Oh no! A groundhog!

gorbelly · July 16, 2016

(wail of despair)

Just saw a groundhog waddling through our neighbor's yard eyeing my garden. It's basically over for my garden now, isn't it?

I can't install a fence quickly enough because our township has a permit process for fencing. I guess I'll have to look into trapping regulations.

Worth1 · July 16, 2016

I can fill out the one sheet paperwork and get a fence permit in less than an hour where I live.
Worth

Susan66 · July 16, 2016

Does anybody you know have a dog you can borrow?
Susan

dmforcier · July 16, 2016

Since groundhogs can't jump (being re-incarnated white men), your "fence" need be only a foot or so high. If anyone asks, say it is a decorative border.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

ContainerTed · July 16, 2016

Groundhogs can jump if they want to. I have three living under the shed that is about 50 feet from my back door. They hang out on my woodpile. They jump up two to three feet from one board to another if they choose. Also, when I was a teenager, I shot one groundhog that had climbed a tree that was leaning at about 40 degrees off the ground. He fell about twenty feet and hit the ground dead. They don't jump tall fences, but they are excellent climbers.

I would put up about 2 or three feet of chcken wire fencing and spray some of that critter urine stuff that keeps other critters away.

PhilaGardener · July 16, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorbelly

I can't install a fence quickly enough because our township has a permit process for fencing.

Garden fencing (2x4 inch openings) on T stakes isn't really permanent (but will last for years). Not a stockade or anything. I'd really be surprised if that would cause a problem.

gorbelly · July 16, 2016

Groundhogs can climb, and they can dig. So a groundhog fence needs some kind of baffle and has to be sunk into the ground pretty deeply.

I think I may have panicked prematurely. It was smaller than a full-grown adult and may have been out looking to find some territory of its own. I'm not arrogant enough to think I scared it away when I ran out there like a crazy person yelling and stomping, but there isn't a lot of good territory around here for it. There's a lot of cover between my neighbor's yard and mine, but it's basically around a drainage ditch of sorts (the properties on the other side of it are on lower ground about 3 or 4 feet lower than my yard), and groundhogs don't like to make homes in damp, poorly-draining areas. My other neighbor's yard has a lot of ivy and stuff, but that, also, is mostly along the same drainage area. Everything else around is mostly people's lawns.

Early in the spring I saw a huge, fully grown groundhog traveling along the same strip but going in the other direction. But i haven't had any problems with it or seen it at all since.

I think I'll calm down and keep a close eye out. Maybe it's time for that big dog I've wanted but couldn't have all those years I lived in the city.

PhilaGardener · July 16, 2016

I use 4 ft garden fencing and bend the bottom 6 inches in an L-shape that lays flat against the ground and points outward from the garden. I then cover that flat part with broad sheets of recycled cardboard and free wood chips (so the weeds and grass don't grow up). A few concrete block can help hold it down/flat. That's worked well for me against several litters of local groundhogs over the past few years.

pinklady5 · July 16, 2016

Yes groundhogs can definitely climb. Every year I have to deal with them since my neighbor fails to enclose the bottom of an old shed. I've seen one scale my 3 ft garden fence out of panic after spotting me getting too close. I now trap them and drive them to the other side of town. Soon a new groundhog will find the shed and the process starts all over again.

clkeiper · July 16, 2016

Put in an electric fence for the time being. T posts are step in and the wire thread over the hangers at 4" 8" and maybe 36"? (just guessing) but you can put the wire on the two lowest hangers (weed eat to the dirt first, too.) and that should scare the bejeebers out of the thing unless you are going to sit there with a pellet gun to eliminate it. trapping and relocating wont help... it will be back with in 24 hours. Maybe try dusting heavily with lime and cayenne pepper around the garden in a wide swath.

Worth1 · July 16, 2016

Our ground hogs have shells and they dont climb but they can swim underwater for like 6 minutes.

Worth

bjbebs · July 16, 2016

Groundhogs are good climbers. Floppy type fences, like chicken wire, don't work well. I consider them to be very bright critters. They are extremely difficult to live trap, regardless of the bait being used. I've had some luck setting a box trap up directly in front of their hole. Baited or not they will usually go in but it can take days. If you can get a tractor or vehicle close to the den and run an extension off the exhaust, this works. A conibear 330 set at the hole is foolproof but can't be used in a neighbor setting.
Obviously, fire power is the prefered method, but this isn't for everyone. I've found the best time to pop one is between 11AM and 1PM. This seems to be a prime feed time in my area.
They can't be ignored. They will eat nearly anything you grow and also wallow around and crush plants. They will do as much damage as deer if given the chance.

Worth1 · July 16, 2016

AlittleSalt · July 16, 2016

I keep a pellet gun to run off nuisance animals. It's an old one that you pump up. I don't have groundhogs out here, but the pellet gun works for raccoons, opossums, and wandering dogs. I also toss out a firecracker that usually runs them off.

