Should You Kill That Woodchuck In Your Garden

Barbara has tried many ways to get rid of the groundhogs in her yard and now she's sharing the best methods of removal and prevention.

The groundhog shown in the movie Groundhog Day looks like a cute little creature, but, in reality, there's nothing cute about these animals. A groundhog (Marmota monax)—otherwise known as a woodchuck, land beaver, or whistle pig—is a rodent. It will mercilessly eat the plants in your garden until there's nothing left and will make holes all over your yard.

How to Get Rid of Groundhogs

Bait the groundhog into a trap, catch it, and then release it in a wooded area five miles away from your home.
Create vibrations in the ground to scare them away.
Smoke them out of their tunnel.
Pour ammonia down their tunnel.
Deter with garlic and pepper.
Get a dog or cat (or sprinkle their urine and fur around the yard).
Scatter human hair around the yard.
Use agricultural lime to burn their feet.
Sprinkle talcum powder in the garden.
Use fencing and chicken wire as prevention.
Use animal repellent.
Shoot and eat them.

1. Use a Box Trap to Catch a Groundhog

Perhaps one of the most humane ways to get rid of groundhogs is to trap them and then release them somewhere far away. Groundhogs are not usually aggressive animals but will bite when they feel threatened, so please wear thick gloves when catching and releasing.

How to Trap a Groundhog:

Wear thick rubber gloves so that you don't transfer your scent onto the trap. If they can smell that a human has handled the trap, they will not go near it.
Place the trap 5 to 10 feet from the entrance of their burrow.
Camouflage the trap by spraying it with water and rolling it in dirt. Then throw some twigs, leaves, grass, and/or branches on top of, around, and inside the trap. Also, place a brick or two on top of the cage to keep it from rattling and scaring the groundhog away.
Bait the trap with fruits or whatever your groundhog loves eating from your garden. Groundhogs are especially attracted to sweet fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, peaches, or corn. They also love lettuce, cucumber, and green beans. Place the bait all the way inside the trap so that the groundhog has to enter the trap fully. You can also create a bait trail leading up to the trap.
Keep a close watch on the cage because once the groundhog is trapped, it will grow anxious and might injure itself. Wear thick gloves to avoid catching diseases, cover the cage with a towel to keep the groundhog calm, and hold the trap away from your body when transferring to your car.
Drive to an area at least 5 miles away (10 miles is even better). Make sure the area where you choose to release the groundhog is covered (a wooded area with lots of trees, logs, and groundcover). Groundhogs feel comfortable living in covered areas and won't make their way back to your yard or someone else's yard if they feel safe enough to build their home there.

What's the Best Bait to Trap a Groundhog?

Groundhogs love all fruits, but they go crazy for cantaloupe, and it is the best bait to use for a successful catch. Rub the inside and outside of the trap with cantaloupe, and then place a few pieces of cantaloupe cut into 2-inch cubes all the way inside the trap. You can also create a cantaloupe trail leading into the trap.

Should I Use a Live Trap or a Lethal Trap?

People have found the most success when using a one-door live trap (cage trap) that is about 12"x12"x32". These types of traps trigger the door to close behind the animal when it enters. Stay away from lethal traps, which snap shut around the body and kills the groundhog. You may have a hard time disposing of the carcass, and a dead groundhog may attract other unwanted animals to your garden. There's also the risk that a domestic pet, such as a cat, may enter the trap and get killed.

Note: In some states, trapping is illegal, so be sure to check your state's laws if you plan to use this method. If the state allows it, this might be a great way to get even with an enemy. The Hatfields and McCoys would approve.

2. Create Vibrations in the Ground

These animals don't like vibrations and will move if their home is constantly shaking. Place lawn windmills, spinning pinwheels, or a vibrating sonic device near the entrance of their burrow or on top of their burrow to scare the groundhogs away. Windchimes are also great disturbances. If you place vibrating devices around the perimeters of your yard, it will deter the groundhog from coming near.

