Jun 23, 2015

Groundhogs, Woodchucks -How to deal with them




I live in an area where everyone dumps groundhogs they trap...(in the woods) across from my house. So we have a ton!! It is a state park so we can not touch them...and it is illegal to kill them. (why I have no clue).  So we have learned slowly what they will eat and what they will not...lots of my herbs they have not touched....flowers...their are a few I can grow,  and the rest are in raised pellet gardens, and potted gardens. It works. I use to weed whack the area across the street to make it look nicer but that seemed to get them in our yards more so I leave it now as a grazing area for them...that and many of the edible weeds I write about are now growing there. I throw the flowers from ones I find along the high way and now some of them are starting to grow...and I have a source for them in a healthy place. ANYWHOOO...

Right now I have 2 brave baby groundhogs going after stuff the adults do not. And I am looking for a repellent to at least help with deterring them .



So here are some of the ways to deter groundhogs from eating all you have that I have found.

  • You can uses things like a fence around your garden (making sure that some of the fences is at least 6 inches to a foot underground.
  •  You can get store bought repellents like fox urine. (I read in one garden blog the guy used his own and it worked.) NOT IN THE GARDEN around the garden area.
  • I also read that you can use your kitty litter (dirty) around there den and they will leave.




  • You can try setting up a sprinkler around there area...the water will go down into the hole and they will think it is flooding and move...I like this one because you can use the sprinkler every night and it will keep them away and from just building in another area in your yard
  • Then you can do things like smoke or burn them out of there dens.I am not a fan of these two. But the smoke can help you see where other openings are that you may not know about.
  • and this one  Sudsy ammonia   Click Here (not a fan but I am not that frustrated yet 
  • I would say hire someone to trap them...but those are the fudgerss that are dumping them in my area...so don't give them the business!!  at least in CT please :) 
  • There is the incredible edible egg. crack them open at the doors of their den and little cover it with dirt....must freak them out when the step in it. Not sure
  • Castor oil, mix it with water and spray your yard with it. Or do the same thing as you did with the egg with straight castor oil
  • You can sprinkle any kind of pepper in their den but I have read they come back it is a short lived deterrent
  •  A scarecrow that makes noise....many hang some wind chimes on it. Also  move it around every so often. Try hanging steamers off it the movement will help keep them away
  • And pin wheels....why not its worth a try.

Because I have so many,  more always move in as soon as you get rid of some. I am trying to live with the little fudgers. Because again more will just move in and or they will just move to the neighbors yards and still be an issue.

But I am going to try the cat littler on the weekend....I would like to get them gone before winter...because again there are babys....and the are cute :(

BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!

Me being a prepper the positive is they are a meat source. :)





                         Song for this post has to be John Lee Hooker, Ground Hog Blues


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