HudsonValley · July 18, 2016

I co-exist with a huge groundhog population. My neighbors set live-traps that turn into death-traps because they seldom check for critters, which I find unconscionable. I've learned to deter groundhogs (and deer) by planting onion borders around beds and regularly spraying Liquid Fence and/or Repels-All. Also, I don't grow peas in the ground anymore; peas seem to be irresistible, no matter what, and grow well in tall pots.

A minimalist friend of mine lost half her garden to groundhogs early in the season -- her homemade hot pepper spray didn't work, but she's been groundhog-free since she implemented a weekly routine involving liberal sprinklings of onion powder and garlic powder. I may try that when I run out of Liquid Fence...

July 16, 2016	#1
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	Oh no! A groundhog! (wail of despair) Just saw a groundhog waddling through our neighbor's yard eyeing my garden. It's basically over for my garden now, isn't it? I can't install a fence quickly enough because our township has a permit process for fencing. I guess I'll have to look into trapping regulations.

July 16, 2016	#5
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Groundhogs can jump if they want to. I have three living under the shed that is about 50 feet from my back door. They hang out on my woodpile. They jump up two to three feet from one board to another if they choose. Also, when I was a teenager, I shot one groundhog that had climbed a tree that was leaning at about 40 degrees off the ground. He fell about twenty feet and hit the ground dead. They don't jump tall fences, but they are excellent climbers. I would put up about 2 or three feet of chcken wire fencing and spray some of that critter urine stuff that keeps other critters away. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

July 16, 2016	#10
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	Put in an electric fence for the time being. T posts are step in and the wire thread over the hangers at 4" 8" and maybe 36"? (just guessing) but you can put the wire on the two lowest hangers (weed eat to the dirt first, too.) and that should scare the bejeebers out of the thing unless you are going to sit there with a pellet gun to eliminate it. trapping and relocating wont help... it will be back with in 24 hours. Maybe try dusting heavily with lime and cayenne pepper around the garden in a wide swath. __________________ carolyn k

July 16, 2016	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I can fill out the one sheet paperwork and get a fence permit in less than an hour where I live. Worth

July 16, 2016	#3
Susan66 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Western NY Posts: 133	Does anybody you know have a dog you can borrow? Susan

July 16, 2016	#4
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	Since groundhogs can't jump (being re-incarnated white men), your "fence" need be only a foot or so high. If anyone asks, say it is a decorative border. Yeah, that's the ticket.

July 16, 2016	#8
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	I use 4 ft garden fencing and bend the bottom 6 inches in an L-shape that lays flat against the ground and points outward from the garden. I then cover that flat part with broad sheets of recycled cardboard and free wood chips (so the weeds and grass don't grow up). A few concrete block can help hold it down/flat. That's worked well for me against several litters of local groundhogs over the past few years.

July 16, 2016	#9
pinklady5 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Central NJ Posts: 234	Yes groundhogs can definitely climb. Every year I have to deal with them since my neighbor fails to enclose the bottom of an old shed. I've seen one scale my 3 ft garden fence out of panic after spotting me getting too close. I now trap them and drive them to the other side of town. Soon a new groundhog will find the shed and the process starts all over again.

July 16, 2016	#12
bjbebs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: illinois Posts: 281	Groundhogs are good climbers. Floppy type fences, like chicken wire, don't work well. I consider them to be very bright critters. They are extremely difficult to live trap, regardless of the bait being used. I've had some luck setting a box trap up directly in front of their hole. Baited or not they will usually go in but it can take days. If you can get a tractor or vehicle close to the den and run an extension off the exhaust, this works. A conibear 330 set at the hole is foolproof but can't be used in a neighbor setting. Obviously, fire power is the prefered method, but this isn't for everyone. I've found the best time to pop one is between 11AM and 1PM. This seems to be a prime feed time in my area. They can't be ignored. They will eat nearly anything you grow and also wallow around and crush plants. They will do as much damage as deer if given the chance.

July 16, 2016	#14
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I keep a pellet gun to run off nuisance animals. It's an old one that you pump up. I don't have groundhogs out here, but the pellet gun works for raccoons, opossums, and wandering dogs. I also toss out a firecracker that usually runs them off.

July 18, 2016	#15
HudsonValley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a Posts: 626	I co-exist with a huge groundhog population. My neighbors set live-traps that turn into death-traps because they seldom check for critters, which I find unconscionable. I've learned to deter groundhogs (and deer) by planting onion borders around beds and regularly spraying Liquid Fence and/or Repels-All. Also, I don't grow peas in the ground anymore; peas seem to be irresistible, no matter what, and grow well in tall pots. A minimalist friend of mine lost half her garden to groundhogs early in the season -- her homemade hot pepper spray didn't work, but she's been groundhog-free since she implemented a weekly routine involving liberal sprinklings of onion powder and garlic powder. I may try that when I run out of Liquid Fence...