BS: getting rid of groundhogs

Subject: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: RangerSteve
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 10:55 AM

I have a trap, but it's illegal in New Jersey to transport animals from one area to another, due to the chance of spreading diseases around. I think my neighbor, who owns a horse stable tried to shoot them a few days ago, but wasn't successful. I also bought a powder that's soaked in fox urine, which I'm supposed to sprinkle around the groundhog's den and in my garden, but I don't know if it will work yet. A friend said get a fifty gallon drum and fill it with water and pour it into the hole, making sure the escape route is blocked, and drown the sucker. I don't have access to a fifty gallon drum. Are there any sure-fire products on the market for getting rid of them, or do any of you have any methods that have worked in the past? I want to have a vegetable garden this year, something more than just tomatoes, which seems to be the one thing that groundhogs won't eat. Thanks, Steve.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Midchuck
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 11:50 AM

Ahem. "Groundhog" is just another name for "Woodchuck."

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Also, rent, and watch, "Caddyshack" (the original one).

Peter. (of Woodchucks' Revenge)

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Allan C.
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 01:01 PM

Whistle pigs, as they are known as in some circles, are rather timid critters. They don't like open ground much at all for fear of being nabbed by a predator. If there is any high grass or other cover near the hole you found, cut it down, if at all possible. You can use their fear of predation by installing things in the area that move - especially some that move eccentrically with just the slightest breeze. The cheap, aluminum pie pans can be of some use - especially if they are cut into smaller wedges. Don't bunch them together, though. Spread them randomly throughout the area. Groundhogs are very afraid of hawks. If you can, paint one or two halves of the pie pans a dark color and suspend them high overhead on string or fishing line.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: MickyMan
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 01:53 PM

I have a large Have-A-Heart trap. What would I put in it if I wanted to catch a Whistle-Pig, but not a Chihuahua(sp???).

Shoulder up your gun and call up the dogs,
   Shoulder up your gun and call up the dogs,
Away to the woods to catch a groundhog.....groundhog.

PLEASE SEND IN MORE VERSES

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Amos
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 01:59 PM

I like groundhawg stewed or fried
I like groundhawg stewed or fried
Big mess o' sweet patater by the side....Groundhog!

C'mon boys, fat and thin
C'mon boys, fat and thin
Come and watch the gravy run down my chin -- Groundhog!

Etc etc,,,

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Art Thieme
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 03:19 PM

Remove this song from your song list and your troubles will be over !!!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 03:32 PM

"I also bought a powder that's soaked in fox urine"

I suppose there's an enterprise somewhere which manufactures this. Imagine trying to get a bank loan to set up something like that...

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 03:51 PM

"I also bought a powder that's soaked in fox urine"

I suppose there's an enterprise somewhere which manufactures this. Imagine trying to get a bank loan to set up something like that...

If they can trap the foxes, why not the groudhogs?

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 03:55 PM

Where I come from, whistle pigs are hoary marmots, a high mountain critter in the west. Marmot information (including woodchucks).

Our local organic gardening guy has said to put human hair down the hole. You can also use your own urine to mark the territory.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Amos
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 04:04 PM

I put my shlong into a some hole
To mark my lawn, my aceage fair
But shortly screamed and rose on high
And fell to earth, I knew not where!

Ground hogs are teasing, and some are pleasing
Their claws are sharp, their teeth are thick
But ground hogs fall into disrepute
When they nip the end off of your dick

There is a groundhog, lives in my lawn
And if I must try til I'm ninety three
His life will soon or later be gone
Revenge for what he's done to me.


Ah well, it's crude but I couldn't resist the image of some poor bastard trying to mark those tunnels without observing correct procedure...


A

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Deckman
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 04:39 PM

Hey Stilly River Sage ... I sure hope you did it after dark! Bob

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Deckman
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 04:42 PM

Allen C's advice is right on. They ARE very shy creatures. Except for their bad eating habits, they are rather pleasant neighbors. I live in Washington State, which for some stupid reason, banned all animal trapping. We are now overun with many critters. Bob

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Rapparee
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 05:10 PM

Block the exits and fill the holes with water. Forget the 55 gallon drum; use a hose if you can.

Woodchucks are decent eating, if you want to do that.

I can think of all sorts of traps, deadfalls, snares and suchlike that should work, but I'm not going to describe them here. Take a stroll down to the local public library and check out the books on wilderness survival techniques.

