On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 16:25:10 -0500, Steve Calvin
wrote:

Boron Elgar wrote:
On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 22:18:39 -0500, 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



How far down did you place the horizontal strip. I have bricked them
in, down to a depth of 3 bricks and they have still dug out from
under.

We trap & release in the woods.

Boron

Believe it or not you have to be careful with that... in some areas
(including mine) it's perfectly legal to live trap an animal BUT it's
illegal to take and let it go into the woods. You're supposed to call an
animal relocation service and pay to have it done... yeah, right.

How freekin' stoopid is that.

In my area, animal control companies are not allowed to remove a live
animal from the premises if they trap it. They have to kill it or
release it on the property.

That is why we take the trap to a unfrequented hiking area & let the
critter go.

I had a neighbor, a policeman, who offered to "get rid of the problem"
for me. How I regret not letting him do it, though, frankly, I think
it is shoveling against the tide.

I had been groundhog free for 3-4 years & my neighbors completely
renovated their yard. Heavy equipment,. waterfall, re-grading...the
whole thing. Once that began, I started getting them again. Last year,
they waited until the Brussels sprouts were just waiting for a frost.
Every leaf, every sprout was eaten. Only the stalks remained.

I keep a large sheet of plywood wedged into the stairs of my upper
deck, where I grow quite a bit in containers. The bast...
um...critters cannot get up there, then, so I can protect that.

They are not hard to trap, and if you can get rid of the whole family
group, you really can be happy for a few years.

Boron