# How to get rid of ground hog in front lawn



## kalevi (Jul 20, 2011)

Hi Folks:

I got a new resident on my property that I don't want. He's dug a burrow with 2 entrances in my front lawn. I can't shoot him because of where I live. I figure if I try to trap him, I will catch 1000 squirrels before I get him. Does anyone have any suggestions?


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## firefighterjake (Jul 20, 2011)

Make sure you keep a close eye on your woodpile. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjGwusHrOtk&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

----

On a serious note . . . short of trapping or shooting . . . maybe gas 'em out with car exhaust?


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 20, 2011)

It's weird- I have a mess of gray squirrels, and catch them in a havahart sized for them.  I catch woodchucks in the bigger sized trap, but have yet to catch a squirrel in it.  You could just let the squirrels go if you get them (check the trap often- they can get pretty beat up before being released)


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## woodmeister (Jul 20, 2011)

.177 cal. pellet gun no muss, no fuss no real noise either.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 20, 2011)

woodmeister said:
			
		

> .177 cal. pellet gun no muss, no fuss no real noise either.



A pellet gun that will kill a groundhog cleanly may be an investment.  They are tough SOB's.


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## woodmeister (Jul 20, 2011)

At 1200 feet per second and properly placed it's a done deal.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 20, 2011)

woodmeister said:
			
		

> At 1200 feet per second and properly placed it's a done deal.



Exactly.  My Crossman 760 aint doing it.  Do you have a suggestion on a good one (I could use something between the 10 pump and the 22)


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## woodmeister (Jul 20, 2011)

There are a lot of them out there i have a winchester, gammo makes a variety of them. Take a look at the cabelas web site they have a good selection.


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## jimbom (Jul 20, 2011)

Check your local ordinances regarding pellet gun discharge in the city limits.  They are treated as are rifles in our town.

http://mdc.mo.gov/landwater-care/wi...gement/mammals/controlling-nuisance-groundhog

I think the carbon monoxide cartridge may work the best.  People used to do this with the exhaust from a small engine.  If you use a small engine, have someone at each entrance with a pitchfork.  They might run from the smell or noise.  The cartridge seems like no smell, no noise - just get sleepy and doze off permanently.

The trap is good if you want to eat him.  I have heard they are good eat-n.

Back from quail hunting with my dog in my youth, we surprised a groundhog in the front yard.  He ran for the outhouse.  There was a board loose and he ran in followed closely by my dog.  I thought the worst.  There was a ruckus in there, but I couldn't see from inside.  Just as I was about to tear the sides off the place, I saw a brown flash at the loose board.  Then a white flash as the dog chased the groundhog around the edge of the pit.  Brown.  White.  Brown.  White.  I was afraid the dog would catch the groundhog.  A groundhog will tear up a pointer pretty bad.  So I timed the circles and blasted away when the brown flash was due.  Silence.  Directly, the dog came backing out with the dead ground hog.  We both were relieved.  I think the dogs nose had power burns.  He was all proud of himself.  Carrying that groundhog around like he had saved the world.

So I don't recommend sending your terrier in after him.  You will have to finish the job yourself.  And take the terrier to the vet.


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## jimbom (Jul 20, 2011)

More thread jack.  We used to go quail hunting after school.  There were several good coveys near town.  Next day when organizing the hunt I said I had to go home to get my dog.  Everybody had their guns and some brought their dogs and left them hang around.  They said don't do that.  He is ruint.  I shot a ground hog over him and now he would be pointing ground hogs.  They half had me going.  But I recovered with a few - beats having dogs that run rabbits, run to the truck on the first shot, etc.  All problems the others had experienced with their dogs.


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## Reggie Dunlap (Jul 20, 2011)

Woodchucks are surprisingly tough little critters. Pellet rifles and air guns are pretty marginal in my opinion. A .22 with subsonic rounds is a better option and not much louder.


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## billb3 (Jul 20, 2011)

Stopped by my dad's one day and he had his .22 out shooting a woodchuck in the head  in a havahart trap.
I don't think the bullets were penetrating the skull, I think they were bouncing off.
It would just growl every time it got shot.

Dunno what dad did with it. Probably drowned it.
He was pretty mad that it had pretty much eaten up his whole garden almost in one night.

Plus he had tried  one of those smoke bombs in  it's burrow and it back-fired. Got himself in the face pretty good.