3. Smoke Them Out

Fumigation kills the groundhog while it is inside the burrow. The easiest way is to buy gas cartridges (also known as gas bombs). They are usually sold at garden centers or can be found on Amazon. Make sure the groundhog is inside the hole before fumigating. This may take a bit of time for observation.

Once you're sure the groundhog is inside, fill all of the entrances except one. Then light the gas cartridge, throw it into the open entrance, and quickly fill it up with dirt to trap the groundhog and the carbon monoxide inside.

Some people also run a hose from their car's exhaust and release the fumes into the groundhog's hole. Again, be sure to block all of the holes. Both of these methods will kill the groundhog or make him run for miles if he finds a way out.

4. Pour Ammonia Down the Groundhog's Tunnel

My preferred method for getting rid of groundhogs is to pour ammonia down their tunnel; they will immediately stop using it. I haven't seen a single groundhog after using this technique. It's possible that they made new tunnels in the woods behind us or have run to the neighbor's yard, but no new groundhogs have appeared thus far.

Make sure you find all of the holes because there are almost always several of them. You made need to do this over several days to effectively scare them away for good. This method worked well for my mother too. She had groundhogs digging under the foundation of her barn, and the ammonia worked like a charm.

The best outcome you can hope for with this method is that the groundhogs will make new holes elsewhere, or they will be gone long enough for you to build fences around your yard and prevent them from digging back into your property.

How to Make Ammonia Solution

Always wear gloves and goggles when handling ammonia because it can burn your skin and highly irritate your eyes.
If you can't buy sudsy ammonia, you can make your own by mixing 3 parts water with 1 part ammonia, plus a squirt of dishwashing detergent. Pour the solution down their holes. This creates fumes that the woodchuck or groundhog cannot bear. You can also spray the solution around the entrances and exits of their tunnels.
If you want to make the solution even more potent, add castor oil and cayenne pepper. They hate the smell of castor oil and the taste of pepper.

5. Deter With Garlic and Pepper

Groundhogs hate the smell of garlic and pepper. To deter them from ever returning to your garden, crush some garlic and pepper and throw it into their burrows. Do this day after day until they flee.

You can also make a garlic and pepper spray to spray your vegetables. Woodchucks will not touch a single thing that smells pungent or spicy. For added protection, scatter the crushed garlic and pepper around your garden to prevent them from entering.

6. Get a Dog or a Cat (or Use Their Urine and Fur)

Dogs and cats pose a threat to the groundhog and are seen as predators. The groundhog will move someplace else if it feels like it can't live in peace. If you don't have a dog or a cat or can't get one, borrow some dog or cat urine and/or dog or cat hair and sprinkle it around your garden.

7. Sprinkle Human Hair Around the Yard

Humans are also threatening to the woodchuck, so spoiling their natural habit with the scent of humans will scare them away for good. Take some clippings of your hair and secure inside a mesh bag. Stake the bag into the ground around your garden to prevent them from entering. Also throw a bunch of hair clippings into their burrows. This will drive them mad with paranoia.

8. Use Lime to Burn Their Feet

If you spread some agricultural lime near the hole's entrance, it will burn the animal's feet, and it will go someplace else. You can also spread lime around plants you'd like to prevent from being eaten.

9. Sprinkle Talcum Powder in the Garden

Groundhogs will steer clear of anything treated with talcum powder because they hate the smell, so it is effective with preventing groundhogs from eating your garden, but it may not be strong enough to deter them from burrowing and creating tunnels in your yard.

10. Use Fencing and Chicken Wire as Prevention

To keep them from entering your yard once you scare them away or get rid of them, build fencing at least 2 feet deep into the ground to prevent digging and at least 3 feet tall to prevent them from jumping over the fencing!

If your main concern is protecting your plants, then deter from digging by planting chicken wire in an L-shape. Bend the bottom part of the chicken wire at 90 degrees (into an L shape). When you plant the chicken wire, the L should point away from your garden. This way, when the woodchuck digs, he will hit the mesh and turn around.

