What's the best way to catch a groundhog

[dennis thompson]

We have a groundhog that is damaging our garden. Anyone know the best way to catch him?
Thanks
Dennis

[Myk Rian]

A 22 bullet, or 3.
Neighbor down the street has nailed 6 of them this summer.

[David Weaver]

We never had much luck trapping them because there's too much stuff in the garden and in the yard that they like to eat. I guess you could try a have-a-heart trap in the interim (they claim to work) and put apple slices or something in it. You'll maybe catch a raccoon before you get the groundhog, though, and you'll have to deal with letting it out (not that I would do that).

When I was little, the only way to get rid of them was to shoot them, they wouldn't go for traps where we lived because there was too much other stuff to eat to ever risk walking into something they didn't recognize. They were a big problem with pastures (cattle and horse legs) and undermining small buildings.

I had one last year in town (can't do anything but try to make your yard less hospitable than others), he had dug along the side of my house and I presume was attempting to work his way down far enough under a block foundation under our screened in porch to get under it, maybe he did.

I covered his hole several times, and he didn't disappear so the last time I did it, I threw a rag soaked with old shellac into the hole and lit it (to try to burn out the oxygen), mixed a bunch of habanero peppers in water, and then poured that into the dirt that I used to put back into the hole. I guess he wasn't in it, because there was evidence that he came back and started to dig just a little, but I think the peppers may have gotten to him and he gave up after scratching the first inch or two out. I probably mixed 100 crushed habaneros into a gallon of water, I had a big surplus of them in the garden. There was enough capsacin in the dirt that his feet would've been burning even if he didn't get any of it in his eyes.

But if you're out in an open garden, I have no clue how you're going to stop him other than a fence.

I had a block wall along the hole, so it wasn't any risk to try to burn him out. My mother was not into having any animals get shot on her property, so we tried all kinds of stuff like blood meal and whatever other things people said would work, but the only thing that stopped our chucks was moving lead.

[Kevin Bourque]

I live on a farm and groundhogs are my sworn enemy.
I have dispatched well over 100 of them in the last 4 years, mostly with a .177 high powered pellet rifle.
I find it's the best way to get rid of them, however if you can't use a gun, a trap is the next best method.


https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRveFjOEF5JUHQKVF6uUpSYeM8HrmCZN ialGGWxflsRCD4x9G4o

This is a picture of the type of trap we use.


Trying to get a whistlepig to go into a Havahart trap is mostly a waste of time.
If there's enough clover for them to eat they just won't be interested in anything else.
We use a spring loaded type of trap that has 2 jaws that snap shut when the critter hits the trip wire.
The trap is placed over their hole and held in place with 2 large spikes.
When the critter exits the hole he has to go through the open jaws of the trap which slam shut when his head trips the mechanism.

Then we throw him to the buzzards...

[Doug Swanson]

Just trapped one at our cabin this spring...regular leg hold trap #1.5 in the entrance to his hole...carefully concealed in the dirt...couple of innocent looking "guide" sticks on the outside to nudge him over the trap..took a couple of days...then dispatched with rifle and composted :)

[Gary Click]

I have used dry ice in the hole with really good results. Also works very well with ground squirrels and moles.

[curtis rosche]

I read somewhere,, they are drawn to nicotine, which is why they get hit by cars,,, running to eat cig butts. so make a pile of tabacco in the kill zone, and pull the trigger.

[Don Morris]

Gamo .177 Bone Collector air rifle. 1250FPS with PBA Platinum pellets (1000FPS with leaded).

http://www.gamousa.com/product.aspx?productID=341

[Rich Engelhardt]

What's the best way to catch a groundhog (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?189333-What-s-the-best-way-to-catch-a-groundhog)
In the cross hairs, just between the eye and the ear....

Way more humane than the fate the one in our backyard met.

That one ended up as part of a tug of war between our German Shepherd and Great Dane.

[David G Baker]

I live trap them using carrots and cabbage as bait then transport them to a rural area with lots of trees, water and most of what they require to survive.

[Mel Fulks]

Go out in early February wearing formal attire and top hat and you pick them up and put them back in the cages.

[Peter Stahl]

Gamo .177 Bone Collector air rifle. 1250FPS with PBA Platinum pellets (1000FPS with leaded).

http://www.gamousa.com/product.aspx?productID=341

How do these air rifles work, off of a CO2 cartridge or do you pump them up like a old BB gun? I watch a youtube video of a guy rabbit hunting with one and it was very accurate too.

[Jerome Stanek]

They are break action you just cock it once to fire.

[Kevin W Johnson]

A 22 bullet, or 3.
Neighbor down the street has nailed 6 of them this summer.

