Stupid woodchucks! They are outsmarting me!

[MsM]

I live in a small town - right in the “village”. Small lots with one empty lot behind me. But I have a woodchuck problem!

Have had one before, but this year is the worst. My back yard is stockade-fenced. Over the years I have put wire along the bottom, bent out a foot or so. Darn things either find a spot I missed, or they simply keep digging until there is no more fencing. Neighbor has a tree with groundcover near the fenceline and there was a burrow there.

Chucks eat my garden and make my dogs nuts! Cavaliers are not meant to be woodchuck killers - even if they think they are. And I am concerned that the dogs will get hurt with their efforts. And forget all that about them being afraid of predator urine/feces. These are suburban 'chucks - poop in their paths does nothing and they invade the fenced dog areas. (Amazing what they can get through or under)

So a couple weeks ago I found a Havahart to borrow. Set it up right by the hole under my fence. Caught big, stinky guy right away. Relocated him to local Nature Preserve. A couple of days later #2 joins him. Then nothing. Success? Nope, see another, smaller one - probably this year’s kid. Spent time trying to find where he is getting in. Frustrating. Finally find a hole, move the trap. Catch two little ones at once!

All is quiet for a few days. Then the dogs start going nuts, trying to get under the deck and sniffing around their fenced area near the house. One morning I see Chuckie Jr. eating flowers right by the house. I run out and he disappears under the hostas. Is he getting under the deck, even with the existing fencing? I end up getting hardware cloth to try to keep him out. Move the trap, but now I have to try to keep the dogs away from it. :sigh: This afternoon I look out and see TWO in the middle of the yard. They see me and escape, showing me where the hole is. Tonight I let the back-surgery-dog out and she went nuts and cornered one right by the house! I pull her off and chase the critter with a rake like a nut.

So now I have the trap by their entrance and have tried my best to barricade other routes into the yard besides the trap.

Maybe it is extra hard to get the critters when they don’t live here but use it as their buffet. Or maybe I am just being outsmarted by lowly woodchucks! :rolleyes:

[Ambitious_Kate]

Just musing - sounds like you are missing a few natural predators. What you need is a fisher cat. That would pretty much take care of those guys. Sorry to hear, but it sound like a cartoon!

[SuckerForHorses]

What you need is a cattle dog - those suckers won’t stand a chance! :lol:

[hosspuller]

It’s simple … Nature abhors a vacuum. You remove a woodchuck and another takes its place. Overpopulated areas overflow to a less populated area.

Remove what ever is attracting them or continue to trap. (I hope you’re relocating them far enough that the over flow is not spilling back to you :lol:)

[MsM]

Unfortunately, I think my neighbor and the vacant lot are offering habitat. What is attracting them here is my garden and lawn! Not much to do about that. I think this is the only family, so if I catch the last kids it should be empty for a while. At least I can get the neighbor to fill in the burrow.
Yes, the nature preserve is far enough away that they aren’t coming back - unless they learn to hitchhike! (wouldn’t put it past them…)

[candyappy]

We had them in our alfalfa field in MN when we moved in. They did a lot of damage, not to mention my fear that they would get into the horses or goats fields. My dogs did a great job of encouraging relocation and I marked where the burrow openings were ( after hay was cut) and threw the cat poop from the litter box down every one.

Strange thing was that once they left the gophers came. Picture anthills on steroids. They were just as destructive. My one dog was a digging fool. Ended up just as dangerous for riding as having groundhogs. My son trapped these guys and made $3 per pair of feet. He kept them in my freezer until he had 2 gallon bags full :eek:

I feel for you. You did make me laugh

[MsM]

Still losing…
Had one in the trap today. Unfortunately the trap door did not lock, so when I approached he just pushed out under it! :mad: Well, he had some nice food so I hope he goes back in and it closes properly next time!

[buck22]

Two years ago I had 13 groundhogs over the course of a summer invading my garden. Sometimes their numbers can be vast. Just keep at it every day. If you have to relocate more than 15 or so, I’d start worrying that they are coming back.

[MsM]

So yesterday I look out and see a woodchuck sitting on top of the trap! I think he was giving me the finger!:eek:

I oiled up and fussed with the trap and got it working well and rebaited and set it. Then, this afternoon - #5!!:applause: Cute little, little devil, now residing in the Nature Preserve. I took a picture and will try to post it later.

At least one more out there. Trap is reset…

[SmartAlex]

Congratulations!

Chucks are wiley critters. Mr. Smartalex shot one out the bedroom window yesterday. Hooray! The only good chuck is a dead chuck.

[MsM]

And here is the little guy, looking innocent:

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad119/msmavron/0630151349.jpg

[ET_s_Home]

[QUOTE=SmartAlex;8210273]

Chucks are wiley critters. Mr. Smartalex shot one out the bedroom window yesterday. Hooray! The only good chuck is a dead chuck.[/QUOTE]

Yup, we never had a problem when the dog was alive. Never even had to fence the veggie garden. Over last two years they have been bolder and bolder, finding new ways to vex me and Mr ET.

So we literally took up arms. But even then they often gave Mr ET the slip. He was worse than a pent up terrier, always keeping an eye out the window for Woody.

One day the cat was in her window perch ‘on point’, with tail poofed out and ears flat back. I peeked out and Woody was 3 feet from the window snacking on my dahlias. I called out to Mr ET, he grabbed the 20 gauge and decided to sneak out the back door. Figured if he came around from the front he would have a good shot.

Oh, did I mention that he was in nothing but his boxers?? I am sitting in my living room when I caught sight of Mr ET, in his boxers, with his gun, go past the front window. And it struck me - ‘I really hope no one drives by right now!’ Cops would surely have been called if the neighbors saw him sneaking around, nekkid and armed.

No, he did not get the shot off. Instead of running straight away into the back yard and thus giving a good shot, Woody between the equipment in front of the garage. No shot unless he wanted to shot holes in his mowers.

So yes, they can out wit even a grown man with a shotgun.

ET

[SmartAlex]

At the last house, there were chucks in the back yard, and in the back of the house we had a sliding patio door opening into a screened porch. NO chance to get a shot at a chuck.

So, if one was spotted, I would stand at the sliding door “distracting” the woodchuck while Mr. SA went quietly out the front door and around the side. Then I would make a subtle movement (not enough to bolt him) so the chuck would pause and stand up and BANG

The current house owner just shoots through the screens. Killing chucks is that important!

Our current house they stay back in the high clover but we get them with the rifle and scope. Every time Mr. SA grabs the rifle out of the corner the house cat runs and hides.