11. Use Animal Repellent

Purchase some animal repellent at the store. I found it for around eight or nine dollars last year at Walmart. Although animal repellent may work for discouraging groundhogs from eating your vegetables, it is not strong enough to get rid of groundhogs. Plus, you will need to keeping spraying repellent in your garden every day.

12. Shoot and Eat Them

I've heard they taste great. The best method is to braise the groundhog like you would a rabbit. Since I'm not into guns, I don't use this method.

Note: Be sure to remove the scent glands from under the armpits. If you don't, they can ruin the meat. The scent gland looks like a yellow kernel of fat.

The best groundhog control is removal and prevention.

How to Keep Groundhogs Away Forever

Once you've successfully removed every groundhog from your property, take preventive measures.

Build a fence at least 2 feet into the ground and 3 feet tall.
Spray the fencing and the perimeters of your property with pepper spray. Spray your garden as well.
Put some cat or dog hair into some mesh bags, and stake the bags into the ground around the fencing. Also place some crushed garlic or pepper anywhere you want to prevent the groundhog from entering.
Groundhogs hibernate from September to early October. Harvest vegetables as early as possible so that there won't be any available food for them when they come out of hibernation.
Groundhogs feel endangered in exposed spaces. Trim back overgrown foliage, and remove piles of dirt or leaves. With few places to hide or take cover, the groundhog will not feel safe enough to make tunnels. If there are already tunnels from previous groundhogs, fill them in!
Use vibrating devices to make the ground shake. This scares the groundhog away!

What Is a Woodchuck or Groundhog?

Woodchucks don't eat wood at all. The saying, "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood," is just a saying and nothing more. Their main food sources are vegetation, grass, nuts, and small insects, like grubs. They will also occasionally eat smaller animals.

These animals usually weigh from four to nine pounds, but in ideal conditions, they can weigh as much as 31 pounds. On average, they live about six years but have been known to live in zoos for as long as 14 years.

Groundhogs make underground tunnel systems that feature holes as entrances and exits in the ground. These provide safety for the groundhogs when a predator is in their midst but are unsightly wreaking havoc on lawns.

A member of the marmot family and the relative of ground squirrels, the groundhog is a lowland creature that hibernates during the winter months. A separate hole is usually dug just for this purpose. If you plan on killing the animal in its burrow, don't do it during winter because their hole will be closed off. New tunnels are dug when the animal awakens in the spring, so methods such as trapping and poisoning are best done during spring.

Groundhogs can usually be seen standing on their hind legs in an alert position, guarding themselves and other groundhogs. The reason some people call them whistle pigs is because they'll let out a shrill whistle to warn other groundhogs of danger.

Sometimes, instead of hiding, groundhogs will go on the offensive. Stay away from groundhogs. They can be aggressive animals when they feel threatened, and they have sharp claws. To them, everyone is a predator, which is yet another reason to oust them from your property.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: Does ammonia work on getting rid of groundhogs if you don't mix it in with dirt? Can I just spray the dirt with it?

Answer: Yes, just so you spray it in the area where the groundhog will enter or exit.

Question: How much ammonia should I use to get rid of groundhogs?

Answer: I used half of a small bottle of ammonia. That sounds like a lot, but ammonia is cheap, and I would rather have too much than not enough.

Question: How can I ensure that the groundhog is out before I close a hole? I don't want to trap him under my house.

Answer: Groundhogs can have tunnels two miles long. I think he'd just start another one to get out from under your house. Their holes also have an entrance and an exit, since they are tunnels, not just holes.

Question: What if I only trap the adult groundhogs and leave the baby groundhogs?

Answer: It will depend on how developed the babies are. If the babies are small, they could starve to death without the mother. If they are well-developed, they could learn to live on their own.

Question: I have a groundhog living under my house in a tunnel created between the floor joists. There is no tunnel apparent around my house. How the heck did it get in there, the entrance is a metal door?

Answer: The only thing I can think of is to trap the animal.

Question: Will moth balls keep groundhogs away?

Answer: They probably won't like the smell, so maybe it will work. If it does, let me know.

