trapping groundhogs?

Looks like another good year for groundhogs again. Aaaaargh! I have a couple of fresh burrows back in the fence row. We ended up using the poison smoke bombs on them last spring, as we needed a quick solution. I'd rather trap them if possible. I'm willing to take them for a ride in the country, and also the smoke bombs are most effective when they're hibernating in the burrows, and these guys just moved in.

Before I plunk down $$ for one of those have-a-heart traps, though, I want somebody to tell me I will actually be able to catch the dang groundhogs with it! I have some success with my rabbit trap, but I certainly don't catch every rabbit in the yard with it.

Have you used one? What did you bait it with, if anything? Did it work???

Good luck with the groundhogs. I've got plenty of problems with these myself. I posted somewhere about it. Anyway, a friend has bought the Have-a-Heart traps and says that she baits them with strawberries. Apparently groundhogs really like strawberries. Let us know how it works out.

Thanks for responding! I'm glad to have at least one report that trapping might be a workable solution.

I'm willing to sacrifice some strawberries, much as I love them, because I really have to get rid of this guy! He is so bold. He marches right down the middle of my veggie bed like it's his own personal byway. He has got to go before I get everything planted out!

Good luck. I am going to staple a floppy top of hardware cloth around the top of my veggie garden this year to try to keep them out. The fencing runs 2 feet underground and 5.5 feet above, but no one told me they could climb when I built the fence (LOL)! The cheeky little b. . . . . chased me out of my own garden. Within a few days everything was gone, even the gourds :-( I'll try trapping as well. Let us know this works out for you.

We have fenced to keep them out in the past (didn't want to risk our baby fruit trees). We used something like 6 foot fencing with 4 foot high stakes.... didn't bury the bottom, but bent out the last 6 inches or so & pinned down with landscape stapes (burying would've been better, but we were lucky & this was sufficient). That left about a foot and a half flopping around at the top, which seemed to keep them from climbing over. It also helped that there was plenty of clover etc elsewhere in the yard, and a cornfield behind us, so they didn't get desperate enough to work out how to get around the fence.

Wish somebody else would weigh in with advice on whether or not those traps work! :-)

I don't know if groundhogs are hard or easy to trap, but I do know that local animal control agencies will often have traps that they will loan or rent to you very reasonably. Might save you some $$, those traps are pricey.

Good idea, Sylvi -- thanks! I'll check into it.

We've been using a big have-a-heart trap here for a number of years. If you
bait them with apples, the groundhogs will come. (I never tried strawberries
but I sure can confirm that this is a favored fruit. I finally dug out my bed since
the groundhogs got all the fruit). We're not really driven to get the groundhogs
cleared out but I think I trapped about 6-8 last year.

The biggest problem with the have-a-heart traps is catching a skunk. Gotta
be mighty careful letting 'em out!

Thanks, Tammy! I will see if Southern States has one in stock here. Apples would probably be a better bait, as I'm sure strawberries would get squishy pretty fast in warm weather. We seem to have lots more groundhogs in the neighborhood than skunks, but I'm sure there's some corollary of Murphy's Law that says if there's a skunk around we will catch it!

Oh and one more trick. The groundhogs are pretty good at sneaking the apple out w/o
getting caught unless you wedge the apple on the trip plate. I cut the apple into 6-8
wedges and then shove one on the trip plate each night. It works very well.

Good luck & let us know how you do!
Tam

Thanks! I'll see if I can pick one up Monday morning.... I believe that dang critter was eyeing my newly planted tomatoes today, so he has got to go!

I caught another baby bunny this evening, and we took him for a ride in the country. There are plenty more where he came from, so hopefully Grandpa's trap will keep working its magic. Too bad the groundhog won't fit in it!

Good luck! I think I'm going to get my trap put into action this year too.
I've been putting in my vegatable garden and I've scared the groundhogs
out of there a couple of times. And I put in strawberries again so I know
they'll be feasting on those too.

If these critters would just stay on there part of the property (where I'm
NOT growing flowers or vegables) we'd be able to peacefully coexist.

We also have a relocation program. There's a power transformerr station
about 6-7mi from our place. I figure they won't be eating anyone else's
veggies there.

LOL! a "relocation program" -- love it!

I take them to a lovely spot with a big field, a strip of woods, and a running stream.... and I promise that I will try to bring the rest of their family to join them ASAP!

We have lots of clover and so forth in the yard that the bunnies like to eat, so last year the damage to the garden was pretty minimal. I kept putting cat hair and chopped up mint & scented geranium leaves around the plants I thought they might like to munch, and I think that helped keep them away. The groundhogs are another matter, partly because they can be so destructive.... they won't just help themselves to a tomato or two, they'll pull down the whole plant. I ran one off last spring that I caught not merely munching on my newly planted strawberries, but actually pulling up the plants! He'd pull one up, take a bite, and move on to the next. Some things I tolerate, but some things I do not! :-)

Critter,
We had a very persistent groundhog last year. Borrowed a trap, caught that sucker and relocated it. He got away several times, until I stuck the tomato a little under the plate too...