Might be easiest to pay an exterminator, though.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Peace
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 05:12 PM

Try cayenne pepper down the holes.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: RangerSteve
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 05:33 PM

Thanks for all the tips. The human hair should be easy to get from my barber. The fox urine is for real. You can also buy it in its pure liquid form, the same goes for coyote and bobcat urine. Collecting it has to rank with collecting bull semen as the worst imaginable job around.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 05:39 PM

Call up Clinton Hammond! He is an expert at murdering small nondomesticated animals in a hideous fashion.

Why do you want to kill the groundhog anyway? Groundhogs are fun to watch, cute, and they add class to a neighborhood. They can also help predict changes in the weather. If you take the time to get to know a groundhog it can lead to all kinds of enjoyable things.

Song:

I put my finger in the woodchuck hole
The woodchuch said "Lord bless my soul!
Take it out! Take it out! Take it out!
Remove it!!!"

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Mark Clark
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 07:34 PM

If you can plug all the entrances, you can gas them to death. There are poison smoke bombs for the purpose or you could dump some potassium cyanide down the hole, add some water and plug the entrance.

I get these critters where the back yard falls away into a wooded ravine. They dig their tunnels right at the edge and if left to do their work, cause severe erosion of the area because of rain water washing through the tunnels. Shooting them isn't legal inside our city limits and they're so shy they run at the slightest sound so it's hard to draw a bead on one.

I'd estimate the weight of the groundhogs I get at 18 - 25 lbs. My neighbor traps them and releases them on the other side of the river. He uses a wire live-trap.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: MMario
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 07:40 PM

we have many woodchucks - most of the time the brazen critters ignore us -(a behavior we believe they learned from the rabbits ) though they HAVE learned what the shotgun looks like. The cats won't tangle with the 'chucks - though they HAVE taken care of the rabbits.

At least the chucks tend NOT to eat our garden plants - they prefer grazing the lawn - probably because they DEN in the gardens...

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Gareth
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 07:59 PM

Hmmm ! I was criticiozed in a prevoius thread for relating the use of a crude form of Napalm against Termites in East Africa, but as Gasoline is cheap in the uS of A !!!

And it is the American WAy !!!

Or alternatively buy yourself a Python, or Boa Constrictor, I think importing a Diamondback into yor yard might bee a little antisocial !

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 08:00 PM

They were there first, before humans came around and messed up the place...

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 08:59 PM

My, my. All this fuss and bloodthirstiness over a harmless large rodent that eats a little grass... :-)

Okay. Fine. Let's get into the spirit of this. I suggest a ground level tactical nuclear strike. That should fry the groundhog right in his burrow. Very effective! Call up the Pentagon and see if you can convince them he's an Al Queda operative.

Another idea: Hire the Mafia to do the job. They don't charge all that much to hit a groundhog, because it involves little risk. None, in fact. It doesn't take much guts to shoot a groundhog.

Another idea: Pave over the entire area to a radius of 1/2 kilometre with sixteen inches of solid concrete. The groundhog will be trapped underground and die a slow and terrible death from starvation and thirst.

Another idea: Construct a special prognosticating chair outside the groudhog's hole, suitable for looking for shadows, and wire it up as an electric chair. When the groundhog emerges to check his shadow on next Feb 2nd, he will sit in the comfy chair. Then you throw the switch and fry him with 80,000 volts! He won't see his shadow, and we'll get an early spring in 2005.

After all, the VITAL thing here is getting RID of the groundhog, right? Who can bear living in proximity to a filthy groundhog? Who, I ask you????

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 09:06 PM

Wahts a groundhog?, and waht do you wqant to kill it for anyway?

you should be nice to animals, and not kill them, [unless they taste good, or they dangerous like big lions etc, then obviosly you have to kill them, in case they eat you [or your family, [kids, wife etc].
that would be bad, if my wife and kids was eaten by a groundhog, i would be really fed up.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 09:33 PM

Hi, jOhn. A groundhog is a large burrowing rodent found throughout North America. If you rent the very funny movie, "Groundhog Day", starring Bill Murray and Andi McDowell, you can get some close-up views of a groundhog. They're almost unbelievably cute, fat, and inoffensive creatures that dig a deep burrow and eat grass. They are diurnal, emerging at dawn to munch on fresh grass. They like sunny days. They are also called woodchucks. They look a little like an enormous hamster, but without the big ears sticking up. They have very small ears, hardly visible.

