them with a piece of bread sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar into the trap!
Moth balls are a pesticide, and it is actually illegal to use them in a way other than specified on the packaging.
Well that was what I was going to try guess I won’t now
Thank you for the tips. We have a family with two baby groundhogs. When is a good time to start applying these methods so babies can successfully relocate too?
I have a momma and six babies under a house – I already fenced and closed up all but one entrance. I have no clue how I can tell when they are not under neath . I need to figure out so I can fence up the last entrance. I dug down 18″ and put the fencing curled out then covered with dirt. The only thing I have been thinking is getting an air horn to scare them out so I can cover the last entrance. they are chewing on all the wires
They are crafty critters, make sure there isn’t another entrance somewhere else, even far away from the usual places you look. If they all leave the den, and you fence it up, they may continue to find ways to return to it by making other entrances. Over two years I cleaned out a woodchuck hotel under my garage by using a Hav A Heart trap and cantaloupe as bait, they love it. At least 13 critters.
Thanks for the information.
I’ll all of the items.
Thank you!!! Going to try the garlic and cayenne
i used a trap and caught 4 ground hogs in 4 consecutive day,then i placed a news paper on the ground under a garbage bag and plced the trap with ground hog over it and covered him or her with blanket and placed all in my car over a blanket to keep my car clean and 5 miles later near a river and golf are -i hate golfing- released the ground hog .then covered all holes with soil and sprinkled some kerosin on the soil to give it bad smell. by the way ground hogs hate ammonia so i went to the dollar store and bought glass cleaner bottle about 3 leters- they contain ammonia and cheaper than buying real ammonia- one dollar and poured in the holes days before that i let them out but they came back at night and the trap was waiting job done very humanely
Winston,
What kind of bait you used for the traps to catch the ground hogs?
Cantaloupe apples cabbage
I poured ammonia all entrance didn’t phase them
Same here
ground hogs hate kerosene smell
Do you put the epsom salt (or other remedies) directly in the hole. I have one right under my bush coming out of my front door. I would like so much for it to go somewhere else. I see him peeking out or running straight for it as soon as i pull up.
I have a ground hog under my storage building, how can I get rid of him or her.
Under my shed
Whenever dumping something in a critter hole, first soak a rag or push the rag down in the hole with broomstick. The liquid will soak into rag and last longer instead of soaking into dirt.
I had a groundhog (maybe 2) burrowing under my deck. When I was sure he/they weren’t home, I dumped a bottle of ammonia down the holes and filled them in best I could. There has been no activity there since, but they did move into the woods behind my house and still dine on my hostas. I don’t know where their burrow is now. Cayenne pepper seems to stop them from eating my new willow trees. If they are still a problem in the spring, I’ll trap and relocate them. I’ve heard sometimes more human activity in their vicinity will make them leave.
Cayenne pepper does not work neither does oregano or basil animal repellent is a waste of money I give up ! They can have the damn tomatoes !
It says in the bible to not pick all berries and veggie. leave some for scavengers too. Hehe
Lol my dad just pulled up his. They also was feasting on his green beans.
I have a groundhog in my back yard digging holes under my shed how do I get rid of it
How do you control ground hog population? Humanely.
I have the same problem
I had skunks under my shed. Called the skunk man to trap them than he dug all around the shed. He put chicken wire down all around the shed bringing it forward and down out about 8 inched. He than poured gravel all around and on top of the wire. No problem since. You need to get the out from under your buildings other wise the floor will fall in. Now I am fighting ground hogs in my garden.