Removing Groundhogs From Your Yard
Groundhog removal Tips – It’s a lot easier to prevent groundhogs from entering your yard than it is to get rid of them once they arrive and become comfortable. You need to discourage them from coming into your yard as well as detect their presence. The best plan of attack is to use as many strategies as possible to repel these pests from your home. If groundhogs have already gotten into your yard or under your deck, use the following methods to discourage them from staying.
Identify Areas Where Damage From Groundhog Has Occurred
If you are wondering how you can tell if a groundhog has moved into your yard, just look for signs of damage that indicate an animal is making itself at home. In particular, look for the following problems:
. Wood or trees that have been gnawed on or clawed
. Garden crops that show signs an animal is eating them
. Holes and/or burrows in the yard, particularly if they appear underneath a deck, porch, or outbuilding
. Bare spots in the lawn where the grass has been eaten
. Gnawing of wires or plastic tubing located around the home or yard
Identify the Nesting Area
Groundhog burrows are relatively easy to find. Most groundhogs dig at least two entrances to their burrow, and some of them build as many as five openings. The holes measure at least 6 inches in width but they might be as wide as 8 inches across.
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Groundhogs are quite clever, so they cover the holes with loose debris, including narrow sticks, leaves, and spindly vegetation. If you step into a hole that didn’t exist before, it could be an entrance to the burrow. Keep looking until you’ve searched the entire yard.
Eliminate or Reduce the Presence of Attractants
Groundhogs are attracted to yards that offer a food source and a place that seems safe to call home. If you eliminate both of these aspects, you’ll be less likely to find that one of these animals has burrowed into your yard. Even if a groundhog has moved in, you might be able to discourage it from staying if you eliminate food sources and make it as uninviting as possible.
Since groundhogs like to dig their homes in areas that are hidden from view, it is important to remove debris. Trim bushes regularly and remove low-lying tree branches. Try not to stack wood next to bushes or fences, as these animals might burrow in between these items.
If you discover existing burrows, either from groundhogs or some other kind of animal, fill them in with small stones. Doing so makes it less likely that the burrow will be enticing for a new resident.
If you plant crops that groundhogs like to eat, try to do so early in the season to avoid inviting these creatures into your yard. Groundhogs love the taste of peas, beans, alfalfa, and melons, so inspect these crops regularly for signs of animal activity.
Since groundhogs enjoy gnawing on wood, you should eliminate temptation if possible. Remove fallen trees immediately and reconsider stockpiling firewood, at least until you get the groundhog to leave.
Repelling Methods
It isn’t easy to repel a groundhog that has an established burrow. However, you can attempt to do so, just in case it works. You’ll need to be thorough and persistent if you want to achieve positive results. Purchase a repellent (liquid or granular) and apply it around and on areas where you have noticed animal activity. Make sure the repellent you use is safe for plants or grass before applying it.
Groundhogs scare easily, so you might be able to repel one from your yard if you combine electronic repellents with chemical ones. These devices are motion-activated, so you simply set them up and wait for them to chase animals out of your yard.
Live Groundhog Traps
If you choose to use a live groundhog removal trap, it is important to realize that you still have to deal with relocating the animal if you catch it. You’ll have to find a place where you are permitted to leave the animal, and you’ll have to make sure it is several miles from your home. If you aren’t up to using a live trap on your own, you can check a local wildlife control company’s pricing and have them do it for you.
Call in Professional Wildlife Control Specialists
If all of your efforts to chase away groundhogs from your yard have failed, it might be time to call in specialists who have the equipment and expertise needed to eliminate these pests from your property. It’s important to ask as many questions as you want before you sign any contracts to ensure you know what to expect.
Groundhogs like to burrow into a secluded area of a yard that offers food to eat, wood to gnaw on, and peaceful existence. If your yard seems to have invited unwanted wildlife to move in, you should take steps to discourage it from staying. Once you identify the animal’s burrow, eliminate anything that groundhogs might find enticing. If that strategy doesn’t work, consider hiring a professional to help remove the pest from your property.
Groundhog Removal Toronto – A common pest in residential areas, the groundhog is also known as a woodchuck, whistle beaver, ground squirrel, and land beaver. In the wild, a groundhog can live as long as six years. During that time, this animal digs a burrow for its home. While the groundhog can damage your gardens and lawn, its burrow can put your house in danger of sustaining damage. How do you know if a groundhog has moved in and what can you do to minimize the destruction it causes?
Common Signs That a Groundhog Lives in Your Yard
Since the groundhog hibernates, you might not be aware it is there during the coldest months of the year. However, during the spring and summer, you should see one or more of the following signs:
- Damage in a vegetable garden.
- Missing vegetation in the yard.
- Several large holes in the ground near your deck, porch, patio, or shed.
- The groundhog itself
Options for Pest Removal
If a groundhog is living in your yard, it won’t be easy to remove it. Groundhogs build at least two, and usually more, entry/exit points for their burrow. If you block one of the entrances by filling it in with dirt, the groundhog will usually just go out another hole. If you block all of the openings, the groundhog will usually just dig itself a new exit hole.
The most commonly used options for groundhog removal include:
- Live traps
- Barrier fencing
- Groundhog Traps
If you intend to use a trap to capture or kill the groundhog, you must check with local authorities first to see which option is legal in your location. No matter which type of trap you select, the idea is to place it in front of one of the openings, bait it with sweet corn or some other type of tasty vegetation, and wait for the trap to work. Of course, you need to have a place in mind for the disposal of a dead animal or the relocation of a live one. Again, you need to check with local authorities to get that information.
Affordable Wildlife Control Specialists
Wildlife control specialists already have the equipment needed to catch a groundhog. Plus, they are familiar with local regulations so they know which type of trap can be used to deal with this problem. Therefore, hiring a wildlife control company specializing in trapping groundhogs could be the easiest path to take. Read recent wildlife removal Brampton reviews before you hire. See what local customers have to say about our Wildlife Control service in Brampton.
Wildlife-Proof Exclusion Barriers
Since groundhogs are experienced diggers, it can be difficult to keep new ones from coming into your yard. An exclusion barrier is designed to keep this type of pest out of your yard, but it only works if it is installed along the entire perimeter of your yard. Moreover, this type of fencing must be set at least eighteen inches beneath the ground to discourage groundhogs from digging underneath it to get into your yard.
Groundhogs can cause a lot of damage to your garden, landscape, and yard. They live underneath the ground in extensive tunnels that can weaken the support provided by the ground beneath your home and outbuildings. Since they are primarily herbivores, they can eat their way through your garden with ease. Getting rid of a groundhog isn’t an easy task, but it is a necessary one.
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