Ground Hogs (aka Wood Chucks) Digging in Pole Barn

Shawnrang · Apr 6, 2014

Maybe for a month or so. Woodchuck holes are catacombs, they never stop digging new tunnels. If dead bodies in the holes kept them from ever coming back I wouldn't have repeat visitors every year in my old lean-to. Someone poured excess concrete back in my old barn in small patches about 25 yrs. ago, they must've had a buddy driving a concrete truck. I don't use that for anything except storage of odds and ends, and the rest of it is dirt. The boogers love burrowing under the slabs. We shoot them as we find them, I've used poisons, smoke bombs. They keep coming back. My brother used the fencing around his barn exterior after he had problems with them. It worked. He used an old chain link fence our dad took out.

SPIKER · Apr 7, 2014

The smoke bombs work pretty well but ya can't go easy on them. I used regular 4th of July type smoke bombs 99cents for 6 in package at Big Lots, use a wrist rocket to shoot them deep into the holes. Try and light 2 or 3 as fast as you can shooting or trowing into holes, maybe get helper then shovel dirt into hole to close it up. Hit next hole same way, will usually be 2 or 3 within 20 feet or so of each other. I keep a 22 semi auto hand gun handy for ones trying to escape! The chain link buried around walls works to deter them coming back or from hitting NEW locations.

M

sixdogs · Apr 13, 2014

smstonypoint said:
Great question. Does longitude matter? Apparently groundhogs/woodchucks are also called land beavers and whistle pigs.

We can advance science by conducting a survey to determine how the common name of Marmota monax differs by region. I will start.

I have lived a year or more in NC, SC, VA, and MD and have always heard "groundhog."

Steve

This settles it for Ohio. The volunteer 26th Regiment of the Civil War was named "The Groundhog Regiment".

index

SPYDERLK · Apr 13, 2014

Anybody know the best time to find them home and not out foraging?
Thanks.
larry

Whitnel · Apr 13, 2014

I had one of these SOB's getting in the engine compartment of my truck. Finally caught him in it one morning last week. Shotgun took care of him. Hopefully he was the only one that took a liking to my truck.

Tig · Apr 13, 2014

A while back, our pool liner was undermined and the burst by chipmunks. After the pool repair they tried to move back in. My wife came up with the solution. Sprinkle some pool shock (powdered bleach) in with the dirt used to back fill the hole. Only took a spoon full for those guys and it worked first time.

sixdogs · Apr 13, 2014

SPYDERLK said:
Anybody know the best time to find them home and not out foraging?
Thanks.
larry

Mid late morning. Just grab a lawn chair, a magazine and old Betsy.

SPYDERLK · Apr 13, 2014

sixdogs said:
Mid late morning. Just grab a lawn chair, a magazine and old Betsy.

I want them inside not outside. I plan to monoxide them.

sixdogs · Apr 13, 2014

SPYDERLK said:
I want them inside not outside. I plan to monoxide them.

Oops, sorry. At night or late in the day close to dark they are in the den. Also, make a lot of noise and they run inside.They have multiple holes and I have found they are hard to get with fumes.