Debbie on August 27, 2020:

your information was interesting, but you are a meam person.

lets put lime on your feet...

SHOOT AND EAT was your number 1 answer

if they are not harming any .... why hurt them.

Hunter on August 06, 2020:

What type of sick freak of nature would want to do ANYTHING AT ALL that may cause physical harm to any animal of any kind? You people have no souls at all, what a disappointment to humanity and our natural world. This page should be taken down.

Jennifer G on July 24, 2020:

I agree with Trudy, they are relentless. We have blocked them over and over, we are in the process of removing our front steps and landing to get rid of the burrowing under it and are sick to death of them. Shooting is not an option but we have set traps only to get skunks (great). I want to move.

cynthia dillehay on July 10, 2020:

Rock salt.

Jan on July 04, 2020:

I chased off a groundhog today, that has been vacationing under my deck. I started to notice my cherry tomatoes were ripped off the vines, and half eaten. I used straight ammonia, 3 bottles, up between where the decking meets the house. Time will tell, and I will keep using straight ammonia until that stops working, then call a Pest Control.

Jen Notamerican on June 27, 2020:

Why is americas answer to everything guns. "Shoot em with my .22 heeheehee." Ignorant

William J. Petzel on June 24, 2020:

A grounghog began digging next to my foundation. I startd peeing into his barrow. It worked and he moved up the hill behind my home. I don't mind him there.

JPC on May 22, 2020:

Once they dig a big burrow some body is going to come live in it a well place bullet just behind the ear is an amazingly quick death but you still have that hole in the ground we used to pour a sand cement water mixture called flowable fill dyed red over buried electrical lines to warn future excavators it is very fluid I always that would help fill up the tunnels but I have never tried it

David on May 12, 2020:

I've tried ammonia and epsom salt neither worked for me. My groundhogs were living in a crawlspace under an out building. I placed a radio under there which is out of the weather of course and have left it on at a pretty good noise level have'nt seen them since

Trudy on May 05, 2020:

have tried it all, except for shooting them, illegal in the city, but nothing seems to get rid of them. Fencing does not work, they dig under.

Judy Berasi on May 01, 2020:

I live in the city of Pittsburgh. Have a back yard. I have a groundhog that come to visit every day. Don't know where it is coming from.

Don't have any holes in the yard. Here's my problem. It eats the shell peanuts I put out for my squirrels and birds. They are put in a bird house, high up a pole. It climbs up.

Read about the mothballs and ammonia spray. Will the mothballs or ammonia make my other "pets" sick?

Haven't called pest control because it comes at different times during the day. They wouldn't be here on time. Don't have money for a trap .

Will the methods I mentioned hurt my squirrels and birds if they eat it? Thanks. berasi3823@gmail.com

RB1 SHooter on April 20, 2020:

I found the best way to rid yourself of these pesky ---tards is lead poisoning! .17 - .25 caliber lead works very effectively and, it sure is a lot of fun.

The second method I recommend - live trapping and haul them at least 5-10 miles down the road.

Michael Waterstone on April 12, 2020:

please don't kill them even if they're messing with your property look into your heart these animals Just are trying to live and have it much harder than us, in fairness. I really encourage you to try every method first before killing them.

Thomas on March 15, 2020:

I have been killing these rodents for the last several years. I get calls all the time to get rid of these critters. So i I snair or shoot them with a cross bow.

Jim on February 25, 2020:

Do they spray their urine to claim their territory?