He's in Jersey.... I'd be quite surprised if he can discharge a firearm. They don't even let them folks pump their own gas.

[Steve Friedman]

He's in Jersey.... I'd be quite surprised if he can discharge a firearm. They don't even let them folks pump their own gas.

Little known fact NJ factoid - it's illegal to buy a slingshot in this state. But that's OK. We have more humane ways of dealing with groundhogs - the only problem is getting them to sit still long enough to fit them with a set of concrete shoes.

By the way, I'm OK with someone pumping the gas for me, especially since the gas in NJ is cheaper than in neighboring states.

Steve

[Kevin W Johnson]

Little known fact NJ factoid - it's illegal to buy a slingshot in this state. But that's OK. We have more humane ways of dealing with groundhogs - the only problem is getting them to sit still long enough to fit them with a set of concrete shoes.

By the way, I'm OK with someone pumping the gas for me, especially since the gas in NJ is cheaper than in neighboring states.

Steve

What's you current cost per gallon up there?

edit: Looked up online, seems like 3.29 for regular. I saw $3.15 locally myself.

[Paul Saffold]

"I live trap them using carrots and cabbage as bait then transport them to a rural area"...so the vultures can survive.

I've had pretty good luck with carrots and celery. I leave a little trail of goodies all the way to the back of the trap :eek:.
Mostly we get the young and inexperienced that have recently been kicked out by momma hog.
Now if we could just do something about bambi. We live in an area with HOA rules. No fence over 5 feet and NONE in front of the house.

[Steve Friedman]

What's you current cost per gallon up there?

edit: Looked up online, seems like 3.29 for regular. I saw $3.15 locally myself.

Virginia's not a neighboring state. Cheaper here than in PA (Philadelphia area) or NY . . . or CT or MA (I just drove to Boston & back).

Steve

[Kevin W Johnson]

Virginia's not a neighboring state. Cheaper here than in PA (Philadelphia area) or NY . . . or CT or MA (I just drove to Boston & back).

Steve

Not saying VA is.... just referencing gas prices.... and the fact it's still cheaper here....

It would also likely be cheaper yet if it weren't too "dangerous" for you guys to pump it yourself.

[Steve Friedman]

Not saying VA is.... just referencing gas prices.... and the fact it's still cheaper here....

It would also likely be cheaper yet if it weren't too "dangerous" for you guys to pump it yourself.

I have no idea why NJ doesn't have self service pumps, but the law has been around since the 1040s. At least we're not alone - I think Oregon has a similar law. In my opinion, the law should be changed to require gas station attendants to clean my windshield and check the oil like they used to.

I think everything's cheaper in Virginia. I just heard that the in-state tuition at Rutgers University is higher than the out-of-state tuition at UVA.

Steve

[Kevin W Johnson]

In my opinion, the law should be changed to require gas station attendants to clean my windshield and check the oil like they used to.


Steve

Now your starting to sound spoiled. :p

[Jay Jolliffe]

We have woodchucks which I think are the same but could be wrong. They like to dig a den in the leaching field for our septic system. Last year I shot four one right after another coming out of the same hole. I just don't like them digging into the leaching field..I've shot about twelve in the past two years....

[Dave Pugh]

When I moved into my house, there was a family of groundhogs that lived under what is now my woodshop. I moved in with two male dachshunds. A few months later after getting settled in, we adopted two more dachshunds, females, everyone is neutered. It was not long before we no longer had a groundhog problem, nor squirrel or rabbit.

[Harry Hagan]

Pour salt on their tails.

[Jerome Stanek]

When I moved into my house, there was a family of groundhogs that lived under what is now my woodshop. I moved in with two male dachshunds. A few months later after getting settled in, we adopted two more dachshunds, females, everyone is neutered. It was not long before we no longer had a groundhog problem, nor squirrel or rabbit.

When I was younger I saw our dog attack a woodchuck and the woodchuck got a good swing on him and laid his belly open we had to take him to the vets to be stitched up. He was a mix breed part shepard and something else.

[charlie knighton]

i have a fat one living in the woods, he can not get at the tomatoes, they are fenced, he used to like my brothers peppers, he has been around at least 5 years, i see him espically if it rains a lot

[Bill Cunningham]

I've no idea how many of those things I've shot over the last 50 years, but it's probably a couple of thousand (50 plus a year estimated), it's one of my favourite pastimes.. The best way I have found to get them out of a hole (there is always more than one entrance/exit), is to toss in a road flare, and drop a big rock over the hole to plug it. Then, watch the other holes and shoot them as they come out. Even if a dead one is blocking the exit hole, they will push out past. The burning road flare and smoke will fill the entire hole, and they simply have no choice. If you can't shoot them, then spear them while standing 'behind' the hole. I know some folks will think it cruel, but then they don't have to pay for the mower blades damaged during a hay harvest by a load of dirt mounds.