He was pretty angry and looked like hell so I left.

From what I understand he destroyed a shed to get at  a burrow.

Mom still refers to it as the woodchuck war with lots of casualties.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 20, 2011)

Their hide was used in "ye olde times" for hinges and show soles because it's so tough.


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## CTburning (Jul 20, 2011)

If you want to hunt them you are crazy.  I have a RWS model 350 magnum in 22 cal air gun and I took one out this spring.  Gamo and the others are crap and aren't accurate enough.  You need heavy pellets and that is going to slow down velocity to the 800 fps range.  Spend $400-500 on an air rifle or buy $30 worth of subsonic 22 rounds.  Either way you are hunting a critter that runs at first sight.  I got mine by slipping open a window when I saw him munching on my garden.  

When I was a kid I worked for a millionaire on his property that had a ground hog problem.  He actually paid me to carry my bow and shoot them on sight.  It's the old story, the bow was always out of reach when we saw them but I did get one as he was scurrying to his hole, lucky running shot.  Anyways, eventually he bought this poison and it worked but it stunk up the yard for a couple of weeks.  I tried digging out the den but it went down 6 ft and under the house so I eventually just filled it with water and back filled it in.


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## heat seeker (Jul 20, 2011)

My Gamo will shoot heavy .177 pellets at over 1000 ft/sec. Easily takes out squirrels, would probably do a 'chuck. With the scope, I can consistently hit a 6" target at 200 feet. It's not a toy, but is priced accordingly (around $200.). It's not quiet, but not loud. A long barrel .22 would probably be quieter, but is not legal to use near houses.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jul 20, 2011)

kalevi said:
			
		

> Hi Folks:
> 
> I got a new resident on my property that I don't want. He's dug a burrow with 2 entrances in my front lawn. I can't shoot him because of where I live. I figure if I try to trap him, I will catch 1000 squirrels before I get him. Does anyone have any suggestions?




If you use the right sized trap and set it right you will catch that woodchuck. Take some of your wood splits and build a spot so the critter has to go in one way. Set the trap and be sure to anchor it down just in case. You can usually catch them within 24 hours. If you can't set a trap at both entrances, block one of them to encourage the critter to use the right one. 

Trapping these things is about as easy as it gets. The only thing I've ever caught when setting a woodchuck trap is a possum. I do know a fellow who caught a badger once though.


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## JustWood (Jul 20, 2011)

Apple is about the best live trap bait.


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## Jags (Jul 20, 2011)

XactLEE said:
			
		

> Apple is about the best live trap bait.



Really?  Thats the first time I have heard of that one.  I usually use lettuce leafs or carrots (plus tops).

Cat food (can) for possum and coon

And marshmallows for coons - warning - skunks like them too (and the cat food).  I learned to never trap inside of a building, always outside.


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## woodsman23 (Jul 20, 2011)

Take a gallon of pure ammonia and dump it in each hole equally in the eveningand he will make a hasty retreat shortly after....


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## fishingpol (Jul 20, 2011)

Smoke them with a smoke bomb from a box store.  Avenger is one name that I have used.  Wait until dark, cover one hole with a rock and dirt.  Put the smoke bomb down the other and cover with a rock and dirt.  I have three holes in my yard, 2 have been smoked and the last eviction, err, execution is tonight.  The bombs are very noxious and work quickly I'm sure.  Yes, I did get a lungful of the smoke once, not fun.


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## loon (Jul 20, 2011)




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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 21, 2011)

peaches and strawberries for groundhogs


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## wannabegreener (Jul 21, 2011)

smoke'm if you got'em.  I have had zero luck trying to trap so I just smoke them.


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## richg (Jul 25, 2011)

go to lowes or homies. Buy a box of rat/mouse poison blocks. Throw a bunch of them down the holes. Problem solved.


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## kalevi (Aug 2, 2011)

He's gone. Just about anything one can do is illegal where I live. Even if I live trap, I'm only supposed to move it only 1/4 mile. I kept putting my cat scat and pee balls in the holes. After a couple of weeks of this, he got tired and moved on. Yeah!  I guy in Toronto got charged with animal cruelty for using a shovel on a raccoon that had been digging up his yard.