O.D.Y. on February 19, 2020:

Here is what I did to get rid of a groundhog under my shed. First I got some 4 foot fencing and put it around my shed. I nailed it to the shed using U shaped nails you can get in the electric department of Home Depot. I went down 6 inches deep underground and then out 3.5 feet from the shed. That worked, however, the critter kept coming back trying to get into the original hole. It could not get through the fencing but I still did not like it around. Then I came up with a plan which I wish I had thought of before putting down the fencing because putting down the fencing was a whole lot of work. Home depot sells a roof coating material called KARNAK Fibered Aluminum Reflective Roof Coating 97. This stuff is oil based and SMELLS TO HIGH HEAVEN. While wearing plastic gloves, goggles, and a respirator I mixed it. Then I took some of the liquid and poured it about 2" deep into a disposable aluminum pan and left it outside to dry out a bit. When it dried to a clay like consistency, I rolled the clay like residue into golf ball size balls that also smelled to high heaven. I put about 10 of them in the vicinity of the hole. Bye bye groundhog. It wanted absolutely nothing to do with that smell and I never saw it again. Based on my experience, here is my opinion of a technique, which I did not try but which I think would work. If you saturate a large bath towel with this Karnak liquid, let it dry a bit so it is not dripping wet so that you do not pollute the soil, then stick the towel down in the hole, I bet that would solve the problem and get rid of the groundhog. Don't do this if there are babies down there. I am conjecturing here, I did not try it, but based on my experience with the little balls of this stuff, I suspect that the towel approach would work. Now I strongly suggest that you do not pour this vile liquid down the hole because who knows what damage it could do to the ground water. Please make a post if you try this technique and it works so others can benefit from this.

Jenny on February 05, 2020:

My whole entire neighborhood is infested with groundhogs. They are everywhere. Several house have had to have the foundations repaired including mine. For those who think that its cruel to want to get rid of groundhogs, foundation repairs can run upwards of 50k. We have found them in our pool, they have chased me. They have become a huge problem. We tried human hair, mothballs, peppery water. None of it worked. This year we are going to try to trap and relocate them. If that does not work, then its pellet gun time.

Debbie on January 02, 2020:

This is the most and humane thing I have ever seen on line to tell humans how to read of an animal. There are humane ways of trapping and re Establishing them in a park or something. How about that instead of burning their feet or pouring ammonia down their hole?

Bubba on October 31, 2019:

A .22 mag works wonders on dem there burrowing groundhads

Rose on October 27, 2019:

Can I pour the ammonia solution in my flower beds or will that kill my plants and bulbs?

John on October 21, 2019:

I lost my fall green beans, carrots, and daikon to this groundhog as she fattened up before her winter hibernation. Today I caught her and cut her up. 13 pounds before I skinned her and cut off all the hibernation fat. I had groundhog liver, kidney and heart for dinner. It was yummy. Groundhog liver is really mild and pan fries very well with sesame oil and garlic salt. A 220 trap works fine. I had it set for about five hours before I caught her. It took about 3 hours to skin and cut into quarters for the freezer - hopefully I wont have to get faster. Looking forward to groundhog hide moccasins.

Agent on October 18, 2019:

Try blue fly bait, available at most farm supply stores....lock up your cats dogs and any other domestic pets or farm animals...DEADLY WITHIN MINUTES!!!

Dianne on October 14, 2019:

It's illegal to transport/release pests in New York. It's also illegal to use poisons for animals other than those listed on the labels. Basically you can only trap, then drown and dispose of them.

Anne on October 09, 2019:

Why does it have to be sudsy ammonia? Won't regular work just as well since they don't like the smell?

Janet on September 27, 2019:

I have a Cairn Terrier and he instinctively will go into the hole, bring it out, and break its neck. That is what they were bred for, and are very sweet loving dogs - only roughly 20 pounds and don't eat much. If you take care of him and love him he will also protect you and your family.

Burt on September 15, 2019:

I have shot three nutrias and 24 or 35 armadillos over the six years we've lived here in the country on a lake. I drop the dead varmints at the wild edge of my property (three sides lake with the other side driveway and meadow) and I have counted as many as 30 turkey vultures lining up for the free lunch. I will continue doing the same with varmints that destroy my property.

Marny A on September 08, 2019:

I am having huge groundhog issues. The thing about my place is that they are living under my shed deck that is not enclosed. Can not fence because I live in Mobil home park and no fencing allowed.No exceptions. Any suggestions?Cain't use live trap. I have tried spraying pepper spray but they have plenty of space to get in and out.

