Has anyone had to deal with ground hogs or some sort of vermin digging /burrowing holes from outside through to inside your indoor arenas ?? I’m now of course scared because I don’t know if there’s more holes or burrowing further in that aren’t visible …so far it’s just against the wall
I have seen this in the past. It was a mess. (But this was at a facility who just ignored them as they grew and took over more of the ring and then became a huge hole.)
I guess the one good thing about not having an indoor is no worries about this happening.
Is there a hole outside that matches this, or does this hole come from under ground?
Might be worth finding someone with a camera (like they use to look in sewer pipes) to see which way this hole goes, if there is not an obvious answer.
3 Likes
Suggest a game camera ($80 or so at Walmart) to identify what you are dealing with. If ground hog, live trap and dispatch. I’m a live-and-let live person for the most part when it comes to the wild animals and feral cats that surround my rural property --but I have no tolerance for ground hogs on my property. The holes can be deadly for horses to step in --and I ride in my pastures! I use Hav-a-heart traps.
5 Likes
We had raccoons in the walls and digging tunnels. The only solution was to have a wildlife trapper remove them and then fill in the holes as best as possible. No amount of discouragement made them go away and they get very bold about coming into the indoor and accosting people.
2 Likes
You should contact your county’s (or state’s) wildlife control agency. They may have guidelines for how to deal with groundhogs or specific wildlife control companies who can work with you.
I know in my state (Mass.) you aren’t legally allowed to remove live groundhogs to another site. You either have to live with them or kill them.
Here’s the Mass website dedicated to the problem of woodchucks:
3 Likes
A barn I was at previously had this problem. If I recall correctly, they put used kitty litter in the holes and filled them.
4 Likes
I would call someone to humanely take care of them permanently. They will multiply and their burrow holes are big enough that a hoof/ leg goes in easily. You don’t want them in the pastures.
3 Likes
Yes, we’ve dealt with this and it is so annoying. The one summer we trapped and released about 6-7 of them. What we ended up having to do is get a wire mesh and dig it 2 feet into the ground (it was bent into a L shape and extends out about a foot from the wall). We did this in all the spots they were digging into. We also put some critter rider granules around the wall for a period of time. That seems to have done the trick.
2 Likes
How do we go about finding out how far in they are burrowing without ripping up our footing ?? I’m so frustrated about this
They sell lots of cameras for this kind of stuff.
Or you can see how much a local plumbing contractor might charge you to use their camera (that they use in pipes) to look around. They have the technology to locate where the camera is underground too (sensor above ground locates it, and they can mark for you).
2 Likes
Also in MA, and we’ve had exactly that problem. Groundhogs dig in from the outside, work their way horizontally under the wall, then pop up with a hole into the interior. Raccoons and squirrels like to do this as well, but they tend to to come straight in without the tunnel under some length of the wall.
Our approach is to stick a broom handle into the hole from the inside to figure out which way it goes, pack it with rocks and gravel and then refill the surface. We go outside to figure out the access point(s), fill them with large gravel/ small rocks, add Quickcrete and some water and finally find a big rock to put on top. Then we spend the next week or two being vigilant looking for new activity around the exterior perimeter and immediately doing the exterior treatment as above. They seem to get discouraged and move on after a couple of weeks.
I think that in a few years out “pole barn” indoor will end up having a full foundation because of these patches!
2 Likes
This is essentially what I used…but it also comes in a granule instead of a spray.
2 Likes
Thank you!
2 Likes
Keeping barn edges clean, providing no type of concealing cover, can help make the walls less desirable shelters. Nothing leaned against the walls, all greenery cut down to the dirt, makes woodchuck be exposed to danger trying to get to those burrows.
Trapping and killing works best. Hire pest removal if you can’t kill them yourself. Releasing in new places spreads disease, makes a MUCH harder death fighting animals already established there.
Filling holes with rocks, crushed concrete, helps prevent some returns. I also have had fair luck with dumping used kitty litter in holes to make them leave. Check around the first hole, there are usually one or several more entrance holes in the area, ALL needing the cat litter treatment.
We presently have woodchuck in the hay field brushpile. There are 6 holes I can see. Probably more holes unseen. They are no bother way out there. Burrows provide good drainage for heavy rain runoff, which also collapses burrows.
2 Likes
This ^ call professionals to trap & remove and professional to install wire barrier …
and be thorough with your plan ~
3 Likes
I manage my parents’ farm. We have both raccoon and groundhog incursion problems with the house and the barns. The most effective solution is to find a company that specializes in wildlife control and have them evaluate the situation and do the removal. They know just how to find the scoundrels and put in the wire mesh to keep them out. Unfortunately it is probably the most expensive solution but you will know it’s done right. And you will know that the animals are treated humanely and removed in conformance with the state wildlife laws. For example here in Ohio you can’t just trap and relocate the critters somewhere else.
The family who owns the company I use also has show horses and we were with the same trainer for quite a while. It was a running joke that we were financing their daughters’ show career HAHAHA! Just kidding, it wasn’t THAT expensive!
I keep telling the damn raccoons when they are trapped that they had over 100 acres to find somewhere to live, why did they choose my barn???
Get it done ASAP, groundhogs make a tremendous mess.
2 Likes
I contacted the company that put in my indoor arena -they said they’ve dealt with this before and will be coming out within the next week or so to evaluate the arena -they said they will pull the footing up and fill the holes with water and they somehow will show or tell them how far it goes ?? They also will be doing the wire mesh …I did contract the wildlife commission for my county and they said I must either live trap and relocate or kill them 
they will only come out of the animal is sick or injured …I’m curious what type of wildlife people you contacted ??
1 Like
There are companies who specialize in trapping and removing wild life. Pest removal types.
1 Like
This is the company we use. Obviously not much help to you (probably), but will give you an idea of what to search for in your area.
Good luck!
