Groundhog Prevention - How to Keep Groundhogs Away
How to Keep Away Groundhogs - Groundhogs are native to North America and are found in the central and northern regions. They are excellent diggers and the tunnels made by them can go as deep as 45 feet. Their burrowing destroys plants and vegetation. They also dig under buildings or homes. Excessive removal of mud from under the base of buildings often results in damage to the entire structure. In many cases, farming equipment has even gotten stuck in the burrows made by groundhogs. Farming equipment are not the only ones affected by groundhog burrows; pets and farm animals can also become injured if they step into a hole and twist or break a limb. Groundhogs are constantly nibbling and eating on almost all types of vegetation including grass, leaves, fruits, roots, flower gardens and tree barks and can damage the vegetation not only in your home garden but also in the agricultural fields as well. Also, damage to underground cables and water pipes are common. If you have large holes with huge piles of dirt or mud around them, then there is a good possibility a groundhog is the culprit. Here are a few ways to get rid of Groundhogs.
Clearing out the possible food sources would leave them starving and they would be forced to move to a new location. However, this might not be an easy task and can take some time as they eat almost everything around. Removing the fruits every day that has fallen off from trees is a good idea. Make sure your trash cans are tightly sealed, or better yet, stored in a secured area where the groundhogs cannot get access to.
Plug the Holes
The burrows made by groundhogs have five to six different openings. You can plug these holes by cement leaving one which would be used by them to escape. However, this might not always be effective and many people would not like to have concrete patches in the middle of their garden.
Repellents to Drive Them Away
Sudsy Ammonia or Cloudy Ammonia is commonly used to repel away the groundhogs. If you do not want to buy it from a store, you can always make the repelling solution at home. Mix two tablespoons of detergent in a quarter cup of water. Add two cups of regular ammonia to the solution and stir well. Pour the solution made at home or purchased from the store in the burrows. Ensure to pour enough so that it can flow through the long tunnels. Keep checking regularly and repeat the process every day until they are gone. Moth balls can also be used to drive them away. Using simulated urine of foxes supposedly scares and drives them away, insinuating there are predators in the area. There are also a few electronic devices available in the market that emits high frequency waves which irritates them. However, use of repellents may not be really effective as they can continue to burrow to other new areas of the field away from the repellents.
Using Traps
Probably the best way to get rid of groundhogs is the use of traps. Before using traps, make sure that it is legal to do so in your area. Non-lethal traps are recommended for capturing and releasing groundhogs. You have the option of either choosing a trap that catches only one groundhog at a time or one that can catch two or more simultaneously. You might not see instant results as the groundhogs might prefer food options on your property other than bait used for the traps. You would need to install guide logs and make a path which would lead them to the cage. Calling an expert would ensure proper removal and release of the groundhogs. Also, once they are trapped, groundhogs can become really aggressive, so you will need to take precautions not to get injured. An expert will know of the dangers and the precautions to take.
Go back to the main Groundhog Removal page for more information about groundhog prevention, and more information about how to keep groundhogs away.
Read more educational guides I wrote to help you with your Groundhog Problem. Learn everything you need to know About Groundhogs, how big they can be, and how to Evict them from your property. Find out what equipment you need to trap a groundhog, and if a high pitch sound deterrent machine works against them. Find out if Repellents, including mothballs or ammonia, are effective, and my best advice for how to keep groundhogs away from your property.