Samantha on August 29, 2019:

We auccesdully removed one woodchuck and no others seem ro be present. We released it 5 miles away

But I think the larger issue is that our neighbor whom we share; moved their shed right next to the fence. I was able to see that the bottom of there shed is destroyed. I dont want to ruin our relationship

I just let them see how their fence slats are being ruined and they could see the damage to there shed.

I hope the little we do on our side may prevent the woodchuck from cover to our side. The only thing on our side tjat they migjt like are the clover

Hoping for the best

Frank on August 08, 2019:

Shotgun works great..............

Kwame Ocansey on July 22, 2019:

It saddens me to read some of the suggestions for getting rid of woodchucks. None of it works. None! The only sure method is to trap them and either kill whichever you trap to eat or transfer miles away in some forested area. Those who show sympathy for the critters can be forgiven because they may never have had to deal with the damage done to the foundation of a shed or other structures on their property. In 30 years, I have trapped 33 woodchucks and released them miles away. But nothing seems to stop them from showing up and messing up my garden and digging under my wooden shed. Please trap, trap, trap and be for ever VIGILANT! Nothing else will protect you from woodchucks. My neighbor told me that 30 years ago and I have lived to prove that fact.

Lynda on July 12, 2019:

I tried the ammonia dosing. Woodchuck left but was back in about 3 days. I just dosed the hole again and will keep doing it. Hopefully he/she will get the message and STAY away!!

Mason on July 08, 2019:

I shot 10 groundhogs and they all ways come back with more baby's each year it's so annoying but that's meat in the freezer

Annie on July 04, 2019:

A woman told me about bubble gum, said she used it all the time and it worked. So, my husband and I laced a woodchuck hole with chunks of bubble gum and the woodchuck finally left. The next year, though, we had 2 woodchucks and so far the bubble gum trick hasn't stopped them. Ammonia didn't work either. If they're a rodent, won't rat poison work?

Charles T Byers Jr on June 24, 2019:

Lenny,apparently YOU don't have the stinking critters living under your bedroom!!!!!

Diana on June 17, 2019:

I watched a large groundhog climb my 3-4 ft chain link fence to get out of my yard. I had no idea they could do this. I think this one will have to be terminated to keep it out.

Birdie on June 06, 2019:

I have 8 holes/tunnels under my 36x60' pole building that had been a horse barn. The floor is clay and has collapsed in 4 areas. It may be too late, but I'll be trying ammonia.

Shelley on June 05, 2019:

Ammonia didn't deter my groundhog. It either removed the ammonia soaked cloths or dug a new hole. And I used a LOT of ammonia. Coyote urine also did not have any effect. Shortly after spraying coyote urine (and I can hear coyotes at night so I know they're around), a rabbit AND the groundhog went through a proximate fence hole.

KC on June 01, 2019:

I'm sorry, but I've tried ammonia, ammonia-soap mix, hot pepper/garlic mash, hot pepper/garlic spray, hot pepper flakes, dirty cat litter, and human hair. None of these have worked for us. We have reached the point of shooting them. But it seems like you kill one and two or three more show up.

D on May 30, 2019:

I feed stray cats in my backyard and still have a groundhog problem. 3 of the 4 cats are spayed/neutered, but one of the males isn't and he sprays everywhere, and often. Between him spraying the all of them peeing and pooing wherever they well please, I STILL have a groundhog problem.

Lenny on May 27, 2019:

I hate this article. Groundhogs have just as much of a right to your lawn as you creatures do.

Debbie Knapp on May 13, 2019:

Building a fence to deter groundhogs might not work, since I have seen one climb my 6 ft. chain link fence in my yard.

Mare on April 24, 2019:

Woodchucks do eat wood.they chew on the frame and postd underneath my house all the time.im having a hard time getting rid of them.

Tom G on April 18, 2019:

I just noticed a groundhog this morning and I am going try ammonia first, if that doesn't work then it will be smoke bombs, finally my velocity pellet gun as a last resort.

