Groundhogs/woodchucks in pasture - How do I find all of the holes?

[LadyBug]

I found a groundhog den in one of my pastures that hasn’t been used since last fall. I found it while mowing earlier this spring and with some house projects going on I just haven’t had time to mess with it.

I mowed again last night, and I’m really only seeing one hole. That doesn’t make sense, does it? I found an article online last evening that says there is 1 main den with the dirt around it, but the others will be harder to locate. I’m not even sure I would have noticed the one I did find if it weren’t for the dirt dug out around it, so I am worried I might not find others. So…

Just curious what others have come across, and how you make sure you find all of the dens? I’m going to try the kitty litter method, fill them in and see if it’s still active. I’m terrified of using that field for the horses until I know the holes are all filled in!

[msj]

Well, you keep mowing and slowly so you can see a hole first. You may have to set the grass height a lot lower than you normally do to find the exit hole because you probably won’t see a mound of dirt at the exit. You’re not going to turn your horses out anyway till you’re sure so slightly longer grass height isn’t going to matter anyway. And grass grows pretty pretty darn fast! :yes: I didn’t find an exit hole when I found the entrance hole in my back pasture. If you don’t find another hole AND there is a hedgerow surrounding your pasture, there’s a very good chance the exit hole is in the hedgerow.

Also, are you sure it’s a groundhog hole and not a fox den?

I used a smoke bomb and filled in the entrance hole when I couldn’t find an exit hole but that was 25 yrs ago and I’m sure there are other methods of finding out if it’s active or not.

Good luck regardless.

[LadyBug]

Hmmm, how do I know the difference between a groundhog hole and a fox den? I have both on the farm…

Ok just googled, and it looks like fox will take over groundhog holes but only use them in the winter. I’m going to dump some dirty kitty litter in the hole tonight and fill it in as a test to see if it’s active…

There is tons of info out there, but I figured no one cares more about making sure fields are safe than horse owners!

[msj]

All I know about fox dens was when a mother fox decided, come spring, to try to bury down into a spot where I had had a horse buried in the winter before. She was a persistent mom too. She dug 2 large, deep, leg-breaking holes in my back pasture that I filled with large rocks before she moved elsewhere.

We doused that area with Great Dane urine and that combination sent her elsewhere.

[SmartAlex]

Smoke bomb sounds like a good idea. I once stopped by my Dad’s and found him with a pipe running from his snowmobile exhaust down a chuck hole… exhaust was filtering up through several spots. He couldn’t very well asphyxiate it that way, but he sure found all the back doors.

[msj]

[QUOTE=SmartAlex;8209715]
Smoke bomb sounds like a good idea. I once stopped by my Dad’s and found him with a pipe running from his snowmobile exhaust down a chuck hole… exhaust was filtering up through several spots. He couldn’t very well asphyxiate it that way, but he sure found all the back doors.[/QUOTE]

Good way to find all the holes! Smart man but I’m guessing it may have been winter if he was using the snowmobile.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

http://www.rodenator.com/

There is a little bit of seriousness here - if you have holes IN your pastures, you have tunnels. Both can collapse and break a leg sooner or later. The explosive approach will show the tunnels and allow a complete repair of the damage.

[SmartAlex]

[QUOTE=msj;8209990]
Good way to find all the holes! Smart man but I’m guessing it may have been winter if he was using the snowmobile. :)[/QUOTE]

Nope :D. The snowmobile was the machine with the nastiest emmissions :lol:

[LadyBug]

[QUOTE=DHCarrotfeeder;8210033]
http://www.rodenator.com/

There is a little bit of seriousness here - if you have holes IN your pastures, you have tunnels. Both can collapse and break a leg sooner or later. The explosive approach will show the tunnels and allow a complete repair of the damage.[/QUOTE]

Ummm, I have a feeling my husband might have a little too much fun with that one. And man is it expensive (although cheaper than a broken leg I guess). You’re in PA - do you have one by any chance??

[DHCarrotfeeder]

I don’t have one, but I’ll bet you can get an exterminator out to do it pretty easily.

My method happens to involve pneumatically propelled lead. It’s not the overhyped Gamo junk at Cabelas or Gander Mtn either. I don’t like the noise of firearms but I agree with their instant/humane efficacy.