Not sure what kind of trap it is, except they bought it after Dad had to have skunks prof removed from his basement, about 10 yrs ago. That guy told me the secret to removing skunks is to cover so it is in the dark and won't get 'skunked' (think he said 90-95% of the time). Good Luck! ~ Suzi :)

Well, I bought my trap & baited it, but no luck yet. I've tried strawberries (birds ate them), carrots, and (just today), apple. I didn't see a good way with my trap to wedge the apple onto the trip plate without keeping the plate from tilting down to trip the trap, so I just put an apple wedge way at the back of the trap. I'm pretty sure the groundhog will have to put front paws at least onto the trip plate before he/she can reach the apple. I also put a bite of apple just in front of the trap and a second bite further inside (in front of the trip plate) to entice them.

This had better work, as we seem to have a mated pair running around the yard now, and you know what that means.... Trouble, with a capital "T" that rhymes with "G" that stands for "Groundhogs Galore!"

Critter,
AHHHHH OH NO - - - not a mated pair!!! I read something recently that said to throw mothballs down in their hole and they will leave it. If you do try that, please let me know how it works. I don't have any since relocated that one last year. Don't want any more either!!! Good luck on getting rid of THEM! ~ Suzi :)

Oh but mothballs are so nasty! I have a good friend who swears by ash.
He throws ash where they dig. Says they can't stand to get it on their
paws. I guess it burns. THat would be kinder to the environment.

Mothballs did not faze the one living under our deck last summer. Repeated flooding of his hole finally caused him to move along. I may try the ash. I'm really hoping the trap will work!

Okay, so not mothballs... ash?! As in burn trash and put in? Forgive me, know nothing about that... ~ Suzi :)

I was assuming wood ashes from the fireplace.... There may be a bag of them out in the garage still from this winter, as I don't believe we got around to putting them into the garden.

Finally resorted to useing a trap last night- darn thing dug two huge holes. He even tried digging in my greenhouse- that was the last straw. I love nature, but sheesh, go out to the woods and not bother me!!

So, did your trap work??

At least I finally caught something in mine, even if it was a rabbit and not my pregnant groundhog! Actually, I caught 2 bunnies yesterday, one in Grandpa's rabbit trap & one in the new groundhog trap. And this morning, I see that the door on Grandpa's rabbit trap is shut again, so maybe I'm at least making some headway against the growing bunny population!

BTW, Grandpa's rabbit trap is made of wood, and the only thing it's baited with is the scent of bunnies. He always said you could catch one at the beginning of the season just because rabbits are curious, and then the trick was to leave that first one in the trap for a few hours (preferably until it pees)...... works well!

Critter,
My little DD wants bunnies... Doesn't she understand I am trying NOT to have these kinds of things?! LOL

One or two is fine, but I'll bet we have over a dozen at our end of the cul-de-sac.... and that's after I've relocated half a dozen! They are soooo not cute when they come in such numbers!

hmmm My rate for getting DDs to take care of plants/animals isn't going so well. They get them, I get the work, or the constant reminding. Older DD has 2 cats, poor things, found them and they "needed" her. Yea, I am always having to tell her to clean out box, feed, water. She previously had some that were outside cats, but unfortunate incident. Therefore, she is adamant that they are not allowed out.

Their dad gave them 2 hermit crabs... funeral forthcoming. They "forgot" to take care of them. Now, little one's friend's cat had 6 kittens... if I thought the asking for bunnies was hard, should have heard how she begged for the kitten! I don't think that is such a good idea.

Friend needed someone to take care of hamster due to personal probs... I got a hamster for younger DD too. She "forgets" to clean it out too... Yep, Mom has to "remind" them everyday something about critters. Last night, I gave the hamster water too. Couple wks ago, she let it down, I found it.

I don't think so! I have enough to do!!! ~ Suzi :)

Ash as in wood ash. Its acidic and gritty. The ground hogs don't like it on their feet.
Pour it in their holes.

Sorry so out of context/late - I was out of town helping my DM after surgery. Those little
DD's can grow up to help DM's later in life ;-) My mom let me have all sorts of critters
when I was little. Cats, dogs, hamsters, mice, fish, horses. Fish were first!

Anyway - I've caught groundhogs & raccoon's w/o bait. Apples seem like a sure thing
though. Be patient. You'll catch her.

Tam

Thanks for the encouragement, Tammy! I watched her waddle *around* the trap this afternoon (all the way around!) after eating what I believe to have been my last bachelor button plant.

Dang varmint!!