Kelley on April 10, 2019:

Damn, just get rid of these little creatures in a humane way. No need to kill them. They are literally just living with no bad intent.. being animals. Trap them without harm and relocate to an area that is in their habitat. Saddens me to see this stuff.

gloria on March 31, 2019:

anyone ever try hot peppers chili peppers i heard cover with dirt

Colorwheeldsgns on March 27, 2019:

I have a dog & a groundhog lives under my she'd, so the dog smell all around my yard doesn't deter it away.

Hampton on December 23, 2018:

Ammonia did not work at all. I poured dozens of gallons of sudsy ammonia into groundhog holes over many weeks using a 6-foot tube to get the ammonia well down into the burrows. I also tried stuffing shop rags down into the burrows before pouring in the ammonia, hoping that the rags would absorb and trap the ammonia and its fumes. I also tried filling in the openings of the holes after each pour to trap the fumes. None of this deterred the groundhogs at all. They always just dug out their burrows and dragged out the shop rags. After about two months, I gave up on ammonia.

Applejackson on August 24, 2018:

The dog urine won't work to scare them away. I have a fenced in medium sized yard with a shed. I also have two AmStafs and a German Shepard so there is no shortage of pee or dog hair in that yard, not to mention the dogs are out there pretty regularly. These dum-dums keep burrowing under the fence and popping out under the shed though. Well, today the German Shepard caught one and shook it up pretty good before I could get to her and stop her. Groundhog was able to walk away, miraculously--probably because my Shepard has dulled her teeth so much on bones. I don't think that particular groundhog will be back (unless he's guano-crazy), but just having dogs or their urine around isn't doing anything to deter them. I honestly don't mind them because they don't seem to do any harm to anything in my yard, but it is disturbing seeing them get shaken around like that. I feel bad for the little guy. Thank god the two AmStafs were indoors at the time or that would've been a terrible mess to clean up with the three of them fighting over it.

Rich on August 18, 2018:

The mothballs dont work,just saying. ......

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on June 18, 2018:

You could try putting carbon monoxide down the hole until either you killed the groundhog or you chased him out. Short of that, you'd need to pull up boards in the floor to get the pest.

Groundhogs have more than one hole. Search for other holes that he may be using. Then try shooting him or trapping him.

Barb on June 18, 2018:

What if they are under your shed and you can not get to the holes? They ate part of the side of the shed.

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on April 13, 2018:

Debbie, I would think you would be safe doing this. Try the ammonia near the barn first. We cover the hole with dirt, so the ammonia is mixed in with the dirt the ground hogs would re-use. Check if the smell enters the barn. If not, you should not be afraid to use it near the house.

Debbie on April 13, 2018:

We have groundhogs tunneling under my front porch and under the wall in the barn - I fear it may cause structural damage to my front porch and the barn!! I have tried the mothballs - left for a few months last year and now back. I think I will try the ammonia - but my fear is the odor will linger into my cellar and stink up my house!! UGH trapped 4 last year and took them miles away - I don't have time for this again - want my gardens in and intact!

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on April 02, 2018:

I saw a little one behind our fence yesterday and yes it did look cute. If you saw how large their holes are, you would not think so though. We have just been putting the ammonia in the holes and then covering them with dirt. It seems to be keeping them out, since they leave right after checking the hole.

FlourishAnyway from USA on April 01, 2018:

You have to admit they are so cute. In that video, it looks like not just one family but a whole family reunion has moved in!

Patricia on July 25, 2017:

We have trapped 12 groundhogs that were going under in ground pool. I'm going to try ammonia and also lime.hope this works. Thanks

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on February 17, 2016:

Jake, It is too bad that they make such a mess in the yard. Otherwise I'd just live with them. Thanks for reading.

Jake C. on February 04, 2016:

In my years of living in my current house (since '92) I dont think ive ever had a year without seeing some ground hogs. I always poured mothballs dowb the hole. That usualy scares em off but if I ever see one in my yard, a ruger 10/22 with high velocity rounds usually does the trick. And usually if you kill one, the rest leave.