[David Dobbs]

They are great on the grill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! use cherry to smoke it mmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm good, Lemon juice making me hungry

[Bill Cunningham]

They are great on the grill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! use cherry to smoke it mmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm good, Lemon juice making me hungry

|I've never been tempted to eat one! But, I'm sure with what they eat, they would be tastier than a porcupine, and their pretty good!

[Myk Rian]

Woodchucks, Groundhogs, same critter.
If you can't shoot them with a gun in Joisey, get a bow and arrows.

[Kevin W Johnson]

Woodchucks, Groundhogs, same critter.
If you can't shoot them with a gun in Joisey, get a bow and arrows.


Somehow I doubt that's allowed either. As someone stated earlier, even a slingshot is illegal in Jersey. Possessing hollow point bullets is a major fine for EACH round. Heaven forbid you have ammunition that does what it's designed to do. No to mention FMJ rounds have a much higher potential to produce unintended injuries as they pass thru the intended target and continue on.

No offense intended, but they don't call it the "People's Republic of New Jersey" for nothing.

[Mike Holbrook]

Friend of mine owns a horse farm and tries to eliminate them too. She has Jack Russel terriers that can go down the holes after them. I was told that dogs small enough to get down the holes may end up on the short end of the stick though. Woodchucks can be large and strong enough to drag the attacking dog back into the burrow and kill or maim them. If dogs are used it may be wise to carry a shovel and be prepared to provide assistance. I'm thinking the two Australian Cattle Dogs I have would be great at rooting out creatures that size.

My understanding is my state has no gun laws restricting the use of spring piston air guns, yet. Better rifles using spring pistons or bottled air are starting to approach the velocity of smaller caliber rifles using bullets. Some of these rifles are as accurate as good small caliber rifles. Typical, more fragile pellets may be less apt to travel off and strike the wrong target though. Mine has proven deadly on large rats, but so far I have no woodchuck issues. I would trade my coyote issues for Woodchuck issues if I could though.

[Peter Kelly]

"I live trap them using carrots and cabbage as bait then transport them to a rural area"...so the vultures can survive.

I've had pretty good luck with carrots and celery. I leave a little trail of goodies all the way to the back of the trap :eek:.
Mostly we get the young and inexperienced that have recently been kicked out by momma hog.
Cantaloupe also works well. I've accidentally caught a few racoons and rabbits but mostly done well with catching gophers.

The best thing for getting rid of them is a harsh winter.

[Conrad Fiore]

For the un or mis-informed, it is not illegal to posses and use hollow point ammunition in the State of New Jersey http://www.njsp.org/about/fire_hollow.html
We legally have guns, bows and BB guns. We hunt, fish and trap in accordance with State Fish & Wildlife laws. Our deer bag limits are second to none in the US and I can drive 20 minutes and catch wild bred brook and brown trout in local streams and I have a successful nesting pair of Bald Eagles 5 minutes from my doorstep. Yes, we may be a bit more populated per sq. mi. than other states, but we are not just the view seen from the NJ Turnpike as it passes through the oil refineries.
I vote for the 22 CB cap, 220 conibear and lastly the live box trap.

[Bill Cunningham]

I vote for the 22 CB cap, 220 conibear and lastly the live box trap.

I wonder what happened to .22 BB caps.. Back in the 60's you could buy a box of 100 for about 50 cents, and were so subsonic you could hear the firing pin hit the rim of the cartridge (no powder in the case, just primer compound). They were great for picking off crows as a kid while shooting from the milk box in the back yard of your buddies house (how many remember what 'they' are) cuz no one could see you, or hear the shot.. My best friend and fellow in crime's mother always wondered why so many crows and starlings were just dropping dead in her yard:D

[Kevin W Johnson]

I wonder what happened to .22 BB caps.. Back in the 60's you could buy a box of 100 for about 50 cents, and were so subsonic you could hear the firing pin hit the rim of the cartridge (no powder in the case, just primer compound). They were great for picking off crows as a kid while shooting from the milk box in the back yard of your buddies house (how many remember what 'they' are) cuz no one could see you, or hear the shot.. My best friend and fellow in crime's mother always wondered why so many crows and starlings were just dropping dead in her yard:D

As far as I know you can still buy them at regular gun stores.

[Bill Cunningham]

As far as I know you can still buy them at regular gun stores.

I've never seen them in any store since the 60's. There not in Canada anymore, and even in the states there pretty rare and expensive.. Cheaper than dirt has them, but they sure ain't "Cheaper than dirt"
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/3-0301799