My father and I have found a method or two of control that I thought I would share.

These are very pesky animals to us....we live in a very rural midwest area surrounded by fields. They dig lots of tunnels and cause damage....

The first thing you must do is get rid of your current population.

Note that mothballs, poisons, gasses....or anything like that do not work at all. Niether do the home remedys of chewing gum or castor oil. From our experience, trapping (like moles) is THEE only way.

There are live traps and kill traps you can use....some say they work well.

I personally don't want to drive chipmunks 20 miles away....especially since i have already "eliminated" over 20 of them.....in less than 3 months. So live traps are out...and the kill traps are expensive.

(Note....this method may not be for the squeemish)


So Dad and I (and a few contribiting sources) have "perfected" this method

1.) Get an empty watercooler jug w/a cap....I actually use a smaller one from an old dog watering thing...its smaller and no cap...but works. Keep it filled with water next to your door.

2.) Watch for the chipmunks....they come out of the tunnels in the later afternoon....especially on sunny days....especially 1-4 days after you mow.

3.) When you spot one....go and get your jug....

4.) Follow the chipmunk to see which tunnel it went into

5.) Put water jug into hole (allowing water to go into hole)

6.) The action of the water will actually pull the chipmunk into the jug....some will be too big to fit into the jug....they will drown trying to get into the jug. The others will almost "pop" right into the jug

7.) Turn jug over and fill with water (but not enough to let chipmunk out) and put the cap on. Chipmunk will eventually drown...then I bury them.

++++There are ways to speed up the drowning...you will figure that out. Sometimes...getting them out of the jug is a challenge....you will get that part too+++++

After almost 15 years of dealing with them....this controls the problem better than anything.....once you have eliminated your current infestation...

Control the food supply. They eat anything...but we noticed that eliminating bird food really helped. They loved the seeds. We also noted that getting rid of our "bug zapper" was a good idea...they would sit underneath it waiting for food.

I have personally noticed that less chipmunks are present if you keep your lawn a little taller (than you may prefer)

This will help keep "new" groups from moving in.

I used to see the chipmunks in the afternoon. I haven't seen them in
about a month, and I've been looking. But sure enough, every time I
mow, there are more holes than before.

Someone told me her father used to just stick a garden hose in the
holes, and shoot the chipmunks as they came out.

My chipmunk problem is about 300' from the nearest faucet. That's
alot of hose. Plus, I don't have a gun.

I know they make a "zapper" box that is supposed to kill instantly.

I'd contact the local extension office and see if there's anybody in the
area who will trap them. They almost always know someone who does that kind
of work. Nowadays, most people don't recommend shooting them. They're
usually trapped and relocated to the nearest wood.


wrote in message
...
I used to see the chipmunks in the afternoon. I haven't seen them in
about a month, and I've been looking. But sure enough, every time I
mow, there are more holes than before.

Someone told me her father used to just stick a garden hose in the
holes, and shoot the chipmunks as they came out.

My chipmunk problem is about 300' from the nearest faucet. That's
alot of hose. Plus, I don't have a gun.

I know they make a "zapper" box that is supposed to kill instantly.

I am trying red hot pepper flakes. From the windown I saw a chipmunk
eating something where the flakes were and all of a sudden the rascal
took off like Road Runner. I hope it was the pepper!

After seeing that, I went to Costco and got a fresh large bottle and
sprinkled the whole bottle heavily all around the vegetable garden, a
circumferance of about 80 feet..

On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 22:34:15 GMT, "Thomas H. O'Reilly"
wrote:

I'd contact the local extension office and see if there's anybody in the
area who will trap them. They almost always know someone who does that kind
of work. Nowadays, most people don't recommend shooting them. They're
usually trapped and relocated to the nearest wood.


wrote in message
.. .
I used to see the chipmunks in the afternoon. I haven't seen them in
about a month, and I've been looking. But sure enough, every time I
mow, there are more holes than before.

Someone told me her father used to just stick a garden hose in the
holes, and shoot the chipmunks as they came out.

My chipmunk problem is about 300' from the nearest faucet. That's
alot of hose. Plus, I don't have a gun.

I know they make a "zapper" box that is supposed to kill instantly.