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## firefighterjake (Aug 2, 2011)

kalevi said:
			
		

> He's gone. Just about anything one can do is illegal where I live. Even if I live trap, I'm only supposed to move it only 1/4 mile. I kept putting my cat scat and pee balls in the holes. After a couple of weeks of this, he got tired and moved on. Yeah!  I guy in Toronto got charged with animal cruelty for using a shovel on a raccoon that had been digging up his yard.



Chemical warfare . . . I love it!


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## Flatbedford (Aug 3, 2011)

I can't believe this isn't here yet! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lYm0c7gYyU
Followed by
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0Hx5ka1FiA&NR=1


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## smokinj (Aug 3, 2011)

XactLEE said:
			
		

> Apple is about the best live trap bait.



We had lots of issues with them in our apple orchard go figure!


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## Bugboy (Aug 4, 2011)

Lay out in your yard early morning and late evening with fresh alfalfa woven in to your pubic hair and then hit him with a double bit axe when he starts feeding.


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## heat seeker (Aug 4, 2011)

Bugboy said:
			
		

> Lay out in your yard early morning and late evening with fresh alfalfa woven in to your pubic hair and then hit him with a double bit axe when he starts feeding.



Just be veeerrrryy careful with your aim!


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## jimbom (Aug 4, 2011)

Bugboy said:
			
		

> Lay out in your yard early morning and late evening with fresh alfalfa woven in to your pubic hair and then hit him with a double bit axe when he starts feeding.



Dude!  You are supposed feed that alfalfa to the cows, not smoke it.


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## James Gautsch (Aug 5, 2011)

Bubble gum.  Binds them up.


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## begreen (Aug 5, 2011)

JMG said:
			
		

> Bubble gum.  Binds them up.



Seriously? Do coons eat this? If so I will go buy a carton. Them varmints are messing with my corn crop!


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## SmokeyTheBear (Aug 5, 2011)

I use a shotgun on the ground hogs that show up here.

For raccoons, get a couple of large live traps, dig a small hole place a can of sardines that you have punctured with a few holes in the hole place the trip plate of the trap over the hole repeat with each trap.

You can also bait the traps with a raw egg (fresh egg do not wash it, don't use store eggs, this bait will last a month if the raccoon doesn't get to it).  Marshmallows, grape jelly, and sticky buns also work very well.

Make certain the trap is staked down, raccoons are powerful and they will surprise you with how smart they are.

After capture humanely euthanize the raccoon.

ETA: I understand that both ground hog and raccoon are good eating.


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## firefighterjake (Aug 8, 2011)

SmokeyTheBear said:
			
		

> I use a shotgun on the ground hogs that show up here.
> 
> For raccoons, get a couple of large live traps, dig a small hole place a can of sardines that you have punctured with a few holes in the hole place the trip plate of the trap over the hole repeat with each trap.
> 
> ...



Sticky buns also work very well if you are looking to capture Firefighterjake.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Aug 10, 2011)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> SmokeyTheBear said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Not surprised, they'd work well for a lot of us.


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## EatenByLimestone (Aug 13, 2011)

I've caught a few this year with coil spring and small conibears.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=266039

Set down in the hole there is little chance you will catch anything but the groundhog.  Dispatch any way you want to.  I use a .22LR, but a pointy stick will work since you are so close to it.  

Matt


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## Cazimere (Aug 13, 2011)

FYI. Groundhogs and raccoons taste like crap.
But if given a choice, i like groundhog better.


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## heat seeker (Aug 13, 2011)

I am not familiar with what crap tastes likeâ€¦care to enlighten us?  :cheese:


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## Cazimere (Aug 13, 2011)

Crap tastes like groundhog and raccoon.


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## heat seeker (Aug 13, 2011)

Ahhhâ€¦circular logic - gotta love it! :lol:  :lol:  :lol:


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## Don2222 (Aug 13, 2011)

Hello

Do Car Road Flares work as good as Avenger Smoke Bombs? I use them for chipmunks!


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## SmokeyTheBear (Aug 14, 2011)

Don2222 said:
			
		

> Hello
> 
> Do Car Road Flares work as good as Avenger Smoke Bombs? I use them for chipmunks!



Here is a tried and known good way of ridding your yard of various tunneling critters.

Get some gas bombs insert one in each hole and gas the trouble makers (remember to acquire all needed licenses and observe all applicable precautions).


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