Country people used to eat them in the old days. They like grassy areas a lot, so they are attracted to built up areas by the lawns.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Peace
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 09:36 PM

Glad you left out the p there LH. Started a row last time someone p'eed in the hamster.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Peace
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 09:41 PM

Simple way is to omit the initial g in the word.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 09:46 PM

you shouldent kill hamsters, hamsters are good.jhon

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Peace
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 09:52 PM

They are indeed. A little basil and scallions, mild touch of garlic, salt and pepper: boom, Bob's yer uncle. Delicious.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 11:14 PM

John, here is a marmot photo. Amos and Deckman, you two have overactive imaginations! I don't have woodchucks, so I haven't tested these remedies. I do have rabbits and snakes and tarantulas, but I'm not trying to get rid of them (at least, the rabbits are okay as long as I can keep them out of the garden).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 11:31 PM

groundhog =Guinea Pig?

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Peace
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 11:53 PM

Don't put them in the mincer.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 11:56 PM

No, John. They are much larger than guinea pigs. I know that's hard to believe, but it's true.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:00 AM

John, they can look alike but if you look at this search you'll see that they're actually smaller and varied colors. That's not to say they aren't related. I don't know how close (other than both being rodents).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:03 AM

I think the only larger rodent may be the capybara in South America.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Peace
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:11 AM

Beaver?

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:12 AM

oh,

anyway=waht they taste like?

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: pdq
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:25 AM

On average, beaver are larger than groundhog. So are porcupine. They are all rodents, although the latter has a bit of an attitude problem as rodents go.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Peace
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 01:18 AM

But, they taste good.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 04:47 AM

Well we have had Smack the Pingu, Shoot the Kitty, so why should Groundhogs be exempt?

http://www.miniclip.com/wack.htm

Sorry still cant get that blue clicky thing to work.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: JennyO
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 08:23 AM

My best score 9/20

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 09:50 AM

Large American rodents. Couldn't find a page that included the South American stuff also. More print information with a few photos of capybara (the links at the bottom are mostly null).

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 10:28 AM

I just discovered a groundhog in my garden...actually my cats discovered her. She is nesting under my shed and hopefully has babies. In my last home, the groundhog befriended one of my cats and left her to babysit the little ones while she rummaged around for food. I have pictures of Aunt Lizzie minding the babies.

Why would anyone hurt a groundhog? I am planninf on planting a vegetable garden for mine. Any idea what she will like?

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 10:35 AM

Up jumped Sal with a snicker and a grin
Up jumped Sal with a snicker and a grin
Groundhog grease all over her chin
GROUND-HOG!!!!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 10:36 AM

A good .22 rifle with scope and practise practise practise ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 10:38 AM

Now that we're getting all these verses to "Groundhog!", maybe it's musical enough to go upstairs!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 10:48 AM

Come on, Sam, and let's be wise
Come on, Sam, and let's be wise
I think I see his beaded eyes!
GROUND-HOG!

'Long come Sam with a ten-foot pole
'Long come Sam with a ten-foot pole
Roust that groundhog out of his hole
GROUND-HOG!

Come on Sam and pull 'im out
Come on Sam and pull 'im out
Great God A-Mighty, ain't a ground hog stout!
GROUND-HOG!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Blackcatter
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:02 PM

Ok everyone - how about getting rid of moles?

My boss has had them in his yard for over a year. They dig tunnels under the grass which makes it spongy and unattractive. He doesn't use all the chemicals and poisons in his yard that all the neighbors use so not only is his yard pretty poison free, but it is filled with tasty grubs and worms (which are good for the lawn and plants).

We've tried a professional setting traps but the traps almost never work, and it's costing a lot of money considering the effectiveness. I found that castor oil is use to spray on the lawn because universities have tested that moles don't like the flavor of it and if you soak the lawn with it, the worms get coated with the oil and the moles will supposedly move away to find better tasting worms. We've tried it over the past few months and it isn't working.

Any ideas? Personally I could care less because I'm pretty much anti-lawn, but he's my boss and it would be good to have an actual solution to this issue.

Thanks!

Blackcatter

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Peace
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:05 PM

Dermatologist.

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Amos
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:32 PM

I'd try running a garden hose down the mole-hill. There are also smoke bombs which at least will show you where their escape hatches are!

A

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: Amos
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:35 PM

These people make a gel-based mole poison which sounds effective if you're willing to kill them.

A

Subject: RE: BS: getting rid of groundhogs
From: pdq
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 12:43 PM

Here is a outfit that claims to know how to get rid of moles:

             http://www.molecatchers.com/

http://www.molecatchers.com/
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