groundhogs HELP

MI-Bill

Member
I have had a groundhog problem for years. New floor in barn is badly cracked and sinking in one area. floor in attached garage to house was so badly broken up, I replaced the concrete floor 2 years ago. They disappear as soon as one opens a door so difficult to shoot. I have tried trapping but they do not seem interested in any food I have tried. the grass is too good I guess. neighbor suggests alfalfa?? I have trapped a few in empty cages. they go in to explore?. Any ideas? what has worked for you???
 
I was watching Michigan out of Doors the other night and they were trapping them right at the hole quite successfully. If you can find that current episode on a local PBS station or online somewhere,it might give you a lot of good tips.
 
Hello MI-Bill,

One tried to establish residence in my wood pile. Got him with a twine snare loop. Set it where he was going in......

Guido.
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set a conibear trap over the hole. make a small fence out of 11 gauge welded wire fencing to keep other critters away from the trap.
 
If you?ve had a problem for years, here?s to keep them from coming back: Chain link fence. Lay old chain link fence on the ground around the building. Chain link is: 1. flexible so it molds to the ground well, the grass grows through it quickly, and can mow over it without snagging it. 2. You don?t need a 6 ft barrier around a building, can take it apart in 2-3 ft strips and put that around a pole barn. 3. Used & rusty chain link works fine and is easy to find dirt cheap, sometimes free for the taking. Check Craigslist. Cheap is good and it works. Have also used it in a fenced yard, along the edges, to keep our dogs from trying to dig their way under the fence.
 
Put a few melon chunks under a live trap. They go in to get bait and can't get to it through the floor of the cage. I been shooting them at 75 yards with a sniper rifle. Yeah (.223) Not around buildings. If they run into burrows after shot don't worry- self burying woodchuck. The will probably leave after go doing dead carcass down there.
 
Can you get smoke bombs in your area? Had a similar problem with rats under a barn floor. Stuffed 3 bombs into holes along the edge, filled everything up. The smoke was thick enough it was coming up through the cracks in the floor.
 
These traps are very effective. Had two but now one. They most always kill so I was too lazy to stake it down once. Made by ABC Mfg., Cleveland, Oh but I could never find anything about the company and only seen one other trap like it. It fits right down in the hole and gets them either direction.
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I've had little trouble controlling them and usually get one or two each spring.

You need a decent vantage point from which you can see the hole, 50' or more away. Ideally, this will be a window of your house or barn. You will also need a decent 22 with accurately set sights. I use a Ruger 22. Yes, I've killed ground hogs with a 12 G but it's much easier with a 22.

I'm no great shot but have killed ground hogs at well over 50 yards with open sights before my eyes changed. Recently, I had my much more firearm experienced friend install a scope on my Ruger and sight it in so that I don't need to continuously install/remove my glasses when trying to shoot a ground hog. Much easier now.

When you see a hog, go to your vantage point. Yes, the hog will go into the hole but will carefully resurface within 10-15 minutes if you are patient and quiet. When the hog emerges, he will remain close to the ground until confident that the threat has passed. Shortly, he will stand up to have a better look see. Take your shot now. If impatient, a brief whistle will cause the hog to stand up allowing a better shot.

Alternatively, if busy or preoccupied, I simply drive my Ford 8N to the hole, attach a hose to the horizontal exhaust (yet another reason that I keep my 52 8N around), start it up and let it idle for 15 minutes or so. Then put the tractor away and shovel the hole closed. I've never had one such hole reopened.

Dean
 
I have trapped several in live traps. Bait with cantaloupe. I works. I researched it on the web. Then, Turn them loose.......dead.
 

I had pretty good luck with carrots in a live trap near their hole. They seem pretty stupid and I once literally got 3 of them in the same trap one day. Seems I'd just cleaned out the last occupant and put it out again and there was another one!
 
These are what you want. They are not a toy. Only place to find them is a really good farm feed and supply store, or a real back woods hardware store that caters to rural people. Cost around $5.oo each. Come in a big box of 100. You can see I put an extra long cannon fuse on them so you can shove it way far down the tunnel. Shovel shut every hole but one. Tamp them down really good. Have a big pile of loose dirt ready to go. Light the fuse and shove it way down the tunnel. Start shoveling!!! These make a huge amount of sulfer gas VERY quickly. You will be able to see any leaks so go close them quickly. You can also use a couple of 30min. road flares but they don't burn that quickly. Only had one failure this season. Redid the hole a couple of days latter. Got him.!
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I've read that bobble gum works well, you don't need to unwrap it. They eat it, but then it plugs them up.

Dusty
 
Melon chunks??????? "I" eat them!!! I bought a dollar bag of dog food at Dollar General last year and put a little in a tin can wired in my live trap. Works every time. I got 5 coons and a groundhog in the last 3 days. Two little coons at the same time.


Irv :lol:
 
Melon chunks??????? "I" eat them!!! I bought a dollar bag of dog food at Dollar General last year and put a little in a tin can wired in my live trap. Works every time. I got 5 coons and a groundhog in the last 3 days. Two little coons at the same time.


Irv :lol:
 

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