Groundhog Control & Removal

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are large, ground-dwelling rodents. Adults average about ten pounds. They are strictly vegetarians. Groundogs dig large, complex, interconnecting burrows. They are excellent & prolific diggers. Each spring, a female gives birth to 4-6 young. Groundhogs are true hibernators in the northern parts of their range. The spring emergence always occurs exactly on February 2nd. Oftentimes the groundhog will engage in a behavior known as shadow spotting. Well, perhaps that's not true, but they do emerge in he springtime and resume their digging patterns.

Nuisance concerns: The primary problem encountered with groundhogs involves their propensity to dig. They can and do move a lot of dirt, and when this digging occurs near a human structure, such as under a concrete deck, the absence of supporting dirt can lead to a vulnerable foundation prone to cracking. The secondary concern is the groundhog's appetite, and the damage it can cause to crops.  Many people wish to remove this animal before their garden is destroyed.  Like all rodents, the groundhog's teeth grown continually, and thus this mammal must gnaw, but this isn't usually a problem for property owners.

The best way to handle a raccoon problem is via trapping and removal.  If you try to simply fill in their burrows, they will dig their way out.  If you attempt to use a repellent, the animals will either ignore it or simply dig elsewhere.  There's really no solution outside of trapping and removal.

Wondering how to get rid of groundhogs? There is no magic spray or device that you can use to make them go away. Some people try to sell predator urine, such as coyote or fox urine to get rid of woodchucks, but that doesn't work. They also try to sell ultrasonic sound emitters. These devices are worthless at eliminating groundhogs. Some old wives' tales recommend the use of mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags to make them leave, but I've been to countless homes where these techniques failed - biologists know that these attempts won't work. The ONE AND ONLY WAY to take care of your problem is with trapping and removal of the animals. If you need to find a professional trapper in your hometown, just click our comprehensive list of hundreds of wildlife removal professionals, and you can have your problem quickly taken care of!

This woodchuck was captured by my good friend Bruce, who lives on Massachusetts. The critter was digging under his porch and eating his plants, and he finally decided that it had to go. He called me to ask for my expert advice. I carefully described a trap consisting of an apple under cardboard box propped up by a stick to which a string is tied. Bruce is so trusting, that he set up said configuration, and waited many frustrating hours patiently waiting for the groundhog to ...click for more