On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 12:51:36 -0500, Steve Calvin
wrote:

ge wrote:
On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 17:34:16 GMT, "FREDERICK INDICTOR"
wrote:


does anyone know of a proven method to repell groundhogs? thanks.


As best I can tell, we've had good luck with fencing. We found out
the hard way that you need a horizontal strip of fence along the
ground, to keep them from digging under.

We've tried traps (Havahart, large). We always catch them,
eventually; but, sometimes it takes a while, and they can do a lot of
damage in one night. One time - before we put the horizontal strip of
fencing in - we had the trap right at the hole they'd dug under the
fence. Nothing: they walked right by it.

If it was legal (& safe) to shoot here, I think I'd get a pellet gun.

George

First George, I don't think that you'd have much luck against a chuck
with a pellet gun. Those guys are tougher than they look.

Also don't you mean a horizontal fence *under* ground level? I've never
seen a fence at ground level that they can't/won't dig under if they
want to. Come to think if it, I don't think I've seen any that had been
sunk down that they couldn't get under.

No, we just laid it on the ground - about a foot wide, coming out from
where the vertical fence touched the ground. AFAICT, it worked for
us: they'd dug a hole under the fence, which they'd clean out when we
tried to block it. That stopped after we put the strip of fence along
the ground.

But, maybe, as time goes on, we'll find that was just wishful
thinking. They do seem to change feeding patterns; maybe, they just
found something more appealing. Or, maybe we won't have woodchucks
this year. Every day is a new adventure.

George