Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

[Dukerdawg]

Yep, that is how I feel. I had a groundhog living under my deck, burrowing holes under several fences for ingress/egress. I set a trap and got him last night. Shot him dead, I did. He looked at me in the eyes with such a gentle expression that I really feel guilty now. I know moving him would have been the humane thing to do, but they can be such viscious little critters when cornered and I didn't want to take the chance of losing a finger (or three).

They can ravage a garden in minutes I tell myself, and I have lost gardens in past years to critters such as this and others.

Okay, please make me feel better (or not).

What would you have done?

[mdvpc]

Duke-Its good that you feel bad because that shows you are a good person. But man and woman have been protecting their food supply for a long, long time. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do to protect it. I hate to even squash a bug, not because I am squeamish, but when I see a grasshopper, or a tomato hornworm I do what I gotta do. Dont feel bad. We had a snake in our back yard once and that was its last day, same for a skunk we had one time. Didnt like it, but had to be done.

[Dukerdawg]

Thanks Michael. I just wish the dang thing would have acted viscious or something and not just sat there staring at me. Looked like a monster chipmunk.

I have had field rats eat through my garden, and it did not pain me in any way to poison them.

I guess I will eventually get over it, but as I get older I like to think every creature is precious. But gosh-darnit so is my garden!

Duane

[Zana]

I had one that was bold as brass and tormenting my Westie. Since I don't own a gun and my bow and arrows are at the cottage, I put mothballs down its holes. The varmit left for parts unknown. Next step was to get some traps.

So don't feel to bad.

[Dukerdawg]

Well, guess what. Just seen 2 babies on my deck. They are apparently looking for mom, and food. I guess if I can get these two I will transport them to the woods. I don't think I can shoot the babies.

Duane

[dcarch]

"Temperance is the last refuge of cowards "?

Do what you got to do. They can multiply like rats.

dcarch

[Dukerdawg]

LOL dcarch....I know what you are sayin'....and you're right of course. But cowardice has nothing to do with it.

They are destructive creatures, but the truth is we humans have invaded their habitat, not the other way around.

But, yes...I will do what I need to do.

Gitter' done!

[bcday]

To the woods? Isn't a grassy field their habitat? I didn't think groundhogs were woodland creatures.

Are those babies weaned yet? If not, or if they haven't learned yet how to find their own food, maybe there is a wildlife rehabilitator nearby who will take them. We have several who take all kinds of orphaned critters, even skunks.

[Dukerdawg]

I just seen 'em under the deck. They are not exactly 'babies'. They are probably 3 months old...and there are three of them I can see.

My tender heart is beginning to toughen I think.

[bcday]

Well, they don't belong near anyone's home where they aren't wanted. But with the way the family-owned farming industry is going there is no shortage of abandoned fields around here, let alone entire abandoned farms, so people here can catch and release without running into a "no one wants your woodchuck" problem.

Some info from one website: "The weaned young disperse in mid-July. Summer dens are in fields or grassland, winter hibernating dens are in more woody areas. They contribute to soil improvement by bringing up the subsoil to the surface for weathering action."

I didn't know they had one habitat for winter and a different one for summer. And are you really sure you don't want them to stick around and improve your soil?

[Dukerdawg]

The only soil they have upturned so far is under my deck. I haven't gotten that desperate as of yet to try gardening there...mushrooms?