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on May 21, 2015:

leprecaun, We live in a subdivision with 50 houses. We have the problem too and it can be disgusting.

leprecaun on May 20, 2015:

This is not the first time I've had a groundhog. Last year I used nearly a whole bag of lime around the two holes and thought he was gone so I filled them. One is under my steps.....this year, he is back and the lime does nothing to his feet....he's redug near the old holes....made a complete mess of my steps again.....I'm gonna get some ammonia.....I live in the city for crying out loud.....

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on February 28, 2013:

John, I've heard that works for moles. It should work for ground hogs then too.

john on February 28, 2013:

I heard you can also use this to Get an apple and core out the center

take a piece of gum (juicy fruit) take off the wrapper stick it in the middle of the apple. They will smell the fruit from the gum and eat the apple when they bite the gum they will it and wont be able to swallow it and they will die someplace

I have not tried this yet i don't like killing this way but i may have to they r under my deck.

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on September 21, 2012:

The- Quietwarrior, It is worth trying on moles. Thanks for reading and commenting.

The-Quietwarrior on September 21, 2012:

I wonder if this will also work for moles... Good article..

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on September 16, 2012:

A Little Truth, My Mom has trouble with them tunneling under her pole barn, so she isn't happy at all. We're in Michigan too, so it must be a real problem here. Thanks for reading and commenting.

A Little TRUTH on September 16, 2012:

Thanks, lots of good remedies to choose from!

I've had ground hogs in two homes in Michigan. At the fist one, they all disappeared when we got a Great Dane. At the second, we just let them be since they didn't bother the grass or garden. The only problems were that they got so big, fat and complacent that I had to be careful not to run them over with my big commercial lawnmower; and potential interactions with the grandkids.

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on July 17, 2012:

Repub, Thanks for reading and commenting. I'll have to check yours out.

The Republican from USA on July 17, 2012:

Hi, good ideas, and you make a good point. could you read my writings?

Thank you, Repub.

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on July 02, 2012:

EuroNinila, Thanks for reading. We have shrews in the yard now. I guess they can't hurt anything though. I haven't heard of "have a heart" traps before. Thanks for sharing.

Fotinoula Gypsyy from NYC BABY on July 02, 2012:

Great hub, I can't believe people eat them though! We put "have a heart" traps in our yard for pesky little animals that eat our garden! Great hub, sharing!

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on June 30, 2012:

brmom68, Thank for reading and I hope one of these tricks works for you.

Diane Ziomek from Alberta, Canada on June 29, 2012:

We have a pocket gopher who likes to make an appearance in our lawn every now and again. I will have to try one of these tricks next time he shows himself (or a new mound of dirt pops up). Voted up, useful and shared.

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on June 27, 2012:

teaches, Thanks for reading. Along with the beautiful days of summer are some problems like this to deal with. Thanks for commenting.

Dianna Mendez on June 27, 2012:

A friend of mine had these critters digging holes around the foundation of the home and they had to get animal control to help chase them out. Great advice on this hub, too late for my friend but I am sure others will find this helpful.

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on June 26, 2012:

Tim, I think you are right. So far the ammonia is working for me. Thanks for reading.

Tim Schuler on June 26, 2012:

Great tips! Sometimes I think the groundhogs watch what you plant and spot what they think you love the most and target those plants and eat them down the ground in the blink of an eye.

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on June 26, 2012:

CrazedNovelist, Thanks for reading and I hope you don't have to deal with them either.

AE Williams from Atlanta, GA on June 26, 2012:

Great hub... I hope I never had to deal with a groundhog lol. Thanks for the writing. Always a pleasure,

-Aubrey.

Barbara Badder (author) from USA on June 25, 2012:

moonlake, They don't seem so cute when they eat all of your garden though. I'm hoping the ammonia is working and they find a new place to call home.

moonlake from America on June 25, 2012:

But they're so cute. We had one on our land but when we started building a house he moved. Voted up on your hub. Good information I'm sure many people need.