Those groundhogs love to taunt us! I had one that would hold up a big
strawberry while standing on his back haunches and just munch it slowly
as I was walking toward the strawberry bed. He'd wait with the juices
dripping down his chops as I approached and at the last minute, run away.

Oh, my! I glad I'm not alone. I've been battling a groundhog for the last five years. The only thing I ever caught in the traps were chipmunks and snakes. I know it was a she as she had twins twice. She ate every coneflower, poppy, aster, blackeyed susan, anything in the hollyhock family, and any lily bud she could reach. She also ate every color of yarrow except yellow and every tall garden phlox except one pink one. So, I planted roses. Then, the deer found my backyard last winter and took care of those. But, it's my lucky year . . . or so I thought. I assume she's dead as she has not been around. However, my neighbor got one of those vole/mole things in their yard and now they're all in mine. Holes everywhere in my gardens. I just can't win. Good luck to all of you!!! Aren't delphiniums poisonous to critters!!! Kudos to the little bunny who keeps eating the chickweed in the garden I need to dig up later this month. I've never seen it in my gardens. It does taunt my dogs though.

Linda

Caught another bunny in the groundhog trap this evening, so he went for a little ride in the country! That makes 3 rabbits relocated in as many days. Maybe I am making progress.... although I am sure they are breeding like, well, you know.

The groundhogs remain elusive. I switched from apples to strawberry tops.... we shall see!

Stuck the trap in the GH hole and the next day the trap was dragged about 6ft from the trap. Don't know what happened -no leg or neck stuck in the trap! So I guess it's still alive. grrrr

oh, my goodness!

It's raining here this morning, and apparantly neither groundhogs nor rabbits wish to dine upon wet strawberry tops.

Try tomatoes too... if the other fruits don't work. That's how I got mine! Good Luck! ~ Suzi :)

Linjasar,
I thought I had read this and had to go looking for it...
"People are always asking what they can do to get rid of the moles in their lawn. Or "How do I keep the skunks from digging up my grass?" If you have moles, skunks, or other critters ruining your lawn, it’s more than likely because you have Japanese Beetle Grubs or some other insect living in your lawn. " This is from here: http://www.freeplants.com/moles.htm Thought the info might help you, just ignore where he is trying to sell nursery business. LMK, Thanks, Suzi :)

Hmmm, wonder if those varmints would go for a grocery store tomato?

Suzi, we do have lots of Japanese Beetles here (grubs seem to be in garden more than in lawn), but that's not what's bringing the groundhogs and the rabbits to my yard.... they like the clover! and the bachelor buttons! and..... etc!!

I think the moles and voles were supposed to be after the jap beetles. Fortunately, I don't have that prob. Too difficult to deal w/ for my sanity when when have deer munching on fruit trees right now...

I am sure the rabbits and groundhogs are after your goodies you are growing! Heck, if I visit, I will be after your goodies too!!! Tomatoes, YUM! LOL Try the store bought... if doesn't work, can get the real ones, soon. I'm sure you can come up w/something it loves to trap it! Just try not to get a skunk, ahhhhh ~ Suzi :)

Yes, somebody suggested using tuna fish in the groundhog trap, but I can't think of a better way to end up with a skunk in there. DH says if I catch a skunk, he is going to Lowe's to rent one of their pickup trucks (available at hourly rate) for transport! I said if we catch a skunk, I will approach with caution and simply let the critter back out. Fortunately, skunks generally give lots of warning signals before they let loose!

Covering the trap will also calm the critter within. I've had to do this the couple of times this week that my wire groundhog trap has caught bunnies, as the poor things were in such a panic when I approached that I was afraid they would injure themselves banging against the sides of the trap. An old plastic tablecloth did the trick. That's one advantage of Grandpa's wooden trap -- bunnies just hunker down inside.

Speaking of Grandpa's trap, I see the door is closed this morning, so perhaps another little bunny is going for a ride.... :-)

A riding they will go!
A riding they will go!
Critter is so happy, don't you know...
A riding they will go!

LOL!

I just got back. Was humming happily on the way out, "Caught a bunny, caught a bunny!" (to the tune of "Found a Peanut")

Hi Suzi,

Thanks for the tip. I really think it's voles and they're after the roots of my plants. So far, all my asters have suddenly died and the tall garden phlox are withering at the top. We don't have any holes in the yard. I'll look into the Beetles though as I do grow roses. Haven't had too much of a problem. My trouble is location, location, location. My gardens are along the woods and I'm just asking for it. Still no sign of the groundhog yet. That little bunny keeps eating the chickweed and not my plants. I'm just watching and waiting. I did see two snakes yesterday though. I think they're after the critters running around. One was a fairly young black snake and he just might take care of the little varments. I know, snakes are yucky, but I'm always glad its a garter snake or black snake instead of a copperhead. I see you're in Moon Twhship. I'm in Buffalo Twnship in Butler County. Work in the 'Burg. Thanks again! Linda